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Belmont Parish Christmas Concert

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:33:19 GMT

A Christmas concert of classic Christmas tunes sung by the local Minims Musical Theatre Choir

Tickets are available to buy online here; https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/christmas-concert-tickets-1955269576939

Or they will be available to buy after Mass or by contacting Louise Wright at louise@thewoodee.com

More info available on facebook here https://www.facebook.com/events/25157023667265728

Parish AGM Documents 2025

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:20:25 GMT

Please find below the documents on the Parish AGM held on 13th September.

AGM Agenda

AGM Minutes

AGM Parish Priest Report

AGM Chairman Report and Vision

Parish Mission Teams List 2025

CALLING LOCAL ACTORS!

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:09:08 GMT

CALLING LOCAL ACTORS!

Could you be part of The Hereford Passion?

Hereford Cathedral is casting for its forthcoming production of The Hereford Passion (March 2026), with rehearsals beginning in January. We are seeking actors for a wide range of roles — and especially someone to play the pivotal role of Jesus .

Rehearsals will be held twice a week from mid-December/early January, though not all actors will be required at every rehearsal.

Both The Hereford Nativity (November 2025) and The Hereford Passion (March 2026) will be performed inside the stunning setting of Hereford Cathedral, following the huge success of The Passion in 2024.

If you are interested in taking part, or would like to recommend someone, please contact:
James Pacey

�� james.pacey@herefordcathedral.org

075950 353 42

Passion Play in Hereford

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 08:29:42 GMT

There is a performance of the Passion Play in Hereford next Saturday 12th March

YouCAN Cymru launched

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:41:32 GMT

YouCan

Fr Paul's Daily Message

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:17:51 GMT

Fr Paul's popular daily message can be read on the monastery website here

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 15th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:43:31 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 1 ^st October 2023

Yesterday was a busy but happy day in the service of the Lord. In the morning, after Conventual Mass and Toby’s second walk of the day, I drove up to Leominster for Mass and Confessions, then came back to Belmont for a joyful wedding, elegant, homely and relaxed. Then came the Mass of Thanksgiving for the Silver Jubilee of Fr Richard’s Priestly Ordination, an uplifting celebration followed by a magnificent, traditional tea party. It was lovely to see so many well-known faces from all the parishes where Fr Richard has served. As a monk can never have too much of a good thing, this was followed by Solemn Vespers. Today, I will be at Leominster for Mass in the morning and again in the early afternoon, as well as at Bromyard for Mass later in the morning. Then, at 5.30pm the monastic community will sing Vespers at Hereford Cathedral for the vigil of the feast of St Thomas Cantilupe at the invitation of the Dean and Chapter. We are all looking forward enormously to returning to the Cathedral for the first time since lockdown. All are welcome to join us for Vespers. Fr Michael will preside and preach.

Today’s Gospel from Matthew (Mt 21: 28-32) has Jesus asking the chief priests and elders of the people a question. “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, ‘My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not go,’ but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, ‘Certainly, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?” His question is based on the short parable of the two sons and the answer is obvious, but by getting the answer right, his adversaries fall into a trap. When they answer, “The first,” Jesus is able to compare them unfavourably with tax collectors and prostitutes, i.e. with public sinners. He contrasts the way they responded to John the Baptist’s preaching, which was to ignore him, and the response of sinners, which was to repent of their sins and change their way of life. Jesus says, “Tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.”

Now it’s fine to talk about the high priests of Jesus’ time, about the elders of the people, the scribes and Pharisees, but what about us? What about me? Which son am I like? How closely do I listen to Jesus and take his teaching to heart? Does his teaching call me to repentance? Does his example move me to conversion and new life? These are important questions we should be asking ourselves today. Lord, I have often been disobedient to your will and have let myself down; help me out of my indolence and give me grace always to do what is right and just. Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 14th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:41:57 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 14 ^th October 2023

It was good to drive to Bromyard yesterday morning for Mass and to take Toby with me. This wasn’t new to him, of course, as in the past he had been there many times and always accompanied me when I went church crawling nearby. As you know, I love visiting ancient churches and love praying in them and singing the chant. I always get the feeling that the stones remember and rejoice. When I eventually move to Leominster and Bromyard next year on my retirement as abbot, one of the many things I’m looking forward to doing is visiting every ancient church in the north of Herefordshire, not that I can say that I’ve visited every medieval church in the south of the county, but I’m getting pretty close. Toby always accompanies me, as he loves sniffing around old churches and churchyards as much as I do.

Today’s brief Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 11: 27-28), is a most suitable passage to be heard on Saturday, which is usually dedicated to Our Lady. Here it is: “As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” It’s somewhat similar to the short account we read recently of a visit made by Mary and his brothers to Jesus, when he was preaching to the crowds and healing them. “Who are my mother and my sisters and brothers?” he asked, replying that those who hear the word and kept it are his mother and sisters and brothers. This time it is a woman in the crowd, who shouts out, “Blessed are the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked.” It’s not that Jesus disagrees with what she says, but he takes her thought a stage further. “Even more blest those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Who is more blessed than Mary his mother, who heard the word of God and kept it? We ask Mary’s prayers today that we, like her, may hear the word of God and keep it.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 13th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:39:55 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 13 ^th October 2023

It’s 11pm on Thursday night as I sit down to write a few words for today’s message, my first day back at Belmont after a short break in Greece. However, the drive from Birmingham Airport to Hereford took much longer than expected because of roadworks on the M42 that resulted in lengthy diversions, causing us to arrive at Belmont well after 2am. I didn’t really recover all day. Then, after Compline, I had to drive down to Newport to collect Fr Alex, who was arriving from his visit to the Cistercian nuns at Las Huelgas, Burgos, Spain. I wonder why the train to Hereford leaves Newport three minutes before the train from Paddington arrives.

Today the Church in England keeps the feast of St Edward the Confessor, last Anglo-Saxon king of the House of Wessex, who reigned from 1042 until 1066. He is buried at Westminster Abbey and was one of the English patron saints until replaced by St George by King Edward III.

Our Gospel from Luke today, (Lk 11: 15-26), sees Jesus casting out a devil and then taking about the devil, whom he calls Beelzebul. He says, “If it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you.”

It is God’s will and through his power that Jesus casts out devils, as he tries to bring healing, unity and reconciliation to all God’s children. There are many devils abroad in thew world today, wreaking havoc, death and destruction. We ask Jesus to cast these from our world through the power of God and to bring us that peace with God which alone can bring peace among his children.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 12th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:37:09 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 12th October 2023

I spent much of yesterday travelling back to Belmont from Greece and I’m writing this short message in one of the many Lufthansa lounges at Munich Airport. As my plane doesn’t get into Birmingham until 11pm, I doubt I’ll arrive at Belmont much before 1am. I really enjoyed having a break, but as the Welsh say after a good day’s weather, “We’ll pay for it later.” Munich must be one of the best airports to negotiate as you make a connection from one flight to another, especially if you happen to have a British passport. On leaving Thessaloniki, I was asked by the young border policeman how I’d been allowed into Greece without a visa, as he didn’t recognise a new blue British Passport. He took it from me and went off to consult a senior colleague. It’s the first time in 60 years of visiting Greece on a regular basis that I felt like an alien in a foreign land!

Today we keep the feast of St Wilfred in England, but in Spain and many countries in Latin America it’s La Virgen del Pilar, Our Lady of the Pilar, patron of Spain and venerated in Zaragoza, another reason why October is the month of Mary.

Our Gospel from Luke today, (Lk 11: 5-13), is the continuation of yesterday’s, where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. It’s an extended commentary by Jesus on perseverance in prayer. “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.” Ultimately, the best gift of prayer is the Holy Spirit, whom our Heavenly Father gives to those who ask him.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 11th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:33:10 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 11th October 2023

This afternoon and evening I will be travelling back to Belmont from Thessaloniki, where I have been staying with old university friends. It’s been good to rest and take things easy for nine days, although one friend has rather advanced Alzheimer’s, so it’s not always been easy. Together we have been following on television the tragic events taking place in Israel and Palestine and praying for peace and the safety of innocent people. Words fail before such horrific situations.

Today the Church keeps the feast of a much-loved Pope, St John XXIII. We ask his intercession for peace in our world and for the unity of the Church, especially for the working the Synod.

Our Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 11: 1-4), in which Jesus teaches his disciples to pray at their request. “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples, said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” The disciples want to be like Jesus, their Lord, in every way, including his prayer life. It’s interesting to note that John the Baptist also taught his disciples to pray. The version of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke is shorter than in Matthew.

“Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.” Had you thought of using this version from time to time? The essentials are there, especially the emphasis on forgiveness.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 10th October

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:31:37 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 10th October 2023

All good things come to an end, as they say, and my break from work and responsibility is drawing to an end. Tomorrow evening I will return to Belmont. The rest has been wonderful, the peace, the quiet, the relaxation, the heathy diet and the prolonged opportunity for prayer. Yesterday we went for a ride into the countryside to visit the heroic village of Chortiatis, heroic for it was raised to the ground and the majority of the population killed by the Nazis towards to end of WWII. We then visited the British War Cemetery nearby, so beautifully kept, tragic yet prayerful. It was interesting to note the number of Bulgarian soldiers buried with our own men, among whom were many Maltese. Of the 20,000 or more British troops who died in and around Thessaloniki towards the end of WWI, at least half died of malaria and some of the Spanish flu. We prayed for them all and prayed for those soldiers and civilians dying in Ukraine, Palestine and Israel today. We prayed earnestly for peace in that peaceful place, the result of war and death.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 38-42), and is one of the best known scenes from his Gospel, the visit of Jesus to Martha and Mary. Although we imagine Jesus travelling around with a large retinue of disciples, helpers and hangers on, only Jesus and the two sisters appear in the account. “Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.” This is an amazing statement, considering the time and place in which Jesus lived. Next we are told, “She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking.” In many ways, this is even more astounding, Jesus alone with a woman, who sits at his feet, the two alone, while Martha is absent. We then discover why. “Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’” I wonder what Martha had prepared for Jesus’ meal, that was so complicated and needed so much work with serving. He was after all a very special guest and yet there is no mention of any other dinner guests. Poor Martha, what the Lord said in reply must have upset her, but it was a lesson she had to learn. All that fuss is getting in the way of what matters more, the fact that Jesus is visiting their home, and he has come to give rather than to take, for he is the Bread of Life. Jesus says to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” Have we chosen the one thing necessary? Have we chosen the better part?

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 9th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:18:12 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 9th October 2023

Yesterday was a very busy day, including the whole morning in a Greek Orthodox Church for the Liturgy and all that goes with it, added to which, the local elections and news from Palestine and Israel kept us glued to the television. War in the Holy Land fils us with horror and sorrow and impels us to pray for peace, a peace that can only be based on justice and respect for the integrity of the rights of all peoples who share that small area of land. In many ways the world seems to be spinning out of control. Also yesterday I was talking with a farmer friend in Peru, who was lamenting the effects of climate change on his land: his mango harvest is down this year by 90% and is worth only £45. There is so much to pray for, but prayer alone is not enough.

Today the Church remembers St John Henry Newman, the 19th century English theologian. We pray that he will soon be declared a Doctor of the Church.

Our Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 13: 47-52), the Parable of the Dragnet, in which Jesus compares fishermen sorting out their catch and throwing the useless fish back into the sea with the angels at the end of time separating the good from the evil, only that the fires of hell replace the comfort of the sea. Jesus ends by saying, “Every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both old and new.” We can apply this to St John Henry Newman. May he pray for us today.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 8th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:17:04 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 8th October 2023

As today is Sunday and you will be going to Mass or, if housebound, watching it on television or some device, I’ll be short, bearing in mind that I’m also having a rest from the usual round of duties. Yesterday was a rest day, a day for catching up, a day for domestic chores such as washing and ironing. It’s also the day I had lunch with the wider family and enjoyed the rich table of traditional Greek food, bearing in mind that Thessaloniki was for centuries a multiethnic city with a large population of Sephardic Jews, Turks, Bulgarians, as well as Greeks and such minorities as Vlachs, Albanians, Armenians, Italians and French. Then in 1923, following the disastrous invasion of Asia Minor by the Greek government, there came the expulsion of the Turks from Greece and of the far greater Greek population from Asia Minor, Pontus and other parts of Turkey, bringing with them their ancient gastronomic traditions.

Our Sunday Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 21: 33-43), where Jesus, by means of the parable on the owner of a vineyard and the treatment meted out on his son by his tenants, warns the chief priests and elders of the people that, “the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” For they are rejecting Jesus, he who is “the stone rejected by the builders, who has become the cornerstone.” Could Jesus be warning us too?

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 7th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:15:36 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 7th October 2023

Among other things, yesterday included a visit to a number of ancient churches in Thessaloniki, a city that has buildings from each period of its long history. Among these are a number of famous Byzantine churches, some small, others monumental. The martyr St Demetrius is the patron saint of the city. His church is an important pilgrimage centre for devout Christians from all over Greece and the Balkans. The present church dates from the seventh century, replacing an earlier fourth century building, which itself replaced Roman baths. St Demetrius was born in Thessaloniki in the year 270 and martyred for his faith in the year 306. I joined a group of pilgrims from Serbia to visit the magnificent basilica and was privileged to have five minutes alone with the martyr at his tomb. I will post some photographs. Then I visited the church of Our Lady not Made by Hand, in which is revered an icon of the Mother of God believed to have been written by St Luke. It is yet another Roman basilica, but below current street level. I also visited the famous city landmark, the Arch of Galerius, commissioned by the fourth century Roman Emperor. There are substantial Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments in Thessaloniki, as well as Ancient Greek and Macedonian.

Today in the West we keep the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. We ask Our Lady to pray for and guide those taking part in the Synod, that we may all walk in the footsteps of Jesus and that we may all, as Jesus said to his disciples in today’s Gospel, “rejoice for our names are written in heaven.”

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 6th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:13:59 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 6th October 2023

Today, 6th October, we remember St Bruno, founder of the Carthusians, who died on this day at Serra San Bruno, Calabria, in the year 1101. Born in Cologne around 1030, he studied in Germany and France, was ordained and became a canon. He taught at Rheims and was a renowned scholar, a friend and teacher of Popes and other leaders. All the while he felt that God was calling him to the solitary life, but with the help of a community of brothers. He founded the first two Carthusian houses of Calabria himself and refused the Archbishopric of Reggio Calabria. In many ways one of the most attractive of saintly founders, we ask his intercession today for the Church and for the Synod taking place in Rome.

Yesterday we visited the old market to do the rounds of the usual store owners where my cases are filled for the return to the U.K. A large amount of incense from Mount Athos for Peru, olives and olive oil for my mother and myself, then loukoumia, mastica and other local delicacies, visits to bakers, cheese sellers, fishmongers, butchers, fruit and vegetable sellers. Everything has to be touched and tasted for quality, even grains of incense burnt to see if the perfume is intense enough. Real, old fashioned shopping, and it takes a long time, especially if you stop for a drink and a snack, and long discussions putting the world to rights.

Today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk10: 13-16), sees the lament of Jesus for the towns, where he had preached the Good News, for their lack of repentance and conversion. I wonder what he is saying today of the towns and villages where we live. Even Capernaum is singled out for lamentation. He ends by telling his disciples, “Anyone who listens to you, listens to me; anyone who rejects you, rejects me, and those who reject me, reject the one who sent me.” We pray for the grace never to reject Jesus.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 5th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:12:55 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 5th October 2023

I write once again from Greece, from the ancient, heroic city of Thessaloniki, where I am spending a week with old friends and enjoying abundant rest, peace and quiet. After a good night’s sleep, Mass and a long breakfast, we decided to go out and visit one of the many local war cemeteries. We drove over to Zeitenlik, the largest military war cemetery in Greece, a vast complex and final resting place of 20,000 or more allied soldiers, Greek, Serbian, French, Italian, British and Russian. Among the 2,000 Brits, there are men from the Empire: the Indian subcontinent, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. There’s a separate Indian war cemetery not far from Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, but you need to obtain the key to gain entry. Our visit gave rise to a long discussion on war and the futility of war, then to fervent prayers for all who gave their lives or lost their lives in every war since time began and are still losing their lives now as wars continue.

Today the Church remembers St Faustina, the Polish nun, whose devotion to Our Lord’s Divine Mercy has spread throughout the world, bringing many to salvation in Christ. She died in 1938 at the age of 33. She was the first saint canonised in the Third Millennium.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 1-12), and recounts the sending out of the seventy-two others, disciples and followers of Jesus, on the mission to go ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for his coming. He began by telling them, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” He gives them strict instructions as to how they should behave and conduct their activities. Essentially, their task is the preach the Good News that, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” Wherever Jesus is, there is the kingdom. Wherever Jesus is, there is salvation. As we welcome Jesus into our lives each day, let us also pray for vocations and encourage any we might see.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 4th October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:11:53 GMT

Wednesday, 4th October 2023

Today the Church keeps the feast of St Francis of Assisi, probably the most popular and best loved of all Christian saints and certainly my favourite. This is partly due to the fact that I spent so much of my childhood and youth in Umbria, land of saints, the land of Francis and Benedict, with my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. My memories are vivid treasures and many of them are connected with St Francis. I’ve written before about the ancient chapel on the farm land of my Zio Beniamino and Zia Annunziata on the bank of the River Chiascio less than a mile from the village of Valfrabbrica, where Francis often stopped to pray and spent the night when walking between Assisi and Gubbio. There was a stone there it was said he used as a pillow. I loved lying on the dirt floor with my head on that stone, running there after lunch to take my siesta. Zia Annunziata called me her little saint! Sadly, it takes more than using a stone for a pillow to become a saint, but I was a kid then, too young to understand. St Francis, pray for us today, that the lives of all Christians may be blessed by your joyful living of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Yesterday I traveled from Belmont to Thessaloniki, a wonderfully straightforward journey, thanks to Fr Alex, who kindly drove me to Birmingham Airport at 3am and Lufthansa, who flew me punctuality and comfortably from Birmingham to Thessaloniki via Munich. My plan for rest and relaxation with my friends has begun and I look forward to a week of just taking things easy.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 57-62), three brief encounters between Jesus and aspiring disciples on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus reminds them, as he reminds us and as St Francis shows us so clearly, that a life of discipleship is no easy option, but a challenge and a true vocation. He concludes by telling the third would be disciple, “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Words we should never forget.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 3rd October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:08:30 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 3 ^rd October 2023

When you read today’s short message, I will be travelling to Thessaloniki to visit friends. Apart from the fact that I have been working rather hard lately and feel tired and in need of a rest, I am also looking forward to seeing close friends I have known since I was a young student in Greece in the mid 60s. That makes it sound like a long time ago, but my memories of Greece and Mount Athos are as fresh today as when I first saw the country and the people and fell in love with them both. I am sure you have had the same experience of the people and places you love most. Friendship is a most wonderful gift of God.

In our reading of Luke, (Lk 9: 51-56), we have reached a turning point in the life of Jesus. This is the moment that the course of his life changes and he resolutely takes the road to Jerusalem. Let us read what Luke writes. “As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.”

Luke is always a positive writer and here he focuses on the Resurrection and Ascension, rather than on the Passion and Death of Jesus. Perhaps we should regard the death of our loved ones and our own death in the same way, without being presumptuous, of course. The messengers were sent ahead to find lodging for Jesus and his companions. They must have formed quite a large group. Did they go into that Samaritan village on purpose or was it simply a mistake? After all, they had to pass through Samaria in order to reach Jerusalem. They certainly weren’t well received and made a quick exit in search of another village. To the suggestion of James and John, the oldest and the youngest of the Twelve, that they should call down fire from heaven to destroy that Samaritan village, Jesus rebukes them. Neither vengeance, acts of hatred nor divisions among those destined to be saved are permitted by Jesus, who will die to save all God’s children and the whole of creation. May we learn to share the mind of Christ.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 2nd October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:07:05 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 2 ^nd October 2023

Today, whilst the Universal Church celebrates the feast of the Guardian Angels, in Herefordshire we keep the feast of St Thomas of Hereford, Thomas Cantilupe. At Belmont a relic of his skull is venerated at the Memorial Altar. St Thomas Cantilupe, 45 ^th Bishop of Hereford, Chancellor of Oxford University and Lord Chancellor of England, was canonised by Pope John XXII in 1320. Born at Hambleden, Bucks, in 1218, he died near Orvieto, in Italy, on 25 ^th August 1282. He was returning to England from visiting the Pope who had revoked the decree of excommunication imposed on him by Archbishop John Peckham of Canterbury. The Roman Martyrology describes him as being “resplendent with learning, severe toward himself, to the poor however he showed himself a generous benefactor.”

Yesterday afternoon, the monastic community returned to Hereford Cathedral after the hiatus of Covid lockdowns, at the invitation of the Dean and Chapter, to sing Vespers in his honour. I find the cathedral particularly prayerful and it’s always a powerful experience to sing Vespers there or just to pop in when in town to say a short prayer. The restored tomb of St Thomas adds a certain spiritual edge to that house of prayer, the place where so many miracles took place at his shrine in the Middle Ages. I’ll attach a few photographs of the celebration. We were truly blessed to be present.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 1st October

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:05:49 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 1 ^st October 2023

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 30th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:04:20 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 30 ^th September 2023

So it is that we come to the end of the month of September and the feast of St Jerome, the great biblical scholar, who translated the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into Latin. He also wrote extensive commentaries on the books of the Bible and wonderful homilies. He was born in Dalmatia in about 347 and died in Bethlehem in 420, so it is over 1600 years since his death. We also come to the end of the third quarter of the year. How quickly today becomes yesterday.

We have the briefest of Gospel passages today, a continuation of yesterday’s, from Luke, (Lk 9: 43-45). “At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.”’ But they did not understand him when he said this; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about what he had just said.” Whilst the crowds are full of admiration for the things he is doing, Jesus feels obliged to insist on what he has started telling the disciples, that he is destined to be handed over into the hands of his opponents and those who do not accept his mission to reconcile all peoples with God. Sadly, for the moment, neither do his disciples understand what he is talking about. They cannot envisage a suffering Messiah or one who falls under the power of evil men. Not only that, but they are afraid to ask, but why be afraid of Jesus? Were they fearful of the truth? Was the truth too hard to take? What do you think? Of course, we read the Gospels with the hindsight of 2.000 years’ development of study in Scripture and Theology. What must it have been like to be one of the disciples or even an evangelist? This gives us much to think and pray about as followers of Jesus.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 29th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:01:47 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 29 ^th September 2023

St Michael and All Angels is not only the patronal festival of our church, parish and monastery, but it’s also a special anniversary day in the lives of many of the brethren. Today Bishop Mark celebrates the 70 ^th anniversary of his Monastic Profession, Doms Simon and Leo their 61 ^st , Dom Michael and myself our 53 ^rd , Dom Peter his 52 ^nd and Dom Thomas his 49 ^th . Today Dom Richard celebrates the Silver Jubilee of his Priestly Ordination and Dom Augustine the 3 ^rd anniversary of his. We pray for them especially today.

As monks we don’t often talk about angels, unless we’re showing visitors around the Abbey Church. Even devout Catholics today think of angels as part of Christian mythology and don’t quite know what to make of them. That’s strange, considering that magic and witchcraft are now such lucrative para-religious enterprises and that in the fast-changing world of cyberspace everything lives and breathes on clouds, even our archives and photograph albums.

St Paul says that the angels are “all ministering spirits, sent out in the divine service for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.” The prayers and preface of today’s Mass take up that theme. The angels, who worship before God’s throne, are also his messengers and servants. Not only do they worship God, but they also help us to praise him by the holiness of our lives. In heaven they lead the laus perennis of which our Opus Dei is an echo here on earth.

There’s hardly a page of Scripture where the angels of God are not present. If anything, it’s the angels who give cohesion to the Bible, binding the History of Salvation together. They are the ones who constantly reveal God’s will to Man. In the Old Testament, they represent God before patriarchs, prophets and kings, whilst in the New they are the prime movers in the Gospels, Acts and Book of Revelation.

Can you imagine the Annunciation without Gabriel or the Nativity without angels? Indeed, it is they who teach us to pray, “Hail Mary, full of grace,” and to sing, “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” Think of the forty days in the wilderness and the angels who ministered to Jesus in his temptations. Think of Gethsemane and the Angel of the Passion, or of the empty tomb and the message of the Easter Angel, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” What would we have made of the Ascension had the Angel not told the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why stand there looking at the sky? He will come again just as you have seen him go to heaven.” In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, Paul and the others are guided by angels in their mission, set free from prison and protected as they fearlessly set about preaching the Gospel.

Finally, what would we make of our own lives and of this present uncertain moment in world history without that powerful chapter in the Apocalypse where the archangel Michael does battle with Satan? Nothing we do can change the past, but what we do now can change the future. Today, more than ever, the world needs the guidance and protection of St Michael and the Holy Angels. Today, we need to pray, “Holy Michael Archangel, defend us in the day of battle.”

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 28th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:00:23 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 28 ^th September 2023

Although we had been led to believe that Storm Agnes would be a nightmare, with hurricane winds and torrential rains, in fact, she was a gentle and mild-tempered lass, who invited Toby and me to the beach and blessed us with warm sunny weather most of the day. The main reason for visiting my mother yesterday was to take her to the vaccination centre for her Covid booster jab. Being Welsh, everyone is terribly kind, welcoming and caring. They asked if I’d like a jab too, but I had to tell them that I had just booked one in Hereford in mid-October and wouldn’t want to let the nurse down!

Today’s Gospel reading is as short as yesterday’s and comes from Luke (Lk 9: 7-9). You will remember that both Mark and Matthew have accounts of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, Mark’s far more detailed. Here in Luke, we only find the reaction of Herod (this is Herod Antipas, son of King Herod) to the news of all that was being accomplished by Jesus. He, like many others, thought that Jesus was, in fact, John risen from the dead. This is what Luke has to say, “Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.” Herod hears and is puzzled by what he hears, puzzled because of what others are saying about Jesus. Some reckon he is John come back to life, others Elijah or one of the great prophets. Herod’s reaction is to say that it can’t be John because he had him beheaded. This is why he was anxious to see him.

Are we puzzled about Jesus? What do we really make of him? Are we anxious to hear him? These are legitimate questions we can ask ourselves, for unless we are really curious about Jesus, it’s unlikely that we’ll make a real effort to read and think seriously about what he has to say. Often a real interest in something or someone, even a journey into faith, begins with curiosity. Let us keep alive in us that spirit of curiosity that enabled us to grow from infants into adults.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 27th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:59:05 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 27 ^th September 2023

September 27 ^th marks the feast day of St Vincent de Paul, the French priest, who died on this day in 1660. He was renowned for his work among galley slaves and founded the Congregation of the Mission, commonly known as the Vincentians or Lazarists, to work among the poor in small towns and villages, preach retreats to clergy and support local seminaries. He also founded the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. There was a time when every parish had a Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP), whose members did capital work among the poor. It’s sad to see such great pastoral and charitable groups reduced to practically nothing today.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 9: 1-16), sees Jesus preparing the Twelve for their mission of preaching the Gospel and healing the sick. “Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” It’s important to note that power goes hand in hand with authority and that there can be no healing in the integral Christian sense without the proclamation of the Good News, who is Christ himself. Jesus then gives them some quite radical instructions as to how they should carry out their mission. He is nothing if not practical. “Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.” The Twelve are to rely entirely on Divine Providence, for they go forth in faith in Jesus’ name and with his authority and power. They are to accept hospitality, but if a welcome is not forthcoming, then they are to leave that village with neither a curse nor a blessing, but shaking the dust from their feet. Once Jesus has given his instructions, off they go, obedient to his command. “So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.” St Vincent de Paul followed the example of the Twelve. Let’s hope that we might do as well.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 26th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:57:59 GMT

Message for Tuesday, 26 ^th September 2023

Today the Church remembers the twin 3 ^rd century physician martyr saints of Syria, Cosmas and Damian, so popular in the early Church that they even appear in the Roman Canon. They are the patron saints of medicine and pharmacy and were renowned for attending to the sick without any charge. So many miracles were wrought through their intercession that their cult spread throughout Europe and the Middle East. One of the small medieval churches well worth visiting in Herefordshire is that of Saints Cosmas and Damian at Stretford, just a few miles south of Leominster off the A4110. You mustn’t miss it. May this day’s saints pray for doctors, surgeons, nurses and pharmacists and for the NHS.

Our short Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 8: 19-21), focusses on a visit made to Jesus by his mother and other family members. “The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’” Jesus uses their visit to teach the crowds who follow him what it means to belong to God’s family, the family of the faithful. All can be the brothers and sisters of Jesus if they “hear the word of God and put it into practice.” We are not told by Luke why it is that his mother and brothers wish to see him, nor are we told whether he left the crowds in order to them. We know that his mother is Mary, the wife of Joseph the carpenter, but who are these brothers? Could they have been the sons of Joseph by an earlier marriage? Tradition points in that direction. Personally, being an only son, I’ve often wondered what it must be like to have brothers and sisters. One of the sorrows I’ve carried through life is that of not having a brother or sister. I envy those who do. Yet Jesus has chosen and called me to be one of his brothers and for that I’m truly grateful.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 25th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:55:28 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 25 ^th September 2023

How quickly the days are passing by. In less than a week it will be October and three months’ today it will be Christmas. Yes, this year Christmas Day is on a Monday, so Christmas Eve is on a Sunday, my least favourite Advent-Christmas combination and very hard work, if you’re a priest with pastoral commitments.

Today’s short Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 8: 16-18), sees Jesus talking to the crowds again. “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So, take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.” It’s a mini-parable, if you can say that, and it follows on from the parable of the sower and the seed. Light, in fact, is like seed. It can be allowed to shine forth and give light to yourself and others, or it can be hidden and locked away. Sadly, there are people who hide their light, their knowledge, their gifts, for all sorts of reasons. Jesus wants his disciples to be the light of the world and to bear witness to their faith, the light who is Christ. Their living faith will bring others to Christ.

Jesus warns those listening to “take care” how they hear. If we have truly heard Jesus’ words, received the seed, lit a lamp, have his word within us, then it will be evidenced by the obedience of love, that is, bearing fruit, giving off light, becoming manifest. If there is no obedience/fruit/light manifest outside in the practical sphere of our daily lives, then there is no reason to believe that there is faith, received seed, lamp lit or the fire of love inside us. Jesus concludes with a frightening thought. “So, take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.” What, then, are we to do, if we are deceiving ourselves and trying, perhaps inadvertently, to deceive others? We can throw ourselves on the mercy of God, ask for hearts open to his word, and feast on the Gospel of the crucified and risen Son, because it is only by abiding in him, and he in us, that any fruit will be borne in our lives, which, after all, is the will of God for us. God is merciful and just and he will not let us down, but we need to pray more.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 24th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:54:12 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 24 ^th September 2023

Many parishes, especially in rural settings, will be celebrating their Mass of Thanksgiving for the Harvest around this time. It’s an ancient Christian practice in all parts of the world to pray when seed is sown in early Spiring and then to give thanks when the harvest is collected in the Autumn. There are special texts in the Missal to use at these times of year. The Harvest Festival also reminds us of how important it is to give thanks to Almighty God for the gifts of food and drink, of work and remuneration, signs of God’s love for his people and of his immense generosity towards us. May we always remember to say grace before and after meals, even if it’s just a quick snack taken on the go.

Today’s Gospel from Matthew (Mt 20: 1-16) is the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, a moving story that reminds me so much of our life in Peru, where Fr Luke, Fr David and I noticed on our very first morning in the parish of Tambogrande how the town square was full of working men and boys from 3am onwards, waiting to be taken on and given work for the day on farms round about. The Spanish word for these workers is ‘jornalero’ which literally means someone taken on for the day. In fact, we soon discovered that, in many ways, we had been transplanted into biblical times in the lifestyle and customs of our new neighbours and parishioners, from whom we had so much to learn about being Christian. Our text reads, “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard.” In the course of the day, as more men are needed to finish the day’s workload, more are contracted. This goes on from the first to the eleventh hour and the wage promised is a denarius. In Peru in the 80s, the going rate was under £1 a day. Today, as a result of the pandemic and climate change, there is little or no work, so that pittance now seems to have been a good wage. But to go back to the parable: at sunset the landowner appears and settles up with the day’s workers and to each he gives a denarius.

“When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. ‘The men who came last,’ they said, ‘have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.’ He answered one of them and said, ‘My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first, last.” It does seem unfair, but this is a parable, not real life, and it’s about God and the kingdom of heaven. God is generous and in heaven there will be no class system, no rich and poor, no privileged and oppressed. All will be blessed with the beatific vision. When we see God face to face, there will be nothing to complain about, but God would like us to set about living the values of his kingdom here and now. We mustn’t wait until eternal life for there to be true justice and perfect charity in our world. Christians are really supposed to make a difference. Lord, help us today to live as you would want us to, to act justly at all times and to remember that you taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” Let us also remember those who, even today, are not paid a just wage and all those who have lost or will lose their jobs as a result of the economic turndown caused by Covid, the war in Ukraine and, above all, climate change all over the world and in the United Kingdom as well. Lord, look with mercy and kindness on your people, and thank you for all your gifts, especially the gift of the harvest and the gift of food.

