Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 14th November 2023
Abbot Paul • November 13, 2023
As you read this short message, and it is short, I will be driving up to Ampleforth Abbey from Belmont for a meeting of monastic superiors. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the long journey by car, and even less to the return journey on Friday. I ask for your prayers for a safe trip and that I manage to keep to the various speed limits on the way. I also ask your prayers for a good, fruitful meeting for all the Benedictine communities tasking part. Today is the feast of the great Celtic saint Dyfrig, abbot and bishop, who was born at Madley, a few miles from Belmont, and led large monastic settlements at Moccas and at Henland, both in Herefordshire, before becoming Bishop of Llandaff in South Wales. May he pray for Belmont and for the faith of the people of our county.
Today’s Gospel passage from Luke (Lk 17: 7-10) begins with a parable in the form of a question on the subject of doing our duty, bearing in mind that it is Jesus himself who is the exemplar of obedience to the Father’s will. You will remember that he said on one occasion, “I have not come to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” This is what Jesus says to his disciples: “Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, ‘Come and have your meal immediately’? Would he not be more likely to say, ‘Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards’? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.’” We might have difficulty with the word servant (the Greek word δουλος appears 27 times in Luke and can mean slave or servant), but it reflects the society in which Jesus lived. The parables always refer to Christ in the first place: they explain who he is, what he does and why. By extension they also apply to us, his disciples. That is why St Paul wrote, “It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Father, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
