Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday - 24th April 2024
Abbot Paul • April 24, 2024
Although yesterday began all cloudy and grey, with a touch of dampness in the air, it ended in glorious sunshine and blue skies. At 11 o’clock we had the solemn Mass for the First Profession of Br Miguel Rimarachin Pinedo, with a large number of guests: Br Miguel’s family from Cutervo, Cajamarca, oblates, friends of the monastery and people devoted to St Benedict. This was followed by the most delicious lunch prepared in our kitchens, served with chicha morada, a drink made with purple maize. There was a lot of animated conversation as old friendships were renewed and new friends made. I sat at a table with a very old friend, who many years’ ago had been the Peruvian Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Celebrating these important events and preaching, and simply being the host, I still find to be really exhausting if exhilarating, even after being Abbot for so long! An interesting fact, I am half way through my 24th year as Abbot, and Br Miguel recently celebrated his 24th birthday.
One of the particular joys of this visit has been meeting up with my old servers from the parish of Tambogrande, where I served as parish priest from 1981 to 1986, probably, until now, the happiest years of my life. They are all now in their late 50s and early 60s, yet have retained my most incredible affection and respect for Fr Luke, Fr David and myself. They’re talking about organising a reunion next year. That would be amazing.
Today is my last full day in Peru. How the days have flown by! Our Gospel passage comes from John, (Jn 12: 44-50), in which Jesus speaks openly of his relationship with the Father and of how his word ultimately derives from the Father. “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.” In other words, to believe in Jesus is to believe in God and to look upon Jesus and truly see him is the see and know God the Father, for Christ and the Father are One, the one true God in the unity of the Holy Spirit. He continues, “I who am the light have come into the world, so that whoever believes in me need stay in the dark no longer.” To walk with Jesus is to walk in and with the light of grace, the dawn of salvation, the new life of the resurrection, the glorious beauty of the truth.
Jesus then goes on to repeat the words he spoke to Nicodemus, “I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world.” This means that anyone who rejects Jesus and the word of life he speaks, that comes from the Father, will be judged by the very word that is rejected. Nevertheless, the hope and prayer of Jesus is that all people will receive and believe in the word with open hearts, for it’s the word that leads to eternal life.
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.
