Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 26th July 2023
Abbot Paul • July 26, 2023
The annual Mass in honour of St James, celebrated yesterday at Longworth Chapel, Bartestree, was the most wonderful occasion. The medieval Catholic chapel was filled to overflowing and resonated with joyful singing, as Fr Brendan, our Herefordshire Dean, celebrated the Mass and preached. He was accompanied by Canon Paul Millar and Dom James Norris. The event was organised by Des Keohane and was our first return to Longworth since before the Pandemic.
Deo gratias.
Today we keep the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and progenitors of Jesus Christ. It’s the day on which we pray especially for our grandparents, both living and dead. Our Gospel passage comes from Matthew, (Mt 13: 16-17). Jesus is speaking with his disciples, “Happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.” This must be one of the shortest Gospel readings there is. Joachim and Anne, like the Prophets of Israel, lived with faith in the fulfilment of God’s promises, in his own time and in his own way. They trusted that God would bring about the salvation not only of Israel but of the whole world through the birth of the Messiah. They were not to know that the Messiah would be their own grandson, born of their Immaculate Virgin Daughter, Mary our mother in faith. We thank God today for our heavenly grandparents, Saints Joachim and Anne.
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.
