Message of Abbot Paul - Maundy Thursday 6th April 2023
Abbot Paul • April 6, 2023
Although today is Maundy Thursday, when in all parishes we commemorate the Last Supper with a Solemn Evening Mass, after which there is a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to an altar of repose, that symbolises the Garden of Gethsemane, nevertheless it is also the day when traditionally every bishop celebrates the Chrism Mass in his cathedral surrounded by his priests and deacons. Although it is called the Chrism Mass, because Holy Chrism is consecrated during the Mass, other holy oils, the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens, are also blessed. I thought that today, for a change, I would say a brief word about this Mass and the Gospel read at it.
First of all, it should be said that most dioceses now celebrate this Mass with a few days anticipation to avoid a rush on Maundy Thursday and to enable more priests and layfolk to be present at the Mass in the cathedral as well as at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in their parishes. Likewise, although traditionally the Oil of the Sick was blessed during the Eucharistic Prayer, while the Oil of Catechumens was blessed and Chrism consecrated after Communion, today bishops are free to move things around a bit, if it is more convenient. In addition to blessing and consecrating oils, it’s also now become the custom for priests to renew their priestly vows or promises, the ones they made at their ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. You can find all the texts in your Missal, so do read them, if you have a spare moment.
​The Gospel at the Chrism Mass is taken from Luke, (Lk 4: 16-21), where Jesus returns to Nazareth, where he is about to preach his first homily in the synagogue there on the sabbath day. Luke remarks that Jesus always attends synagogue on the Sabbath. The section he reads from Isaiah is the following.
“The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.”
Jesus is anointed with the Spirit, because he comes to bestow the Spirit upon us, and he does that, as Messiah, by anointing us with holy oil. Isaiah also gives an indication as to why Jesus is anointed, and so why we are anointed.
​What is really interesting is what follows in the synagogue sequence. “He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’” Jesus himself tells them that the text he has read is being fulfilled before their very eyes, that he is the Messiah foretold by Isaiah. Jesus is the anointed one and the one who will impart mercy and grace on those with whom he shares his Spirit through holy anointing. The Church is the anointed Bride of Christ and Maundy Thursday, the day on which Christ lavishes on his Church all her Sacraments, his gifts of grace and life, hope and salvation.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
Archbishop Mark O'Toole, of Cardiff-Menevia presided at the Requiem Mass for Bishop Mark, while Abbot Brendan conducted his burial. Cardinal Vincent Nichols preached a homily full of warmth and affection for Bishop Mark which is reproduced below.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.