Let us also remember that in England today we keep the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham, as in other countries they keep Our Lady of Ransom, a particularly important feast in Peru, where I lived and worked so happily for twenty years. May Our Lady pray for us all and protect her children with her maternal care. Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 23rd September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:53:01 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 23 ^rd September 2023

Today the Church celebrates one of our greatest modern saints, St Pius of Pietrelcina, better known to us all as Padre Pio. Not only is he one of the greatest and best known, but also one of the most loved and sought after for his prayers. He was born of 25 ^th May 1887 and died on 23 ^rd September 1968. He was canonised by Pope St John Paul II, who had known him well as a young priest and bishop, on16th June 2002. From the age of five, he had dedicated himself to a life of prayer and contemplation and to suffering for the love of Christ Crucified. All this he combined with an exquisite charity and spirit of self-sacrifice. At the age of fifteen, which was permitted then, he entered the Capuchin noviciate at San Giovanni Rotondo and was ordained when he was only twenty-three. For Padre Pio the celebration of Mass was a profound mystical experience and his Mass could take up to three hours to celebrate with long pauses of silent contemplation. Every day he would wake at 2.30am and rose to make preparation for Mass, after which he heard confessions practically all day. He ate the smallest amount of food and slept for just a few hours each night. On 20 ^th September 1918, he received the gift of the stigmata, that would conform his life even more closely to that of Jesus, his Lord and Saviour, who also blessed him with many other spiritual gifts for the salvation of souls. He could read people’s hearts and convey to them the forgiveness and the love of God. He was God’s chosen instrument to bring many to reconciliation with the Church and with their loving Lord. May he pray for us today and for those most in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Yesterday we read a short link passage, typical of Luke. We now find Jesus going through towns and villages, often unnamed, preaching and teaching. In today’s Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 8: 4-15), we find the parable of the sower. Jesus tells this parable to a large crowd. No reason is given as to why he preached it there and then. It wasn’t the response to a question, nor was it aimed at the scribes and Pharisees. It can be read in any context, which is why it speaks to us so eloquently today. “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell on the edge of the path and was trampled on; and the birds of the air ate it up. Some seed fell on rock, and when it came up it withered away, having no moisture. Some seed fell amongst thorns and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell into rich soil and grew and produced its crop a hundredfold.’ Saying this he cried, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’” The disciples are mystified, so they ask him. He replies, “The mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you; for the rest there are only parables, so that

they may see but not perceive,

listen but not understand.”

We might well ask, if the mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to the disciples, then why can’t they understand a parable preached to the crowd? What did the crowd make of it? There are many imponderables in the Gospels.

Jesus, then gives a detailed explanation of the parable: “This, then, is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. Those on the edge of the path are people who have heard it, and then the devil comes and carries away the word from their hearts in case they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are people who, when they first hear it, welcome the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of trial they give up. As for the part that fell into thorns, this is people who have heard, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life and do not reach maturity. As for the part in the rich soil, this is people with a noble and generous heart who have heard the word and take it to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance.” I can clearly see each one of those groups of people in me. At various times in the past and even now, to be honest, I can be like those on the edge of the path, those on rock, those among thorns and, occasionally, those in rich soil. Trusting in God, my prayer is always, “Lord, no matter where I am today, may your word penetrate my heart and mind, my whole being, and bear fruit to your honour and glory and for the good of those around me. Grant me the grace of perseverance. Amen.”

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 22nd September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:51:40 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 22 ^nd September 2023

There is much debate today as to the role and ministry of women in the Church. The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and the ancient Churches of the East do not ordain women to the presbyterate, even as deacons, whereas the Anglican Church and other reformed Churches do, but these tend not to have the same theology of priesthood. I remember once a lovely United Reformed lady minister asking me why we didn’t have women priests in the Catholic Church. I replied by asking if she was a priest. No, she said, I’m a minister, quite horrified at the thought of priesthood. I replied by saying that the Catholic Church was just like her Church, that we have many women Taking part in ministry in the Catholic Church, but not as priests. Think of all the vital ministries being fulfilled by women in your parish and you’ll see what I mean, which brings us to today’s short Gospel passage from Luke, (8: 1-3), who highlights the participation of women in the life of Jesus and his disciples and in the life of the early Church.

Luke tells us that, “Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God.“ Jesus is on a mission. He knows that time is short and that the Good News of the kingdom of God must be proclaimed in as many places as he can reach, but he does not travel alone, there must have been quite a retinue with him. In fact, Luke tells us who accompanied him on this journey, this pilgrimage of salvation. “With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.” First of all, we have the Twelve, but then Luke tells of the women who also went with him. These were women who had been healed by Jesus and were moved by loving gratitude to follow him and, like the disciples, leaving the security of home and family. More than that, it was these women who made the mission possible by their logistical and financial support. We read of similar support in the Acts of the Apostles. We are given the names of three of them, with some detail about the first two. They are Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, but there are several more besides. They obviously played an important role in the ministry of Jesus, which would not have been possible without them. This leads us all to ask ourselves today. What can I do to help Jesus, to support his ministry of salvation? How can I help proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God?

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 21st September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:50:33 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 20th September 2023

Just a short message today as yesterday was a busy working day for A.I.M in Paris, meeting from 8am to 6pm with just a short break for lunch. When you read this, I will be on my way back to Belmont. I’ve been warned that the weather is windy and wet and to take special care driving. It’s interesting to see that the French are being a little more careful about Covid, with sanitising liquid to be seen in restaurants and churches, masks more frequently worn and Holy Communion being given in only one kind at Mass. I’ll add some photos of the three images of Our Lady in the Monastery of St Bathilde at Vanves, where A.I,M. has its offices and a short clip from Vespers.

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 7: 31-35), records Jesus’ frustration with the attitude of people towards him. He compares them with children in the marketplace, playing games and singing rhymes. He even quotes one of the rhymes they sing. Then he says, “For John the Baptist comes, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say he is possessed; the Son of Man comes, eating and drinking, and you say he is a glutton and a drunkard, the friend of tax-collectors and sinners.” Nothing satisfies them and they find fault everywhere. I wonder if anything has changed. What do people make of Jesus today? Are we still like children in the marketplace?

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 20th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:49:33 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 20th September 2023

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 19th September

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:48:23 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 19th September 2023

One of the saints remembered today is St Januarius, Bishop of Naples, whose phial of coagulated blood liquifies on this day in his hometown of Naples. Although not a popular name in the U.K., I know a number of people called Jenaro in Spain and Latin America, and Gennaro in Italy. To them all I wish a very happy feast day

As I mentioned yesterday, l am in Paris, Vanves, to be precise, for a meeting. It’s been a long day and it feels like two days wrapped into one. I was up at 2am, after just three hours’ sleep, and drove to Birmingham Airport through a heavy mist and torrential rain. Although the place was packed with holiday makers setting off, I was able to negotiate security very quickly and settle down to a good breakfast to set me up for the day. There seemed to be a lot of heavy drinkers about the place. Why, I ask myself, would people need to be drinking gin and tonic, lager, sparkling wine and vodka before 5am? The flight to Paris was comfortable and on time, but immigration at Charles De Gaulle was a nightmare for British citizens. Why could not our government have negotiated a deal with the EU like Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein for us to continue passing through the EU channel. I was with a couple of British businessmen. I won’t repeat their comments. It’s annoying, embarrassing and totally unnecessary. Eventually, I had a comfortable taxi ride to Vanves, and so our meetings began with Midday Office and a delicious lunch. Being hardworking foreigners, there was no siesta, so it was work until Vespers and Mass, supper, then some free time before bed. I’ll say Compline before putting the lights out. Tomorrow we’ll have a full day’s work, beginning at 8am.

I don’t have tomorrow’s Gospel to hand, although I know it’s Luke’s wonderful account of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain, (Lk 7: 11-17). Let us keep in our prayers today all mothers who have lost a child, that the Lord will look on them with compassion and love.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 18th September

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:38:49 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 18 ^th September 2023

When you read this short message, I hope to be in Paris for a meeting of the International Team of A.I.M, the Alliance for International Monasticism, the joint Benedictine Cistercian N.G.O that supports monastic foundations in developing countries. As you might know, I have worked with A.I.M as a volunteer for the past twenty-two years, my remit being Latin America (but not Brazil) and the Caribbean.

It has been a wonderful experience, supporting so many monastic communities, visiting them, running workshops, teaching courses, preaching retreats, conducting visitations and helping out with projects funded by our benefactors. I have been truly blessed to have met and got to know and admire so many nuns, sisters and monks, their communities, neighbours, regions and countries. I think this will be my last visit to Paris, as I would like to hand over to a younger person the strenuous programme that I carried out willingly and enthusiastically before Covid. I fear I wouldn’t have the energy to start up again, especially as I now have duties at Leominster and Bromyard, nearer home in Herefordshire.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 7: 1-10), presents us with the meeting between a centurion and Jesus and the healing of the man’s servant. It’s a beautiful account, as only Luke can tell it. Luke was a poet who wrote in prose! He focusses on the humility of the centurion, whose example we can all follow. Just in case you don’t have the text in front of you, here it is in full.

“When Jesus had come to the end of all he wanted the people to hear, he went into Capernaum. A centurion there had a servant, a favourite of his, who was sick and near death. Having heard about Jesus he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him. ‘He deserves this of you’ they said ‘because he is friendly towards our people; in fact, he is the one who built the synagogue.’ So Jesus went with them, and was not very far from the house when the centurion sent word to him by some friends: ‘Sir,’ he said ‘do not put yourself to trouble; because I am not worthy to have you under my roof; and for this same reason I did not presume to come to you myself; but give the word and let my servant be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard these words, he was astonished at him and, turning round, said to the crowd following him, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found faith like this.’ And when the messengers got back to the house, they found the servant in perfect health.”

It’s such a perfectly told story, that it seems a pity to comment on it at all. There is, of course, a miracle of healing, where Jesus doesn’t need to be present at the sick servant’s side, but above all, it’s a story about humility and faith on the part of an outsider, a centurion, who must have been a “Godfearer’, but not someone of the household of the faith. Jesus’ words to the crowds are of vital importance and provide us with an essential lesson. “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found faith like this.” At times, I have found a deeper, more authentic faith and a greater humility among those who are not Christian or Catholic. We must be prepared to learn from Jesus and acknowledge this, as Peter did when he entered the house of Cornelius, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, (Ac 10 & 11).

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 17th September

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:33:09 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 17 ^th September 2023

You will notice in your parish newsletters this weekend a reference to or an article about Evangelii Gaudium Sunday and probably wondering what it’s all about. It certainly came as a surprise to me! So I thought it would be a good idea to give you the necessary information, which I think comes from the Bishops’ Conference for England and Wales.

This weekend, 16th – 17th September, is ‘Evangelii Gaudium Sunday’ or, as it used to be called, ‘Home Mission Sunday’. A time to remind ourselves of the essential mission of the Church to spread the joy of the Gospel, the Good News not just in far flung places, but here at home in our own backyard. In the first year of his pontificate, 2013, Pope Francis released an apostolic exhortation on the joy of the Gospel titled Evangelii Gaudium. In it, he encouraged the Christian faithful to “embark on a new chapter of evangelisation” marked by this joy, while striving to find new paths to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world.

Evangelisation is about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him. Many of these quietly seek God, led by a yearning to see his face. Christians have the duty to proclaim the Gospel, excluding nobody. This is the challenge and opportunity we take up on Evangelii Gaudium Sunday. Formerly known as Home Mission Sunday, the Church celebrates Evangelii Gaudium Sunday each year on the third Sunday in September, this year, Sunday September 17 ^th .

In his message for this year, Pope Francis calls on the Church to embark on a fundamental change of direction in evangelisation, no longer relying on past structures and actions but reading the signs of the times and acting passionately in proclaiming the unique message of the Gospel that brings joy to all people who receive it with an open heart. He says: “I dream of a ‘missionary option’, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelisation of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.”

There will be a collection in parishes this Sunday to support the work of the Bishops’ Conference Department of Evangelisation and Discipleship.

So, there it is, not the easiest Sunday to remember. I’m hopeless with all these special days, far too many to remember. Anyway, here is today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 18: 21-35), all about forgiveness, something deeply important that lies at the very heart of the Christian faith.

“Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’”

As followers of Jesus, forgiven our sins and reconciled with the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are called upon to have a forgiving disposition, to forgive all those who offend us or sin against us always and everywhere, in fact, to forgive a brother or sister, or an enemy, even before they have sinned against us. Now, this doesn’t mean accepting or relativising sin, most certainly not, but it does mean loving the sinner and leading him or her to accept God’s loving mercy in the person of our Saviour Jesus Christ. We can evangelise through forgiveness and mercy.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 16th September

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:22:10 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 16 ^th September 2023

Earlier this week, we remembered the terrible events that took place on this day twentytwo years’ ago. They are as vivid in my mind at this moment as they were when they unfolded before our eyes and we saw them live on television. As well as causing incalculable pain and suffering, death and destruction to countless families, they also instilled horror and disbelief in our hearts. It was hard to believe that these things were really happening, but they were, for all the world to see, and they changed the course of the new millennium and world history from that day onwards. As Christians, we never lose hope and we continue to pray daily that peace and justice will prevail on this speck in the universe that we continue to share as our common home. We pray that what happened on 9/11 may never be repeated, but know as well that millions of our sisters and brothers throughout the world continue to suffer from man’s inhumanity to man, as well as from natural disasters. We keep them, too, in our prayers today and every day.

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 6: 43-49), is truly apt when we think of these tragic occurrences. The words of Jesus to his disciples sound prophetic as we hear them again. “There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.” Jesus’ teaching needs no explanation. We all need to pray for our own conversion and purification as well as for others, a radical change of heart. Lord, touch our hearts, cleanse them, make them new, that only goodness may flow from them, that the world might become a different place, an infinitely better place, and all your children be safe from harm.

Jesus, however, asks us not only to listen to his words, but to act on them. So many people admire Jesus, but how many truly follow him, putting his teaching into practice? He says, “Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!” The rock on which we must build our lives is Christ. It’s easy to build on sand, but rather more difficult on rock, just as it is easier to build our lives on our own whims and desires, but our minds are as unstable as sand, whereas Christ and the Gospel are like rock. Lord, grant us wisdom to live according to your teaching and example. Help us to become more disciplined and responsible as men and women who bear the name of Christian, your name. Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 15th September

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:32:18 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 15 ^th September 2023

The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, which we keep today, has been celebrated on other days and under many different titles. In the Middle Ages, although names varied from place to place, the most popular title was Our Lady of Compassion. All over Europe and Latin America, you will find the most beautiful statues and altars in honour of our Sorrowful Mother. Tragically, in Britain, all these were destroyed at the Reformation. The most popular day for celebrating this feast was the Friday before Palm Sunday and, in your Missals, you will find an alternative collect for that day. In fact, in many countries, that is still the case. One of my fondest recollections of Lent and Holy Week in Peru is the procession of the Dolorosa on the Friday before Palm Sunday, the first of the great all-night processions of Holy Week through the town of Tambogrande, where we first set up home in the parish house on our arrival in 1981. In fact, I was Parish Priest of Tambogrande for five years. These processions, that involved the entire population of the town, continued each evening until dawn of Easter Sunday, when the dramatic procession of “Los Encuentros” (the Encounters) took place in the town square at the conclusion of the Easter Vigil that began at 3am. How I miss that authentic, raw Catholic tradition and living faith. By contrast, it all seems so cold and paired down in the U.K. Anyway, nostalgia will get us nowhere, so let’s take a look at today’s short Gospel, which comes from John’s Passion narrative, (Jn 19: 25-27).

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” Only in John do we find this detail of the Passion related, together with the presence of the three Marys and the beloved disciple at the foot of the Cross. As Mary or Miriam was the most popular of all names for women, John gives us further details, however he does not tell us the name of the beloved disciple, the same who rested his head on Jesus’ breast during the Last Supper. Whereas he tells the disciple, “This is your mother,” he does not address Mary as mother. Instead, he calls her, “Woman,” just as he did at the wedding feast of Cana.

Mary, of course, is more than a mother to Jesus. At the foot of the Cross and at Cana, she becomes the mother of his disciple and of the newly married couple, she becomes the Mother of the Church and the Mother of all who live.

Mary, our Mother, watch over the Church of your Son and over our families. Be near to those who suffer and console them with your compassion. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Cafod Harvest Fast Day 2023

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:17:52 GMT

Newsletter CAFOD Harvest Fast Day 2023

CAFOD Fast Day Oct 6 ^th 2023

CAFOD works with poorer communities around the world to aid them in their Development and also educates governments/companies/organisations about certain longstanding difficulties they could help improve. CAFOD works through local Christian partners, e.g. Caritas. They also send money as quickly as possible for any disasters and are part of the DEC. They then follow up with help for the areas to recover from such disasters. Last year one of the countries they helped was Pakistan after it suffered from severe floods, they are still aiding the recovery via mobile medical clinics driving to remote areas. Please do pray for all the issues CAFOD and partners are addressing and, if possible, fast from a meal or snack on Friday 6 ^th Oct and donate whatever money you can. Thank you so much.

There ae many ways to donate; the usual collection envelopes which are especially useful for gift aid, or you could donate via the website: cafod.org.uk/fastday or via the QR code on the envelope/poster.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 14th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:12:48 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 14 ^th September 2023

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Precious and Life-giving Cross. We commemorate the finding of the True Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. In the twentieth year of his reign (326), Constantine sent his mother to Jerusalem to venerate the holy places and to find the site of the Holy Sepulchre and of the Crucifixion. Relying on the oral tradition of the faithful, Helena found the precious Cross together with the crosses of the two thieves. However, she had no way of telling which was the Cross of Christ. With the healing of a dying woman who touched one of the crosses, Patriarch Makarios of Jerusalem identified the True Cross of Christ. Helena and her court venerated the Precious and Life-Giving Cross along with other pilgrims who had come to see the instrument of our Redemption. This became the occasion of the institution of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, not only in memory of the event of the finding of the Cross, but also to celebrate how an instrument of shame was used to overcome death and bring salvation and eternal life to all creation. The Feast is an opportunity, outside the observances of Holy Week and Easter, to celebrate the full significance of the victory of the Cross over sin and death, and the triumph of the wisdom of God over the wisdom of the world. This Feast gives the Church an opportunity to bathe in the glory of the Cross as a source of light, hope and victory for Christ's people. It is also a time to recognise the universality of the work of redemption accomplished through the Cross: the entire universe is seen through the light of the Cross, the new Tree of Life, which provides nourishment for those who have been redeemed in Christ.

Today’s Gospel is taken from John, (Jn 3: 13-17), and is part of the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, who came to see him by night. Let us hear what Jesus had to tell him, one of the most beautiful and reassuring passages in the New Testament:

“No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.”

Just as Moses raised on high the serpent of bronze during the Exodus, when the people of Israel were being attacked by snakes, so will Jesus, the Son of Man, who has come down from heaven, be lifted up, exalted on high, on the altar of the Cross. Those who believe in him will be saved and have eternal life. There follows that extraordinary message of God’s love for his creation and for each one of his children. So deep is God’s love for us that he gives his Son in sacrifice for our forgiveness and salvation. God does not condemn the world but desires only our salvation and eternal happiness. This message lies at the very heart of today’s feast, the precious and life-giving Cross as a symbol and instrument of the love of God, revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 13th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:11:33 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 13 ^th September 2023

What a great privilege it was to celebrate Sr Mary Wood’s Requiem and Burial at the Poor Clare Monastery in Much Birch yesterday. Sr Mary, of course, had been a married woman before entering monastic life at Lower Bullingham in 1994, ten years after the dead of her beloved husband Leonard. As a nun she remained a loving mother and grandmother. She lived such a full and interesting life as her eulogy testified. She was given a wonderful “send-off” by her family, monastic community and many friends. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Today, after Mass at Leominster, I will be driving up to Oulton Abbey in Staffordshire to visit Fr Thomas, so I have no idea what time I will be back and if it will be possible to sit down and write a message for Thursday, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Today, we celebrate the great St John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople and Doctor of the Church, who died a martyr’s death imprisoned in exile on 14 ^th September in the year 407.

Our Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 6: 20-26), his version of the Beatitudes, as preached by Jesus. This is known as the Sermon on the Plain.

“Fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said:

‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.

Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.

Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.

Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.

‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.

Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.

Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’”

Here Jesus is speaking with his followers rather than with a large crowd, so his words are meant for those who already regard him as their religious or spiritual leader. He explains how the kingdom of God turns the values of the world upside down. Obviously, the two sermons, this and Matthew’s on the Mount, are similar and related, but there are also differences. Jesus was an itinerant preacher, who preached the Good News over and over again. There were bound to be different nuances according to where and when he preached and to whom. There is greater immediacy here than in the Sermon on the Mount, with our four blessings and four woes. When I read the very first, “Blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God,” I always remember my years in Peru where I lived with and ministered to people who were really very poor, who had nothing. They had only God to turn to and God often heard their prayers and granted their requests. We are so rich, that we hardly know or can imagine what it means to need God and turn to him in our need. We can become self-sufficient, so that God becomes marginalised and unnecessary. Perhaps this accounts for the lack of faith in our country today. God has become superfluous to our needs.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 12th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:10:37 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 12 ^th September 2023

Sadly, I had no time yesterday to write a message for today, so I thought that, for a change, you might like to read a conference I gave before Vespers to our novices, on the occasion of their Third Perseverance, a simple rite that takes place towards the end of the novitiate. Obviously, it’s also intended for the community as well as for oblates and friends. You might find it interesting and helpful. Give it a try!

This afternoon, you are making your Third Perseverance, which means that you are now three quarters of the way through your novitiate. St Benedict tells us in Chapter 58 that the Rule that should be read through at least four times in the course of the novitiate, and by that he means studied thoroughly, and even memorized by the novice. It is, after all, the monastic rule that describes the life you will live for the rest of your days. Each day at Chapter you will hear it read and each day will be a kind of judgement day when you face God, the community and your own conscience and have to answer the question: am I living by the Rule or not? And the Rule, as you know, is based on Scripture, the Word of God, not simply a text but Christ himself, the Way and the Truth and the Life, whom we try to follow in patience, humility and obedience, Christ’s own way to which he has called us, saying “Follow me.” Guided by the teaching of the Novice Master and the example of your elders, you are learning to follow “Christ, the true King,” “clothed with faith and the performance of good works, with the Gospel for your guide, so that you may deserve to see him, who has called you to his kingdom.”

The Rule, as you have discovered, is a deceptively simple, compact document, little more than the length of a short story, yet it is profound and complex at the same time. St Benedict was a practical man, methodical and full of common sense. He was searching not only for God but also for what was best for his monks. By that I do not mean that he took short cuts or chose easy options, not at all, but that he always put people first, not the system or the method or the organization. He wrote a Rule that would help his monks achieve their goal, “that perfect love which casts out all fear,” that is, love for God, love for their brethren and all men and women and love for themselves. The weak were not to be discouraged because the going was too hard or the strong give up and go elsewhere because there was nothing worthwhile to aim for. Think of such examples as the brother who can’t settle down to read, he should be given some useful work to do instead, or take the brother who can’t eat what is set before him, he should be offered something else.

When it comes to prayer, the whole purpose of monastic observance is to develop the art of continuous prayer. No form of prayer is to be difficult or tedious. See how St Benedict legislates for the Divine Office. It might seem excessive to us today. Here I would say that I honestly think that less taken calmly and prayerfully is infinitely better than a lot at breakneck speed, which is how it was before. Compare St Benedict’s to other early rules, or the practice of the canons in the Roman basilicas, and you have an office that is short, austere and manageable, even in a small community. Why does he shorten the office? In order that monks might have enough time to rest at night and that they might have sufficient time for work and reading during the day. The Rule of St Benedict is the first monastic rule to take work seriously and to make sure that monks have enough time to do a good day’s work. “They are truly monks who live by the labour of their hands.” Notice, for example, how he moves the offices round to make time for work and how he takes for granted that monks will be working in the fields or elsewhere, necessitating their reciting the offices as best they can wherever they happen to be.

At the beginning of Chapter 19 he writes, “We believe that the Divine Presence is everywhere…. But beyond the least doubt, we should believe this to be especially true when we celebrate the divine office.” And in Chapter 20 he tells us that we are to pray “with the utmost humility and sincere devotion.” Remember that for St Benedict humility means mature self-awareness, knowing and acknowledging who and what we are in the presence of God and of our brethren. Prayer is that fundamental Christian and monastic practice that cultivates mindfulness of the Divine Presence and all prayer centres on the Scriptures, the Word of God. For St Benedict the Bible is the source and context of a monk’s prayer, whether he prays alone or in community. But for St Benedict, as for ourselves, the Word of God is not a book but a person, Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, who speaks to us in the Scriptures, in the Sacraments (the Word in action), in our personal prayer and in our Lectio, in the Divine Office, in our brethren, especially the sick, in the abbot, in our guests, in the poor, in our work, in nature and in the whole of creation, which is God’s gift to us. Through the grace and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, all these aspects of our prayer life come together in the person of Christ on whom we are centred and focussed. God alone can bring about that gift of continuous prayer for which we long. And what is continuous prayer but to be mindful of the Divine Presence at every moment of our lives, even when we are tempted to sin, even when we fall. What greater spiritual experience can there be than repentance and forgiveness?

Now St Benedict says little about non-liturgical prayer, yet we are told in Chapter 52 that monks can make use of the oratory for private or personal prayer. “Simply go in and pray, not in a loud voice, but with tears and with heartfelt devotion.” Personal prayer for St Benedict is always associated with tears. In Chapter 49, on the Observance of Lent, we are invited to “devote ourselves to prayer with tears, to reading, to compunction of heart and self-denial.” The desert fathers often referred to tears as the “bread of monastic life”, thus indicating their importance and normality. What is compunction but the deep-seated humility of the repentant sinner as he grows in ever-deeper awareness of his own sinfulness as well as in compassion for the sins of others? In repentance and forgiveness, the tears of sorrow are mingled with those of joy. The pricking of the heart results in bleeding, which is paralleled to the waters of Baptism that cleanse and heal. So, prayer with tears purifies the heart and prepares us to see God. “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Purity of heart, tears of compunction and the intention of our heart all go together and are God’s gift to us if we but open our hearts to him and wholly give ourselves to him in the monastic life.

Dear Br Meinrad and Br Gildas, our prayer for you this evening is that this gift of continuous prayer be ever more yours as you persevere in the monastic life. That you have persevered thus far is a good sign that God loves you and wants only what is best for you.

I hope that gives you a little insight into our way of life and Benedictine spirituality. I hope to get back to normal tomorrow.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 11th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:06:33 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 11 ^th September 2023

Yesterday was quite a busy day, as I had to celebrate Mass at St Ethelbert’s, Leominster, at 9 o’clock and at St Joseph’s, Bromyard, at 11 o’clock. Fortunately, Fr Simon offered to help me out by saying the 5.30pm Mass at Leominster, freeing me up to go to Tintern with Br Meinrad and Br Robert for the annual celebration of Vespers in honour of the patronal feast of Our Lady’s Nativity. Although we had had torrential rain late in the morning, it was a fine afternoon, a blessing for our open-air service. The excellent sermon was preached by the Bishop of Monmouth, the Right Rev’d Cherry Vann, who is also a brilliant musician and composer. In fact, Newport Cathedral choir sang Bishop Cherry’s beautiful setting of Make me a Channel of your Peace. I read a chapter from the Rule of St Benedict, explaining how this was read and continues to be read today in Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries.

Our Gospel reading from Luke today, (Lk 6: 6-11), finds Jesus in the synagogue on the sabbath day. He is probably in Capernaum. Let’s read what Luke tells us. “On the sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus.”

There is no particular invitation or rite attached to Jesus teaching in the synagogue. It would appear to be what he always did on the sabbath. The scribes and Pharisees are there on the lookout, to see if Jesus will break the Law by healing a man with a withered right hand on the sabbath. Such an occurrence would be a double sin: on the part of Jesus, an act of healing, and on the part of the man himself, acquiring the ability to work with his right hand. They are already out to get him very early in his ministry. Jesus knows what they’re thinking, calls the man out into the middle of the synagogue and puts to them a poignant question, which they fail to answer. “Is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?” What is more important, saving a life or keeping the Law, which exists to help people and save lives. Jesus heals the man and they are furious, but helpless. Can you think of situations in the world today where Christians act more like the scribes and Pharisees than like Jesus? Jesus the Good Shepherd invites us to follow his example, no matter what the cost.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 10th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:05:24 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 10 ^th September 2023

God has always revealed himself to be kind and forgiving to those who are sinners and disobey his word and example. In Jesus Christ, the Father has revealed to us how far he is willing to go to forgive us our sins, to redeem us and reconcile us to himself. I often quote that breathtaking phrase of St Paul, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” (2 Corinthians 5: 19) It is a summary of the Bible and all Christian Theology in just a few words. Through faith and baptism, we become one with Christ, members of his Body, living stones that make up the Body of Christ. This means that in Christ God is also in us reconciling the world to himself. Our common vacation as Christians, then, is to reconcile others with God in Christ, forgiving them their sins and offenses and inviting them to forgive others and one another. This is what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer. “Forgive us as we forgive.”

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 18: 15-20), Jesus explains to his disciples how they should practice the art of forgiveness in the Christian community, in the Church. “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.” Jesus encourages his disciples to go out of their way to be reconciled with a brother or sister who has offended them or whom they might have offended. Every effort must be made to arrive at a reconciliation; no stone must go unturned. However, if in the end all fails, as it often does, then the consequences are dire for both parties. It’s noteworthy that St Benedict insists that at this stage we should continue to pray for reconciliation and never stop until our goal is reached. We must continue to trust in God, that his will be done in every creature and in every situation.

Jesus then emphasises the need to do things together, as a group or team, a community, a parish, a Church. “I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” The unity of his followers, of his Church, is of paramount importance to Jesus. I pray that all those who try to tear his Church apart, those who attack and criticise the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for example, would pay heed to the words of Jesus. Again, Jesus insists that we should always be united in prayer. “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” We sometimes become disheartened by the smallness of our congregations that gather for Mass or other services. Jesus envisages two or three gathering together in his name. It’s not the numbers that matter, but the unity. We must never forget that.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 9th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:04:05 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 9 ^th September 2023

In many ways Jesus led a perfectly normal lifestyle. Like others, he would go for a walk with his companions from time to time, especially on the sabbath, when Jews were not allowed to work. In today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk 6: 1-5), we find Jesus taking a walk with his disciples through the cornfields on a sabbath day. Without thinking, as it’s what people do in a cornfield, his disciples begin to pick ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. It’s something we’ve all done, usually with wild grasses. We don’t think of it as work, but for an observant Jew is was something strictly forbidden on the sabbath. Little wonder that the Pharisees, on seeing this, complain. “Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?” We could ask what the Pharisees were doing on a sabbath, spying on Jesus and his followers, when they could have been taking a siesta or preparing another sermon for their poor congregations.

Jesus answers on behalf of his disciples, citing something we read about in the Old Testament concerning King David. “Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?” They must have known the story very well. Is Jesus implying here that is own disciples were hungry, in which case they had every right to seek nourishment in the cornfields? No law of God obliges a child of God to die of hunger. My mother loves to tell me how she and her sisters, during the war, when people were starving in Italy, would go out into the fields and woods even on a Sunday and come back with bagsful of leaves, flowers, roots, nuts and fruit and how my grandmother would transform any ingredients into the most delicious meals you could imagine. They were following the example of Jesus and his disciples. My grandmother would often quote the words of Jesus, “The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.” – “ Il Figlio dell ' uomo è signore anche del sabato ”.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 8th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:02:25 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 8 ^th September 2023

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary. In ancient times, many of the churches dedicated to Our Lady were, in fact, dedicated to her Birth. Near Belmont, the magnificent medieval church at Madley was dedicated to her Nativity, as were the Cistercian abbeys at Tintern and Abbey Dore. This coming Sunday at 3pm, Vespers will be sung at Tintern by the choir of Newport Cathedral in honour of Our Lady’s Nativity. Lockdown years apart, for twenty years or more, Belmont monks have been taking part in this ecumenical service in honour of Our Lady of Tintern. Everyone is welcome to join us again this Sunday.

The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 1: 18-23), and recounts how Jesus, her Divine Son, came to be born. Yet, the Incarnation must surely begin with the Immaculate Conception and Nativity of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and end with her glorious Assumption and Coronation as Queen of Heaven.

“This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’”

Today we ask our Blessed Mother to pray for and protect all our loved ones, our families and parishes, the faithful departed and all who need her prayers. May she also pray for world peace, especially for a lasting and just peace in Ukraine.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 7th September

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:00:51 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 7 ^th September 2023

I have never been to the Holy Land and have never really felt the need or desire to go there. You might find that strange coming from a priest and a monk, but I find the Scriptures, and especially the Gospels, so vivid, so graphic, that with my lively imagination I can see what I hear or read. Added to which, if God became man in Jesus Christ, the Incarnation cannot be restricted to one place and one nation or even to one time. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” St Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 5: 19), so wherever there is a person who believes in him and wants to follow him and be his disciple, Jesus is present. I think of those words of William Blake, “And did those feet in ancient times walk upon England’s mountains green, and was the Holy Lamb of God on England’s pleasant pastures seen!” I think of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a young, pregnant indigenous Mexican girl. Our Lord and his Mother are not limited to time and place: we can meet them anywhere and everywhere. They are universal in time and space: they are present with us now, whoever we are and wherever we happen to be, for God is still reconciling the world to himself in Christ.

