Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 17th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 16, 2023
Yesterday was a very special day for the Belmont Community, as Bishop Mark celebrated his 90th birthday and we also gave thanks to God for the 70th anniversary of his Monastic Profession, which took place on 29th September 1953. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, a close friend of Bishop Mark, our own Archbishop Mark O’Toole, retired Archbishop George Stack, the successor to Bishop Mark at Menevia, Bishop Tom Burns, Abbot Nicholas Wetz, and a number of Bishop Mark’s friends came together with oblates and parishioners for the festal Mass of Thanksgiving. It was a wonderfully uplifting celebration, one to remember, and we thank God for the precious gift he has given our community and the Church in this land in the person of Bishop Mark.
Today we keep the feast of one of the most attractive saints in the Church’s calendar, St Ignatius of Antioch, the 2nd century bishop and martyr, who wrote a series of letters to various churches as he journeyed through Asia Minor towards Greece and Rome, where he was martyred for his faith. He is an important link between the age of the Apostles and the Early Church. The content of his letters cannot be underestimated nor his importance as a witness to subapostolic Church life and belief. He is also a saint that all Christians recognise and accept to be a Father of the Faith.
​Today’s short Gospel passage from Luke (Lk 11: 37-41) provides a good example of what needs to change radically in our world. “A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal.” Jesus did this on purpose for he knew how the Pharisee would react. It wasn’t hygiene that the Pharisee was interested in, but adherence to the Law, to custom or tradition, we might say. Jesus explains, “Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness.” Appearances, hypocrisy and corruption are prevalent in our world, even in our own society. “Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too?” says Jesus. None of the world’s problems will be solved unless human beings experience a radical conversion and change of heart and mind, but you have to want that to start with, otherwise things will stay the same or get much worse. Humanity is at the crossroads of life and death. The Covid pandemic, climate change and the wars in Ukraine and in the Holy Land have made that dramatically clear. Will it really have any effect on the way we think or on the way we live? Pope Francis said of the pandemic, and his words are worth repeating, “The pain, uncertainty and fear, and the realisation of our own limitations, brought on by the pandemic have only made it all the more urgent that we rethink our styles of life, our relationships, the organisation of our societies, and, above all, the meaning of our existence.”
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.
