Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday - 23rd April 2024
Abbot Paul • April 23, 2024
Today we keep the feast of St George, the warrior saint, who shed his blood for Christ, patron saint of England and of many other countries, towns, villages and churches throughout the Christian world, including in Peru. Today we will celebrate the First Profession of Br Miguel Rimarachin Pinedo, so a day of rejoicing for the monastic community in Lurin. Yesterday, among many other things, I visited our bishop, Mgr. Carlos Garcia Camader. We spent a couple of hours together talking about many aspects of Church life in Peru and England, sharing experiences and looking with hope to the future. Mgr. Carlos has been a great supporter of the monastery and holds the monks in high esteem. This is a very lively diocese, with an amazing pastoral and social outreach on a grand scale. It also has a thriving seminary with many good vocations. Mgr. Carlos asks for your prayers and ours.
I’m running late today (Monday) and am feeling very tired, with a big day to get through, rejoicing I hasten to add, tomorrow (Tuesday). I’ll be very brief in looking at the Gospel reading from John, (Jn 10: 22-30). Jesus is in Jerusalem for the festival of Dedication and he’s walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon in the Temple. People are wondering aloud whether he is the Messiah or not. “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly,” they say. He replies that he has told them and has also given them many signs. What is lacking? They might not know him, but his sheep do and he gives them eternal life. This is the Father’s will. He ends by saying, “The Father and I are one.” What more can he say? If he and the Father are one, then who is he?
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.