Our Gospel passage today recounts that great catch of fish made by Simon Peter and his companions on the instructions of Jesus. It’s such a beautiful passage, we need to have it before us in its entirety, (Lk 5: 1-11).

“Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this, they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.”

Jesus uses Simon’s boat as a pulpit, as the crowds are pressing around him, desperate to hear the word of God. This phrase, the word of God, is interesting as Luke is telling his readers that Jesus preaches God’s word, for he is God, the Word made flesh. Luke also tells us that Jesus, like Moses, sits to preach to the crowds, for he was more than just tired, he preached with God’s authority. There follows the miraculous catch at Jesus’ instigation. Obedience to the command of Jesus brings with it immediate results, as at the very beginning of Creation. God spoke and it came to be. All night they had caught nothing, but by following the orders of the master, the catch is so great, the boat is in danger of sinking. By falling to his knees and confessing his sinfulness, Simon Peter acknowledges Jesus to be God. All his companions, including James and John, his partners in the business, are left speechless by what has happened, Jesus says to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will become fishers of men.” This is the moment of conversion, you could say, for this is the moment they decide, as a group, to leave everything and follow him. We are bound to ask ourselves, to what extent am I prepared to follow Jesus?

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 6th September

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:16:54 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 6 ^th September 2023

It was a great joy to visit my mother yesterday and to enjoy our time together over two lovely meals, although it was far too hot to sit in the garden together as we sometimes do. Even my trip to the beach with Toby was much shorter than usual. The heat was stifling and Toby found it was more than he could take. The sea was far out and there was no breeze. For the first time this year we saw a number of people sunbathing, but no one was in the sea swimming and, because of the heat, there were no dogs playing on the sands with their owners. We were both glad to get back home to the cool and peace of the kitchen and sitting room.

Also yesterday, Fr Alex, the Prior of our monastery in Peru, arrived from Lima for his first visit since Covid and Lockdown. What a joy and a pleasure to have him among us at Belmont. During his visit he will be leading two icon courses. Our brethren in Peru still need a lot of support. If there is anything you could do to help them in anyway, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Fr Alex would be delighted to meet with you.

Our Gospel reading today carries on where we left off yesterday with Jesus in. the synagogue at Capernaum, (Lk 4: 38-44). “Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.” Here we have an insight into the life of the early disciples of Jesus. We meet Peter’s mother-in-law, but we don’t meet his wife and children, nevertheless it’s the family who ask Jesus to do something about her fever. Once healed, she’s up and about immediately, serving a meal and waiting on her guests. Jesus seems to have used this family home as his headquarters in Capernaum, for it is here, after supper, that neighbours bring their friends to be healed. “At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.” Yet again it’s the unclean spirits who recognise Jesus as the Son of God and they do so from the very beginning of his ministry.

Did this ministry of healing go on all through the night, or was there time for rest? We are not told, however, when daylight comes, Jesus leaves the house alone and makes for a lonely place, where he can be alone in prayer with his heavenly father, but in primitive villages there are no secrets and a crowd soon finds his whereabouts and tries to prevent his leaving them, but Jesus says, “I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.” In reality, we could say that Jesus is sharing with them his mission plan. Ultimately, with the help of his apostles, and today with our help, he is to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom throughout the world and to all peoples. The question for us is whether we are prepared accept Jesus’ invitation to join him in his mission.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 5th September

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:44:57 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 4 ^th September 2023

Today we celebrate the Dedication of the Abbey Church, dedicated as it is to St Michael and All Angels, but in the first place, as every church, to Christ our Lord and Son of God, Saviour of the World. Our Conventual Mass will be that of the Dedication of a Church, together with proper readings and chants. However, as my readers will not have those to hand, I’ll simply say a few words about the Gospel reading for the Feria or ordinary weekday, as found in your Daily Missal or whatever other source you might use.

On Saturday we came to the end of our weekday reading of Matthew, which means we are roughly two thirds of the way through Ordinary Time. Today we begin reading Luke, who will take us right up to the end of the liturgical year and the eve of the Advent cycle of readings. Luke begins with an extensive Infancy Narrative and a Genealogy of Jesus, his Baptism and desert experience of Temptation, so we pick up Luke’s narrative at Chapter 4, verse 16, Jesus in Nazareth, his preaching in the synagogue and rejection by his own townsfolk, (Jn 4: 16-30). Luke, as you know, is an elegant and detailed writer, a synoptic author with a difference, with much material unique to himself and a certain affinity with John.

“Jesus came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

for he has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives

and to the blind new sight,

to set the downtrodden free,

to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him.”

Jesus was no stranger to Nazareth: it was there that he was brought up in the family home of Mary and Joseph, but he’s been away and come back. Most of us have had that experience: you come back a stranger to your own people, so Jesus is treated as a guest and invited to read. The scroll is given to Jesus, but he looks for what he wishes to read to the people crowding the synagogue. It’s a specific Messianic text, his mission statement. The people are aware that something important and unexpected is happening before their very eyes.

“Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely?’

But he replied, ‘No doubt you will quote me the saying, “Physician, heal yourself” and tell me, “We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own countryside.”’

And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.”

Everything appears to be going well: he wins their approval. His words are grace-filled and the prophecy of Isaiah appears to be taking place in the man they know so well, “Joseph’s son.” Curiously, Jesus then appears to pick a fight with them. Had they complained that he had moved to Capernaum and set up his centre of activity there? Did they feel rejected? Had they hoped to see the miracles he had become already famous for take place in Nazareth too? He certainly provoked them with his words and they turn against him. It appears they are prepared to murder him. The situation turns sour, but he manages to escape by slipping through the crowd. It must have been quite a scene. Crowds can turn nasty and ultimately his passion will prove this still further. So, from the very first day of his mission, and in Nazareth, his passion begins. Mission and passion are inseparable.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 4th September

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:43:49 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 3 ^rd September 2023

I so enjoyed my 24-hour sabbatical on Friday that I am wondering how I might be able to do it again. I am already accustomed to going out in the dark with Toby for his evening stroll, fortunately assisted by a miner’s lamp, but yesterday it became necessary to wear it first thing in the morning as well for our first walk of the day. The days are rapidly becoming shorter and darkness has encroached on two of our longer walks. Toby, of course, takes it all in his stride and is quite oblivious to daylight and darkness. He is happy no matter what the weather is like, as long as he is out walking in it. We did get to see the blue moon the other night. Is that the one Ella Fitzgerald used to sing about?

I have been following the Holy Father’s visit to Mongolia with great interest and enjoying every moment of it. I have always admired the Mongolian people and been fascinated by their history and culture. I have been impressed by the courteous way in which they have received Pope Francis and by the freedom the tiny Catholic population enjoys there. The Holy Father made an appeal for peace, conscious that Mongolia shares a border with Russia, currently engaged in a violent war in Ukraine. He urged the Mongolian government to seek an end to war. “May the dark clouds of war be dispelled, swept away by the firm desire for a universal fraternity wherein tensions are resolved through encounter and dialogue, and the fundamental rights of all people are guaranteed!” He also blessed a statue of Our Lady that has become something of a legend in Mongolia, after it was improbably found in a landfill by a local woman almost two decades ago. The statue, now known as “The Mother of the Sky,” was given a place of honour in the cathedral. The Holy Father said, “Brothers and sisters, do not be concerned about small numbers, limited success, or apparent irrelevance. That is not how God works. Let us keep our gaze fixed on Mary, who in her littleness is greater than the heavens, for within her she bore the One whom the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain.”

Today’s Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 16: 21-27), and contains these famous words expressed by Jesus to Peter. “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.” Why would Jesus say such a thing to Peter? Because Jesus was speaking about his forthcoming passion, death and resurrection. “Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day.” Peter obviously found such talk unacceptable and, being somewhat precipitous at this stage in his career, didn’t hear the final word, resurrection, before reacting adversely. “Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord;’ he said ‘this must not happen to you.’” It was at this point that Jesus intervened and called him Satan, or Tempter, rather strong words. But Jesus is right, for Peter is thinking from a human perspective and not from God’s way of thinking.

Jesus then goes on to tell his disciples, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.” Not only is Jesus foretelling his own passion, death and resurrection, but he is also asking us, his followers and disciples, to walk in his footsteps. We, too, are to take up our cross and follow him. There is no easy way out for a Christian. It’s either the Way of the Cross or no way at all, but it is the way that leads through suffering and death to life and to the glory of the Resurrection. Let’s make a firm decision in our hearts to take that way today.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 3rd September

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:42:51 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 3 ^rd September 2023

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 2nd September

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:41:24 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 2 ^nd September 2023

I took yesterday to be a day of rest, peace and quiet. For me it was a touch of heaven, a day of silent recollection, something I had been wanting and needing for a long time. So today, there is no message as such, if you will forgive me, only a few words to assure you that all those who read this message are in my thoughts and in my prayers. I hope to be back tomorrow as usual. Every prayer and blessing.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 1st September

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:10:04 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 1 ^st September 2023

It was Pope St John Paul II who longed to visit Mongolia to bring the message of the Gospel to that ancient yet distant people. Sadly, old age and ill health intervened and his apostolic journey was cancelled. His dream, however, comes true this weekend as Pope Francis fulfils his holy predecessor’s wishes. It is a country, where the vast majority of the population are Buddhist and there is a Catholic population of just under 1,500. Ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Mongolia, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, said that the papal trip showcases the pope’s love of the peripheries and allows the voice of one of the Church’s smallest flocks be heard. “We know how much the Holy Father has the dimension of the periphery in his heart, understood as an experience, perhaps, of marginality, even of minority, of a life of faith that is confronted with a majority that has other points of reference.” Let us pray for Pope Francis and for the people of Mongolia. Bordered by both Russia and China, Mongolia is of great geopolitical interest as the Vatican seeks to strengthen ties with Chinese authorities and to engage Russian leaders in peace talks amid its ongoing war with Ukraine.

Our Gospel passage today, coming from Matthew, (Mt 25: 1-13), is the famous parable of the Ten Virgins or Bridesmaids, five of whom are foolish and five wise. It is, of course, a parable about the Second Coming and how we as disciples and Christians should be ready and prepared for when Christ will come again, whether at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, or when death bids us present ourselves before God. Let’s read the parable again.

“The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.’ At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.’ But they replied, ‘There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.’ They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said ‘open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.’ So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.”

It’s a beautifully crafted story and there’s a great deal of detail. We are told at the outset that five are foolish and five sensible, so it comes as no surprise that the foolish ones have set out without extra oil for when their lamps go out. Today they might have come out without spare batteries or a cable with which to recharge their batteries, people unable to plan for their needs, but we’re in danger now of not seeing the wood for the trees. We could ask why the sensible ones were unwilling to share a little oil with the foolish ones, after all, they were soon to gain admittance to the wedding banquet, where surely there would be light, so they are sensible but uncharitable. But let’s go to the crunch of the story, as it’s all about being ready and prepared for the Lord’s coming, not about anything else. Those who arrive late, as they weren’t ready, knock at the door and beg to be let in. The reply given must be the most painful and negative words in Scripture, hell on earth. “I do not know you.” Could God really say that to one of his creatures, no matter how foolish? I doubt it, but this parable is a warning, “Do not take God’s loving kindness and his merciful forgiveness for granted. Remember the price of your salvation.”

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 30th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:06:20 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 31 ^st August 2023

Today is my very last day as Parish Priest of Belmont and I thank the Lord for allowing me to serve our home parish for five years, marked by Covid and Lockdown to be sure, but also with many memorable events such as baptisms, weddings and funerals, as well as many ordinary Sunday and weekday Masses, great feasts and the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. There have been summer fetes, quizzes, BBQs and dog shows. What have I enjoyed most of all? The daily interaction with parishioners and visiting the sick, when they allowed me to visit them. Next week, while still living at Belmont and continuing my duties as abbot, I go north, in the footsteps of St Ethelbert and Blessed Roger Cadwallador, both martyrs, to serve the people of Leominster and Bromyard. I continue to ask for your prayers. I am not yet old, nor am I young, so I pray for strength and good health.

As we move on in our daily reading of Matthew’s Gospel, (Mt 24: 42-51), we find the teaching of Jesus becoming more apocalyptic in nature as he approaches his passion and death. He talks more about the end of the world and emphasises his second coming as judge on the last day. He talks to his disciples rather than to the crowds in general. “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Watchfulness is the key idea often expressed in the simple phrase, “Stay awake.” This is usually qualified by the statement that we know neither the day nor the hour when our master, Jesus himself, will return. He looks forward, then, to his resurrection and ascension, whence he will come again in glory on the clouds of heaven. He often describes himself as returning like “a thief in the night.” Today’s text is no different as he speaks of a burglar breaking in through the wall of a house. Had the householders known that this was going to happened, they would have been watchful, kept vigil and stayed awake.

Jesus then presents his disciples with a parable, though we are not told it is one. “What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the dishonest servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time,” and sets about beating his fellow servants and eating and drinking with drunkards, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” You will see that this text has at its heart the communion antiphon for the feast of pastors, ’Fidelis servus et prudens.’ “What sort of servant is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time?” We are those dishonest servants who make excuses for our bad behaviour and lack of preparedness by citing the late arrival of the master. I often wonder how many people really believe in the second coming of Jesus and in final judgement. We often act as though we did not! Today’s Gospel offers us an opportunity to think seriously about our faith and what we truly believe. Perhaps we should take stock of our faith.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 29th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:55:14 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 30 ^th August 2023

Yesterday afternoon I visited Canon Paul Millar at Leominster. He was appointed parish priest there, together with the parish of Bromyard, following the death of dear Fr Aidan. He very kindly shared his experiences with me and gave me valuable advice as to the current state of the parishes of northern Herefordshire. Of course, I have visited these parishes many times and said Mass there, as well as appointing monks are parish priests. But now, the boot is on the other foot, so to speak, for it will be my turn to have pastoral care for these wonderful parishes.

Today, at Belmont, we keep the feast of the martyr Blessed Roger Cadwallador, who was martyred for his Catholic faith at Leominster on 27 ^th August 1610. He was born at Stretton Sugwas in 1568. He was highly intelligent and well educated, a Greek scholar, and studied for the priesthood at Rheims and Valladolid. After ordination he served in Herefordshire for sixteen years until arrested and gaoled for being a priest. There are detailed accounts of his trial and execution, which was truly horrid. It beggars belief that Christians could do such things to each other, but tragically they did. He was beatified by Pope St John Paul II in 1987. At Belmont we venerate a relic of his cheekbone and teeth. May he pray for his country and for the whole Church and may we follow his example of fidelity to Christ and to his conscience illumined by the Holy Spirit.

Our Gospel passage today carries on from yesterday’s, (Mt 23: 27-32), and contains two further criticisms of the scribes and Pharisees. I think they are sometimes called woes. Each one begins with the refrain, “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” Jesus compares them with the tombs of the dead, clean and white on the outside, but full of bones and putrefied bodies within, for they are men who mislead others by their noble appearance, yet their hearts and minds are full of evil., or as Jesus says, “inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Jesus goes further by accusing them of treating the prophets of today exactly as their fathers treated the prophets of old by shedding their blood and silencing them. They are no more than the sons of murderers. He invites them to carry on the work of their fathers. By this stage in his life and ministry, Jesus can see clearly that he will be taken prisoner, as John the Baptist was, for proclaiming the truth and presenting himself as the Messiah. Let us pray that we do not fall into the evil ways of the scribes and Pharisees, but rather follow in the footsteps of our own martyrs, who were willing to lay down their lives for Christ, his Church and the truth they firmly believed in.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 28th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:44:43 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 29 ^th August 2023

Today Churches throughout the world keep the feast of the Passion or Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist, an event recorded with great detail in the Gospels, particularly in the Gospel of Mark, (Mk 6: 17-26), which we hear read at Mass, the sad story of a weak and foolish tyrant, of which there are a fair number in the world today. I don’t need to remind you who they might be.

The first part of the story tells us of Herod’s fascination with John and the hatred for him of Herodius, his partner as we would call her according to the present fashion. Mark writes: “Herod sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.” Now if Herod knew John to be a good and holy man, it was because the whole of Israel knew that to be true. He was a highly regarded prophet and believed by many to be the Messiah. John’s preaching caused Herod to fear and panic, yet he loved to hear him speak and resisted Herodias’ desire to have him put to death.

However, her opportunity came on Herod’s birthday and she hatched a plan together with her daughter by Philip, her true husband. It’s a sordid tale and you can see where things are leading. The outcome is tragic and will lead to Herod and many others thinking that perhaps Jesus is John come back to life. This is what Mark writes: “An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” We find similar accounts in the Old Testament and in ancient literature. Although he was deeply distressed, even in his cups, at the thought of putting John to death, nevertheless Herod is trapped by his own stupidity and weakness and has no alternative, unless he is to lose face, than to grant the girl her wish, which he must know to be that of her mother, of having John’s head on a platter “here and now.”

The gruesome act is accomplished and John’s disciples to come take away his body for burial. Was Herodias any more the wife of Herod for the beheading of John the Baptist? What purpose was served by this barbarous act? John the Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord became a saint and it became clear that Jesus was the Messiah, but as for Herod and Herodias, they were simply confirmed as inveterate sinners and all their plans came to nothing that day. There is much to be learnt from this story.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 27th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:43:04 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 28 ^th August 2023

Yesterday was my last Sunday serving as parish priest of Belmont. It was lovely to celebrate the three parish Masses and a Baptism before joining parishioners at the annual parish BBQ. The food was delicious and the company great fun. The Lord was good to us and, after a doubtful beginning, the wind blew the clouds away and the sun came out. Everything was beautifully organised, as Belmont events always are by an amazing team, and I was delighted to receive two magnificent orchids, which I shall treasure, together with the written greetings of many parishioners. Do pray for Fr Augustine as he takes over, that he will be blessed is everyway as Belmont’s new parish priest. I will continue to write these daily messages, as best I can. The content is bound to vary as soon I shall take on the pastoral care of the parishes of Bromyard and Leominster and get to know the northern half of the county. Life is full of surprises and I look forward to that continuing.

Our Gospel for today, taken from Matthew, (Mt 23: 13-22), sees Jesus criticising the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and lack of integrity. They are the very antithesis of Jesus and what he has come on earth to do. Whereas in Christ God has stretched out his hand to his children and to the whole of creation, offering forgiveness and salvation through his sacrifice on the cross, laying down his own life and shedding his own blood in our stead, what do the scribes and Pharisees offer to help those who have no alternative than to follow them? This is what Jesus says, “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.”

His words get even stronger. “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when you have him, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are.” The reading continues, but I’ll stop here. It’s important for the Church and those who follow in the footsteps of Christ as his ministers always to remember these words of Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees, lest we become like them! We have been called by Jesus to help others, indeed to save them, not by making things more difficult for them, but by helping to carry their burdens and encouraging them to turn to God for help. We are here to save souls, as we used to say, not to lose them.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 26th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:35:33 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 27 ^th August 2023

Were today not a Sunday, we would be keeping the feast of St Monica, the mother of St Augustine of Hippo. She had a profound influence on the life and conversion to the Christian faith of her son, who was to become one of the greatest theologians the universal Church has ever known. We greet all those who bear the name of Monica and ask that their prayers and the prayers of all mothers for their children be answered.

Yesterday we had the immense joy and privilege of hosting the Coptic Orthodox community for the funeral service of one of its most loved and esteemed members, Mrs Eman Tawfik. We pray for the repose of her soul that she might see the light of God’s presence in the kingdom of heaven and that God, in his merciful love, will bless and console her loved ones who mourn her departure from this life.

Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, (Mt 16: 13-20), recounts that pivotal moment at Caesarea Philippi, when Peter, in the name of the Twelve, declared his faith in Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Let’s read the text slowly, with attention and devotion. “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’ Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.”

It’s at this central moment of his ministry that Jesus himself asks his disciples who they think he is, and he does so having already asked who others say he is. The general opinion would seem to be that he is one of the great prophets returned to life. Let us not forget that his teaching was very similar to that of John the Baptist. Even Herod the Tetrarch thought he was John come back to life. But the time has come for those closest to him to say what they think and so Jesus asks them. “And what about you? Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers in the name of the Twelve, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In other words,” You are the Messiah, promised of old. You are God, for the Son and the Father are equal.” This declaration of faith is interesting in itself, but Jesus’ reaction or commentary is even more interesting, and I do not refer, as one would normally do, to Peter being a rock on which the Church is built. “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.” This is the really interesting statement. Jesus is saying to Peter, “You didn’t work this one out for yourself. It’s not the conclusion you’ve arrived at after hearing all possible opinions. No, it is my Father who has revealed this to you. Faith is revealed and is a gift of God, it’s not the answer you’ve worked out for yourself.” St Paul would go on to speak of faith being revealed truth, God’s gift to us in the Holy Spirit. If we think of our own faith in Jesus, is that not the case too, a dynamic faith that deepens and grows as we go through life and are touched by God’s word and his Sacraments? Today Jesus is asking you and me, “Who do you say that I am?” Where will our answer come from? Today is our moment of truth, our Caesarea Philippi.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 25th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:33:36 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 26 ^th August 2023

Conscious of my own sins and shortcomings, I always find it difficult to accuse others of theirs, especially our political leaders and others. However, it’s the fashion of the age, fuelled by the media, to tear others to pieces, even in the Church. I find it particularly upsetting when people criticise the Holy Father, Pope Francis. On whose authority do these people speak? Are they guided by the Holy Spirit, more so than the Holy Father himself? Often there is arrogance, pride and sheer viciousness combined in what they say and in how they say it. Do they think they are doing the Lord a service by sowing division and fermenting hatred in his Church? What makes them so sure that they’re right and the Successor off Peter is wrong? Jesus disliked hypocrisy and often spoke out against it, especially in the scribes and Pharisees. We find him talking about it in today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 23: 1-12).

“Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

At no time does Jesus say that his disciples or the people in general should disobey the teaching of the religious leaders of his day. They are to follow their teaching but not their example, for they do not practise what they teach others. Jesus criticises their ostentatious and pretentious ways, always seeking the privileges that derive from their position in society. They lack humility and a generous spirit, what we might call a pastoral spirit, that would help others come closer to God by keeping the Law. So keen are they on the title of Rabbi that Jesus tells his disciples that they must never allow ordinary folk to call them by that name, or by the title of father. Their duty should be to lead others to God and not to themselves. His disciples and followers in general are to act like servants, giving themselves to others freely and lovingly. Humility alone and not self-exaltation can lead others to God and to life with God in Christ, now and for eternity.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 24th August

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 07:31:20 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 25 ^th August 2023

The Gospels recount how the Pharisees were out to get Jesus, hoping to trap him into saying something against the Law or at least against their rather rigid interpretation of the Law. This, in spite of the fact that many of the early followers of Jesus, followers of the Way, as they are described in the Acts of the Apostles, were Pharisees, St Paul for example. Today’s short Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 22: 24-30), deals with one such encounter between Jesus and a group of Pharisees.

“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’”

It was clear that the Sadducees would find much to disagree on with Jesus, beginning with the very concept of eternal life, however, it could only be jealousy or fear of losing popularity, power and income that could have motivated the Pharisees to oppose Jesus. They always appear to gang up on him with awkward questions, his answer to which couldn’t have differed very much from their own. Jesus was aware of the evil that was in them and of their evil intentions, however, he always took the time to reply to their questions and he did so politely, without antipathy and always seeking their conversion to the way of salvation, but they were proud men and often seemed not to pay attention to what he had to say. I’m not quite sure in this case why asking him which is the greatest commandment of the Law would disconcert him. Jesus replies, quoting the Law of Moses, to love God above all else, but adds a second, which is to love ones neighbour as oneself, not the second of the Ten, but nevertheless part of the tradition and an acceptable answer even for the Pharisees. Jesus sums up by stating that the entire Scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, can be summarised in this way. Having silenced the Sadducees, Jesus has now silenced the Pharisees. But has he silenced you and me, and the people of today, that’s the question we need to answer.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 23rd August

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:37:05 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 24 ^th August 2023

In Herefordshire alone there are seven ancient churches dedicated to St Bartholomew, two of them in the Belmont parish, Thruxton and Vowchurch, two churches I particularly like and often visit. At Much Marcle, between Ross on Wye and Ledbury, you can visit one of the finest churches in the county. I mention this as today is the feast of the Apostle St Bartholomew, at times called Nathanael, as we read in the Gospel passage from John, (Jn 1: 45-51). This is what we find.

“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, the one about whom the prophets wrote: he is Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’ ‘From Nazareth?’ said Nathanael ‘Can anything good come from that place?’ ‘Come and see’ replied Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’”

What does this episode from the life of Jesus tell us about the man we commemorate as an apostle and what does it have to teach us about our own relationship with Jesus? Philip tells Nathanael that he and his companions have found in Jesus the one spoken of in the Law and the Prophets, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, the Christ. Nathanael is amazed, for why should the Messiah come from Nazareth. Surely that was not what the prophets said. Philip repeats the very words of Jesus spoken to Andrew and his companion, “Come and see.” Nathanael is surprised that Jesus should know him, but Jesus knows us all and can see into our hearts. Jesus can see that Nathanael is a man without guile, that he is searching for God with his whole heart. In fact, Jesus had set his gaze upon Nathanael even before he was invited by Philip to come and see Jesus. The fig tree was a symbol of God’s peace and blessing: in its shade Nathanael would have been contemplating and praying for the coming and revelation of the Messiah. Jesus promises Nathanael far greater things than being known and recognised. He will see the heavens opened and Christ in glory in the presence of his angels. We, too, must look beyond the present moment and beyond what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears. May St Bartholomew pray that we might do that today.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 22nd August

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:33:03 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 22 ^nd August 2023

As last night I had to attend a Parish Advisory Council meeting, my last as Parish Priest of Belmont, after which I went out with Toby for our last walk of the day, a long and enjoyable walk in the dark, it was ten o’clock before I was able to begin writing this message, so it might be shorter than I had planned. Both of us love walking in the dark, although there are street lights for part of the way. Toby is particularly fond of the cemetery at this time of day, so it can be quite an interesting walk, as you can imagine.

Today the Catholic Church keeps the feast of Queenship of Our Lady, as it’s the ancient Octave of the Assumption. However, in Herefordshire we keep the feast of our local martyr, St John Kemble, who was put to death on Widemarsh Common, Hereford, on this day in the year 1679 at the age of 80. His only crime was that of being a Catholic priest, who celebrated Mass and the other Sacraments. The sad story of his martyrdom is well known. Today would be a good day to visit his grave in Welsh Newton church graveyard and make a private pilgrimage.

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 19: 23-30), following on from yesterday’s encounter between Jesus and the rich young man, we witness the conversation between Jesus and his disciples on the question of personal wealth. “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’ When the disciples heard this, they were astonished. ‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said. Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he told them ‘This is impossible; for God everything is possible.’”

Jesus asks us the impossible in many areas of our lives, but nothing is impossible for God and, with God’s help, everything is possible, even for us. Held by Jesus, Peter managed to walk back to the boat. So what Jesus asks of us is only impossible if we rely on our own strength, which is a form of pride. If in all humility we ask God’s help, then what Jesus asks of us comes more easily.

Peter then asks a question that we would probably not think of asking, but the answer is more important than the question. I can’t imagine St John Kemble asking this question of Jesus. “Then Peter spoke. ‘What about us?’ he said to him ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life. Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.’” Sacrifice does bring rewards, though not what we might expect with our human logic. God has far greater things prepared for us than we can hope for or imagine. Jesus talks about the disciples sitting beside him judging the tribes of Israel. He talks about being repaid in this life, but what is that in comparison with the gift of eternal life. What more can we want, but God himself. In the life of St John Kemble, we see clearly how the last come first.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 21st August

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:05:34 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 22 ^nd August 2023

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 20th August

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:04:10 GMT

Today the Church remembers Pope St Pius X, a saint I came to know and love when I was taken as a small boy to visit the village and the house where he was born at Riese in the Veneto region of Italy. One of my aunts, Zia Luciana, lived in Padua for many years and part of my summer holiday was always spent with her, the very best of all Italian chefs I have ever known, and this meant the excitement of many trips all over that most wonderful part of northern Italy. San Pio Decimo was born to a very poor farming family and was a true pastor, even as Pope, like many other popes before and after him, Pope St John XXIII, Pope John Paul I and Pope Francis come to mind, devout men close to the heart of Jesus and who could speak to the hearts of ordinary people, struggling to keep alive, to look after their families and live obedient to the law of the love of God.

Today’s Gospel reading comes again from Matthew, (Mt 19: 16-22), and tells of Jesus’ encounter with the “rich young man.” You know the story well, but here it is to refresh our memories. “There was a man who came to Jesus and asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said, ‘Which?’ ‘These:’ Jesus replied ‘You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not bring false witness. Honour your father and mother, and: you must love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?’ Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But when the young man heard these words, he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.”

I should imagine that many people came to Jesus to ask him that question. It’s the fundamental question we all ask. What must I do to enter the kingdom of heaven? I don’t think we’re so proud as to want to possess eternal life, so much as to be granted it and enjoy it. As far as Jesus is concerned, the answer if very simple, “Keep the commandments.” In other words, be obedient to the will of God. He could have said, “Follow my example.” Strange that the young man should ask which of the commandments. Surely, we can’t just pick and choose. Jesus lists five, the last of which is not one of the original ten, but rather a more general commandment found several times in Scripture. The young man’s answer takes us aback. Could you say what he said? I couldn’t, I can assure you. If only I had kept all the commandments. I’ve tried to, but at times failed. Haven’t we all? So, Jesus goes further. “You want to be perfect? Sell all you have. Give the money to the poor, then come, follow me.” That’s a step far too far for the young man, and with sadness in his heart, though not enough to convert him, he goes away. He was indeed very rich in that he already considered himself to be perfect, but what Jesus asked of him he was not prepared to do. Jesus always asks us to go one step further than we had hoped or planned. We must be prepared for that and follow the example of the saints by doing what Jesus asks of us.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 19th August

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:59:39 GMT

Homily for the Memorial Mass for Dom Bernard Wassall and Dom Raphael Aspinwall, Monks of Belmont, Saturday, 19 ^th August 2023

Yesterday, we celebrated a special Memorial Mass in honour of Our Lady for the repose of the souls of Br Bernard and Br Raphael, as they were called by the Lord during lockdown in 2020. As a result, it was impossible to celebrate a public Requiem and Burial. Here is the homily I preached, I thought you might like to read it rather than the usual daily message.

St John’s Gospel ends with these words, “There are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (Jn 21: 25) These words could easily apply to Br Bernard and to Br Raphael, whose Memorial Mass we are celebrating this morning. How do you fit them both into a short homily? Each one of us here present, their monastic community, family and friends, could write a book with our own story of Br Bernard or Br Raphael, the monks we knew and loved, but even then, the story of their lives and achievements would leave much to be written.

Both were men of deep faith and strong convictions, whose hearts were never troubled with doubts. Both were Lancashire Catholics, born into traditional Lancashire Catholic families, Br Raphael’s with long links to the Salesian Congregation, This faith they learned at home with their beloved parents. As a result, both were prepared for that final moment when the Lord would call them to himself: they believed what Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, had promised, “I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too.”

Br Bernard was born at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 ^th August 1956, the only child of Paul and Elizabeth Wassall. He was baptised William Paul and was talented in manual crafts and took City and Guilds in carpentry. He first visited Belmont for a vocations’ week at the age of 15. Seven years’ later he returned to try his vocation and was clothed by Abbot Jerome on 24 ^th October 1978, taking the religious name Bernard in honour of the great Cistercian saint on whose feast day he was born. He made his First Profession on 1 ^st November 1979 and his Solemn Profession three years’ later. He was only the second monk in Solemn Vows at Belmont, the first being Br Peter, who came to be a choir monk without going on to the priesthood, a return to the true monastic tradition encouraged by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Br Bernard’s life and vocation were focussed on the monastic life, on being a monk, which he was to the core of his being. The same was true of Br Raphael, who had already tried his vocation at Quarr. He was born on 4 ^th Dec 1931 at Preston, son of Joseph and Margaret Aspinwall. Educated by the Salesians, he studied at Trinity College, Dublin, where he obtained a Masters in English and a Batchelors in Music. Like Bernard, he also did his City & Guilds in Furniture Studies. He was clothed by Abbot Mark on 20 ^th March 1995 and made Solemn Profession 15 ^th March 2000.

