Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday - 22nd May 2024
Abbot Paul • May 21, 2024
Tomorrow I will be travelling to Thessaloniki, Greece, to visit old friends for a few days. As a student in the mid 1960s I studied at the university in that wonderful city and have never lost the love I have both for the city and its people. I will endeavour to send a message each day, as I have done in the past, but that will depend on circumstances and commitments. Be assured of my prayers for you as I follow in the footsteps of St Paul.
Our short Gospel passage today comes from Mark, (Mk 9: 38-40), in which John tells Jesus about something the disciples saw during the mission they had been sent on. “John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.’” He talks of a “man who was not one of us”, but who was this man and who had given him the power of healing in the name of Jesus? There is no indication of his identity, but there is evidence in the Gospels that Jesus had many disciples, some of them cryptic disciples for fear of the Jewish or Roman authorities. Cleopas and his companion, for example, are only mentioned in the account of that Easter encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus. The disciples are vexed to find others casting out devils in Jesus’ name, but Jesus himself is much more relaxed about it. He replies that anyone who is an enemy would hardly be casting out demons in his name or speaking ill of him. He concludes with the maxim, “Anyone who is not against us is for us.” Perhaps we could remember that when we meet Christians of other traditions and learn to accept those who preach or heal in the name of Jesus, although they might not be of our particular denomination. Sometimes there is rivalry and worse even among those who are of the same ecclesial body. Today’s Gospel invites us to pray for unity and charity among Christians of the same Church as well as between Christians of different communions.
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.
