Belmont and its History

Abbot Brendan Thomas • July 5, 2018

Monastic History in Glass and Stone (1)

How the Chapel of St Benedict, in its stained glass and carving tells us something of the whole history of Benedictine Monasticism, the importance of the English Church, and the place of Belmont in this story.

On a bright summer’s afternoon, the small side-chapel of St Benedict in Belmont’s Abbey Church fills with warmth and colour. Sunlight pouring through the decorated glass makes the Chapel into a jewel-box of monastic history. The Benedictine tradition comes alive in bright colour. Benedict and Scholastica, Gregory the Great and Augustine - the two apostles of the English, Benet Biscop, Bede and Boniface, Paulinus of York, Anselm and Lanfranc: these are just some of the saints that tell the monastic story.

St Benedict’s Chapel, built from the designs of Edward Welby Pugin, was opened on the feast of All Benedictine Saints, the 13th November 1862, and completed in 1875 when the altar was installed. Its addition to the church was chiefly due to the zeal of Dom Alphonsus Morrall (the first Novice Master at Belmont) who had collected £1,000 for its construction, including glazed arches to connect it to the Lady Chapel. The Chapel was intended to be set apart for the Novices’ private use.

We might imagine one of Belmont’s early novices kneeling down there to pray. Belmont Cathedral Priory, as it then was, had just been consecrated with great solemnity on 4th September 1860, by Bishop Brown. The Pontifical Mass of Dedication had been sung by Dom Prosper Gueranger, the great abbot-founder of Solesmes in France, who had written in 1860 “Here, everyone loves Belmont, speaks of Belmont and prays for the Prior and for all the monastic family of St Michael.” What hopes and dreams were alive in that novice’s heart at this new dawning of monastic life in England after the terrors of the Reformation? Here the Benedictine life that had shaped the nation would live again, the chant would be sung again, God would be praised again, and a little something of the Reformation and its destruction would be undone.

Belmont was founded on a romantic monastic dream, yet the years ahead would require courage, sacrifice and discipline. This Common Novitiate and House of Studies would set a standard of observance that would assist the communities of St Gregory’s (at Downside), St Laurence’s (at Ampleforth) and St Edmund’s (still at Douai in France) find a settled pattern of monastic living after the struggles of penal days. Belmont would revive the model of the Cathedral Priory, that uniquely English institution where the monks were the canons of the Cathedral. One only has to look at the plans sketched by Edward Pugin of Belmont’s gothic buildings and dreaming spires to realise that this was a confident new age.

As the young novice knelt to pray, his heart must have been filled with the sense of fresh possibilities for monastic life and mission. Surrounded by the great saints of the monastic tradition he could only be inspired afresh by the great monastic heritage of these isles. In these saints we too can see something of the whole monastic story. In the next entry we will take up the story of Benedictine monasticism beginning with the figure of St Benedict himself.


By Abbot Brendan Thomas May 17, 2025
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey John Peter Jabale was born on 16th October 1933 in Alexandria, Egypt of mainly European heritage. His father was Lebanese/French, and his mother British/Greek/French. He attended the Lycée Français in Alexandria until 1948, when he was sent to England, having expressed a desire to join the Navy. He enrolled at Belmont Abbey School and, upon leaving school, joined the Abbey, taking the religious name Mark. He was ordained to the priesthood on 13 July 1958. He was then sent to the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he obtained a Licentiate in French Literature, writing his thesis on Joseph de Maistre, the French counter-revolutionary. He later completed a Diploma in Education at St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill, where he also played rugby for the University. From 1964, he taught sport and served as a housemaster at the school. In 1969, he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School in Derbyshire, though he held that post for only half a term before being recalled to Belmont to serve as Headmaster there, a role he held—apart from a sabbatical—until 1983. From 1964 he was teaching sport and then was a housemaster in the School. In 1969 he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School, Derbyshire, but filled that post for only half a term. He was called back to Belmont to be Headmaster where he served, apart from a sabbatical, until 1983. Fr Mark was a rowing coach of considerable repute. During his sabbatical in 1979, he assisted Dan Topolski in coaching the Oxford crew for the Boat Race. His greatest coaching triumph came when he led a lightweight coxless four to a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia — the only gold medal won by Great Britain that year. The following year, he was invited to coach for the Olympics, but he declined in order to remain committed to Belmont. He was a steward of Henley Royal Regatta and was responsible for setting up and programming its first computerised systems. He was ahead of may in seeing the potential of new technology. In 1983, he was sent to Peru to purchase land and build a new monastery, which included raising funds in the UK. The new monastery was blessed, and the first Mass was celebrated there by the Archbishop of Piura, Oscar Cantuarias Pastor, in June 1986 together with Abbot Jerome, Fr Paul, Fr Luke, Fr David as well as Fr Mark. Dom Mark returned to Belmont as Prior and was elected the 10th Abbot of Belmont in 1993. He later wrote: “My first and most painful task proved to be the overseeing of the closure of the school.” Together with the bursar, John Hubert, he negotiated with the local NHS for the 4 houses to be leased to them. In 2000, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Menevia by Pope John Paul II and was ordained bishop in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Swansea, on 7 December 2000. He succeeded Bishop Daniel Mullins as the 10th Bishop of Menevia on 12 June 2001. During his episcopate, he held several important offices: Chairman of the Department for Christian Life and Worship, Trustee and Visitator of the three foreign seminaries — the Venerable English College (Rome), the Beda College (Rome), and the Royal English College (Valladolid). He was also Bishop-in-Charge of on-going formation for diocesan priests. Upon reaching the age of 75, Bishop Jabale submitted his resignation to the Holy Father on 16 October 2008 and was succeeded by Bishop Tom Burns. He then moved to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, and was inducted as Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in March 2009, a post he held until 2014. At the age of 81, he retired to Hendon in London, where he celebrated daily Mass at a local convent, assisted in various parishes, and continued to help with confirmations in the diocese. In October 2019, he moved to Archbishop’s House, Westminster, for nine months. Finally, he returned to Belmont in 2020 as a much-cherished member of the community. He described himself as “very happy.” He remained there until his death in Hereford County Hospital on 9 May 2025, aged 91. He had been a monk of Belmont for 73 years, a priest for 67 years and a bishop for 24 years. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey Bishop Mark served this community well for many years, not least Abbot and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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