In the course of his monastic life, Br Bernard fulfilled a long list of positions and duties, being a highly gifted, knowledgeable and spiritual person. He began by redecorating St Raphael’s Chapel and acting as assistant bursar. He taught Divinity and Woodwork in the school. From 1984 to 1986 he was Housemaster of Kindersley, where he was much loved and admired by the students. He was Sacristan from 1983 until 2001 and Master of Ceremonies from 1996 until 2001. In 1986 he was sent to Llanarth Court to help with its closure as a prep school prior to its sale. He then returned to teach at Belmont until the closure of the school in 1994. It was Bernard who, in 1992, helped set up the shop in its present form, a ministry rather than a business venture, that he continued to supervise until 2018. He was full of wonderful ideas on how best to serve the wider community, share the Catholic faith and preach the Gospel in different and exciting ways. He wanted to make the Benedictine life better known to the general public and he was keen to work with all those who were willing to work with him. He was the driving force behind so many of the projects that have taken place at Belmont since the school closed. He was involved in the programme of school visits, having a wonderful way with children. He organised volunteers to offer guided tours of the church and worked with the Heritage Lottery Fund to help produce the new guidebook. Bernard was the brain behind the annual pilgrimage and May Procession in honour of Our Lady.

From 2001 until 2015 Br Bernard was the monastic Infirmarian, looking after many of the brethren and preparing them for death. He would sit up all night with the sick and dying, chatting, praying, singing and joking with them. I don’t think he ever slept! He assisted with our oblates until 1993 and was Oblate Master from 1993 until 2003 and again from 2009 until the day he died. He was much appreciated for his extensive knowledge of monastic history and customs, for his spiritual insights and for sharing with our oblates, news of the community and of other monasteries. There was nothing he didn’t know about nuns and their habits. He was an outstanding calligrapher and produced cards and certificates for every occasion. In fact, he could turn his hand to anything from making and repairing rosaries to producing the most outstanding floral displays our church has ever seen. He was, of course, larger than life and, invariably, the centre of attraction because of the charity and wisdom that flowed from his lips and heart. He loved chatting with friends and strangers alike and people always sought his company and companionship. He is irreplaceable: there is a big hole at the heart of the Belmont Community. He was the one you turned to for advice and information. It was he who knew the traditions of the house and made sure that the rest of us learned them. If you were sad or disenchanted, then Bernard would rekindle your heart with joy. If you wanted a singsong or a moment of nostalgic reminiscing, then who else would you turn to? He knew the words of every song ever written in the English language and could do an amazing job in Polish as well. He seemed to know film scripts by heart and kept us entertained for hours on end. He had boundless energy.

He loved his parents and family and he loved his hometown. He was a proud Lancastrian through and through and never accepted the insult of Barrow being attached to Cumbria. At the end of August 2020, he went home to help arrange his mum’s care package after she had been in hospital. He was blessed in spending his last week with her, though he never forgot to ring his friends and brethren every day: Br Bernard invented ministry by telephone long before lockdown. Back in April he had been in hospital with a really serious bout of Covid, but returned to Belmont on Holy Saturday. He never really got over the after effects. He slowed down notably, had difficulty in breathing and became practically immobile. He was struggling, and, as ever, tried to put on a good face, but we could see he was suffering. Thus it was that he collapsed and died of a heart attack at home on the morning on Saturday, 5 ^th September 2020.

I have not spoken much about Br Raphael because he had asked me not to preach a panegyric at his funeral. He, like Br Bernard, did many monastic jobs (Librarian, Refectorian, Organist, Secretary to Chapter, Guestmaster, Sacristan and others). He did much work decorating the monastery and restoring furniture. He was a true professional and had exquisite taste. He designed the extension to the organ case you can see above Bishop Hedley’s monument in the north transept. He had the wicked sense of humour and knew how to coin a perfect phrase. He was also a brilliant pianist and an acknowledged composer, setting the poems of Thomas Treharne to music for Hereford Cathedral. He was active and youthful to the end. Sadly, he was one of the first to come down with Covid and died in hospital, alone and without the comfort of the Sacraments, on 7 ^th April 2020. He was not allowed to return to Belmont and we were not allowed to visit him. It was the worst moment of our lives.

St Paul wrote to the Romans (Rm 6: 9), “We believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again. Death has no power over him anymore.” This is our Christian faith. This is what we believe. May our brethren enjoy the company of the saints and angels in the kingdom of our heavenly Father, where death has no more power over Jesus or over his disciples. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 19th August

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:55:35 GMT

I usually write these short messages after Compline and before going out with Toby for our last walk of the day at 9pm or shortly afterwards. I’ve had to begin wearing my miner’s torch at both ends of the day, which for me means that Summer is over and the long Winter season, that includes the whole of Autumn and the beginning of Spring, has begun. This morning we discovered that one of the most beautiful trees on the estate, a huge blue conifer, had been badly damaged, yet there had been no wind or rain overnight. It appears that a particularly heavy branch way up top had snapped off and brought three other branches below it crashing down to the ground. The tree surgeon will have to come and take a look.

Our short Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 19: 13-15), and focuses on Jesus’ love and acceptance of children, his respect for them as human beings and children of God. Matthew writes, “People brought little children to Jesus, for him to lay his hands on them and say a prayer. The disciples turned them away, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way.” It’s difficult to understand the attitude of the disciples, who turn children away. Surely they have as much right to healing or just a blessing as do adults, even though they are probably without sin and do not necessarily need forgiveness. In any crowd the children would have been many, so perhaps it was the time such blessings were taking, but it’s quite clear, even before he speaks, that Jesus was more than happy to bless them, and say a prayer over them, as we do with babies and young children when their parents come up to the altar for Holy Communion. Jesus reminds his disciples that they too must become as little children if they hope to enter the kingdom of heaven, “for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 18th August

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:57:06 GMT

As ever, it was a great joy to visit my mother yesterday and to have the opportunity of a walk on the beach with Toby. Although the carparks were full and there were long queues waiting patiently for ice cream, there were very few people actually on the beach, apart from dogwalkers. It was warm but windy and the sea as far out as it can go, so we had the vast expanse of sand to ourselves, which is what both of us prefer. It was lovely being with my mum, enjoying good food, admiring the hundreds of birds that come to feed in her garden and talking about everything that comes to mind, yesterday mostly remembering Michael Parkinson. I wish I had my mother’s acute memory and eye for detail.

Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, (Mt19: 3-12), is about marriage and divorce and I have commented on it a number of times since I began writing these daily messages, so I won’t repeat myself. Instead, I will speak of something else, something more personal. It was five years’ ago that Fr Nicholas, then Prior and Parish Priest of Belmont, was appointed Prior Administrator of Downside Abbey, only be elected Abbot of Downside two years’ later. At the time I had no one to appoint as his replacement on the parish, so I became “caretaker parish priest”. Now that the time has come to hand over this care to someone else, Fr Augustine, who has been my righthand man from the beginning of Covid onwards, I would like to thank all those, lay and monastic, who have made these five years of additional service possible for me. It’s never been a burden, but always a source of great joy and fulfilment. On 1 ^st September, Fr Augustine will become Parish Priest of Belmont, not a caretaker in any way, and I will step down. However, in a way, it will be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire, as from 9 ^th September, with the help of the monastic community, I will take on pastoral oversight for the parishes of Leominster and Bromyard. While I am still Abbot of Belmont, this will have to be on a parttime basis, but when I retire as abbot after twenty-four years’ service next Spring, I hope to move to Leominster at the request of the Archbishop and take on the duties fulltime. This is not what I planned or had hoped to do, so it must be God’s will. Please could I ask for your prayers?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 17th August

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:55:18 GMT

The nights are drawing quickly in and the early mornings are getting darker and colder. There’s a definite taste of Autumn in the air, even so I still live in hope of a few more Summer days. Perhaps today we’ll enjoy one. I look forward to visiting my mother together with Toby: I wonder if we’ll get to the beach this time. I must confess that I enjoy watching the new dual carriageway being built between Dowlais Top and Hirwaun, sections 5 and 6 of the A465, each journey we make. It amazes me how they keep the traffic flowing while undertaking such an enormous and difficult project, a real miracle of engineering.

Our Gospel passage from Matthew today, (Mt 18: 21-19:1), is all about forgiveness, as a result of a question Peter puts to Jesus. “Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.’” Seven was, of course, the perfect number synonymous with the concept of always. Should I forgive my brother every time he offends me? Jesus’ reply goes beyond that. We should forgive our brother even before he offends us. We should be disposed to forgive always, and from the very bottom of our hearts. To illustrate the point Jesus uses another parable, quite a long and complicated one. Here it is.

“And so, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.”

I won’t comment on the parable other than to say that Jesus wants to illustrate God’s justice and loving mercy, for at the end of the parable he says, “And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.” The Lord wants us to forgive others as they forgive us and even more so if possible. Jesus came on earth, the Word became flesh, to forgive us our sins. Can we not forgive others theirs, we who have had so much forgiven us?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 16th August

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:49:37 GMT

The feast of the Assumption of Our Lady is the most wonderful of feasts and this year’s celebration was certainly one to be remembered with affection and gratitude. The celebrations of Mass at Belmont were prayerful and inspiring, while the annual Mass at Rotherwas Chapel, dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, was both memorable and uplifting, truly joyful and supportive of our faith. Then after Vespers and Benediction, Br Peter, Fr Augustine and I went to Moccas church, like Belmont dedicated to St Michael and All Angels, for an evening of Gregorian chant and organ music. We were accompanied by our amazing organist and dear friend Jonathon Nicholls. As usual, it was a great joy to sing chants in honour of Our Lady at Moccas before such a large and appreciative congregation. The statue of Our Lady was with us again this year and the event was arranged to draw attention to the need to keep the waters of the River Wye clean and safe. We congratulate the organisers for such an outstanding evening.

Our Gospel reading today is all about forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus is keen that his disciples should form a community where its members forgive one another and always seek to be reconciled with each other, living in communion and peace. Let’s hear what Jesus has to tell his disciples, as we continue reading in Matthew, (Mt 18: 15-20).

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’”

Whereas it is imperative to pursue reconciliation, and to do so as often as it might take, nevertheless we must also be realistic that not everyone appreciates this and there are those who do not wish to be reconciled with a neighbour, relative or friend. There are times when no more can be done to bring about the desired reconciliation and peace, sad though that is. Any decision made in that respect should be considered sacred. At his point, I fell asleep at my desk.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 15th August

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:47:59 GMT

Today, the vigil of the Assumption of Our Lady, the Church remembers St Maximilian Maria Kolbe, the Polish Franciscan priest, who was murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz on this day in 1941. He offered to die in the place of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek. He was 47 years’ old. We know that many Catholics and Protestants were put to death by the Nazis as well as many millions of Jews and others. To some extent, St Maximilian represents them all. Shortly, a whole family will be beatified, including an unborn child. This is a Polish Christian family put to death for helping and harbouring Jews. If only human beings could learn from the past not repeat the same mistakes and grave sins, but ethnic and religious cleansing continues to take place today on a large scale in many parts of the world, where people are still imprisoned and killed unjustly and with barbarous cruelty. When will we ever learn? May St Maximilian pray that all these horrid situations come to an end and may we do whatever we can to alleviate the suffering of those who are the subject of hatred, violence, terrorism and injustice. Before we condemn migrants, let’s take a look at where they’ve come from and what they’ve suffered.

Today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 17: 22-27), really fits the bill. Jesus foretells his own death. “One day when they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men; they will put him to death, and on the third day he will be raised to life again.’ And a great sadness came over them.” Christian martyrs willing accept the death that Christ their Saviour died, because they know that he rose from the dead. Even those of us who do not suffer martyrdom, yet know that we are sure to die, face death with confidence and hope, knowing that Jesus has gone before us to prepare a place for us at the Father’s right hand. I’ll leave the rest of today’s Gospel for another time. I think it’s sufficient today to meditate on the life and death of our saint and thank God for his example, teaching and intercession

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 14th August

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:49:29 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 13th August

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:48:06 GMT

When I read today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 14: 22-33), I can’t help but think of the countless migrants and refugees risking their lives to cross from France to England, Libya to Greece and Italy, Morocco to Spain. I can’t think of a year in living memory when people haven’t risked their lives and the lives of their children in the quest for freedom, justice, peace, a better life and an end to persecution, the Vietnamese boat people, for example. We pray that all those seeking a new and better life be given the opportunity they sorely deserve. I know very few people in this sceptred isle who are not the end product of immigration, migration or colonisation. I also remember with great affection dear Fr Raymund, who was Abbot Jerome’s Prior for many years, often praying at Vespers for “those brave fishermen in their little boats dangerously tossed about in the North Sea to bring food to our tables.” It was one of his favourite bidding prayers. Br Bernard did a perfect impersonation of him and always had us all in stiches. By the way, next Saturday at 11am there will be a Memorial Mass for Br Bernard and Br Raphael at Belmont as they were denied a public Requiem on account of the Covid lockdown.

But to get back to our Gospel, Jesus makes his disciples get into a boat and go ahead to the other side while he sends the crowds away and goes up into the hills to be alone and pray. By evening, however, Jesus realises that his disciples are in trouble as the weather changes and a storm causes the sea to become rough and unmanageable. Jesus is a centre of calm in the midst of the storm, walking quietly across the lake towards the boat. However, the sight of him causes his disciples to panic and cry out with fear. They think he is a ghost. Jesus calls out, “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.” Jesus is the Lord of Creation, the Word through whom all things were made, who brought order out of chaos, the Great I AM. Peter goes from one extreme to another, from fear to false courage. “Let me walk on the water, just like you.” Jesus, never one to discourage a disciple, invites him to come forward. While Peter is focused on Jesus, all goes well, but when he becomes conscious of himself, he begins to panic and sinks into the water. “Lord, save me,” he screams, and Jesus catches him while scolding him, “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?” How often have I thought that about myself! I should imagine you have too! Imagine what we could do, if we had faith. Peter does walk again on water, going back to the boat with Jesus, who holds him fast. As they get into the boat, the wind drops and the sea becomes calm again. The men in the boat fall to their knees and proclaim, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” recognising Jesus to be who he truly is. Who do we recognise Jesus to be?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 12th August

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:28:12 GMT

These past few days my messages have been on the long side, so today I’ll be brief for a change, mainly because I’m dead tired. It’s hard to believe that I went over to Italy for the weekend a fortnight ago: it’s beginning to feel like a lifetime. While I was there, I slept eight hours each night and had time to relax and read. Since I returned, there have been nights when I’ve barely managed four hours’ sleep, my usual quota being around four and a half. I’m not complaining, it’s simply a fact. I wish it were different. I can sense what it was like for Jesus and his disciples,

In today’s Gospel, (Mt 17: 14-20), Jesus is confronted by a father whose son was possessed by an unclean spirit, although his father calls him a lunatic. Nevertheless, he loves the boy and approaches Jesus on his knees, pleading for mercy and compassion. “Lord, take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.” Jesus appears angered by his disciples’ inability to cure the boy. On the other hand, it could also be the lack of faith of those who ask for a cure. He says, “Faithless and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”

Matthew tells us that Jesus alone can cure the boy. “When Jesus rebuked it, the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment.” We hear no more of the boy or of his father, for the focus of the story is on the inability of the disciples to cure the boy.

“Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’” The disciples can’t understand why they were unable to heal the boy and Jesus explains that it’s their lack of faith, combined with a lack of prayer. Some spirits, most spirits I would say, can only be cast out by faith and prayer. If one or the other is missing, then we are powerless to heal. Faith the size of a mustard seed would suffice. No one wants to move mountains, but we would like to help those in need. So let us pray, Lord, increase our faith, so that we can help others. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 11th August

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:26:34 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Clare of Assisi, close friend and collaborator of St Francis. She loved and admired Francis and very much wanted to follow the friars’ mendicant way of life, but that was impossible for a woman at the time. So, she and her companions had no alternative but to take the only model of religious life available for women in 13 ^th century Italy, that of Benedictine and Cistercian nuns, yet to make a special charism of poverty and to take Franciscan rather than monastic vows. Nevertheless, the life of the Poor Clares was enclosed and highly regulated by men. However, they observed an inner freedom within the confines of the enclosure and prayed earnestly for the mission of their Franciscan brothers. Clare wrote the Rule of Life for her Order, the first such document to have been written by a woman. She died on this day in1253. The Poor Clares have always remained faithful to their vocation, although the austerity of their rule has been somewhat mitigated. In Herefordshire, we have our own community of Poor Clares, at Much Birch, formerly at Lower Bullingham, now augmented by a community from Nottingham, and Belmont monks have celebrated Mass for them and heard their confessions unfailingly since 1880. Let us pray especially for them today.

There could be no more appropriate Gospel reading for St Clare than the ferial Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 16: 24-28). Jesus is speaking with his disciples and says, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. I tell you solemnly, there are some of these standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.”

We ask St Clare to pray for us today and always, that we might be able to fulfil the teaching of Jesus in every aspect of our lives, but most especially to take up our cross every day and follow him, who is the Lord and Guide of his people, Jesus our Saviour.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 10th August

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:25:10 GMT

August 10 ^th is the feast of St Lawrence, martyred in Rome on this day in the year 258 when he was just 32 years’ old. Ordained a deacon by Pope St Sixtus II, he was made first among the seven deacons serving the Church of Rome. Sixtus was Greek, while Lawrence was from Valencia. The Pope and his other six deacons were put to death by the Emperor Valerian on 7 ^th August, as they had been discovered celebrating Mass in the catacombs of St Calixtus the previous day. Lawrence’s task as a deacon was to collect and distribute alms for the poor. When the Emperor ordered him to hand over the wealth of the Church, Lawrence pointed to the poor and said, “Behold, in these you will find the riches of the Church.” Like the Pope and his fellow deacons, he was probably beheaded, but a possible misreading of the Acts of his death led to the popular tradition of his being grilled slowly to death on a gridiron. All frescos and paintings show us rather graphic versions of his death. One thing is certain, that among the early martyrs of the Church, he became a great favourite, with many churches dedicated to his honour. Together with Saints Peter and Paul, he is the patron saint of Rome. Can you count the number of medieval churches dedicated to St Lawrence in your area? There are at least six in Herefordshire and, in Ludlow, the magnificent parish church. The nearest to Belmont is the parish church of Preston on Wye. Yesterday, the vigil of his feast, I visited the church of St Lawrence at Canon Pyon, an interesting, if cold church, in a beautiful setting.

Our short Gospel passage for the feast comes from John (Jn 12: 24-26). Jesus is speaking with his disciples, where he says, “I tell you, most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.” He is, of course, speaking about himself and preparing them for his passion and death. He compares himself to a wheat grain, which, buried in the earth, has to die to what it was in order to live a new life as what it will become. So it is with Jesus; so it is with each one of us. The rich harvest is the Church and within the Church, which is the Body of Christ, the martyrs have a special place as they have followed Christ even to the shedding of their blood. How far would I be prepared to go? A difficult question that, but one that at times we have to answer.

Jesus continues, “Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.” This is a recurring theme in the teaching of Jesus: dying to self in order to live for him in God. This doesn’t necessarily mean a physical or a painful martyr’s death, but dying daily to ourselves and our self-centredness so as to live for others, thereby following the example of Jesus. John’s language always has several layers of meaning, so you have to dig beneath the surface of what he writes. Learning to do that with John helps us to understand the other Gospels better. We can only serve the Lord by following him and being with him wherever he wants us to be. This means going through the gateway of death into the garden of everlasting life, where the Father will honour us as we have honoured him in Christ with the Spirit’s help in this life. Let us pray today for the grace to bear witness to Christ by the quality and integrity of our lives, as we seek to follow him every day.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 9th August

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:23:54 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Dominic, born on this day in the year 1170 at Caleruega, Spain, and who died on the feast of the Transfiguration in the year 1221 at Bologna, Italy. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Osma, but a journey through France and direct contact with members of the Albigensian heresy made him think again of his vocation. He saw the need for preachers, who would go out among the people and preach the Gospel in all its purity and truth. For 10 years, in the company of three Cistercian monks, he went around preaching against heresy and teaching by the example of the simplicity and austerity of his life. His fellow preachers gradually became a community, and in 1215 Dominic founded a religious house at Toulouse, the beginning of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans. His ideal, and that of his Order, was to organically link a life with God, study, and prayer in all forms, with a ministry of salvation to people by the word of God. His motto was: contemplata tradere: “to pass on the fruits of contemplation” or “to speak only of God or with God.” Today we pray for the Dominican Order in all its branches, men and women, and especially in our own country. I also remember the Dominican Missionary Sisters of St Sixtus, who worked for many years with us in Peru.

Our Gospel passage comes from Matthew, (Mt 14: 22-36), the calming of a storm at sea and Peter’s attempt to walk on water like Jesus., a wonderful episode in the life of Our Lord. “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night, he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

Having made the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the local people recognised him, they spread the news through the whole neighbourhood and took all that were sick to him, begging him just to let them touch the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched it were completely cured.”

It’s important to read the passage in a spirit of prayer and silence, opening our hearts and minds to what it is that the Lord himself wishes to tell us in this reading. He begins by giving us an example of the occasional need for solitude in order to be alone with God. While in silent prayer, he comes aware of a storm brewing on the lake and of the fear his disciples might have as a result. It’s often in pray that we discover the needs of others and our own needs too. Jesus is Lord of the tempest and is able to walk on the water towards the boat in which his disciples are terrified and afraid. They see him and their fear increases, but he says, “It is I,” like God at the burning bush who said to Moses, “I am who I am.” Jesus invites Peter to walk towards him and Peter, filled with enthusiasm tries, but when he realises what he’s doing and where he is, he is filled with fear and begins to sink. “Save me, Lord,“ he screams. Jesus catches hold of him and walks him back to the boat. “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?” asks Jesus. The storm is calmed and the men in the boat, disciples and others, bow down in awe, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” The miracle, both miracles lead to faith in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God. And this is where we, too, should be led as we read and pray.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 8th August

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:22:18 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 7th August

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:11:28 GMT

Although yesterday was an exceptionally busy and tiring day, I made time to watch and pray with the closing Mass of World Youth Day, in which a million and a half young people took part. It was as moving as it was impressive, as prayerful as it overflowed with joy and thanksgiving. Seeing so many young people from all over the world in love with Jesus and Our Lady, with the Gospel and the Church, exited to share their faith with others and commit themselves to the mission of bringing salvation to the whole world, it truly fills us with hope and thanksgiving. I loved Pope Francis’ final reflexion at the Angelus on the Portuguese word, “obrigado.” The whole week was incredibly uplifting and fills us all with hope for the future of our world, which at times seems lost and devoid of all goodness and faith.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 14: 13-21), and is the account of the feeding of the five thousand. It’s important to note the context in which this miracle took place in Matthew. “When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So, as he stepped ashore, he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.” Jesus wants to be alone, to reflect on the death of John the Baptist, what this might mean for his mission and for his followers. However, so hungry are the crowds for his words of wisdom and his miracles of healing, that in no time at all he finds himself not alone but with a vast crowed of people. At the end of the episode Matthew tells us, “Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.” There could have been twenty or twenty-five thousand souls in all. What we note about Jesus is the pity, mercy and compassion he has for the crowds that follow him. They are not only searching for the healing of physical ailments, but for forgiveness and the love of God. However, as the day wears on, it soon becomes evening and they are hungry and thirsty, especially the children, I should imagine.

And so, the account continues: “When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so, send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full.” So contented and fulfilled are the crowd to be with Jesus, that time flies and it soon becomes evening, but there is little or no food available. We know the rest of the story only too well. What do we notice in particular? The fact that Jesus is unruffled and thanks his heavenly Father for the little they have available, not doubting that it will suffice if accompanied by prayer and thanksgiving. The language used, especially the verbs, are those of the Last Supper, the Eucharist. And there’s a lot left over, but it’s not wasted or thrown away. It’s kept for another day, perhaps for breakfast.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 6th August

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:10:24 GMT

Today the Church throughout the world keeps the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This year we are reading from Matthew, (Mt 17: 1-9). It really ought to be a Solemnity, so important is the episode in Our Lord’s life that it commemorates. Here is Matthew’s account: “Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but only Jesus.

As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’”

Peter, James and John are invited by Jesus to catch a glimpse of Heaven, just as they will be with him in the Garden of Gethsemane to have an experience of Hell. We are reminded that, during the Exodus, Moses would meet God on the top of Mount Sinai and there speak with God as with a friend, receive the tablets of the Law, the Ten Commandments, and see God face to face. On Mount Tabor, Jesus is transfigured before their eyes: they see him as God in all his glory, his face like the sun and his clothes white as light. Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets, appear with him and are talking with him, for he is the fulfilment of both. Peter, as always, speaks out of turn, but his intentions are good. He wants to record the moment and prolong it by erecting three tents, yet even as he is speaking a dense but bright cloud descends and, with it, silence, the silence of heaven. Then from the cloud a voice speaks, the voice of God the Father, who declares Jesus to be his beloved Son, the One who should be listened to and obeyed. Filled with the fear of God, filled with awe, the three disciples fall on their faces, not knowing what will happen next. Jesus comes up and touches them, telling them to stand and not be afraid. When they open their eyes, they see only Jesus, whom they now know to be true God and true man. It is an invitation for us, too, to see only Jesus and know that he is both God and man, Creator, Saviour and Redeemer.

The fact that Jesus orders them to tell no one until after the resurrection, implies that the Transfiguration is a foretaste of heaven, something they can hang onto when the worst of their fears are realised and Jesus is taken prisoner, condemned to death, crucified, dies and is buried. They will have sure knowledge that after death there is life and after the Passion there is the Resurrection.

I wish to recall today a happy memory, that on 5 ^th August 1968, together with a party of monks from various monasteries on Mount Athos, I was invited to climb to the top of the Holy Mountain. I was only 21 at the time and a guest of Fr Agathangelos at the Holy Monastery of Iveron. Once there at the chapel of the Transfiguration, we celebrated Vespers and the All Night Vigil, followed by the Divine Liturgy and other Hours of the Office before partaking of a well-earned picnic. After a short siesta, we began the breath-taking walk back down to our various

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 5th August

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:07:45 GMT

It was really uplifting again yesterday to follow events as they take place at World Youth Day. I wonder how the Holy Father manages; at times he looks to be so tired and in pain. No doubt the good Lord protects him and gives him strength to continue. Let’s keep praying for him, and for all the young people gathered together with him in Lisbon, that they might grow and mature as fervent Christians, full of faith, hope and love.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 14: 1-12), and tells the sad tale of the martyrdom of St John the Baptist. Matthew tells us the story as Herod the tetrarch was convinced that Jesus was really John risen from the dead. Herod, who had John put to death for a rash oath he had made to a pretty girl, who had danced for him and his court at his birthday party. There are a number of similar stories in the Old Testament. How irrational men become when in their cups. It’s a horrific tale, but here it is. “Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.”

What can this sad tale teach us? It reminds us of the love and respect that Jesus had for John and in this he was followed by the early Church as testified by the importance given to John’s life, teaching and martyrdom in all four Gospels, as elsewhere in the New Testament and in the subsequent life and teaching of the Church. It shows us the esteem that Herod himself had for John and the regret and shame he felt for having to act on that foolishly rash oath he had made to his stepdaughter in the presence of Herodias, his illicit and overpowering partner. John had warned him that it was against the Law for him to have this woman as his wife. All it took was a birthday party for everything to unravel and fall apart. It can be the same in our own lives. At times, a rash word or action can lead us into trouble and unforeseen chaos. Let us remember never to speak or act without first putting into God’s hands what it is we have in our hearts. May obedience to God’s will always be our guide, as it was in the life of the Baptist.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 4th August

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:51:20 GMT

I really enjoyed watching some of the World Youth Day events from Lisbon yesterday, including the arrival of the Holy Father from Rome and the first celebrations in which he has taken part. Most impressive, of course, are the young people themselves: the enthusiastic expression of their faith is contagious and brings tears to the eyes, reminding us oldies of what the faith meant to us when we were young. With this generation of young Catholics, there is much hope for the world. We thank God for them and pray that their faith be strengthened and nurtured by the love of Jesus in the experience of Lisbon.

With today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 13: 47-33), we come to the end of this section of parables with the Parable of the Dragnet, which we have already read and discussed in recent days. This year we’ve had a double dose, so to speak, because we have been reading Mathew both on Sundays as well as during the week. Jesus is not suggesting that fishermen use dragnets as a preferred method of fishing, far from it. It is merely an example of what will happen at the end of the world, when good and bad will be called before the Lord on Judgement Day and all are judged. Yet another interpretation of the parable could be that the fish and other forms of marine life that are of no use are thrown away. Is it possible that they are thrown back into the sea, where they are given another chance to become useful and good? There’s a thought for us: we all would like a second chance, even of this life. Sadly, at the end of time there won’t be a second chance, but I firmly believe in Purgatory, where there might well be flames and weeping, but only for the purpose of purification and expiation. If we can get but a toenail into Purgatory, we will have made it. God, in his mercy, will do the rest for us through the saving merits of the Cross of Jesus,

At last, the disciples say they understand. Had they had enough of parables by this stage and took the easy way out to get Jesus to stop? We won’t ponder on that possibility. Jesus does express the hope that his disciples, and we with them, will be “like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.”

Let us pray for the gift of being able to teach by way of parables taken from our own world and that of our hearers, as we share our faith with others today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 3rd August

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:49:43 GMT

Let us pray for the gift of being able to teach by way of parables taken from our own world and that of our hearers, as we share our faith with others today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 2nd August

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:46:56 GMT

It was good to collect Toby from kennels yesterday afternoon and go off immediately for a good walk with him. I can’t imagine what life would be like without a canine companion, although I also love cats. In fact, I’ve always found cats to be more demonstratively affectionate that dogs. One of the great advantages of having a dog is the many opportunities there are for exercise each day. I know how little exercise I would take were it not for Toby. I owe my good health and happy disposition to him and, of course, to the God who made him and me alike!

It was a great joy to be able to see part of the opening Mass of World Youth Day from Lisbon last night. What a beautiful celebration, such a happy occasion, and how moving to see young people from so many countries all over the world, even from those countries where the faith is under persecution, such as Nicaragua. I just wish there were no commentators. They really know how to spoil a liturgical celebration!

Yesterday’s Gospel reading was the explanation given by Jesus himself of the parable of the wheat and the darnel. Today we continue to read Matthew, (Mt 13: 44-46), a short passage indeed, but containing the two parables that follow, that of treasure hidden in a field and that of the pearl of great value. This is how Jesus puts it, speaking with the crowds as well as with his disciples.

“Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’”

Essentially, Jesus is telling us that nothing is more important or of more value than the kingdom of heaven, which is why it can be compared to hidden treasure or an expensive pearl. We would make any effort or go to any expense just to acquire them, and it must surely be the same with the kingdom. What are we prepared to do or do without in order to enter the kingdom of heaven? What sacrifices are we prepared to make? Jesus always gives us much to think about.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 1st August

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 06:44:58 GMT

This evening I’m sitting in one of the KLM lounges at Amsterdam Schiphol, waiting for the flight to Birmingham after spending a fantastic weekend in northern Italy. The beginning of a new month and back to grindstone for me, though I’m not complaining. My parents instilled into me a powerful sense of duty, so hard work and getting things done have never been a problem for me. What does make things more difficult for me these days are recurrent lapses of memory. I’m sure you know what I mean. I envy my mother, who has the memory of a 16 year old, rather than that of a 96 year old!

I’m going to give the Gospel a rest today. It’s the Parable of the Wheat and the Darnel for one thing and I’ve commented on it several times lately. Secondly, it’s almost time to walk to the the gate, some distance away, for the Birmingham flight and then the drive back to Belmont. I can show you the lasagne I had for lunch today, the genuine recipe and ingredients, and a view of Lake Como from the plane. I worked there the Summer of 1969 as a tour guide. Such happy memories, I was based at Bellagio. Some of you might have been there.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 31st July

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:52:29 GMT

One of the main reasons for coming over to my cousin’s was to have a peaceful weekend, sleep, rest and relaxation. Add to that meeting up again with old friends and enjoying fantastic food, the weekend has been perfect. It was good to go to Mass in a Catholic country, all so straightforward and matter of fact. Italians are so natural when it comes to religion. It was great seeing old friends at Mass and being able to chat afterwards. Then I went with my cousin to her niece’s for lunch at her beautiful new villa near the lake. I’ve known Alessandra since she was a newborn baby and now she and her husband are the proud parents of a handsome, intelligent and self-disciplined son, Andrea, who speaks English better than he speaks Italian, better in fact than I do. At present, he’s working on his thesis. We had a wonderful al fresco lunch, course after course, all cold as it was rather hot today, other than in the shady spot where we sat around the family table. A perfect day!

This afternoon I will be returning to the U.K., flying with KLM from Milan Linate to Birmingham via Amsterdam. Then I’ll drive back to Belmont, just like the old days when I did that journey so often. Our Gospel passage today sees us continuing to read more Parables of the Kingdom from Matthew, (Mt 13: 31-35). We’ve read so many of these parables recently, that I feel sure that I’ve already commented on them several times in recent weeks. Each parable, for short and simple as it might be, is a work of art. The first is of the mustard seed, but a gardener or a farmer has to sow the seed in order for it to grow. It won’t grow if it remains in his shed or in his pocket. He has to prepare the soil and sow it, and then take care of it, as the plant grows into a shrub that will bear fruit. Likewise the yeast that a housewife or a baker adds to three measures of flour. If she leaves it on the shelf or forgets to add it, then the dough fails to leaven and bread can’t be made. Yes, God gives the increase and the raw materials, but we have to play our part, we can’t just sit back and do nothing, leaving it all to God or to others.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 30th July

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:51:04 GMT

This weekend I’m relaxing at my cousin’s in Italy, so today I’ll just walk up the road to the parish church of St Antony the Abbot and join the congregation at the 10 o’clock Mass. it’s what I like most, simply going to Mass as I did as a boy and young man, having no other responsibility than to pray quietly and listen attentively to the word of God in preparation for the Sacrifice of the Mass and Holy Communion.

