Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 5th December 2023
Abbot Paul • December 4, 2023
Yesterday and today the Belmont Community is holding its Annual Conventual Chapter, when together the monks review the year’s work and its daily life, whether at Belmont, in Peru or on our parishes. We also look at important aspects of our life such as safeguarding, pastoral outreach and finances. When you read this short message, we’ll probably be looking at last year’s accounts with our auditors or perhaps studying our investment policy to see whether it follows the Church’s teaching in the recent document to come from Rome, Mensuram Bonam. No doubt there will be a number of monks with headaches in the room after the morning’s session.
Today’s Gospel passage comes from Luke (Lk 10: 21-24). It begins with a prayer of thanksgiving that Jesus addresses to his heavenly Father. Luke tells us that Jesus is, “filled with joy by the Holy Spirit.” In this short phrase, we find two central themes of Luke’s Gospel, joy and the Holy Spirit, who is the source of our joy. “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.” Jesus always begins his prayers to the Father with blessing and thanksgiving, a model of prayer for us. The mysteries of the kingdom are revealed in Jesus to those who follow him and open their hearts to God’s grace. We are those “mere children” and in Jesus we can see and know the living God.
In private, Jesus says to his disciples, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.” We, like the disciples, see and hear what the prophets and kings of Israel longed to see and hear. We can see this clearly in the Prophet Isaiah, whose writings we read in Advent. Today’s Mass is no exception. If you have a Daily Missal, then do read carefully Isaiah 11: 1-10. You will recognise the text, it’s so beautiful and well-known. It begins, “A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. May we come to know and love you more deeply and more surely this Advent. Amen
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.
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.
