Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 11th May
Abbot Paul • May 10, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 11th May 2022
Dear friends, yesterday I spent 13 hours travelling from the Abbey of Las Huelgas in Spain to Belmont. I returned exhausted by the journey, so this message today will be particularly short. I apologise. Tonight, we will celebrate our May Procession at Belmont after a break of 2 years due to the Covid pandemic. Many people in Herefordshire as well as in Wales and the Midlands are looking forward to coming to Belmont again as we have really missed this evening in honour of Our Lady. We will all be praying for Br Bernard, who organised it for so many years and are grateful to Fr Augustine for organising the event tonight.
Our Gospel for today, as always in Eastertide, comes from John, (Jn 12: 44-50), where Jesus continues to speak of his relationship with the Father, insisting that in him we see the Father and through him enter into a relationship with the Father that reflects his own. He says:
“Whoever believes in me
believes not in me
but in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me,
sees the one who sent me.”
To believe in Jesus is to walk in the light, the light of faith.
“I, the light, have come into the world,
so that whoever believes in me
need not stay in the dark any more.”
Jesus, the light of the world, has come among us as one of us, that we might no longer live in darkness. In Matthew, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says to his disciples that they are the light of the world. I find it a frightening thought to think that I might be the light of the world. How about you? But surely it depends on our closeness to Jesus.
It is Jesus’ intention and desire to “save the world,” but people are free to accept or reject him. Those who reject Jesus are already judged, condemned even, by the word he has spoken, that loving invitation to be a disciple. As Jesus says, the invitation realty comes from the Father.
“For what I have spoken does not come from myself;
no, what I was to say,
what I had to speak,
was commanded by the Father who sent me,
and I know that his commands mean eternal life.
And therefore what the Father has told me
is what I speak.”
Ultimately, the invitation to follow Jesus and listen to his voice is an invitation to enter into and enjoy eternal life. I wonder why so many reject it.
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.