Yesterday was a real day of rest. Friday night I was extremely tired after the journey out and slept for over eight hours, when normally at Belmont I manage four or five at the most. I spent the morning chatting with my cousin, reminiscing over the lives of our loved ones and comparing notes on how Covid affected our lives and how many friends we lost, especially in northern Italy. We then went out for lunch with an old friend to a restaurant we’ve been visiting for over fifty years with spectacular views over the lake. The food is simply out of this world, the wine list a Bible of over 250 pages, the owners and waiters affectionate and welcoming, grandchildren of the original owners and chefs. There was a fascinating discussion on how menus and tastes have changed over the years and we were able to sample what was in offer today. I believe it was the heavenly banquet envisaged by the the prophet Isaiah. I would happily spend eternity in that restaurant.

Today’s Gospel presents us with yet more parables of the kingdom, (Mt 13: 44-52), the parable of the hidden treasure, the parable of the pearl of great value and the parable of the dragnet. The first two emphasise the idea that the kingdom is of such value and importance that everything else should be sacrificed in order to secure a place in the kingdom. The parable of the dragnet reminds us of that of the wheat and the darnel and could be easily confused with it, if not that here it is the good fish that are kept and those that are no good thrown away. Interestingly, on this occasion the disciples assure Jesus that they have understood his teaching. Jesus replies, “Every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storeroom things both old and new.” Is he inviting his disciples to teach by using parables? Can you think of an aspect of your daily life which you could use as a parable to teach or explain an important aspect of our faith to others? Why not give it a try?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 29th July

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:49:56 GMT

I’m writing this message sitting in an Airbus 220-300 belonging to Air France. Having sat in it for over an hour at Charles de Gaulle airport, waiting for the weather to improve, we are now at a standstill again, but not far from the runway. It’s been an interesting day, to say the least.

Today we keep the feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus of Bethany, the friends of Jesus. You can read all about them in John’s Gospel. The specific passage for today’s feast is taken from the account of the Raising of Lazarus, (Jn 11: 19-27). I’m not able to reproduce it at the moment, but you will remember the account that is often read at funerals. It centers on Martha’s proclamation of faith in Jesus and in the resurrection, a declaration that will be echoed by Mary. “I know that he will rise again on the last day.” These are Martha’s words, to which Jesus replies, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Martha listens closely to his words, so that when Jesus asks her if this is what she believes, she replies, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.” In Christ alone is life, for he is the very source of life, that not even death can take away from us. Based on this faith, Jesus raised Lazarus to life again. If this is our faith, we too in Christ will rise to eternal life.

It’s been a bumpy flight, and we are now descending into Milan Linate, the city centre airport. I only have two distant shots of Paris and one of Milan to share with you today. We’re overflying Lugano at the moment and we’ll be arriving just an hour late. It could have been much worse!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 28th July

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:48:46 GMT

When you read this message today, I will be travelling to Italy for the weekend. I was hoping for a few extra days, but it just wasn’t possible at this time. Not to worry, a change is as good as a rest, and I look forward to returning to the mountains around Lake Iseo, the deepest lake in Europe, and the lake itself. Nearby there’s also my favourite lake, one of the smallest in Italy, Lago d’Endine, all in the province of Bergamo. No doubt a lot will be fitted into the weekend and, God willing, I will be back late on Monday night, refreshed and ready to start work again early on Tuesday morning. In the meantime, Toby is taking a short break at his favourite kennels, Cosy Toes, just down the road from Belmont. Which reminds me, I still have to throw a few things into a bag ready for the journey. Before Covid I was so accustomed to travel, that it only takes a few minutes.

Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 13: 18-23), sees Jesus explaining the Parable of the Sower. This is what he tells his disciples. “You are to hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path. The one who received it on patches of rock is the man who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. But he has no root in him, he does not last; let some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, and he falls away at once. The one who received the seed in thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the lure of riches choke the word and so he produces nothing. And the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.”

I have the feeling that I oscillate between the different people mentioned by Jesus. In many of us there is an intrinsic instability. Perhaps, that’s why St Benedict placed so much emphasis on stability in his Rule, making it one of the three Benedictine vows. The good thing is that, with the help of God and those around us, we can work on the soil of our hearts, transforming it into the rich soil God the Sower needs when sowing the seed of his word, so that we can produce that rich harvest of goodness and love that will lead us to the eternal joys of the kingdom.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 27th July

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 08:22:36 GMT

There are many strange coincidences in the Mass Lectionary. The Gospel reading proper to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, that we celebrated yesterday are, in fact, the last two verses of today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 13: 10-17), in which Jesus talks with his disciples about the use of parables. They ask him, “Why do you talk to them in parables?” Why does Jesus use parables when talking with the crowds? Jesus gives them the simple answer, but then goes on to explain. “Because the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them.” He goes a step further, saying, “The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding.” By using parables, perhaps the crowds will come to understand better than if he speaks in a way that loses their attention and leads them into confusion. The parables are vivid and interesting examples from everyday life that will draw their attention and cause them to work out what Jesus is teaching.

Jesus then delves back into the Old Testament, to the prophet Isaiah to show that people have always been deaf to God’s word. Isaiah condemned the people of Israel with these words:

“You will listen and listen again, but not understand,

see and see again, but not perceive.

For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,

their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,

for fear they should see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their heart,

and be converted

and be healed by me.”

Ultimately, the purpose and intention of God’s word is to is to be assimilated and understood in the hope of leading people to repentance, conversion, healing and union with God. In the New Testament this is brought about in Christ, who is the incarnate Word of God and Saviour of the world. What people are now experiencing in Jesus is what the prophets longed to see and hear, the Messiah’s invitation to be forgiven and saved in the Blood of the Lamb and the power of his Holy Spirit. “But 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.” Yesterday these words were applied to Saints Joachim and Anne. Today we apply them to ourselves.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 25th July

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:14:49 GMT

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.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 24th July

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 18:56:15 GMT

The evangelists record that Jesus had a rough time from the scribes and Pharisees and today’s Gospel is no exception. We are reading from Matthew, (Mt 12: 38-42). Nevertheless, it should be noted that they did have a certain respect for him and invariably called him ‘Master’, recognising that he did have authority to preach. Today they ask for a sign. By this stage in his ministry, Jesus had already performed many miracles, so what sign were they looking for? Were they undecided as to whether he was the Messiah or one of the prophets returned to life? Jesus replies by saying that, “It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign!” Does he regard the scribes and Pharisees as being evil and unfaithful? I shouldn’t think so. He says that he will give only one sign, that of the prophet Jonah, but then he goes on to give another as well, the sign of Solomon. Jesus often contradicts himself in that way, or the evangelists do it for him!

What do the two signs mean? Although Jesus describes the three days and three nights that Jonah spent in the belly of the whale and the three days and three nights the Son of Man will be buried in the heart of the earth, it is not resurrection or new life that is the sign. “On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.” It is repentance as a result of Jesus’ preaching that is the sign, but Jesus is more than a prophet, for he offers forgiveness as well as the call to repentance. He then turns to the Queen of Sheba, who came to visit Solomon, so famous was he for his wisdom. “On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.” She came from Ethiopia, from the ends of the earth, to meet Solomon and listen to his wisdom. Do the scribes and Pharisees flock together with the crowds to the feet of Jesus to listen to his wisdom, for he is far greater than Solomon, the very Wisdom of God and the source of all wisdom.

Let’s stop thinking about the scribes and Pharisees and apply the words of Jesus to ourselves. Does the teaching of Jesus lead us to repentance? Do we make every effort to listen to his words and do we recognise in them the very source of Divine Wisdom? What do you think?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 23rd July

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 18:49:26 GMT

How quickly Sunday comes round again and how quickly the days are drawing in. The rain and the cold give Belmont an autumnal feel about it and soon it will be August, the gateway to Autumn and the long treck to Winter and Christmas. I’m looking forward to next weekend, because I’m going away from Friday to Monday, a little break, a rest. I can really do with it, as I do get tired. Perhaps I should sleep more, but I’ve always been one for going late to bed and then up before the crack of dawn.

Today we have another long Gospel reading, as we did last Sunday, and from Matthew, (Mt 13: 24-43). Jesus presents the crowd that follows him with three parables in which he describes the kingdom of heaven for them: the parable of the wheat and the darnel (though really about the men who sowed them), the parable of the mustard seed and that of the yeast that leavens the dough. We are told that Jesus always spoke to the crowds in parables to fulfil the prophecy in Psalm 77(78), and yet he doesn’t explain the parables to them, so what did they make of them? It’s only in the house, leaving the crowds outside, that Jesus explains the parable of the wheat and the darnel to the disciples. The explanation is detailed, point by point, but in a rather simplistic way.

What is Jesus saying to his disciples and to those of the crowd who might understand him? The first parable, why do good and evil coexist in the Church, which is he kingdom of heaven on earth and why doesn’t Jesus or his heavenly Father eradicate it here and now? Why is evil left to flourish in the Body of Christ? Jesus’ reply is that God knows best and we should leave the final decision to him. If evil is removed, that might damage what is good. God will sort things out on the last day. The other two parables concern the question of growth: why is the Christian community so small and persecuted at that? Jesus gives his answer in the mustard seed and in the yeast, the first that grows of its own accord, the second that causes growth in others. Small beginnings can lead to surprising growth and a flourishing Church. Ultimately, Jesus is asking us to trust in God, to believe that he knows best and to allow him to bring about the kingdom as he sees fit. Faith is trusting in God and loving our neighbour.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 22nd July

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 06:31:18 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Mary Magdalene, known as the Apostle to the Apostles, in that she was the first to see and talk with the risen Christ and the first to tell his disciples, the Apostles, that he was risen from the dead. There is another woman apostle in the New Testament, Lydia of Thyatira, a convert of St Paul’s, who then led the church in her home at Philippi (Acts 16): she is known as the Equal to the Apostles.Mary, or Miriam, was one of the most common names in Israel and many women of that name appear in the Gospels, beginning with Our Lady. So, it’s hardly surprising that Mary of Magdala was confused in the early Middle Ages with Mary of Bethany and a third Mary, possibly herself confused with the woman caught in adultery. The three became conflated into one. Today, however, the Church recognises this error and is quite clear as to who the women were and their differing relationships with Jesus and the Twelve.

The Gospel chosen for the festal Mass is taken from John, (Jn 20: 1-2, 11-18), and recounts that famous meeting of Mary with Jesus early on the morning of the Resurrection. “It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’” According to John, she was the first to come to the tomb and she came alone. She finds that the stone has been rolled away and must have looked inside, otherwise she could not have reported to Peter and the Beloved Disciple that Jesus’s body had been removed from the tomb. The two run to the tomb and find things exactly as Mary has told them, returning to the gathered disciples to confirm Mary’s report. However, Mary returns to the tomb alone to mourn not only the death of Jesus but the disappearance of his body.

“Meanwhile Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’” Her first encounter, looking inside the tomb, is with two angels, who addressing her as “Woman,” ask her why she is weeping. Her Lord, the Lord, has been removed and she doesn’t know where he’s been taken. But Jesus isn’t in the tomb, and as she looks round, she sees him standing there in the garden, but fails to recognise him. “As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’” We have a repeat of her conversation with the angels. Jesus not only asks her why she is weeping, but also who it is that she looking for. She thinks she is speaking with the gardener, who has probably taken the body away. Like the angels, Jesus, too, addresses her as, “Woman.”

“Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.” It is when Jesus calls her by her name that she finally recognises him. The disciples on the road to Emmaus recognised him at the breaking of bread, Mary at the mention of her name. Jesus asks her not to cling to him in the joy of seeing him risen from the dead. He cannot remain on earth in his risen body, but must ascend to the Father, who is not only his Father now but her Father too. She must look forward, not back to what has been, and that is the message she takes to the disciples, the Gospel of the Resurrection. She becomes the Apostle to the Apostles.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 21st July

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:29:21 GMT

As you know, each day I get lots of exercise and fresh air in the company of faithful companion Toby, the perfect monastic dog. Rather like St Benedict in his old age, he is thinking of writing a little rule for monks, but making it inclusive of canine monastics. I imagine he has some quite interesting insights into the vows, obedience in particular, the observance of the monastic timetable and the living out of monastic values, such as the art of silent contemplation. Animals, both wild and tame, have much to teach us and we would do well to heed their example.

Today we accompany Jesus on a walk with his disciples. Matthew, (Mt 12: 1-8), describes what happened. “Jesus took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them.”

It’s a lovely scene and we can easily imagine it, I am reminded of when I was a boy and with my friends we would stop playing football and eat the ears of wild grasses. How sweet they were! But it’s the sabbath and the religious police are out on duty, eyeing the disciples. The Pharisees miss nothing and complain to Jesus. “The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath.’” Jesus replies with two examples from the Old Testament: King David and the Temple priests, who are both recorded as having broken the Law. “Jesus said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple.”

Jesus is angered by the attitude and inflexibility of the Pharisees and quotes from the prophet Hoses, (Ho 6:6). “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.” It’s as though the Pharisees had never read of God’s mercy, let alone experienced it. Jesus says, “And if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is master of the sabbath.” It is not the sabbath that is holy, but the Son of man and, indeed, God the Father himself, who make the sabbath holy. God’s children and their health and happiness come before the Law that was made to help and support them.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 20th July

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:03:19 GMT

As I mentioned yesterday, I was in Abergavenny to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Our Lady and St Michael School. It was a joyful and invigorating celebration and it was wonderful to see so many guests present as well as pupils and staff, the entire school. Everything was magnificently organised and the singing and participation by the children truly heart-warming. There was a substantial Catholic population in Abergavenny throughout penal times, served until 1873 by the English Franciscans, at which time the parish became an English Benedictine mission. Throughout the Middle Ages there had been a Benedictine Priory in Abergavenny, a cell of the Abbey of St Vincent, Le Mans, France. Today St Mary’s is the Anglican parish church. Although Our Lady and St Michael’s School opened in 1873, the Franciscans had also provided rudimentary education to catholic children throughout penal times. I attach a painting given to the school of the Parable of the Mustard Seed. It provided the frontispiece for the celebration booklet.

Our Gospel passage today continues from yesterday’s and is one of the most famous sayings of Jesus to be found in Matthew, (Mt 11: 28-30). “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.” I seem to remember that it was the Sunday before last’s Gospel, so I commented on it then. This teaching of Jesus is unparalleled in the other gospel accounts. Jesus gives a personal and astonishing invitation to those to whom the Father has revealed his Son and the Son, his Father (Mt 11:25). “Come to me”, he offers to “all you who labour and are overburdened.” To be weary is to be tired not just in your body, but in your soul. It describes not just exhaustion, but exhaustion plus exasperation. It is a state of mental and emotional fatigue. It can be dull or acuteand, when it is felt, it increases the temptation to give up and succumb to apathy or depression. Overburdened means to be carrying a heavy load, possibly for some time. Overburdened is a cause for people to be weary. This could include anxiety and hopelessness. The rest that Jesus promises is what weary people seek. Rest restores the vigour and strength necessary to carry on and live a full life in God’s grace. Jesus invites all people, with no exceptions, to enjoy the rest that only he can can give us.

Fr Paul

Job Advert: Chaplaincy Lead St Mary's High School Lugwardine

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:48:50 GMT

Job Vacancy details;

https://www.st-maryshigh.hereford.sch.uk/page/?title=Chaplaincy+Lead&pid=513

Icon Workshop

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:42:38 GMT

Icon Workshops in September

Belmont Abbey is offering two 5 day Icon Workshops led by Fr Alex Echeandia Loro.

The 1 ^st Icon Workshop (Beginners to Intermediate) is from 11th to 16th September 2023, painting an icon of St Peter.

he 2 ^nd Icon Workshop (Intermediate to Advanced) is from 18th to 23rd September,painting the tender icon of The Bridegroom.

The cost for the teaching is £350 for each intensive workshop.

For further details contact Fr Augustine, retreats@belmontabbey.org.uk or 01432 374750.

Pilgrim Mass of the Assumption of Our Lady

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:40:18 GMT

ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE

OUR LADY

OF
PENRHYS

Sunday 13 ^th August

Pilgrim Mass of the

Assumption of Our Lady

3.00pm

at the foot of the statue

The chief celebrant will be Father Tim McGrath.

The music ministry will be led by the Bridgend Parish.

Mass is celebrated at the foot of the Statue, weather permitting, so pilgrims are asked to bring their own seating.

Should the weather be inclement we will move into the chapel of the Llanfair Community in the middle of the estate.

The Community also offer us refreshments after Mass (and the use of the toilet)

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 19th July

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:24:18 GMT

Today I will be visiting the parish of Our Lady and St Michael at Abergavenny to celebrate the 150 ^th anniversary of the parish school together with pupils, parents and staff, led by Fr Matthew, the parish priest. It’s a very important landmark in the history of Catholic education in Wales, so as we give thanks for a century and a half of unstinting service to children and young people, I ask you to pray for the school in the years ahead. I wonder what the celebrations of the 300 ^th anniversary will be like when the time comes, as we hope it will.

Our Gospel passage today is brief, just three short verses, (Mt 11: 25-27), in which Jesus addresses his heavenly Father. This is what he exclaims. “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” It’s a short prayer of thanksgiving in which Jesus blesses his Father, “Lord of heaven and earth”, hiding the mysteries of the kingdom from the learned and the wise, at least from those who consider themselves to be learned and wise, such as the scribes and Pharisees, while he reveals them to the simple, to mere children in learning and knowledge, his disciples. Jesus realises that this is the Father’s will. Everything that has been entrusted to him by the Father, Jesus will share with his disciples and, through them, with us, his followers in the world today. Jesus has called us to be his friends and disciples and for that, like Jesus, we give thanks to God our Father.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 18th July

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:42:22 GMT

It was a delight, yesterday, to welcome to Belmont pupils and staff of Woking High School, thirty young musicians and singers aged between 11 and 16, who came to perform in a summer concert of orchestral music from film, theatre and popular music. It was very encouraging to see such a large and appreciative audience, particularly for the young people, their parents and staff, who had worked so hard over the years to bring themselves to perfection and entertain us all so royally. Many congratulations to the orchestra, singers and conductor.

Our Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 11: 20-24), sees Jesus reproaching the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked. The reason? They had refused to repent. It’s interesting to note what Jesus says, that his miracles were wrought in order to bring people to repentance. Had we ever thought of that? He laments:

“Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted as high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom on judgement day as with you.”

What do his words mean? Jesus rebukes the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their lack of repentance in light of the many miracles that he performed among them. He says that even the pagan and wicked cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom would have shown more repentance. Each of their respective judgment days will reflect this. We also note that this event is unparalleled in the other gospel accounts. One way of understanding this passage is that the judgement being pronounced upon these cities applies to its leadership. They will have a lot to answer for in the judgement, for seeing and knowing what is true, and not leading their people to the great benefit being offered by God in Jesus. It would seem that in condemning these towns, Jesus is likely not condemning all the inhabitants of the town—the righteous Centurion in Matthew 8 , or Peter’s family, for example. Jesus is inviting you and me today to think seriously about repentance. All he wants is our true happiness and the joy that comes from being with God now and for eternity.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 17th July

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 06:47:30 GMT

I must confess that I spent the whole of yesterday afternoon, apart from Vespers and a short walk with Toby, watching Wimbledon. I found the match to be totally exciting and exhilarating. When I discussed it with my mother, we found that we shared the same reaction to the match and were both energised by what we saw. It was also good for me to have an afternoon off, although the match was hardly relaxing! News from around the world is worrying and heart-breaking: heatwaves in Southern Europe and the United States, floods in Korea and forest fires in the Canaries and elsewhere. Let us keep those affected by natural disasters in our prayers, as well as those working to alleviate suffering.

In today’s Gospel, (Mt 10: 34- 11:1), we come to the end of Jesus’ instructions to his disciples, as he sends them out for the first time on the mission for which he has called them. It seems we have been reading these instructions for days. It might well be that they were compiled by Matthew from instructions that Jesus gave on a number of occasions. Some are more relevant to the mission than others, but all are relevant to our lives as Christians, being faithful disciples of Jesus. He warns them of the divisions that faith can cause in a family, for some believe but others not. He asks them to prefer nothing whatever to him, for in putting him first we will love others better, loving them as he loves them. They are to remember that they do not go out representing themselves, but God. He says, “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.” As St Paul will say, “What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and we are your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4: 5) It’s important that we do not stand in the way of Christ and his message of salvation. We have to be transparent, as it were, so that others can see Christ in us and Christ can speak through us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 16th July

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 10:38:31 GMT

Reading today’s Gospel aloud at the Vigil Mass yesterday afternoon, it struck me how long and longwinded it is, with hardly any need to preach a homily as Jesus himself explains the parable of the sower for the preacher! Why repeat what Jesus has already said as though the congregation were unable to understand what he’s saying? I wonder if Jesus always did that, yet only a few explanations are recorded. I couldn’t help but feel that Isaiah, whom we heard in the first reading, did a better job of it than Matthew, whose Gospel we were reading, (Mt 13: 1-23). Let’s listen to Isaiah, (Is 55: 10-11).

“Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’” It’s all about the effect of God’s word on our lives and on our hearts and minds. Snow and rain have a powerful, necessary and immediate effect on nature. God’s word, by which all that is came to be in the beginning and all is now sustained, cannot but have a profound effect on those who hear it, especially those who hear it regularly in faith and with an open heart. It is bound to carry out God’s will and succeed in bringing about what it is sent to do. Just think of the Eucharist as an example. When Jesus says of the bread, “This is my Body, which is given for you,’ that bread becomes both his Body and the Sacrifice of Calvary by which we are saved. The same goes for the wine, which becomes his Blood. When God says to us, “I baptise you, I forgive you, I consecrate you, Receive the Holy Spirit, and so on” his word has the power to bring about and create what it says. Only we can get in the way and prevent this from happening. How often have you and I said ‘NO” to God?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 15th July

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 19:31:07 GMT

This has been a great week, what with the tennis from Wimbledon to watch and enjoy in my spare moments, reminding me of my schoolboy days and the many hours spent happily playing tennis with friends late into the night until we could see the ball no longer. Then, it’s been wonderful to watch on YouTube celebrations for St Benedict from many monasteries around the world and last night the celebrations in honour of St Rosalia from Palermo in Sicily, where she is the patron saint. I’m an assiduous follower of Milan Cathedral, where I enjoy taking part in the Ambrosian Rite and listening to the excellent homilies. I wonder what you enjoy watching as a rest from work. I always have a novel on the go as well, often falling asleep with it in my hands. Even if I sleep the whole night through, I still wake up with the book in my hand in the reading position and finish off the chapter before getting up.

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 10: 24-33), we continue reading Jesus’ instructions to his apostles as they were about to set out on their mission. I’ve often wondered if Jesus did give these many instructions all at the same time, or whether they were compiled from his many instructions and then set forth in a systematic way by Matthew or another scribe. We could say the same of the Sermon on the Mount. It’s well worth investing in a good commentary on the Gospels or on the entire New Testament. That would be a great help to you when reading the Bible, and the same goes for the Old Testament.

Jesus is a wise teacher and much of what he taught his disciples has become proverbial in many languages. As the Gospel passage is rather long, let’s just take a few examples. “The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. It is enough for the disciple that he should grow to be like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, what will they not say of his household?” As disciples of Jesus, we are called upon by God our Father to grow to be more and more like his only-begotten Son, our divine Master.

“Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.” Jesus emphasises the love with which the Father loves us, a love that is unconditional, the love that casts out all fear, the love that makes us whole, the love that is eternal.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 14th July

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:20:58 GMT

Yesterday was such a lovely day and the weather was so kind to us as we drove down to my mother’s. I’m amazed how engineers and roadbuilders are able to keep the A465 open and traffic flowing while the dual carriageway is being built from the Dowlais Top to Hirwaun, the last section to be constructed. My mother was on good form and had prepared the most wonderful meals for both of us, although it’s noticeable how frail she is becoming. She is such a perfectionist that I wonder how on earth we are going to find suitable help so that she can remain at home as we look ahead. In the afternoon, after a welcome siesta, Toby and I enjoyed a couple of hours on the beach. We only met three other dogs and their owners and two quite spectacular kiteboarders. As a result of our late arrival back at Belmont, today’s message will be very short.

July 13 ^th marks the feast of St Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, (6 ^th May 973 to 13 ^th July 1024), patron of Benedictine Oblates. I won’t attempt a summary of his rather complicated life, or was it the times that were complicated and the circumstances of his life? In spite of it all, he lived a holy and devout life, dedicated much time to prayer and the care of the poor and founded and endowed monasteries. Though married, he remained celibate and took monastic vows in the Abbey of Verdun, but the Abbot wisely ordered him under obedience to continue to serve as Emperor. It was he who convinced Pope Benedict VIII to include the word ’Filioque’ in the Nicene Creed, which to some extent led sadly to the Great Schism in 1054. We pray today for all our Benedictine oblates throughout the world.

I won’t comment on today’s Gospel, but here it is:

“Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge. Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.

‘Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house, salute it, and if the house deserves it, let your peace descend upon it; if it does not, let your peace come back to you. And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet. I tell you solemnly, on the day of Judgement it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrah as with that town.’”

Mt 10: 7-15

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 13th July

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:17:26 GMT

I won’t comment on today’s Gospel, but here it is:

Mt 10: 7-15

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 12th July

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:16:03 GMT

It was good to celebrate the feast of St Benedict, Patron of Europe, yesterday, especially considering the precarious state of peace and unity in Europe as the war carries on relentlessly in Ukraine and threatens to spill over into other countries. Today I hope to be visiting my mother, together with Toby my faithful companion, so when you read these words, I might well be walking on the beach with Toby, enjoying the fresh sea breeze and searching on the dunes for wimberries, one of the many wild fruits of my youth.

Our Gospel today comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 1-7), in which Jesus gives his disciples authority over unclean spirits and we are told the names of the Twelve, that inner group whom he names apostles. “Jesus summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.” The Twelve are chosen and summoned, given power and authority to cast out unclean spirits and so the ability to heal and cure from all kinds of sickness and disease. In other words, Jesus gives them a portion of his own spirit, authority and power. You could almost say that this is an ordination or consecration, enabling them to share in Christ’s ministry.

Next we are given the names of these Twelve Apostles designated by Jesus. “These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him.” Of the Twelve, some we know well and meet frequently, others less so or not at all. Some were related, others not; some are mentioned more than by name, and one of the twelve turned out to be a traitor. Jesus knew, and it had to be.

We are then told, briefly, the instructions that Jesus gave these appointed ones. “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’” To begin with, we discover the meaning of the word Apostle: someone who is sent out, in their case, sent out by Jesus to do his work of healing and making whole, forgiving sin and reconciling people with God. For the time being, they must only visit the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Later they will turn to the pagans and Samaritans, as Jesus would himself.

When we read the Gospel, can we see Jesus speaking with us and inviting each one of us to do his work and join in his mission to bring salvation to those around us? Jesus still calls today. Are we able to hear his voice?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 11th July

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 08:26:26 GMT

There was a time when all saints had two feast days, a major and a minor, the major being the anniversary of their death or birth into heaven, the minor being the memorial day of the translation of their relics or some other similar event. This was also true of St Benedict. As we all know, he died on 21 ^st March in the year 547 at Montecassino, the traditional feast day to which many lovely customs are attached, especially in Central Italy. In modern times, July 11 ^th has become important because in 1964 Pope St Paul VI designated St Benedict to be Patron of Europe, (what hopeful days they were!), speaking at Montecassino on this date. Today a united Europe is more necessary than ever as we stand on the brink of out and out war, unless, of course, for our own selfish reasons, the West decides to abandon Ukraine to its fate, as it has done so often in the past. We ask St Benedict’s intercession today for peace in Europe and peace throughout the world, remembering that the Benedictine motto is PAX and not Ora et labora.

The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 19: 27-29), in which Jesus answers a question of Peter’s. “Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘What about us?’ he said. ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.’” Although Peter asks this rather strange, almost offensive question of Jesus, it would appear that Benedict never did. He encouraged his monks to work hard and guard against idleness. They were to live by the work of their own hands. They were expected to give up their own wills to acquire the mind and the heart of Jesus their Lord. They were love their brethren and see Christ in their neighbour as in themselves. They were to seek God and to prefer nothing whatever to Christ, so that in all things God might be glorified. In this way, they would come together to the joy of eternal life. What better reward could there be for a monk, or for any Christian, than to live a holy life in order to die a holy death? Although we spend a lot of time praying for others, today we ask you, our beloved oblates, parishioners and friends, to pray for us, that we be faithful to the vocation to which the Lord, in his mercy, has called us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 10th July

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 08:25:03 GMT

Yesterday I wrote in the parish newsletter that I would serve as parish priest until 31 ^st Auguste and that Fr Augustine would take over as parish priest on 1 ^st September. It was on August 23 ^rd 2018 that Fr Nicholas was appointed Prior Administrator of Downside Abbey and I took over as “caretaker parish priest”, to quote Fr Nicholas. My intention was to appoint a parish priest as soon as possible. Sadly, that was not possible, especially with the sudden death of Fr Alistair. Then came Covid and lockdown. I should point out that I will not be moving away from Belmont, as I am still abbot and will probably remain so until I retire on 1 ^st May next year. By then I will have been abbot 24 years, and that strikes me as more than long enough, added to which I will no longer be fit for service. When that time comes, I will move away, though not far I should imagine, so as to allow the new abbot to get on with the job without having me under his feet all the time. I hope this clarifies things, although Abbot Jerome always used to say that the only thing we can clarify is butter! I loved his sense of humour and admired his knowledge of English.

Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 9: 18-26), presents us with two miracles, one within the other. “While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.” We are not told what class of official this is, a government official or a synagogue official. Mark and Luke’s versions of these miracles are more explicit. Matthew is unusually succinct. This official respects Jesus and treats him with reverence. His daughter is dead, but by laying hands on her, he believes that Jesus can restore her life. It’s at this point that a sick woman appears. “Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.” These two miracles show the deep faith of those who come to Jesus. We are told the woman’s thoughts. “If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.” Jesus is aware that she is touching him and says, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health” And with his words, she is healed and the loving kindness of God is revealed in Jesus. Her life is restored to her in all its fulness.

Our attention is turned again to the official, for we have now reached his house, where the commotion caused by the death of a child is in full swing. “When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.” When Jesus says the child is asleep, not dead, they laugh at him and mock, after all he is interfering in the business and money-making surrounding death. He turns out the crowd and goes to the girl himself. Without a word, the silence of Jesus is a marked contrast to the wailing of the crowds. He takes the girl by the hand, she stands and she, too, is restored to life. Now everyone is talking about Jesus. The question for us today is: how deep is our faith?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 9th July

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 08:24:16 GMT

Early yesterday morning Toby and I came across a bush of ripe blackberries and, although it was only 8 ^th July, I ate my first wild blackberries this year. Earlier in the week, we came across delicious wild strawberries in a wood not far from here and had our fill. I can’t help thinking how blessed we are to receive God’s gifts day after day through sight, smell and taste. The foraging season has most definitely begun. I always remember fondly how my grandmother and aunts in Italy would find the most delicious and nutritious food in the woods behind her house: fruits and berries of all sorts, nuts, salads leaves, asparagus, fungi, thistles, grasses and so on. How we would banquet all summer long and well into autumn and winter. My Welsh grandmother, too, was an old hand at foraging and, living near the sea, an expert user of the shrimp net. Do young people today live so close to nature and enjoy such healthy meals? I hope so, for there’s nothing like food found fresh in woods, hedgerows, dunes and beaches. One of my favourite little books, always at my bedside, is FOOD FOR FREE: THE FORAGER’S GUIDE by Richard Mabey. It’s well worth reading. Get a copy!

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 25-30). Here Jesus prays to his heavenly Father in the presence of his hearers and then invites them to come to him, that he might lighten their burdens and forgive their sins, as well as reveal the Father’s face to them. He exclaims, “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” As he prays, Jesus teaches us that he has come to reveal the Father to his disciples, to those who are humble and open their hearts to him, not to the learned and the clever, but to mere children. In and through Jesus, we can come to know the Father.

