Oblate News Summer 2018

Dom Bernard Wassall • July 27, 2018

It seems a long time since the Lent Newsletter and there is so much to report. The Oblate retreat took place over the weekend of 23rd to 25th February February (Second Sunday of Lent). A number of oblates were unable to attend this year and so we missed a few familiar faces, but all went well and we had Novices begin their noviciate and Final Promises taken by Fiona Mills . Earlier in the year Frances Wood made her promises in St Benedict’s chapel; we wish these new Oblates every blessing.

During the past months two Oblates have died; Elizabeth Center (Oblate for 22rs) and Norah Kendal (Oblate for 18yrs) May they rest in peace. Mass was offered by the community for these deceased oblates.

My health (Br. Bernard) has not been good during these past months, but now things seem to be getting back to "normal". I would like to thank so many of you for your prayers and kind support; I am very sure that my recovery is due to the nurses, but also to your kindness and goodness. God bless you

Fr. Aidan's treatment for his cancer has taken time. His pain has been, at times, very intense and he has spent time in Leominster Presbytery, St. Michael's Hospice and here at the Abbey, with many visits to the hospitals and with nurses coming in daily. He has kept the community informed of his progress throughout these difficult months and has received much support from the parishioners at Leominster and Bromyard. Hugo, his dog, has managed to be with him a good deal of the time, making life just a little better. Treatment has been taking its course and he remains in good spirits, please remember him in your prayers.

Fr. Simon has been looking after the Leominster parish together with Weobley and Kington and Fr. Joseph the Bromyard parish. Recently, Fr. Michael , at St. Francis Xaviers, Hereford has been unwell but remained in the parish and is much better. Fr. James , at Abergavenny, has spent time in hospital and was quite ill and unable to say Mass. He is still having tests etc. so please keep him in your prayers.

In February the appointment of a new Bishop for the Diocese of Lancaster was announced after the retirement of Bishop Michael Campbell O.S.A . Canon Paul Swarbrick , a priest of the diocese, is now the new Bishop and we congratulate him on his appointment. St. Begh's Whitehaven is in the Lancaster Diocese. In September Fr. Cenydd & Fr. Richard and the people at St. Begh's, will be celebrating 150yrs anniversary of the present Victorian church building on the 15th &16th September, the parish is over 300yrs old .

The Sacred Triduum was celebrated with the usual dignity and prayerfulness. The congregations were good and as usual many visitors came on Easter Sunday, 1st April. Please pray for Deacon Fred Beddow , an oblate, now aged 94 who had a fall in April, fracturing his spine; also remember his wife Marg.


In May the Abbot President, Abbot Christopher Jamison came to the community to have discussions on the Congregation and other matters. Many of the brethren managed to come for this meeting which was a pleasant occasion.

On May10th Archbishop George Stack came to Belmont to preside at Vespers and bestow a Papal knighthood on a Bromyard parishioner, Mr. Clive Richards who is a great benefactor to many local charities.

On May 10th the Annual Torchlight Procession in honour of Our Lady took place. The weather was kind to us and a good crowd attended with Dom David Bir d giving the Homily. As ever, we thank all those who help to prepare for this occasion and welcome all the visitors in so many ways. This year there were severs from Belmont, Cwmbran, Swansea, Bromyard, Hereford and Worcester who turned up on the night and volunteered to help.

In June our Juniors were taking their examinations etc. at their various colleges/seminaries and we can now congratulate Dom Alistair on obtaining his S.T.B. summa cum laude at Sant'Anselmo. Dom Percy, Dom Juan Edgar, Dom Jose Luis and Dom Augustine all achieved good results.

On July 13th Bishop Mark celebrated his Diamond Jubilee of Ordination quietly in London. Conventual Mass was offered for his intentions. Dom Percy & Dom Juan Edgar will be ordained Deacons on Sunday 29th July by the Bishop of Lurin. Dom Augustine will make his Solemn Profession on August 6th at 10am. Dom Alistair will be ordained Deacon on Friday August 10th at 11am.

Fr. Abbot will be going to Peru for the ordinations and we hope you will keep all these brethren in prayers. Br. David has taken over the management of the Shop from Br. Bernard who has worked there for many years; he will still be involved under Br. David's new regime. Fr. David has not been well for some months and is being cared for by Br. Dunstan (Infirmarian) and Fr Jonathan (Asst), please keep him in your prayers.

Br. Dunstan has been busy with the Bees and has produced Honey for the first time; we are selling it in the shop. Fr. James (Abergavenny) has not been well recently and has had hospital visits to find wrong, at present he is here at Belmont On Sunday 15th July it was announced that Fr. Nicholas (Prior) was to be going as the new superior of Downside Abbey. This has come as a surprise/shock to many here at Belmont. Fr. Nicholas does many jobs here; Prior, Parish Priest, Junior Master, Procurator and more.

The appointment to Downside is because the community there are depleted in number and need some support from the congregation. So Fr. Nicholas together with a Douai monk and a Worth monk will be joining the community to help them. He remains a Belmont monk with his home here. All this comes into place on September 1st. He will be greatly missed here. Br. Alistair has already taken over as Procurator and there will be more changes in positions to come.

The Community will be on retreat from Monday 10th September to Friday 14th September and will be given by Dom Oswald McBride of Ampleforth. We have another Ampleforth monk staying with us at present and a monk of Buckfast. Fr. Thomas is continuing his work at Buckfast Abbey and has been very busy during this special year of celebrations. Later in October (22nd to 27th) there will be a meeting of monks and nuns of the congregation at Buckfast and end with the Abbot Primate joining the Millennium celebrations. Abbot Jeremais President of the St. Ottilien congregation will be a speaker at this conference where each monastery will send up to four members, ours will be Fr. David, Br. David, Fr. Patrick and Br. Alistair .

Corpus Christi

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 22, 2025
The Murmuration of the Spirit

What happened at the Conclave?

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 19, 2025
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.

1700 Years Since the Council of Nicea

June 19, 2025
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.

Safeguarding at Belmont

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 19, 2025
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency Report, published in June 2025

Pentecost

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • June 8, 2025
The Murmuration of the Spirit

Cardinal Vincent's Homily

June 7, 2025
Archbishop Mark O'Toole, of Cardiff-Menevia presided at the Requiem Mass for Bishop Mark, while Abbot Brendan conducted his burial. Cardinal Vincent Nichols preached a homily full of warmth and affection for Bishop Mark which is reproduced below.

Fr Alex's Biography of Bishop Mark

June 7, 2025
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.

Fond recollections of Pope Leo in Peru

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • May 30, 2025
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.

Ascension Thursday

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • May 29, 2025
A Festival of the Future of the World: Abbot Brendan's Homily

A Pope with a Peruvian Heart!

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • May 25, 2025
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.
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