Twin Cathedrals

Abbot Paul Stonham • July 15, 2018

Now Belmont is a Benedictine Abbey, but for a time it was a Cathedral Priory, modelled on those Cathedral Priories of England in the Middle Ages like Canterbury, Winchester and Durham. And for a brief period, Belmont Cathedral had a twin. Abbot Paul talks about Belmont's relationship to the Archdiocese of Cardiff.

In 1916, with the publication of the Apostolic Letter “Cambria Celtica”, Pope Benedict XV created the Ecclesiastical Province of Cardiff, transferring the Episcopal Seat of Newport to the City of Cardiff, capital of Wales, and making the Diocese of Menevia suffragan to the Archiepiscopal See of Cardiff. The beautiful church of St David was to be the new cathedral of the Archdiocese, while the Episcopal Cathedral at Belmont was to remain co-cathedral with a Monastic Chapter and a Cathedral Prior. Unique in the Church, the Archbishop of Cardiff would have two chapters, one Secular and the other Regular and two Cathedral Churches. This extraordinary arrangement, fraught with difficulties and misunderstandings, was only to last four years, for in 1920, with the Papal Bull “Praeclara Gesta”, Belmont was raised to the status of an autonomous Abbey within the English Benedictine Congregation, thus ending its 60 or so years of service as a cathedral. The first Archbishop was to be James Romanus Bilsborrow, Bishop of Port Louis, Mauritius, and a monk of Douai, who would only stay four years at the helm of the new Archdiocese, ill health forcing him to resign.

You might well ask how a flourishing archdiocese came to be created in a part of the British Isles so devoid of Catholics only 75 years earlier, when Bishop Joseph Thomas Brown, a monk of Downside, was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Welsh District in 1840. This was the work of but two men, Brown himself, who is buried under the window of the Welsh saints in the North Transept of Belmont, and Bishop John Cuthbert Hedley, a monk of Ampleforth, whose monument is next to Brown’s, but whose bones lie buried at Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff. The amazing story of the Catholic Church in Wales in modern times surely belongs to these two great men, monks and bishops truly worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. Between them they built up the Church in this land and provided for the needs of a growing Catholic population, most of whom were poverty-stricken immigrants from Ireland, Italy and other parts of the United Kingdom. Bishops Brown and Bishop Hedley in earlier times would most certainly have been canonised as the Apostles of Wales.

In 1850 the Diocese of Newport and Menevia was set up as a suffragan see of Westminster diocese, with Bishop Thomas Joseph Brown in charge. Bishop Hedley then served as Bishop from 1880 to 1895. In 1895 boundaries were once again changed to reflect the make up of the Catholic Church in these parts. The Diocese of Newport was redefined comprising the counties of Glamorgan, Monmouth and Hereford. Bishop Hedley was reappointed in 1895 and continued until 1916.

By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 24, 2025
New Title
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 21, 2025
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)
By Abbot Paul April 21, 2025
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.
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 20, 2025
"He is not here, for he is risen." Homily by Abbot Brendan
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 20, 2025
"This is the night." Homily by Abbot Brendan
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 18, 2025
Homily by Abbot Brendan
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 18, 2025
Homily by Abbot Brendan
By Abbot Brendan Thomas April 13, 2025
The Passion According to St Luke: Homily by Abbot Brendan
By Abbot Brendan Thomas March 21, 2025
Abbot Brendan's homily for the Passing, the "Transitus" of St Benedict
By Abbot Brendan Thomas March 12, 2025
We look forward to welcoming the Community of St Gregory's
More Posts