Jesus then invites us to come to him and exchange our burdens, the wounds of life and our sins, with his lighter yoke. If we are overburdened, which we probably are, then he will take our burdens and carry them for us. He invites us to offload our burdens onto him, for he will bear them for us as he bore the cross for us and shed his blood for us. In return he will give us his yoke which is easy and his burden which is light. What an exchange of gifts this is. God truly loves us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 8th July

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 06:08:31 GMT

Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 9: 14-17), sees the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus to ask him why it is that they and the Pharisees fast, yet the disciples of Jesus do not. Does this refer to special or extra fasts observed by John and the Pharisees but not by Jesus and his disciples or to the ordinary fasting laws undertaken by all practising Jews in Jesus’ day? Obviously, they were preoccupied by this discrepancy, or they wouldn’t have come to ask him, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” We mustn’t forget that during his lifetime and for a long time afterwards, one of the major debating points concerned the identity of the Messiah, the Christ: was it John or was it Jesus?

In reply, Jesus tells them, “Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth on to an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved.” I wonder what they made of this? It wasn’t the only time John’s disciples came to see Jesus and ask him questions. In John’s Gospel, the author shows us that the first disciples of Jesus had originally been disciples of John. In answer to their question on fasting, Jesus provides three illustrations, the first being a wedding, a joyful occasion, which is the antithesis to fasting, which was usually a sign of mourning or repentance for sin. Jesus is the bridegroom and his disciples his attendants or best men and ushers, as we say in English today. The second illustration is that of clothes, that over time and much washing tend to shrink. That’s true even today of synthetic materials. It wouldn’t be wise to patch an old piece of clothing with a new piece of cloth: the consequences are obvious. The third illustration concerns wineskins, not something common in the lives of most of us today, but easily understood by his hearers.

Jesus uses these last two illustrations to show that we shouldn’t try to mesh together the new and the old. What is he getting at here? Why does this matter to the disciples of John, why does it matter to Jesus’ disciples, and why does it matter to us? Well, Jesus is trying to show us that there is a new way for believers in God. John and his disciples, as well as the Pharisees, are operating by the old way of things. They’re looking to the sacrifices, the rituals, the laws, the Mosaic covenant, and the eventual coming of the Messiah. Jesus didn’t come to patch up the old way of religion. Jesus didn’t come to mix the new way into the old way of doing things. Jesus has come with something totally new. Jesus is saying, “The new way has come! I am the new way! I am the bridegroom! I am the Messiah, the Christ! I am God!”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 7th July

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 06:05:47 GMT

It’s been a blessing to have cooler weather for a few days. One of the effects of the protracted hot and sunny weather has been to make our roses and other flowers bigger, yet at the same time to fade them. Our Belmont roses are actually a different colour this year, much lighter but appearing to be burnt at the edges. Even so, we’ve had a magnificent display and it continues to the present day. I wonder what lies ahead and whether we’ll get another hot spell.

Our Gospel passage from Matthew today recounts the call of Matthew, (Mt 9: 9-13). Rather like the call of the fishermen, the call of the tax collector is as radical as it’s brief. “As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.”

Did Jesus already know Matthew? Did Matthew know Jesus? We will soon discover in Matthew’s house, why it is that Jesus called him: to be an example to others, for Jesus came, “not to call the virtuous, but sinners.” This very fact filled others then, as it does us now, with thankfulness and rejoicing, that Jesus should call sinners such as you and me. After his call, a dinner was offered at Matthew’s house. “While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When he heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’” The story is well known to us all: Jesus is surrounded by tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees see this and complain to the disciples, Jesus hears this and replies, quoting the words of the prophet Hosea, “What I want is mercy not sacrifice,”(Ho 6:6). Jesus takes this a stage further by stating categorically that he has come to call sinners to repentance and new life, for the virtuous have no need for God and can look after themselves, which is precisely what the Pharisees were doing. Lord, we thank you for calling us to salvation, although we are sinners. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 6th July

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:25:03 GMT

Forgiveness lies at the very heart of the Christian faith. At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel told Mary that her divine Son would be called Jesus, because “the Lord will save his people from their sins.” (Lk 1: 31) Throughout the Gospel, Jesus assures those he heals that he also forgives them their sins, as we will see in today’s Gospel passage. In the Lord’s prayer he teaches his disciples to pray, “forgive us as we forgive,” and he constantly reminds them of the meaning of that prayer.

Today we keep the feast of the Virgin Martyr St Maria Goretti, who was killed for protecting her virginity and refusing the advances of a 20-year-old farm hand, Alessandro Serenelli. She was not yet twelve years’ old. At her canonization by Pope Pius XII in 1950, her murderer sat beside her mother, reconciled in the love of Jesus and through the prayers of Santa Maria.

Our Gospel is the beautiful account of healing of a paralytic, (Mt 9: 1-8).

“Jesus got in the boat, crossed the water and came to his own town. Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ And at this some scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men.” Jesus heals the paralytic, moved by the faith of his family and friends, who brought him to Jesus. However, Jesus says to the man, “Courage, my son, your sins are forgiven.” This talk of forgiveness causes a group of scribes to think that Jesus is blaspheming. Jesus can see deep into their hearts and knows what they are thinking, so he replies by asking which is easier, to say that the man’s sins are forgiven or that he should pick up his bed and walk? To prove that he has authority to forgive sin, Jesus orders the man to pick up his bed and go home. The people are awestruck and praise God for giving such power to men. Let us never be afraid of bringing ourselves before Jesus for healing and forgiveness.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 5th July

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:23:40 GMT

A busy day yesterday with both Abbot’s Council and Trustees meetings to eat up half the day, so it meant missing my usual Monday morning zoom meeting with old school friends. Still, I was able to tick the ‘duty done’ box and, in truth, a lot was accomplished in a positive and amicable way, so no complaints.

Our Gospel passage today sees us with Jesus getting into a boat to accompany his disciples across the lake, although we are told by Matthew that he got in first and that they followed him, (Mt 8: 23-27). “Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’”

Just when they think that nothing is going to happen, “without warning” a routine crossing turns into a nightmare: so violent is the storm that huge waves are breaking over the boat. This might just be a lake, but strong winds can whip up a violent storm. Jesus is unaffected and sleeps tranquilly in spite of what’s going on around him. On the other hand, the disciples are scared stiff and wake him screaming, “Save us, Lord, we’re going down.” Why do they turn to Jesus at this stage of his ministry? Do they already believe that he has divine power, so as to calm storms and save lives? Even so, Jesus calls them, “men of little faith.” With that, he rebukes the wind and the sea, and all is calm again. Although they asked him to save them, the disciples are astounded and scratch their heads in wonder. They have witnessed a miracle and exclaim that, “even the winds and the sea obey him.” This episode is a call to prayer, that we pray more and see in Jesus the one who answers our prayers. Nothing should surprise us when we pray to Jesus.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 4th July

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 09:23:59 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 3rd July

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 09:22:28 GMT

Today, 3 ^rd July, the Church keeps the feast of the Apostle Saint Thomas, who from among the group of apostles is often heard to speak, especially in the Gospel according to John. For example, Thomas solicits from Jesus the famous words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14: 6). Again, Thomas is unexplainably absent on the first Easter evening when Jesus appears to the disciples in the Upper Room. We read this account in today’s Gospel passage, (Jn 20: 24-29).

“Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’”

Thomas was not prepared simply to rely on the word of his fellow apostles. He wanted to see for himself. “Unless I see, I will not believe.” There’s a certain stubbornness here, and yet that doesn’t appear to be the reason for Thomas demanding to see and feel for himself. He wants to be like his fellow apostles; he wants the full Resurrection experience. He wants to see his Lord and embrace him for himself, such is his love and devotion for Jesus. A week later, on the Octave of Easter, Thomas gets his chance. His reaction, when the time comes, is one of humble affection. He sinks to his knees and utters, “My Lord and my God,” the highest expression of Christology in the New Testament. Once he sees Jesus and hears his voice, he has no need to touch those glorious wounds. We pray that we might be among the blessed who have not seen and yet believe.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 2nd July

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 05:57:35 GMT

I’m always surprised at how quickly Sundays come round. Yesterday I had the joy of going over to Weobley to join Fr Simon and his parishioners for the official opening of the allotment project that has been developed in the field alongside the little church of St Thomas of Hereford and the parish house. I was amazed to see the results of the hard work undertaken by all those who have taken on a plot or two. What a wonderful selection of vegetables, herbs and flowers. I’ll attach a few photographs so that you can see for yourselves. I remember, when I was a boy, how my father loved his garden and provided us with vegetables and salads nearly all the year round. There’s nothing to beat a plate of freshly picked runner beans, even without a slice of bacon! Everything tasted so good in those days. Now all we have left is the appearance.

Today’s Gospel passage comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 37-42), and finds Jesus instructing the Twelve. “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Jesus is not asking them to reject, hate or dislike their loved ones and family members, but rather to love him first, that they might learn to love others as he himself loves them, and that is with a sacrificial, self-giving love, hence taking up our cross in order to follow Jesus more nearly. The way we love God ultimately will be the way we love others. I wonder if I have the faith and courage to do that.

Jesus then moves on welcoming others with charity and generosity. “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me. Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward. If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.” Jesus wants us to understand that he is present in others and that it is in others that we welcome, serve and love him. But this goes even further, for it is in Christ that we welcome, love and serve God, our heavenly Father. We cannot truly love Jesus if not in and through our neighbour. As he said in another place, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6).

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 1st July

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:11:12 GMT

I wonder if the Post Office or perhaps just the postmen are on strike. You probably know better than I do. We appear to have received post only twice this past week and very important letters sent today, but put in the post room yesterday, still had not been collected by 7.30pm last night. I must confess to getting really upset when a letter or an important document I have promised someone for the next day hasn’t even been collected, let alone started its journey. Although I know I’m not to blame for this, nevertheless my natural sense of duty and efficiency causes sleepless nights and nasty bouts of stress. I turn to the Lord, asking that he help me calm down, rather than intervene in the workings of the Post Office.

The second miracle in the series of ten that we read in the section of Matthew following on from the Sermon on the Mount, is the healing of the centurion’s servant, one of the best known and loved of Jesus’ miracles, (Mt 8: 5-17). It also sees us back in Capernaum with Jesus and his disciples. This miracle is followed by the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law. It’s good to know that the Prince of the Apostles had a mother-in-law. I wonder if he got on with her! But let’s go back to the healing of the centurion’s servant.

“When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you.’ And the servant was cured at that moment.” As I don’t have much time at my disposal, I’ll just mention some points of interest. Although it is the servant who is ill and is healed, the miracle really concerns the faith of the centurion, who was not a Jew but probably a God-fearing Roman. A centurion was the commander of a hundred men and the Romans were considered to be oppressors. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had taught his disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who hated them. The servant was probably a Jew, but the man of faith was the centurion, and not only faith, but faith with humility. His are the words we repeat at Mass each time we prepare to receive Holy Communion. “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 30th June

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:48:02 GMT

Almost without realising it, we have come to the end of June and, with it, we conclude the first half of 2023 and come to the threshold of the second half. At this rate, it won’t be long before we’re celebrating New Year’s Eve and beginning 2024. Time flies, and at the moment it seems to be flying quicker than ever. This is not a complaint, just an observation.

We have come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount and we find Jesus back down on the plain followed by a large crowd. Matthew writes, (Mt 8: 1-4), “After Jesus had come down from the mountain large crowds followed him. A leper now came up and bowed low in front of him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Mind you do not tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering prescribed by Moses, as evidence for them.’” His first encounter is with a man suffering from leprosy or some similar aliment. In the ancient world to call someone a leper didn’t necessarily mean that the person was actually suffering from leprosy. Think of Naaman the Syrian. It would have been one of several ailments of the flesh. We note that it is the leper who takes the initiative. He comes before Jesus and asks to be healed. He is polite and doesn’t demand healing, rather he is willing to accept the will of Jesus. He also recognises Jesus’ holiness and authority by bowing before him. It’s important to note that Jesus stretches out his hand and touches him. Technically, Jesus himself becomes unclean, and yet his is a healing touch. Jesus’ words are almost an order, “Be cured!” We are not told that the man is healed, but the very fact that Jesus sends him to the priest to make the appropriate offering in thanksgiving for healing, tells us that he is cured.

What does this miracle of healing teach us if not that we should never be afraid to ask Jesus for the gift of healing? No matter how severe our ailment or that of others, Jesus is there for us, and he wants to cure us, he wants to see us whole again.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 29th June

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:09:52 GMT

Both Peter and Paul were called by Jesus to follow him as disciples and to proclaim the Gospel as apostles. Jesus calls us, as he did them, to be and to do. He calls us for ourselves and for others, for our own good and for the good of all. Abraham was called to be the father of a multitude of nations; his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. All that is true, but to begin with he was called simply to be God’s friend, our father in faith. It is our personal relationship with God that transforms our lives and enables us to share in his work of bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.

Caesarea Philippi was the turning point in the ministry of Jesus and in the lives of the disciples. It was there that Jesus asked the Twelve to stand up and be counted, to set themselves apart from the crowd. “But you,” he asked, “who do you say that I am?” It was Simon Peter who spoke up, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” to which Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. It was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So now I say to you, you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.”

Peter proclaims his faith in Jesus, a faith which is gift and revelation, not opinion or intuition. In return Jesus proclaims his faith in Peter, a faith such as only God can have in a human being. A vocation is the fruit of faith, our faith in God and his faith in us. In recognising Jesus for who and what he is, Peter comes to the realisation that he can no longer believe without sharing his faith, that faith without mission is no faith at all. Faith can be and is a most personal thing; no two people have the same relationship, the same friendship with God. We are all different, but faith can never be private, tucked away, of no consequence to our lives. Faith shows us the path we should take, the way we should live. It is what makes us the salt of the earth and the light of the world. That is why Jesus says to Peter, “On this rock I will build my Church.”

Writing to Timothy, Paul leaves us in no doubt as to the source of his vocation. “The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear.” The Lord stood by me. A vocation is a gift made to those who search for the truth, who search for God with a sincere heart, but you can only respond to God’s call and fulfil his vocation if you allow the Lord to stand by you. In other words, stability depends on humility. And another thing, our vocation belongs to God, it is not ours. It is not our right but his free choice.

Paul also wrote, “I have fought the good fight to the end. I have run the race to the finish. I have kept the faith.” Perseverance and obedience go hand in hand, they cannot be separated. Indeed, there can be no obedience without perseverance. Living the Christian life, doing God’s will, listening to his voice cannot be a sporadic thing, dependent on our whims and mood or on fashion. God’s call, the gift of a vocation, demands our all: there has to be total commitment.

Now the essential, the basic vocation we all share is that of being a Christian. “Repent and believe the good news.” May the Lord bless us abundantly and may we continue to respond generously and lovingly to God’s call, recognising the faith he has in each one of us and the trust he has placed in us. To him alone be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 28th June

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:47:30 GMT

Today, the eve of the great Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Church remembers St Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr and Doctor. Born in Smyrna, modern day Izmir in Turkey. sometime between 120 and 140, he heard St Polycarp preach, who in turn had hear St John the Evangelist, so in Irenaeus we have a direct connection with the age of the Apostles. He was Greek, of course, and brought up in a Christian family. He lived at a time of persecution and a time when the Church was fighting against heresy on all sides. There was, as yet, no real central authority and the first councils had not yet been called to deal with heresy and divisions in the Church. He became a priest and was sent to Gaul where he was eventually elected Bishop of Lyon. He was probably martyred for being a Christian and a bishop in the year 202. His great theological work is intitled Against the Heresies in which he refuted Gnosticism by offering the three pillars of orthodoxy (right belief): the Scriptures, Tradition and the Teaching of the Apostles and their Successors. I must confess that he is one of my favourites among the saints, a man to whom the Church owes a great debt for the clarity and purity of her faith.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 7: 15-20), continuing our reading of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus warns his disciples against the dishonesty and hypocrisy of others, concluding with the famous proverb, “By their fruits you will know them.” Here is what Jesus has to say. “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.” This is a warning that applies to every area of human life. I leave you to apply the words of Jesus where you see fit.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 27th June

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:10:30 GMT

We continue reading the Sermon on the Mount, making our way slowly through chapter 7 towards the end. We appear to be in a section made up of many of the sayings of Jesus, that are not necessarily connected one to the other, not that this matters, as the thoughts and words of Jesus have been preserved.

Here is our reading, (Mt 7: 6, 12-15)

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.

‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.

‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’”

What would you have others do to you? Let’s think about it and try to be honest. If we are honest, we must admit that we want others to do a lot for us. We want to be respected, to be treated with dignity, to be treated fairly, and so on. But on an even deeper level, we want to be loved, understood, known and cared for. Deep down, we should all try to recognize the natural longing that God gave us to share in a loving relationship with others, and to be loved by God. This desire goes to the heart of what it means to be human. As humans we are made for that love. Jesus teaches us that we must be ready and willing to offer to others that which we desire to receive. If we can recognize within us the natural desire for love, we should also strive to foster a desire to love. We should foster a desire to love to the same extent that we seek it for ourselves. This is harder than it sounds. Our selfish tendency is to demand and expect love and mercy from others, while at the same time we hold ourselves to a much lower standard regarding how much we should offer. The key is to place our attention on our duty first. We must strive to see what we are called to do and how we are called to love. As we see this as our first duty and as we strive to live it, we will discover that we find much greater satisfaction in giving than in seeking to receive. We will find that “doing unto others,” regardless of what they do to us, is where we actually find fulfilment. Let us then reflect, today, on the natural desire we have in our hearts for the love and respect of others. Then, we can make this the focus of how we treat those around us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 26th June

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 08:16:19 GMT

It’s five days since the longest day and now the days have begun their journey back to winter and the shortest day. The hot weather is still with us, and in Herefordshire an uncomfortable humidity. I wonder how Toby manages with his thick coat. Still, we have fans on the go and keep our curtains and blinds closed when the sun tries to look in through our windows. As you know, I love taking photographs of flowers, roses and orchids in particular, and, of course, wild flowers. I think it was the Covid lockdowns that helped me appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, often in unexpected places and forms.

Today’s Gospel reading continues in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 7: 1-5).

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother, “Let me take the splinter out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.’” Jesus does not want us to judge others, for who are we to judge them? Worse still, he does not want us to criticise them, for criticism is often destructive and serves no purpose. What is more, we are probably much worse than those in whom we find defects. Jesus uses the graphic language of the splinter and plank in the eye to bring his point home. May we listen to the teaching of Jesus and pay heed to what he teaches us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 25th June

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 06:52:18 GMT

I apologise if at times this message fails to appear on one or other of our websites. This is due to a glitch in the system that advises us that the message has been uploaded, when in fact it hasn’t. I’m not quite sure how this can be sorted out. Facebook, on the other hand, has no similar problem.

In our Gospel passage this Sunday which comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 26-33), Jesus assures his disciples that God knows us through and through: there is nothing he does not know. It’s hard for us to know another person through and through and, let’s be honest, we don’t really know ourselves. We remain a great mystery, unfathomable and impenetrable. Jesus says, “Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted.” There is nothing that God does not know. He, the Creator, knows us intimately. Because of this, we have nothing to fear. As Jesus says, “There is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.”

A phrase that appears three times in this short passage is “Do not be afraid,” or in traditional English, “Fear not.” In this basic form, it appears 103 times in the Bible, although if you expand your search for similar sayings then as many as 500 times. Whenever God appears, or the Angel of the Lord, or Jesus, then he greets the person he is visiting and has a message for with this greeting. It is an invitation to trust in God and to place our hope and confidence in him. Since we are held in God’s embrace, there is no need for fear, only love and trust, the comfort of being held safely in God’s arms.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 24th June

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 11:37:27 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 23rd June 2023

Today I’ll be brief as yesterday was yet another day blessed with lengthy meetings and it’s past ten o’clock as I sit down to write. I hope you will forgive me. There comes a time each evening when my brain closes down, I no longer think straight and my fingers refuse to touch the keyboard.

We continue reading the Sermon on the Mount, so much of which we know by heart and has entered as proverbial into the English language. We are in the sixth chapter of Matthew, (Mt 6: 19-23).

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

‘The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that will be!’”

Let us consider what Jesus is teaching his disciples: whether or not our heartsare seeking after the things of this world, or after a real, deep and full relationship with God. Jesus is warning us to guard our hearts, and to follow the things of God and not be distracted by things that are only temporary. Think about the question, what do I consider valuable, or what do I value most? As today's Gospel tells us, what you consider valuable shows you where your heart is. Jesus is calling us to change our hearts from the temporary to the eternal. Will we have the courage to do that

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 23rd June

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:36:03 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 23rd June 2023

We continue reading the Sermon on the Mount, so much of which we know by heart and has entered as proverbial into the English language. We are in the sixth chapter of Matthew, (Mt 6: 19-23).

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 22nd June

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:53:39 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 22nd June 2023

Today, with the feast of St John Fisher and St Thomas More, the great English martyrs, who valiantly opposed King Henry VIII’s plan to sever the Church in England from the Catholic Church in order to secure the annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon in order to marry Ann Boleyn. Tragically, this led to their martyrdom in the year 1535, a fateful year in the history of these isles. Bishop John Fisher firmly defended the bond of marriage, stating that he was willing to die, just as Saint John the Baptist had done, for the defence of marriage. This outraged the king. Like Cardinal Fisher, Thomas More refused to support the king’s claim that he was the head of the Church of England, and he refused to publicly support the coronation of the new queen. After More refused to attend the coronation, he was arrested and put on trial for treason. His defence was also to remain silent, but he was found guilty and executed about two weeks after Cardinal Fisher. Cardinal Fisher’s head had been mounted on London Bridge for two weeks after his death, but it was taken down and replaced by More’s upon More’s execution.These were the saddest and bleakest days in the history of the Church in England.

Although there are special readings for today’s feast, I prefer to stick with the Sermon on the Mount, especially as today we come to Jesus teaching his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, (Mt 6: 7-15). He has been talking about almsgiving, fasting and prayer, and how these should only be known to his heavenly Father. He goes on to speak more of prayer. “In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Fatherknows what you need before you ask him.” It’s not, then, for our many words that we are heard, but for our purity of heart. Not only that, but God already knows what our needs are, in fact, he knows far better than we ourselves know. Jesus then tells his disciples that they are to pray like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

but save us from the evil one.”

It’s is a simple prayer which the disciples can pray together. It recognises God to be our Father, source of life and holiness. We ask that his kingdom come and that his will be done on earth, in ourselves, as in heaven, where God is. We ask only for what is essential, but with no details other than to ask for our basic needs, physical and spiritual, symbolised by bread. Next comes forgiveness, that lies at the very heart of our faith, that we be forgiven as we forgive. Finally, that when tested by the struggles and obstacles of life, especially in our own hearts, we may not succumb but be saved from him who is the source of cunning and evil.

Finally, Jesus has an extra word to say about forgiveness. “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” May we take his words to heart and always be ready to forgive others, as also toforgive ourselves, from the very bottom of our hearts.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 21st June

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:49:03 GMT

Yesterday was a day of meetings, and today won’t be any different. There are times you can have so many meetings, that there is no time to put into effect what has been decided. To begin with, Fr Augustine and I went over to Weobley for a meeting of deanery priests, which was fraternal, interesting and enjoyable, and followed by a good lunch at Almeley. In the evening we attended a Parish Advisory Council meeting at Belmont, again fascinating and informative, encouraging and productive. Today it will be a zoom meeting of all the superiors, men and women, of the monasteries belonging to the English Benedictine Congregation.

Today’s Gospel passage comes from Matthew, in which we continue our reading of the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 6: 1-6; 16-218). Here Jesus touches upon three important aspects of the Jewish tradition, that passed into Christianity: almsgiving, prayer and fasting, three faith practices that in other religions too, such as Islam, go together and are very important. Jesus sets out a basic principle, that we must always keep in mind. What we do, we should do for the glory of God, for the good of our neighbour and for the salvation of our souls. There can be no other purpose. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven.’” We should do nothing to attract the attention of others, least of all so that they think we are good, holy or religious. No, only God should know what it is we are doing. We should even try to camouflage or cover up the good we do. Hypocrisy is a grave sin and should be avoided at all costs. This section of the Sermon is always read at the beginning of Lent, but we do well to remind ourselves of the teaching of Jesus throughout the year. Let us remind ourselves today by listen to what Jesus has to tell us.

“So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

“When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father, who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 20th June

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:48:18 GMT

I was so pleased to go back to the beach yesterday with Toby, as we set apart a free day in order to visit my mother. Being already the second half of June and considering the long heatwave we’ve been suffering, I was wondering how my beloved wild orchids were faring, the orchids I’ve been so attached to since I was a small boy. I would spent hours in the marshland between the extensive sand dunes and the railway lines, where, with my friends, we’d dodge the trains, especially the fast London to Swansea expresses. Those were the days when children were free to explore and were safe to roam and discover the treasures our world had to offer. Among these treasures was the most amazing collection of plants and flowers, of which my favourites were the local wild orchids. This year, for lack of rain, they were rather small, but nevertheless outstanding for their colour and shape. I know there are similar ones in Herefordshire and have seen them at Ullingswick, for example.

Our Gospel today continues following the teaching of Jesus to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 43-48), where Our Lord expounds on love of neighbour and enemy alike. “You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Jesus has said repeatedly, “You have heard it said….but I say….” He wants us to be sure that we know what it means to follow God faithfully and fully. At the end of today’s passage, Jesus drops a bombshell of a statement to describe how we much follow God. How come? Taught by the interpreters of the Law, the people had lost sight of what God originally meant by the command to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” The phrase, “hate your enemy,” is not even in the Old Testament Law. You can look in the teachings of Moses and the Prophets, but you won’t find those words. The experts had changed the teaching of the Law until it got to the point that it was no longer what it had originally meant. This should be a warning to us that we do not take a command of God and change it into something that we want it to be rather than what God really meant. We must be very careful not to distort the word of God. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, seeks to bring clarity to what God meant and show the fuller meaning and the heart of the commandment. Jesus wants us to love all people, friend or foe, good or evil, and he also wants us to pray for them. As the war rages in Ukraine, for example, it is important to pray for both sides, for only through prayer and reconciliation, will true justice and peace come about.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 19th June

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:17:59 GMT

Today the Church remembers St Romuald, the 10 ^th & 11 ^th century Italian Benedictine, who founded one of the first break away monastic orders based on the Rule of St Benedict. He was born in Ravenna in the year 951 and died at Val di Castro, near Fabriano, on this day in the year 1027. He founded monasteries with an eremitical lifestyle in many places, the most important of which was at Camaldoli, not far from Arezzo in Tuscany. His reformed family of monks and nuns became known as the Camaldolese and they exist to this day, one of the loveliest expressions of the Benedictine vocation, combining both the coenobitic and the eremitical forms of life.

We continue reading Matthew and we are still in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 38-42). Speaking with his disciples, Jesus is reviewing commandments and famous sayings from the Old Testament. “You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.” For Jesus, life is all about generosity and self-giving, exemplified in the sacrifice of the cross, which takes its origin from the Incarnation, where the Son of God emptied himself taking on the condition of a suffering servant. Here he gives several practical examples of self-giving, expressing the desire that his disciples should behave in the same way as their master. Lord, make us generous and non-judgemental, giving without counting the cost, turning no one away from our door or from our heart.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 18th June

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:16:18 GMT

It’s hard to believe that we are already well into the second half of June and that in Just 3 days’ time, the days will begin to get shorter and we will be heading towards Winter and Christmas. Time flies is what they say and it certainly does. Our Summer Fete was highly successful yesterday afternoon and all the good folk I spoke with were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Even old schoolfriends came up from South Wales for the day. It was a really enjoyable afternoon and the good ladies who organised it and did so much of the work and the gentlemen who assisted, did a wonderful job and are to be congratulated and thanked. May the Lord bless them all abundantly.

We are now back in Ordinary Time and we are in the 11 ^th Week, so just 23 weeks to go before Advent begins! Our Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 9: 36 – 10: 8), see Jesus speaking with his disciples about the mission they have ahead of them, how they are to undertake it and the need there is for more labourers in the harvest. “When Jesus saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’” We note the compassion of Jesus towards those who have no one to lead them. Today he is asking us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more labourers to his harvest. We are told the names of the Twelve apostles. “These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him.” We might find it hard to accept that among the Twelve there is included the one who was to betray Jesus, thus securing his crucifixion and death. Jesus then tells the Twelve how they are to carry out the mission to which they are called. Although Jesus himself will mix easily with Samaritans, at this stage he prefers his disciples not to do so, but to dedicate their mission to the twelve tribes of Israel. The rules of the game are serious and must be obeyed. “Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.” Their preaching is to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is very close at hand. In fact it will come with Jesus.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 17th June

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:11:34 GMT

D Day has arrived and the Belmont Parish Summer Fete begins at 2.00pm today. Months of deliberation, planning, preparation and hard work will bear fruit when hundreds of people from all over the county and beyond arrive to take part and enjoy themselves. Let’s hope the good weather holds out and it proves to be a wonderful day for the whole family, their friends and their pets. One of the highlights in the programme and definitely one of my favourite attractions is Josh the Magician. There will be dancers, children’s races, falcons and other birds of prey, stalls and raffles of all kinds, stalls of cakes and biscuits, clothes, books, CDs and DVDs, plants, ornaments, jams and chutneys, teddy bears, strawberry teas, Joey the Juggler, face painting, hook a duck, bouncy castle, children’s craft stall and many more favourites. The more I think about it, the more I am looking forward to it.

The Saturday after the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus we keep the Memoria of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for Mary always reflects her Divine Son and can never be separated from him. The Gospel today is the conclusion of Luke’s Infancy Narrative, (Lk 2: 41-51).

“Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.

Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’

‘Why were you looking for me?’ he replied. ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ But they did not understand what he meant.

He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart.”

By the age of twelve Jesus would already have been considered a young adult in his culture and religion, so the doctors of the Law were quite happy to dialogue with him, especially as he seemed so wise and intelligent for his age. However, Mary and Joseph take quite another view on the matter. Notice how it is Mary who scolds Jesus and yet it is also Mary who “stores these things up in her heart.” Mary scolds out of love and out of fear at the possibility of losing Jesus, her only Son and Son of God. Hers is a great responsibility, which she has taken seriously from the very moment of her FIAT (Let it be done unto me) and the Incarnation of the Word made flesh.

Fr Paul

Summer Courses

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 09:00:53 GMT

Course at The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst

Summer Courses

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:59:41 GMT

Making Sense of Catholicism and Contemporary Culture course at The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst

Summer Concert

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:52:02 GMT

Please join us for this wonderful concert. Free entry, retiring collection.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 16th June

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:49:16 GMT

What a wonderfully uplifting occasion was last night’s celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, an ideal way to keep the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In his homily to the young people being confirmed, Archbishop Mark spoke of another young person, Blessed Carlo Acutis, the teenager born in London of Italian parents, now buried in Assisi, who is on the road to sainthood. All were moved by the story of his life and the example of his powerful intercession.

Today we keep the great feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an ancient devotion that focusses on the love and compassion of God made manifest in Christ Jesus our Lord throughout his life on earth, especially on the cross and as he walks with us in our lives today. The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 25-30), where he invites his disciples to exchange their heavy burden with his own which is easy and light. In fact, Jesus is offering to take the weight of our sins on his shoulders and offer us in return the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation with God and our neighbour. These are his words, “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

Pope Francis says of the Sacred Heart, “Do not be afraid to present to him all the intentions of our suffering humanity, its fears, its miseries. May this Heart, full of love for men, give everyone hope and trust. I invite you to discover the riches that are hidden in the Heart of Jesus, to learn to love your neighbour. We must realize that we are never before God only as individuals, but also as members of the Church and children of the one human family. This should also become visible in the way we pray for one another.” The devotion to the heart of Jesus has Christ’s unconditional love at its centre, exemplified in the blood and water which poured forth from Christ’s heart in his sacrifice on the cross. paid the last penny.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 15th June

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:46:39 GMT

After what sounded very much like a tropical storm on Monday, I thought the atmosphere might clear and it would be easier to breathe and get on with our work, but, if anything, yesterday seemed to be even hotter than previous days. Our roses, bashed to death by the storm, made a valiant attempt in the burning heat to come back to life. Toby with his heavy coat finds the heat oppressive and debilitating, particularly as in Herefordshire we have a high degree of humidity because of the rivers. Still, our early morning and late evening walks are delightful and we both look forward to them and thoroughly enjoy them.

Our short Gospel passage today continues our reading of the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 17-19), where Jesus talks of his mission to his disciples. He says, “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus hasn’t come to earth to do away with the Law given to Israel by God through Moses. Rather he has come to complete and fulfil the Law. He has come to purify and correct misinterpretations of the Law, but not to abolish the Law itself. He encourages his disciples to keep the Law, but to do so with love and thanksgiving, recognising the mercy and loving kindness of God. Not only are we to keep God’s Law, but we are called upon to teach others to do the same, above all by the example of our lives. May the good Lord give us the grace we need to do what he asks.

If you have a spare hour of two today, please come to the parish centre to help our ladies prepare for the fete, which takes place on Saturday. It’s far too much work for two old ladies!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 14th June

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 06:37:19 GMT

If you have a spare hour of two today, please come to the parish centre to help our ladies prepare for the fete, which takes place on Saturday. It’s far too much work for two old ladies!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 13th June

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:09:19 GMT

The Belmont Parish Summer Fete is only four days’ away now and we’re all looking forward to the great day. This year’s fete is going to be special in so many ways. I hope you are able to join us and have a wonderful afternoon. If you have anything you think you could contribute to the fete to be sold on one of the stalls or given away as a prize, there’s still time to make a move. We’re all looking forward to meeting up again on Saturday at the Fete.

Our Gospel passage today continues our reading of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, (Mt 5: 13-16) and consists of two very well-known short sayings of Jesus, saying that are often quoted.

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’”

Following the Beatitudes, Jesus tells his disciples that If you are a follower of Jesus living the Beatitudes, you matter. You have an important role to play because you are the salt of the earth. Salt preserves and Christians help preserve what is good in the world. In the ancient world, salt was very valuable: the Greeks thought it contained something almost divine, and the Romans sometimes paid their soldiers with salt. A soldier who didn't carry out his duties “was not worth his salt.” You are a seasoning agent. In a sense, you can bring the distinctive flavour of God's values to all of life. Note that salt, to be effective, must be in contact with the meat or fish it is to preserve. To be effective, we must be involved where we work and where we live. This puts us in a tension because the dominant culture doesn’t necessarily like us. Most of the time, living according to the Beatitudes may make us more successful in work, but we need to be prepared for the times it doesn’t. What will we do if showing mercy, making peace, or working for justice jeopardizes our position at work or at home? Withdrawing from the world is no answer for Christians. But it is difficult to live in the world, ready to challenge. In the last Beatitude, Jesus acknowledged the reality of persecution, yet in our contacts with the world, we must retain our “saltiness,” our distinctiveness. It’s a balancing act we’re called upon to maintain.

“You are the light of the world.” The job description of a Christian is not only to maintain personal holiness, but also to touch the lives of everyone around us. At work, we touch many people who do not encounter Christ in church. It may be our most effective place to witness to Christ, but we have to be careful about how we witness for Christ at work. But how can we be salt and light? Jesus said our light is not necessarily in the witness of our words, but in the witness of our deeds—our “good works.” “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The Beatitudes have spelled out some of those good works. In humility and submission to God, we work for right relations, for merciful actions, and for peace. When we live as people of blessing, we are salt and light, in the workplace, in our homes, and wherever we may be.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 12th June

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:07:14 GMT

What a wonderful day yesterday was, the feast of Corpus Christi. In the morning we celebrated First Holy Communions and, in the afternoon, our Procession of the Blessed Sacrament. I could feel Jesus holding up my arms as I carried him in the monstrance around the church. At the last moment, we transferred our celebration to the church as it was picking with rain outside. As often happens, I’m falling asleep as I write these few words. It’s been a hard weekend, especially after a few days’ rest in Greece. I’ve been back just 48 hours, but it seems like a lifetime away! Today, at our weekday Mass, we leave Mark and move on the Matthew, beginning at chapter 5 with the Sermon on the Mount, which begin with the Beatitudes, (Mt 5: 1-12).

“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’”

I thought you might like to read the thought on Pope Francis on the Beatitudes, just for a change.

The disciple accepts the paradox of the Beatitudes: they declare that those who are poor, who lack many goods and recognize this, are blessed, that is, happy. Humanly speaking, we are inclined to think in another way: happy are those who are rich, with many goods, who receive plaudits and are the envy of many, who have all the certainties. But this is a worldly mindset, it is not the way of thinking of the Beatitudes! Jesus, on the contrary, declares worldly success to be a failure, since it is based on a selfishness that inflates and then leaves the heart empty. Faced with the paradox of the Beatitudes, disciples allow themselves to be challenged, aware that it is not God who must enter into our logic, but we into his. This requires a journey, sometimes wearisome, but always accompanied by joy. Because the disciple of Jesus is joyful, with the joy that comes from Jesus. Because, let us remember, the first word Jesus says is: blessed, beati, which gives us the name of the Beatitudes. This is the synonym of being disciples of Jesus. The Lord, by freeing us from the slavery of self-centredness, breaks our locks, dissolves our hardness, and opens up to us true happiness, which is often found where we do not expect it to be. It is he who guides our life, not us, with our preconceptions and our demands. Disciples, in the end, are those who let themselves be led by Jesus, who open their hearts to Jesus, who listen to him and follow his path.

We might then ask ourselves: do I – each one of us – have the disciple’s readiness? Or do I behave with the rigidity of one who believes him- or herself to be right, who feels decent, who feels they have already arrived? Do I allow myself to be “inwardly unhinged” by the paradox of the Beatitudes, or do I stay within the confines of my own ideas? And then, with the logic of the Beatitudes, setting aside the hardships and difficulties, do I feel the joy of following Jesus? This is the decisive trait of the disciple: the joy of the heart. Let’s not forget – the joy of the heart. This is the touchstone for knowing if a person is a disciple: does he or she have joy in the heart? Do I have joy in my heart? This is the point.

May Our Lady, first disciple of the Lord, help us live as open and joyful disciples.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 11th June

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 07:46:17 GMT

Yesterday was an incredibly busy and tiring day, so I will take the easy way out and share with you the homily I might preach tomorrow. Let’s continue to pray for the Holy Father as he recovers from surgery. Together with him we remember all those who are sick or in any way in need of our prayers at this time. Today we will be celebrating First Holy Communions at the 11 o’clock Mass. It will be an opportunity to remember our own First Holy Communion. We pray for our candidates, their parents, and catechists.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” St Basil wrote, “Through the Holy Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations – we become God.” In the Creed we proclaim, “Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine et homo factus est.” Through the Holy Spirit God becomes man and through the Holy Spirit we become God. St Paul is really saying the same thing when he writes to the Corinthians: “The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.”

Through our communion with the Body and Blood of Christ, we become one with him and, together, we become one in him. “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” These are words of Jesus we have just heard. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God became incarnate and through the power of the Holy Spirit bread and wine become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats me draws life from me. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever.”

Today we give thanks for God’s infinite love and mercy and we give thanks for the particular way in which he chose to save us and share his life with us. God’s way is that of total self-giving, the way of the Cross. Jesus invites us to enter into communion with his death and resurrection by dying ourselves to sin, to all that separates us from God and goes against his will. We are not mere passive recipients of the sacraments, but are called by God to cooperate actively, fully in Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. This is our Christian vocation. We too give our lives for the salvation of the world. “This is my body. This is my blood.” Total configuration to Christ, this is the meaning of the Mass, of Holy Communion and of Eucharistic Adoration. It is a two-way process.

May our adoration and praise today lead us to a deeper commitment to live our lives in Christ, so that Christ can live his life in us. His words, “Do this in memory of me,” take us beyond the Eucharistic celebration to a life lived as Eucharist, a life of sacrifice and self-giving, a life of praise and thanksgiving, a life centred on Christ, a life in Christ, until God’s glory, love and mercy are fully manifested in each one of us and God is all in all. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 10th June

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 07:44:04 GMT

It was a long and tiring journey back from Thessaloniki, leaving me with a day less to make the usual preparations for the weekend, and a very busy one at that. I’ll attach a few photographs of the Alps and also of a part of London, which I know some of you will enjoy figuring out. I was up at 3am yesterday, so I’m having difficulty keeping awake as I write these few words.

I’ll just attach today’s Gospel, which is one of the loveliest stories in the Bible, the Widow’s Mite. It comes from Mark, (Mk 12: 38-44).

“In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’

He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’”

Now, I went to a Welsh Grammar School, built in the 1880s “on the pennies of the poor.” How many churches, schools and hospitals throughout the world have been built on the pennies of the poor, the sum total of many widow’s mites? Jesus was right, wasn’t he, when he said that “this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.” May we all follow her example.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 9th June

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:20:22 GMT

I was hoping to be on a plane, winging my way to Birmingham and thence to Belmont last night, but it was not to be. On the way to the airport, just 10 minutes away, I received text messages from Lufthansa to say that both flights, Thessaloniki to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Birmingham, had been cancelled. Talk about the last moment! Nothing for it, you accept the inevitable with calm and equanimity. My friends dropped me off at the terminal and went off for a coffee. Just as I got to the desk I received further messages to say that is been rebooked with Aegean and Swiss via Zurich early this morning. Not only that, but the young Greek girl at the desk said she could print out my boarding passes. She even offered me a hotel, but I thought it would be more relaxing to come home with my friends. Within a few minutes, and drinking Greek coffee, we were on our way back. So it will be an early rise in the morning and, trusting in God, I hope to get to Birmingham by 1.30pm. However, there’s a wedding practice at 3pm, an American couple, and I must collect Toby before 5pm. At least, it’s not Saturday. I’ll leave it there for tonight. It’s been an unexpected afternoon and evening. I wonder why both those flights were cancelled? I’ve never experienced that before.

Just a reminder that a week on Saturday, 17th June, we hold our Belmont Parish Fete, beginning at 2pm. All are invited. Make sure to invite your friends and neighbours.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 8th June

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:17:50 GMT

This evening I’ll be returning to Belmont, God willing. Pray that the planes are in time. As I did when flying out last Wednesday, I’ll be changing planes at Frankfurt. It was easy and relaxing coming out, so I hope it will be the same going back. I would have enjoyed another week, perhaps at the beach swimming two or three times a day. Who knows, that might be possible next visit. Yesterday we went over Mount Chortiatis to the lake and town of St Basil, such a beautiful ride through the Macedonian countryside, bedecked with wild flowers of every colour. The town of St Basil is famous throughout Greece for the traditional walking and dancing through bonfires that takes place on 1st January to celebrate his feast day. It amazes me to see the number of new monasteries of both men and women that have been built in recent years on the outskirts of the city. We passed by several of them yesterday, vast establishments, full to overflowing, so I am told, of young monks and nuns. There’s certainly big money invested in the modern, state of the art buildings. I wonder what’s holding us back in the U.K.?

Today’s Gospel passage from Mark, (Mk 12: 28-34), tells of the visit of one of the scribes to Jesus. He questions Jesus on the commandments. “Which is the first?” he asks. He finds himself in total agreement with Jesus that the greatest commandment is twofold, to love God above all and our neighbour as ourselves. Jesus comments on his wisdom. “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark comments that as a result of this agreement, no one else dares to ask Jesus another question. The question for us is whether we truly agree with Jesus as the scribe did.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 7th June

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:16:23 GMT

I apologise if my messages are rather erratic at the moment, but being in Greece changes many things, starting with my daily timetable and fitting in with friends rather than with my monastic community. It’s a welcome change and a restful one, not having to listen out constantly for bells and the straightjacket of a rigid timetable. Only 48 hours of freedom left, so I’d better make the most of it! Yesterday we returned to the hospital for further examinations and the results of Monday’s tests. It was fascinating to note the relaxed way in which everything was done and the affection shown by consultants and nurses alike. I could write a novel entitled ‘Healed by kisses’!

We then passed by a supermarket, a betting shop (for the national lottery - if I win, will I be allowed to take the millions to England?), a pharmacy and the most exquisite ice cream parlour. I noted how extremely polite and cultured staff were everywhere and how elegant and hygienic all these establishments were, a real eye opener. I was particularly interested to see the vast selection of Greek cheeses on display. I won’t elaborate on the ice cream, but the unsweetened pure chocolate ice cream was the answer to prayer.

Our Gospel today, coming from Mark, (Mk 12: 18-27), relates the argument between the Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection and eternal life, with Jesus. To argue against Jesus they use the red herring of a woman widowed seven times of seven brothers. Whose wife will she be in heaven? Jesus corrects them, teaching that eternal life is not a mere continuation of this life, with its joys and sorrows, but life on another plane, not simply life in God’s presence, but life in God, when God will be all in all.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 6th June

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 08:59:16 GMT

Yesterday was an unusual day as it included a routine visit to the hospital, before Covid an annual event, as they like to keep track of me after my cancer operation 14 years’ ago. Hence I was up well before 5am, although today was a bank holiday, Pentecost Monday, in fact. As we were down in the centre, we decided to visit a few of the many historic churches of Thessaloniki, a city with a fascinating history. It’s interesting to note the large number of tourists who now visit the city from all over the world. We bumped into many today.

We began in the heart of the upper town, beside the city walls, at the Moni Vlatadon, a large monastic complex dating back to Byzantine times. Many churches and monasteries were built or rebuilt in 14th century, a period of great religious renewal in Eastern Christianity. Think of St Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, and St Simeon the New Theologian. A favourite spot of mine here is the small chapel of St Paul, where my patron saint is said to have spent days and nights in prayer. In the main church as baptism was taking place in the Romanian language.

We then moved on to the church of St Nikolaos Orphanos, a small building in a beautiful rose garden and for me one of the most memorable and nostalgic places in the world. Like all the churches of Thessaloniki, it was turned into a mosque in the Ottoman era and its wonderful icons and frescos either destroyed or badly damaged. It’s dedicated to St Nicholas, probably the most popular saint in Greece.

On the way there we passed by some Byzantine baths, which you could easily mistake externally for a church.

Finally, I visited the church of St Panteleimon, Pantaleon in English, from which the word pantaloon is derived. Another church rebuilt in 14th century and originally part of a monastic complex, it’s now beautifully restored but surrounded by tall department blocks. I love the brickwork and the reuse of Roman columns. Thessaloniki was an important city of the Roman Empire, hence St Paul’s visit and long stay there, and there are as many Roman as ancient and Byzantine Greek monuments to see and enjoy. Sadly the great fire of 1917 destroyed much of the old city. Thessaloniki was very much a Jewish city: it had 17 synagogues. Kamel Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, was born here. It was a city where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived in peace and harmony. If you’re interested I could recommend a few books on the history of the city, as I’ve often repeated, one of the most interesting and beautiful places on earth.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 5th June

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:01:52 GMT

It was good to celebrate Pentecost again yesterday and to do so both in Catholic and Orthodox churches in Thessaloniki. It made me realise how shortsighted it was to abolish the Octave of Pentecost, which really brought home the meaning and importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, culminating then in the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

Today we celebrate the feast of St Boniface, the 8th century English Benedictine monk, who led the Anglo-Saxon mission to German speaking lands, thus becoming the Apostle to Germany. He was martyred on this day in the year 754 at the age of 79. His body is venerated in the cathedral at Fulda.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Mark, (Mk 12: 1-12), in which Jesus tells the Parable of the Vineyard to the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees, warning them that the vineyard that is Israel will pass to other leaders if they do not come to believe that the Messiah has come in himself, that they are no more than tenants and not landowners. Jesus ends by quoting Psalm 117 (118), “It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see.” Let us pray today for the Church in Germany and throughout the world and that the Lord will raise up apostles like St Boniface to preach the Gospel with conviction and joy.

F r. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 4th June

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:00:19 GMT

Following a day of complete rest, yesterday my friend Vasilis took me into the old city of Saloniki for a walk through our student day haunts, hardly changed in 60 years, and to see the new market, just opened, and the ongoing works on the long-delayed underground. But to begin with, a visit to the same shop we’ve been frequenting for 30 years to buy incense from Mount Athos for Peru. Opposite there was a shop where leather belts are made to measure while you wait, so Vasilis had a couple made for his expanding waistline. We also took a look at one of the many ecclesiastical tailors making vestments. Then it was on to the new market, exaggeratedly smart and hygienic. It was time for drink and a snack, so we sat at the pavement of well known snack bar for tsipouro and homemade sausages, as we reviewed our lives and thought of the years ahead and watched the world go by.

Now it was time to walk around the old market, admiring the magnificent displays of fresh fish, meat and poultry, cheese, olives, olive oil, fruit, nuts, herbs and vegetables. Weighed down with a vast amount of shopping we gradually made our way back to the car, but there was still one shop to visit, the loukoumia shop and workshop. This is Greece, so we don’t speak of Turkish Delight, the authentic article having nothing in common with what we eat in the U.K. When we got home, I was so tired, I collapsed on my bed and slept until seven o’clock, when I celebrated Mass with Sandra, who can remember the prayers still, yet has the greatest difficulty trying to read the first reading. Her Alzheimer’s is advancing rapidly. We didn’t have lunch until 8pm, but that seemed just about right!

Today we keep the feast of St Charles Lwanga and Companions, the Uganda Martyrs, 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican young men, who welcomed death in the name of Christ rather than lose their virginity. They have much to teach us today. Interestingly, Uganda also has a flourishing autochthonous Orthodox Church.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 3rd June

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 08:56:10 GMT

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 2nd June

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 08:53:45 GMT

You might be wondering how I spent my first day in Greece. Apart from celebrating Mass around midday, praying, eating and chatting, I did absolutely nothing at all, I rested and slept most of the day and I’m feeling so much better for it. A good rest was long overdue. The weather is milder than in the U.K. and we had rain overnight. It’s four long years since I was in Greece and it’s so good to be back. I love the simplicity of Greek food, so basic, fresh and nourishing and the relaxed Greek times for eating, lunch at 4pm and supper at 10 or even later. I’m writing this at 11.30pm and am about to enjoy a plate of fresh fruit! It reminds me of my student days, happy carefree days, when life lay before us as a great adventure. Now my friends and I are touching 80, one has died, another is only partly present for Alzheimer’s, and we’re all becoming old crocks or have already made the grade. Yet, it’s still wonderful being together as we look forward to heaven and hope for an eternity together in God’s presence. The Greeks have great confidence in the loving mercy and generosity of God. The Church calendar is a week behind us and this coming Sunday we will celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost. In Greece the Catholic Church celebrates the Liturgical Year together with the Orthodox.

I’ll leave it there for for the time being and attach a few photographs taken in the garden. More tomorrow.

Fr. Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 1st June

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:08:11 GMT

Yesterday was the day I traveled from Belmont to Thessaloniki. It was a wonderfully relaxing day with enjoyable flights, easy passage through airports, especially Frankfurt and Thessaloniki, and the joy of seeing old friends, friends I have known for almost 60 years. Now comes the prospect of a whole week with no specific commitments, time to rest, time to read and the perfect quiet of Mount Chortiartis, where my friends live, way above Thessaloniki, looking out towards the Thermaic Gulf. It’s perfectly quiet here apart from the birdsong, ideal for rest, reading and a little prayer. I plan to take things easy and rest.

It’s four years since I was here and in that time my dear friend has slipped firmly into the grips of Alzheimer’s, so I can see that in some ways it’s going to be a difficult visit. It’s a great blessing to be together again and I thank God who has made this visit possible. We have so many happy memories. It’s good to be in Greece again and to have the opportunity of worshiping in the local Orthodox churches, a form of worship so centred on God and the union of heaven and earth in Christ.

I’ll try to get back to the usual format tomorrow. In the meantime, be assured of my prayers.

.ntual Mass.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 31st May

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:09:06 GMT

Today we keep the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth, one of the most loved of the feasts of Mary. I particularly love Biblical feasts, when you can read all about it in the Scriptures. As I have to leave for the airport at 2.30am on my way for a short stay with close friends in Thessaloniki, Greece, I regret that I don’t have the time available to write about this beautiful feast, but I will reproduce the Gospel passage for today, from Luke, (Lk 1: 39-56). You know the story well. It concludes with the Magnificat, which could have been proclaimed by Elizabeth as well as by Mary. From the earliest times it became the Church’s song of praise and thanksgiving, as we join Mary in thanking the Lord for all the wonderful things, that he has done for each one of us and for us all, his beloved children.

“Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

And Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.”

I have been asked to remind Belmont parishioners that Church Cleaning Day is this coming Thursday, 1 ^st June. If you are able to give a helping hand, please come along from 8.30 onwards, i.e. following the 8.00am Daily Conventual Mass.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 30th May

Tue, 30 May 2023 06:42:17 GMT

It was a great delight yesterday to drive home to Wales to spend the day with my mother. The weather was ideal and the roads were clear: no heavy traffic, in fact, hardly any traffic at all. My mother had prepared a fantastic lunch, which we thoroughly enjoyed, tasty, nourishing and yet as light as a feather. I suffer from indigestion so easily, that I have to take care of what I eat and how it is prepared. I’m always amazed that my mother can still do all she does. Physically, she’s very frail, but she has phenomenal will power. I do admire her and thank God for her. Toby, too, had a wonderful time. We went down to the beach, but all the car parks were full to overflowing and there were mile-long queues for ice cream. We didn’t stop, but drove back to our local cemetery and spent a happy hour together in the shade, Toby sniffing and exploring to his heart’s content, I looking at gravestones, searching for old friends and neighbours and taking a few photographs of Old St Baglan’s church, sadly now abandoned to its fate although it is an important historic building, dating in its present form from the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. What a sight of desolation and neglect! Sadly, a hundred yards’ away, St Catherine’s church, a beautiful grade 1 gothic revival building, with windows designed by William Morris and Burns Jones, is rarely if ever open. It’s well worth a visit and make sure you see the ancient Celtic Brancuff Stone in the vestry.

Our Gospel today comes from Mark, (Mk 10: 28-31), which is preceded by the meeting of Jesus with a man who is unable to give up his riches in order to follow him. He turns his back on Jesus and walks away. Following Jesus does involve making sacrifices and not everyone is willing to do that. This is the context in which Peter addresses his question to Jesus. “What about us? We have left everything and followed you.” Indeed, we are witnesses to the fact that when Jesus called Peter and his companions to be his disciples, saying, “Follow me,” they left everything and simply followed him, trusting in God’s mercy and providence. Jesus replies, saying, “I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.” Jesus is aware of the sacrifices they have made “for the sake of the Gospel,” and promises them more than a just reward, above all, the gift of eternal life.

Jesus concludes with the enigmatic proverb, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” They should not be taken in by appearances. This teaching of Jesus reminds them of how different the ways of God and His Kingdom are from the ways we see the world. God doesn’t look for those who are rich or powerful or beautiful. He looks for those who are humble and full of faith. Many whom the world sees as first will miss the Kingdom of God, while many who are overlooked by the world will be great in God’s Kingdom.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 29th May

Mon, 29 May 2023 07:09:37 GMT

The day following on from Pentecost is now designated “Mary, Mother of the Church”, and the Gospel reading is taken from John’s Passion Narrative, (Jn 19: 25-34), the final moments of Jesus on the cross, from where he commends his mother to the care of the Beloved Disciple, and the disciple to Mary, his mother. This ministry of care between Our Lady and the disciple symbolises Mary’s maternal care for the whole Church and for each one of its members, living and dead. Here is the Gospel passage:

After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed, and to fulfil the scripture perfectly he said, ‘I am thirsty.’

A jar full of vinegar stood there, so putting a sponge soaked in the vinegar on a hyssop stick they held it up to his mouth. After Jesus had taken the vinegar he said, ‘It is accomplished’; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.

It was Preparation Day, and to prevent the bodies remaining on the cross during the sabbath – since that sabbath was a day of special solemnity – the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. Consequently, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with him and then of the other. When they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead, and so instead of breaking his legs one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water.”

This is undoubtedly one of the finest passages in John, although it does seem strange to be reading it on Whit Monday, when we were always accustomed to continue celebrating Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit. Of course, when. I was a boy in Wales, Whit Monday, then a bank holiday for religious reasons, was the day when, all over the country, chapel congregations participated in the Whitsun March of Witness. We Catholics would line to streets to see them pass by, all dressed in their new or hand-me-down clothes. I was born and lived in Neath, not a large town, and yet there could have been up to 25 or 30 chapels. In return, on the Sunday after Corpus Christi, two weeks later, it was our turn to process with the Blessed Sacrament, not that Nonconformists knew what it was, yet they all turned out to line the streets and reverently watch us go by. They were happy days, before the vast majority of the population turned their backs on religion.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 28th May

Mon, 29 May 2023 07:07:31 GMT

Today we keep the Solemnity of St Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, who died around this date in the year 604. Almost nothing is known of the early life of the man who brought Christianity to medieval England. Augustine was most likely living as a monk in Rome when, in 595, Pope St Gregory the Great chose him to lead a mission to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons to the Christian faith. Christianity had been present in England during Roman times, but with the arrival of the Saxons, most of the country had once again reverted to paganism. England in the 6th century was divided into many warring kingdoms. Of these, it was Kent that was chosen as the place to begin Augustine’s mission in England, most likely because of the powerful position of its ruler, King Æthelberht. Now Æthelberht was married to Bertha. Queen Bertha was a Frankish princess who was already a Christian, despite her marriage to a pagan king. It is thought that the presence of Bertha may have been another reason for Augustine to begin his mission in Kent. She is known to have been in contact with the Pope around this time, and the fact that her husband allowed her to practise Christianity perhaps suggested that he might also be sympathetic to Augustine’s mission. Æthelberht did not immediately convert to Christianity, but he did treat Augustine and his companions with hospitality. They were given freedom to preach and invited to reside in Canterbury, the capital of Kent. Augustine and his companions celebrated Mass and the Divine Office in the ancient church of St Martin, where Queen Bertha herself probably worshipped. Eventually, Æthelberht was baptised, and the abbey of St Peter and St Paul (later rededicated to St Augustine) was founded in Canterbury in about 598. During the Reformation his shrine was destroyed and his relics lost. Cardinal Reginald Pole was the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury (1556-1558).

As I had a particularly busy day yesterday, I was unable to spare time to comment on the Gospel chosen for the feast. Forgive me if I just leave it with you to meditate on privately. Be assured that you are in my prayers, as I know you pray for me. The text comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 1-9).

“The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, ‘The kingdom of God is very near to you.’”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 27th May

Sat, 27 May 2023 06:35:31 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 26th May

Fri, 26 May 2023 08:49:34 GMT

Between Wednesday and Thursday, I spent six hours doing an advanced safeguarding course by zoom organised by the RLSS (Religious Life Safeguarding Service). It was an excellently organised course with only nine participants, eight nuns and myself. As always happens, I learnt a great deal and much was clarified. I came away not only with a certificate, but also enthused and empowered to put into practise both in the community and in the parishes we care for, what was suggested and encouraged, to improve our understanding and practise of safeguarding young people and adults at risk. These courses might be tiring, but they are also rewarding in so many ways.

Today the Church keeps the feast of Sr Philip Neri, priest of Rome and founder of the Oratorians, (1515-1595), known as the Second Apostle of Rome, after St Peter. A pastor with a father’s heart and love for the poor, he worked assiduously with a joyful heart to rekindle the Christian faith among those who had lapsed or had no opportunity to learn about the faith into which they had been baptised.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from the last chapter of John, (Jn 21: 15-19), the conversation Jesus had with Peter after his appearance to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee, where they were fishing again just as they had been at the beginning. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” to which each time he replies, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus commands him, “Feed my sheep.”The third time Peter appears to get angry and upset, for he replies, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” We might ask why Jesus asked him three times. Was it to put right the three times Peter denied him on the night of his arrest? Jesus goes on to warn Peter that he too will suffer and die in the same way.

“When you were young

you put on your own belt

and walked where you liked;

but when you grow old

you will stretch out your hands,

and somebody else will put a belt round you

and take you where you would rather not go.”

In these words, he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, “Follow me.”

Like Jesus, Peter will give glory to God by his own passion and death. It’s interesting to see how the Gospel ends as it began, with the invitation to Peter and the disciples to, “Follow me.” At the very beginning, they could not understand the meaning of those words. After all they have been through with Jesus, now they can.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 25th May

Thu, 25 May 2023 08:01:52 GMT

As you know our abbey church was at one time the cathedral church for the Diocese of Newport and Menevia and then for the Diocese of Newport until it became the Archdiocese of Cardiff in 1915. From 1916 until 1920 it was the co-cathedral of the new archdiocese. Today in the Archdiocese we celebrate the anniversary of the Dedication the Cathedral Church of St David in Cardiff. Sadly, the original cathedral, which had been the parish church of Cardiff (1884/87), was bombed during World War II and badly damaged. After the war it was rebuilt in its present form and from the late 60s onwards has seen a number of internal changes, not all of them for the best. Still, we pray for our cathedral, for our Archbishop, the priest in charge and all who worship there, remembering that it is the mother church of the Archdiocese. Of course, the pre-Reformation Catholic cathedral was at Llandaff, and nearer at home at Hereford itself. Like Westminster Abbey, built by the Benedictines, we should not forget that all these were once Catholic churches.

Although there are special readings where the feast of the Dedication is kept, I’ll just say a few words about the Gospel of the day, the continuation of the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus from John, (Jn 17: 12-19). Jesus addresses his Father in heaven as ‘Holy Father’ and prays, “keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us.” Jesus wants his disciples to be united as one body through their faithfulness to the Father’s name. Throughout his life on earth, he kept them safe, apart from the traitor, who did not want this protection. Jesus has only taught his disciples what the Father has wanted him to teach them. He has always been obedient to the Father’s will. Jesus now asks that they be consecrated, that they might continue his work on earth.

“Consecrate them in the truth;

your word is truth.

As you sent me into the world,

I have sent them into the world,

and for their sake I consecrate myself

so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”

Jesus asks that each one of us, his followers, disciples and friends, be consecrated in the truth through the power of God’s word. Consecrated to serve, he sends us into the world or sin and death to bring the light of truth to situations immersed in the darkness of human error. In his death and resurrection Christ is consecrated that through faith and baptism we might be consecrated in the truth that is God himself.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 24th May

Wed, 24 May 2023 06:36:47 GMT

“Consecrate them in the truth;

your word is truth.

As you sent me into the world,

I have sent them into the world,

and for their sake I consecrate myself

so that they too may be consecrated in truth.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 23rd May

Tue, 23 May 2023 06:59:33 GMT

Yesterday I spent over six hours at meetings, so by the time I came to write this short message my mind was no longer thinking straight and my eyes could hardly see the keyboard. Even on a good day I keep hitting the wrong keys, so you can imagine how bad it gets when I’m tired and falling asleep at my desk. As it happens, today’s Gospel reading is the same as last Sunday’s, (Jn 17: 1-11), the first part of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, so I wrote about it just two days’ ago. I ask you to forgive me if I limit myself to a few sentences.

Having spoken with his disciples at great length, Jesus concludes his Farewell Discourse with a prayer, which is addressed to his heavenly Father and yet spoken aloud that his disciples might hear and learn more about his relationship both with the Father and with them. This is why he explains what eternal life is, not because the Father needs to know, but because, even in prayer, he is still instructing his disciples.

“And eternal life is this:

to know you,

the only true God,

and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Now this is a breath-taking, mind-blowing description of eternal life, hardly what the disciples are expecting. We think of life in terms of length of time, even eternal life, as it’s the only way we can visualise time. For Jesus, eternal life is nothing if not knowing God and the Christ he sent and this can only be the work of the Holy Spirit. Hence, eternal life is knowing the triune God, seeing him and loving him, living or abiding in God and being one with him.

A truly consoling thought is that Jesus prays for us, his disciples, to his heavenly Father, and in this prayer, Jesus assures them of his mission to pray for them. Now the prayer of Jesus is not simply words, but the salvific actions that bring the words to life and fill them with meaning.

“I pray for them;

for those you have given me,

because they belong to you:

all I have is yours

and all you have is mine,

and in them I am glorified.”

Jesus intercedes for us with the Father. He did this at the Last Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane, hanging on the Cross and lying in the Tomb. He prays for us in the glory of his Resurrection and Ascension and in the Coming of the Holy Spirit. As St Paul wrote to Timothy, (1Tim 2: 5-6), “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given ^f at the proper time.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 22nd May

Mon, 22 May 2023 08:53:06 GMT

I apologise that my message yesterday was rather turgid and academic. Today I’ll try to make it short and light-hearted, not that I’m feeling that way! The real joy on Saturday afternoon was to be greeted by a lively group of house martins, that have returned to Belmont for the summer nesting season. Not enough to be a flock, nevertheless their screams of exhilaration at returning to Belmont were loud and clear and a joy to experience. I hope they have a successful stay with us and don’t decide to move on elsewhere to build their nests and rear their young.

Our Gospel passage comes again from John, (Jn 16: 29-33), and sees the disciples thanking Jesus for no longer speaking in metaphors, but plainly and intelligibly to their hearing. They even tell him, “Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.” They recognise the omniscience of God in Jesus his Son. Jesus rejoices that at last they believe, but warns them that soon they will scatter and abandon him when he is arrested and condemned to death.

“You will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone.” Yet, he will not be alone. “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” The Father is always with Jesus as Jesus is always with the Father. This is also true of ourselves. We are never alone, for God is with us. Jesus came to make this possible and to assure us of God’s presence in our lives. This is why Jesus goes on to say. “I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world.” It is in Jesus that we find our peace, for he reconciles us with the Father and, through his death and resurrection, confirms God’s presence within us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 21st May

Sun, 21 May 2023 10:03:07 GMT

The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus with which his farewell discourse ends is found in chapter 17 of John’s Gospel. Jesus prayed in the presence of his disciples at the end of the Last Supper and then continued praying long into the night at Gethsemane in the presence of Peter, James and John, until he was betrayed by Judas and taken prisoner by the soldiers at the service of the high priests. However, our Mass lectionary has the first eleven verses as the Gospel for the 7th Sunday of Easter, the Sunday after Ascension. Jesus uses the word ‘glory’, in Greek ‘δόξα’, and the verb ‘glorify’, in Greek ‘ἐνδοξάζω’, to describe the way God is made known to human beings. John’s Gospel assumes that people were created by God for relationship or friendship with him. That is why this prayer can say that eternal life means “knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ, whom God has sent” . According to John, eternal life comes from a relationship with the eternal God. It begins now in faith, as people come to know the love of the God who made them and this life has a future through the promise of resurrection. Yet the gospel also recognizes that “No one has ever seen God” . God’s presence is hidden until God chooses to reveal it. The theme of glory has to do with the way revelation takes place. First, Jesus glorified God on earth by finishing the work God gave him to do. He honoured God through his obedience to God’s commands. During his public ministry Jesus taught what God wanted him to teach, and performed the healings and other works that God wanted him to perform. Such faithfulness honours God. Yet, in another senseJesus glorified God by revealing God’s power. According to John,Jesus made divine power visible by the miraculous signs he performed. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus manifested his glory by turning water into wine at Cana; and at the end of his ministry, he revealed the glory of God by calling the dead man Lazarus back to life.

A second element in Jesus’ prayer concerns the glory he will resume in heaven once his ministry on earth is over. This heavenly glory is something that the Son of God enjoyed before the world existed. To share in such glory is to share in divine honour, majesty and power. It was out of love that the Father gave the Son such glory before the foundation of the world, so that sharing in God’s glory means sharing in God’s love. By means of his passion Jesus will return to the Father and enter a heavenly glory that his followers on earth cannot fully perceive, but can hope to see in the future. Therefore, Jesus concludes his prayer by asking that those whom God has given him may one day be with him in God’s presence, to see the fullness of the glory that God gave to him in love. Now, if the signs reveal God’s glory by displaying divine power, the crucifixion reveals God’s glory by conveying divine love. The crucifixion completes Jesus’ work of glorifying God on earth, for by laying down his life he gives himself completely, so that the world may know of Jesus’ love for God and God’s love for the world. By his resurrection and ascension, Jesus returns to the heavenly glory that God prepared for him in love, and Jesus prays that his followers will one day join him in the Father’s presence to share in that glory and love. To the eye of faith, however, the glory of the exalted Lord is already present in the crucified body of Jesus. If glory defines what the crucifixion is, the crucifixion defines what glory is. The crucifixion manifests the scope of divine power by disclosing the depth of divine love.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 20th May

Sat, 20 May 2023 07:37:40 GMT

It’s hard to believe that we’re already two thirds of the way through the month of May. It’s that time of year when we keep in our prayers children and young adults who are facing examinations in schools, colleges and universities. May the good Lord send them the Holy Spirit to help them give of their best and may Our Lady hold them in her arms. Today in Herefordshire we keep the feast of St Ethelbert, King and Martyr, patron saint of the cathedral, city and county. He was brutally murdered on this day in the year 794, a pious youth and still a virgin, as he came to claim the hand of King Offa’s daughter, Eadburh, in marriage. The murder was arranged by Offa’s wife, Cynethrith, whereupon Eadburh escaped for Crowland in the Lincolnshire marches, where she lived as an anchoress for 40 years and died in the year 835. May St Ethelbert pray for us all today and especially for the people of Herefordshire.

The Gospel passage for today continues our reading of John, (Jn 16: 23-28). We notice how in this short passage Jesus uses the term “the Father” to speak of God no less than six times. He begins by promising his disciples that whatever they ask in prayer in his name will be granted them.

“I tell you most solemnly,

anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.”

Until now they have not prayed in the name of Jesus, but now Jesus encourages them to do so, telling them that whatever they ask in his name will be granted them by his Father in heaven. He also promises no longer to speak with them in metaphors, but plainly, so that they can understand. Prayer, however, must be accompanied by love and faith, the prayer itself being the expression of hope.

“When that day comes you will ask in my name;

and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you,

because the Father himself loves you for loving me

and believing that I came from God.”

Our prayers will be granted by the Father, who loves us for loving his Christ, believing as we do that he comes from God as Saviour and Redeemer. The time has now come when Jesus will leave his disciples to return to the Father.

“I came from the Father and have come into the world

and now I leave the world to go to the Father.”

Although Jesus leaves this world, he will return in the power of the Spirit to be with us for ever. Then our joy will be complete.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 19th May

Fri, 19 May 2023 06:17:40 GMT

It’s really difficult putting things together again once they’ve been torn apart, and that’s true of the Church’s Calendar too. I can’t remember how many years’ ago our bishops made us transfer important solemnities of Our Lord, other than Christmas Day, from the appropriate weekday to a Sunday, thus knocking out a fair number of the Sundays of the year into the bargain. A year or two ago, some but not all of these were restored to their rightful date, provided they don’t fall on a Monday or a Saturday, when they’re still transferred to a Sunday. Confused? I am. Hence people don’t know if they’re coming or going. This was clear yesterday, when only about 20% of the usual congregation came to Mass for the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, sad and upsetting, especially if you happen to be the priest celebrating those Masses. I’m not sure what the solution is. What do you think?

Our short Gospel passage for today, the feast of the great English Benedictine bishops, Saints Dunstan, Ethelwold and Oswald, follows on from our pre-Ascension readings from John, (Jn 16: 20-23). Jesus is speaking with his disciples.

“I tell you most solemnly,

you will be weeping and wailing

while the world will rejoice;

you will be sorrowful,

but your sorrow will turn to joy.

A woman in childbirth suffers,

because her time has come;

but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering

in her joy that a man has been born into the world.

So it is with you: you are sad now,

but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy,

and that joy no one shall take from you.

When that day comes,

you will not ask me any questions.”

This is a particularly graphic passage, in which Jesus compares the change from sorrow to joy among his disciples, either at his Resurrection or at the coming of the Holy Spirit, with the joy of a woman, who after the pain and trauma of childbirth, holds a new-born babe in her arms. Only a woman can know what Jesus is talking about. The rest of us can barely imagine. When will Jesus see them again? At his Resurrection? But that is only temporary, so it must be with the coming of the Holy Spirit, when Christ will remain with his Church and with his friends for ever. The gift of eternal life cannot be taken from us, but we begin to live it and enjoy it from the moment we open our eyes and see Christ alongside us and become aware of his presence within us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 18th May

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:21:10 GMT

Throughout Eastertide we have celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus, reading wonderful Gospel narratives, singing glorious Easter hymns and meditating on the central mysteries of our faith. So many images of our Risen Lord come to mind when we think of Easter: the empty Tomb, the women and the angels, Mary Magdalene, who mistakes Jesus for the gardener, Cleopas and his companion, who fail to recognise him on the road until he enters into their home and they recognise him in the breaking of bread, the disciples in the upper room and the meeting with Thomas a week later (Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe) and the encounter with his disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee (Do you love me more than these?) Then, reading the rest of the Gospel in the light of the Resurrection and beginning to see what it all means. Eastertide is a spiritual whirlwind! The final event is recounted in today’s Gospel. “’Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’ So the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.”

Today we celebrate his Ascension, but what is it that Jesus takes up into heaven? His body, born of Mary, a body like ours, that was scourged and crowned with thorns, crucified, died and buried, that lay three days in the sepulchre. A body that rose victoriously on the third day and appeared to the disciples, showing them his hands and side, a body whose wounds were still open when he invited Thomas to put his finger into the holes in his hands and his hand into the wound in his side. The body that Jesus takes up into heaven is risen, glorified and transformed into a new reality, yet the wounds of his Passion and Death, by which he redeemed us, reconciling us with the Father, are still open and will remain so until the last soul is saved, such is the depth of his love and mercy. They show the humility of the risen Christ.

Pope Francis often has unusual insights into Scripture. On one Ascension Day he said, “When Jesus returns to the Father, he shows him his wounds and says to him, ‘Look, Father, this is the price of the forgiveness that you give.’ When the Father looks at his Son’s wounds, he always forgives us, not because we are good but because Jesus paid the price for us. Looking at Jesus’ wounds, the Father becomes more merciful. This is the great work of Jesus in heaven today: showing the Father the price of forgiveness, his wounds. How wonderful this is, because it moves us not to have fear of asking forgiveness. The Father always forgives because he looks at the wounds of Jesus, looks at our sin and forgives it.”

Today’s Gospel also reminds us that, just as Jesus sent out his disciples to preach the Good News and to share with the whole of creation the joy of God’s loving mercy, so he is sending us out as missionaries today. That’s the real meaning of, “Ite, missa est.” There is nothing optional about the command, “Go out to the whole world: proclaim the good news.” We cannot call ourselves Christian if we keep the Good News to ourselves. If we truly live in the presence of the Lord and the power of his Spirit, then we must be filled with missionary zeal. We thank him for calling each one of us to be a missionary, even from the heart of the family home or monastic enclosure. It’s a big challenge. Are we prepared take it up?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 17th May

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:20:05 GMT

Meetings, meetings, meetings! I’ve never been a meetings man, so any meeting is a taste of purgatory for me. Now I accept they can be important and that necessary decisions have to be made that affect our lives as well as the lives of others, but I just wish I didn’t have to take part in the meetings myself. Monday night it was Churches Together, last night the Parish Council and tonight the Fete Committee. Still, following on from last night’s meeting, and after speaking with my mother, I did have the joy of walking with Toby and Fr Alex in the cemetery and the monastery garden. I’ll attach a few photographs.

Our short Gospel passage for the eve of the Ascension completes the text we were reading from John yesterday, (Jn 16: 12-15).

“I still have many things to say to you

but they would be too much for you now.

But when the Spirit of truth comes

he will lead you to the complete truth,

since he will not be speaking as from himself

but will say only what he has learnt;

and he will tell you of the things to come.

He will glorify me,

since all he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.

Everything the Father has is mine;

that is why I said:

All he tells you

will be taken from what is mine.”

Jesus is aware that his time with the disciples is coming to an end. Now the interesting thing about the Farewell Discourse is that, although given at the Last Supper before his Passion, Death and Resurrection, it could equally have been given in preparation for his Ascension and return to the Father. There is only so much the disciples can take in and understand, just like ourselves, but when they receive the Spirit of truth, the Spirit will lead them into the complete truth and they will understand at last what Jesus has been telling them. Just as Christ and the Father are one, so Christ and the Spirit are one and what the Spirit teaches will be the words and teaching of Christ himself. The Spirit of truth will speak for the Father and the Son, for God is One and his teaching is one.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 16th May

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:18:17 GMT

The Belmont Parish, being essentially and mostly rural, has always belonged to Churches Together in Ewyas Harold and District. In fact, for forty years or more, there was a Catholic church in Ewyas Harold, dedicated to St John Kemble, and previous to that a chapel at Grosmont, dedicated to St Joseph. As a novice, I accompanied Fr Luke every Sunday and prepared the children for First Communion after Mass when he took Holy Communion to the sick. I have always been worried that the Catholic Church in this country is overly urban and shows little concern for rural ministry. There was a time that Belmont had four “Mass Centres” (Broad Oak, Ewyas Harold, Glentrothy and Peterchurch), as well as serving other villages and small towns, such as Hay-on-Wye, that then became parishes in their own right. All this to let you know that last night I was present at the AGM of Churches or Christians Together in Ewyas Harold, resulting in a shortened message today. It can assure you that it was not a short meeting.

Our Gospel passage comes from John, continuing on from yesterday’s reading, (Jn 16: 5-11), where Jesus explains why he is about to leave his disciples and what the Spirit will do when he comes.

“Now I am going to the one who sent me.

Not one of you has asked, “Where are you going?”

Yet you are sad at heart because I have told you this.

Still, I must tell you the truth:

it is for your own good that I am going

because unless I go,

the Advocate will not come to you;

but if I do go,

I will send him to you.”

Jesus explains that the coming of the Spirit is dependent on his going from them. Although they are sad at the very thought of Jesus leaving them, yet they will rejoice when the Spirit, the Advocate, the Paraclete comes.

“And when he comes,

he will show the world how wrong it was,

about sin,

and about who was in the right,

and about judgement:

about sin: proved by their refusal to believe in me;

about who was in the right:

proved by my going to the Father and your seeing me no more;

about judgement:

proved by the prince of this world being already condemned.”

Jesus has already told his disciples that the Paraclete will be the Spirit of truth, who brings them the knowledge that will lead them to the whole truth, a truth that gives them deep understanding of right and wrong, of justice and righteousness, above all of God’s intentions and of his plan for the salvation of the world.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 15th May

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:16:22 GMT

Today, in the monastic calendar and in the Orthodox Church, we keep the feast of St Pachomius (292-348), the Egyptian monk, who is the founder of Christian coenobitic monasticism. Born to pagan parents, he was conscripted against his will into the Roman army, where he came into contact with Christians. This led to his conversion and baptism in 314. Meeting up with hermits and ascetics and longing to follow their example, he also saw the need to organise monastic life in such a way as to help the large number of candidates fleeing to the Egyptian desert in search for a truly committed Christian way of life. He founded monasteries with a well-structured life and wrote a Rule for monks that would influence all subsequent monastic founders and legislators, such as St Basil and St Benedict. There is neither time nor space to write more here, but do look him up and read about him. You will find it a useful, interesting and entertaining exercise.

Our Gospel passage today comes from John, (Jn 15: 26 – 16: 4), where Jesus speaks with his disciples on the coming of the Holy Spirit, whom he calls the Paraclete or Advocate.

“When the Advocate comes,

whom I shall send to you from the Father,

the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father,

he will be my witness.

And you too will be witnesses,

because you have been with me from the outset.”

The Spirit, like the Son, issues from the Father, yet is sent by the Son, and is sent to be a witness to the Son, just as they too are witnesses, since they have known him from the beginning of his ministry. The Father, however, has known the Son from all eternity and so is a witness in a very different way from the disciples. Jesus then goes on to warn them of what lies ahead.

“I have told you all this that your faith may not be shaken.

They will expel you from the synagogues,

and indeed the hour is coming

when anyone who kills you

will think he is doing a holy duty for God.

They will do these things

because they have never known

either the Father or myself.

But I have told you all this,

so that when the time for it comes

you may remember that I told you.”

Here Jesus speaks of future persecution, even of death, for their fidelity to him and the truth that will be confirmed in them by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus does not promise to protect or save them from persecution. He simply wants to warn them that this will happen. The Spirit will give them strength to withstand and overcome all forms of persecution and in so doing they will conform to Christ in every way.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 14th May

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:15:09 GMT

In John’s Gospel we frequently hear Jesus saying to his disciples. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Today’s Gospel passage, (Jn 14: 15-21), begins that way, but Jesus goes on to say something very important.

“I shall ask the Father,

and he will give you another Advocate

to be with you for ever,

that Spirit of truth

whom the world can never receive

since it neither sees nor knows him;

but you know him,

because he is with you, he is in you.”

Jesus promises his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, who like himself will be an advocate, a paraclete (a helper, an intercessor, a consoler), but also the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot deceive or know. So complete will be the giving of the Spirit, that he will be in us to bring life to all we think, do or say. Because of the Spirit’s presence in our lives, Jesus can say:

“I will not leave you orphans;

I will come back to you.

In a short time the world will no longer see me;

but you will see me,

because I live and you will live.”

With the Spirit in our hearts, the presence of Jesus will be even more powerful than before his death and resurrection. The Spirit will make Jesus present to us, both in the Sacraments, in our prayer and at every moment of our lives. In the Spirit, Jesus will be with us for ever and will unite us with the Father. We will live in the embrace of the Holy Trinity. Jesus goes on to say:

“On that day you will understand that I am in my Father

and you in me and I in you.

Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them

will be one who loves me;

and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I shall love him and show myself to him.”

In Christ we are united to the Father and the Father to us, as we will be united to Christ himself in the Spirit. Jesus returns to where he began: with the keeping of his commandments being the wellspring of God’s love for us as it is of our love for God. We will be loved by God, whom Jesus always calls the Father, and by Christ, who will reveal himself to us in love, the Spirit being the source of love.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 13th May

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:28:36 GMT

Yesterday I had the great pleasure to go out into the Herefordshire countryside with a good friend. We visited the churches at Woolhope, where we also had lunch nearby, and Putley, a small church well worth visiting. I will post a few photographs of these two churches. It was a beautiful day with temperatures rising to 20C. On my return to Belmont, I was delighted to meet up with one of my former students from the 70s who came to visit with his wife. All in all, a wonderful day, and now I have the joy of writing this short message. Today, in many parts of the world, Catholics celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, so we ask her intercession for the peace of the world and especially for the end to the war in Ukraine.

We continue reading John’s Gospel, (15: 18-21), where Jesus warns his disciples that the world will hate and persecute them as it has hated and persecuted him.

“If the world hates you,

remember that it hated me before you.

If you belonged to the world,

the world would love you as its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

because my choice withdrew you from the world,

therefore, the world hates you.

Remember the words I said to you:

A servant is not greater than his master.

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too;

if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.

But it will be on my account that they will do all this,

because they do not know the one who sent me.”

From the very beginning until the present day, the Church and her faithful members have been the object of hatred and persecution for any number of reasons, but mostly because, like Jesus and the Apostles, we place obedience to God before obedience to men. In other words, we do not belong to the world, but have given ourselves wholly to God through faith and baptism and our daily living according to the commandments of God and the teaching of the Gospel. We should not seek to be loved by the world, but by God, whom we love as he loves us in Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We must never forget that, “A servant is not greater than his master.” Persecution for the sake of Christ is lovingly embraced by all true Christians. Let us not fret and worry over the hatred the world might have for us, rather, let us rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 12th May

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:23:59 GMT

Yesterday, I had the joy of visiting my mother together with Toby, my canine companion in the monastic life. The weather was touch and go, as it invariably is in the U.K., but God was good to us and we had a glorious window of opportunity that enabled us to spend a couple of hours on the beach, better than an antihistamine for my hay fever and a chance for Toby to have some serious exercise, especially as the tide was out and we had the vast expanse of sand to ourselves. I’ll attach a few photographs. The return journey, swift and traffic-free, from Pontrilas onwards was accompanied by the most gloriously rich rainbow I have ever seen, which had several reflections in the clouds.

Our Gospel passage today follows on from yesterday’s, (Jn 15: 12-17), in which Jesus gives his disciples his own personal commandment, which sums up the ten that his Father gave to Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.

“This is my commandment:

love one another,

as I have loved you.

A man can have no greater love

than to lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends,

if you do what I command you.

I shall not call you servants any more,

because a servant does not know

his master’s business;

I call you friends,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

You did not choose me:

no, I chose you;

and I commissioned you

to go out and to bear fruit,

fruit that will last;

and then the Father will give you

anything you ask him in my name.

What I command you is to love one another.”

We are to love one another as Christ has loved us and that is by laying down our lives for one another. True friendship that lies at the heart of all relationships, including marriage or monastic life, is sacrificial, a total self-giving and self-emptying, for this is what Jesus did for us when he died on the Cross. Jesus calls us his friends, for he has shared everything with us, even his body and blood and the fulness of his Holy Spirit. He has given us, according to his Father’s will, his own self and in doing so has reconciled us with the Father and with one other. In Christ, the Father has given all he has to give to his beloved children, and we have been chosen to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last for all eternity. Jesus reiterates, “What I command you is to love one another.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 11th May

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:22:26 GMT

We all look forward to the May Procession each year and last night’s was one to remember, as the great number of pilgrims snaked their way around the monastery gardens praying the Rosary and singing beautiful, traditional hymns to Our Lady. I’ll attach a few photographs I took myself, but no doubt far better ones will appear online in the next few days. Archbishop Mark spoke movingly of Our Lady’s involvement in his own priestly vocation and of how she shows us the way to respond lovingly to God’s will for us, which applies to all Christians at every stage and every day of their lives.

Our short Gospel reading today comes from John, (Jn 15: 9-11), and is the continuation of the Parable of the True Vine. The words might be few, but they are of the deepest significance.

“As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments

you will remain in my love,

just as I have kept my Father’s commandments

and remain in his love.

I have told you this

so that my own joy may be in you

and your joy be complete.”

In and through Christ we receive the Father’s love and Jesus longs for us to abide in the Father’s love. This we will do if we keep his commandments, just as Jesus has done his Father’s will and so abides for ever in his love. God’s love is eternal as God is eternal. Christ shares his words with us, so that his joy might be with us and so our joy be complete. What greater joy can there be than that of knowing that God’s love fills our hearts?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 10th May

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:20:51 GMT

This evening, at Belmont, we will welcome countless pilgrims for our annual May Precession in honour of Our Lady. It begins at 9.00pm and it might well be that you are planning to join us. We are delighted that Archbishop Mark O’Toole will be presiding at the celebration and preaching. It’s also a wonderful occasion to remember Br Bernard, who for so many years organised the May Procession and whose genius lay at the heart of its success. Now it is admirably organised by Fr Augustine, whom we all admire for his devotion to Our Lady and his organisational skills. May Our Lady pray for us all and strengthen our love for her Divine Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Our Gospel passage today comes from John, (Jn 15: 1-8), where Jesus uses another image for himself and his relationship with his disciples, that of the vine and the branches, the Parable of the True Vine.

“I am the true vine,

and my Father is the vinedresser.

Every branch in me that bears no fruit

he cuts away,

and every branch that does bear fruit

he prunes to make it bear even more.

You are pruned already,

by means of the word that I have spoken to you.

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.

As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,

but must remain part of the vine,

neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him,

bears fruit in plenty;

for cut off from me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers;

these branches are collected and thrown on the fire,

and they are burnt.

If you remain in me

and my words remain in you,

you may ask what you will

and you shall get it.

It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit,

and then you will be my disciples.”

Jesus is the true vine because his Father is the vinedresser. Whether we are cut off and thrown away or simply pruned, it’s still painful to be a branch of the true vine, yet if we are pruned, then we can be assured of producing more and better fruit for the glory of our heavenly Father. However, this depends very much on remaining attached to the true vine, for apart from him we wither and die and can produce no fruit. But the Father wants us to bear fruit in abundance, which is why we are grafted onto Christ at Baptism and remain attached to him through faith, hope and love and the faithful reception of the Sacraments. Praised be Jesus Christ, the True Vine, who nurtures and nourishes his branches.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 9th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:09:24 GMT

I’m so glad it was a bank holiday yesterday, as I was able to take advantage of it being a free day to have a rest and even enjoy a siesta. This message, too, will be short, so that I can close down the computer and head for bed after my last walk of the day with Toby. That, too, might well be short as it is raining heavily and neither he nor I want to go to bed soaked through.

Our Gospel passage today comes from John, where we continue reading chapter 14, (Jn 14: 27-31). This is the Farewell Discourse of Jesus to the Twelve, as he prepares them for his Passion, Death and Resurrection and what lies beyond.

“Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,

a peace the world cannot give,

this is my gift to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.

If you loved me, you would have been glad to know

that I am going to the Father,

for the Father is greater than I.

I have told you this now before it happens,

so that when it does happen you may believe.

I shall not talk with you any longer,

because the prince of this world is on his way.

He has no power over me,

but the world must be brought to know

that I love the Father

and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.”

Has it struck you how often Jesus speaks of his Father in John’s Gospel? Even in this short passage we find Jesus referring to his Father four times. The peace of Christ is his presence in and among us, rather than the absence of discord, suffering or even persecution. Nevertheless, he tells us not to let our hearts be troubled or be afraid, for although, through death, he will leave us, he will rise again on the third day. He is going to the Father, from whence he will send his Holy Spirit upon the disciples, the sign of the Father’s love for them. What is to come will see the disciples confused and afraid, but they should know in advance that the Father loves them and that Christ’s peace will protect them and give them strength and courage. These words he addressed to the twelve at the Last Supper, he now addresses to us. We should never be troubled or afraid, for in Christ, God is with us and will always keep us safe.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 8th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:08:01 GMT

Today is a bank holiday in honour of the Coronation. I’m planning to take a rest after the exhausting activities of the past two or three days. There’s the physical exhaustion and the emotional exhaustion. Yesterday our parish celebrated the Coronation with a traditional street party, held on the road between the monastery building and the garden. Over a hundred people were present and enjoyed a lovely afternoon together. The food, the company, the weather, the setting, the royal quiz and children’s games, everything was truly wonderful. We are so grateful to the good ladies, who worked so hard to make it all happen, and the gentlemen who helped them. It was a truly fitting way to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla and reminded many of us of similar celebrations for Queen Elizabeth seventy years’ ago.

Today’s Gospel passage comes from John, (Jn 14: 21-26), and this time it is Jude who asks a question of Jesus, who is talking of keeping the commandments and being loved by God. “Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him.” The proof that we love Jesus is that we keep his commandments, and if we keep them, then the Father will love us. Obedience is the sign and proof of love, and obedience means listening closely to the heartbeat of God and synchronising with it. Jude interjects, “Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

In reply to Jude’s question, Jesus says:

“If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him and make our home with him.

Those who do not love me do not keep my words.

And my word is not my own:

it is the word of the one who sent me.”

Nothing could be clearer or easier to understand, and yet it’s not easy to believe that the Father and the Son will make their home in us, or abide in us. St Paul will say in 1 Corinthians 6: 19 that we are temples of the Holy Spirit, which means that the Father and the Son abide in us. In fact, Jesus now goes on to speak of the Holy Spirit.

“I have said these things to you while still with you;

but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you everything

and remind you of all I have said to you.”

The Father will send the Spirit in the name of Christ Jesus risen from the dead and glorified. The Spirit will bring to life in us the word of Jesus, so that we obey the commandments of Jesus and are filled with the love of God. Our lives are bound up with the Holy Trinity and reflect the life of the Trinity, who will bring us to eternal life.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 7th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:06:32 GMT

For today’s message, I thought I would share with you the homily I preached last night in the Abbey at the Mass for King Charles and Queen Camilla. It was such a moving occasion: I wish you had been there. Also our organist, Jonathon Nicholls, a brilliant musician, played as never before. It was breath-taking. Here is the homily.

At the Coronation Liturgy tomorrow morning, the very first words will be spoken by a young person, a Chapel Royal chorister, who will greet the King on his entry into Westminster Abbey, saying “Your Majesty, as children of the Kingdom of God, we welcome you in the name of the King of Kings.” The King will reply, “In his name, and after his example, I come not to be served but to serve.” In the Gospel, Jesus, speaking of himself as the Son of Man, adds, “and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Kingship is both service and sacrifice. For this reason, the King will be consecrated with Holy Oil at his Coronation, for to be crowned king is of the deepest spiritual significance. This is also the reason why the Catholic community, even in the darkest days of persecution, has always respected and honoured the King or Queen of their day and remained fiercely loyal to the monarch and to the idea of royalty. Read the lives of the Catholic martyrs of the Reformation and you will find on the lips of each one of them words of homage and fealty as they faced the block or, far worse, were prepared to be hung, drawn and quartered. Thank God, these days are long past, but, as Catholics, we continue to pledge our allegiance to the monarch.

The world and our nation face multiple challenges in these difficult post-Covid days and in the face of war in Ukraine and Sudan. We give thanks to God that we have a King who will work hard to bring stability, wisdom and deep Christian faith to his unique role. King Charles has prepared throughout the whole of his life for the office he will now fulfil. He will also be the most cultured and truly knowledgeable monarch ever to have ruled over our sceptred isle. In his moving address to the nation on 9 ^th September 2022, the King pledged himself afresh to the service of the nation and commonwealth. In turn, at this Mass, we pledge to him our continued loyalty and we pray for our King, the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Royal Family in all their responsibilities.

As King Charles prepares for his coronation tomorrow, Catholic congregations throughout the land have been asked to pray for him tonight by celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for his intentions and wellbeing, as well as for his Consort Queen Camilla and all the Royal Family. We are asked to be particularly mindful of the King as he prepares in vigil and in prayer for his coronation. We are reminded that it is very much a spiritual journey with the most sacred moment, at the very heart of the ceremony, being the anointing, which takes place before the investiture and crowning, a tradition going back to the Old Testament with the anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet.

On the evening of her coronation in 1953, which made such an impression on me as a young boy, the late Queen said: ”The ceremonies you have seen today are ancient, and some of their origins are veiled in the mists of the past. But their spirit and their meaning shine through the ages never, perhaps, more brightly than now. I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.” Speaking just after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles made a commitment to follow the pattern of loving service that she demonstrated, a service of “loyalty, respect, and love'”

I have no doubt that our prayers and the celebration of the Holy Mass will make a real difference both to the coronation ceremony and liturgy, as well as to the reign of our new King. He will need our prayers and our loyalty in the years ahead. Stripped of all pomp and outward regalia, the monarchy is essentially a call to service and in that we are reminded of Jesus the Servant King, who came not to be served but to serve. We pray that our new King will follow his example in service to others and care for all his people regardless of colour, class or creed, and especially of the most needy and vulnerable. We pray in the words of the Preface for the Coronation Eucharist: “O Lord, Holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord, who hast at this time consecrated thy servant Charles to be our King, that, by the anointing of thy grace, he may be the Defender of thy Faith and the Protector of thy people; that, with him, we may learn the ways of service, compassion, and love, and that the good work which thou hast begun in him this day may be brought to completion in the day of Jesus Christ.“ Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 6th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:05:04 GMT

This evening every Catholic church throughout England and Wales will be celebrating a special Mass, asking God’s blessing on King Charles III and his Queen Consort Camilla on the eve of the Coronation. Catholics have a very strong tradition of loyalty to the Crown. When we read accounts of the martyrdom of our Catholic martyrs of the Reformation period between 1534 and 1680, what strikes us most is their affection for and loyalty to the king or queen as expressed on the scaffold before the process of hanging, drawing and quartering began. It struck me that today, rather than expressing any thoughts of my own on the matter, it might be a good idea to give you the texts for the Mass, some of the prayers and the readings, in case you are unable to go to Mass this evening. Note that the readings come from the new translation of the Lectionary which I believe will be introduced in the United Kingdom at the beginning of Advent.

At Belmont the Mass will be celebrated at 7.00pm and will be live streamed.

The Collect

O God, to whom every human power is subject,
grant to your servant our sovereign Charles
success in the exercise of his high office,
so that, always revering you and striving to please you,

he may constantly secure and preserve

for the people entrusted to his care
the freedom that comes from civil peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

The First Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. (Rm 8: 26-30)

Brothers and Sisters:
The Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We know that for those who love God
all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew
he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those whom he predestined he also called,
and those whom he called he also justified,
and those whom he justified he also glorified.

The Gospel

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5: 1-12a)

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons ^[ ^a ^] of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”

PRAYER FOR THE KING

O Lord, save Charles, our King.
And hear us on the day we call upon you.

O Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come before you.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Almighty God, we pray,
that your servant Charles, our King,
who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue,
that, imbued with your heavenly grace,
he may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil
and, being blessed with your favour
may, with his consort and the royal family,
come at last into your presence,
through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life
and who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 5th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:03:38 GMT

Today the Church in England keeps the feast of All the Martyrs of England, referring to the Catholic martyrs of the Reformation. In Wales the feast of the Six Martyrs of Wales and their Companions is kept on 25 ^th October. The Benedictine Calendar, which we keep at Belmont, refers to All the Martyrs of England and Wales. Now these do not include such famous English and Welsh martyrs as Alban, Julius and Aaron, Tydful, Issui, Cadoc, Ethelbert of Hereford, Edmund and so on, but only the martyrs of the Reformation, all of whom also have their own feast day which is kept locally, such as St John Kemble and Blessed Richard Cadwallador in Herefordshire and St David Lewis in Monmouthshire, or St Thomas More and St John Fisher nationally. It strikes me as being rather confusing. Even so, it’s good to celebrate our saints and martyrs and turn to them for their intercession, praying for the grace to follow their example of fidelity to Christ and his Church.

The Gospel passage for today comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 17-20), where we find Jesus talking with his disciples. “Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.” Jesus warned his disciples what would happen were they to remain faithful to him. Throughout the history of the Church and of the Christian faith, disciples faithful to Jesus have been imprisoned, tortured and put to death for their fidelity to Christ. Sadly, at many times in the history of Christianity, one group of Christians has persecuted and put to death other groups, and to some extent the hatred that lies behind persecution remains to some degree even today in our country as in others. This is desperately sad and can hardly be the will of God. Today we should pray for charity and respect among Christians, even if they cannot agree on the various aspects of Theology and interpretation of the Scriptures. A question we should always ask ourselves is, “What would Jesus want me to think and say? How does Jesus want me to do in this circumstance?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 4th May

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:02:27 GMT

Fr Paul

Prayer for Survivors of Abuse

Wed, 03 May 2023 14:07:00 GMT

The Bishops of England and Wales have chosen Tuesday of the 5th Week of Easter as the Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse, 9 May 2023. It is a day of prayer for those who have been abused in a season of hope and new life.

The Isaiah Journey has prepared a range of resources for prayer, action and reflection for use throughout the year which are launched on the day of prayer.

https://www.cbcew.org.uk/day-of-prayer-for-survivors-of-abuse/

The Struggle for Racial Justice - Recalling the past and discerning the future A CARJ Series of Webinars May – August 2023

Wed, 03 May 2023 14:03:19 GMT

The aim of these webinars is to reflect on the history of the past 75 years and attempt to discern the best ways forward for society and for the Church in the effort to bring about a more just, more equal and more cooperative society.

The Changing Face of Britain – A Brief History 1947-2023
Saturday 27 May (10:00 – 11:30)

Persistent inequality and Racism over the past 75 years
Thursday 15 June (7:00 – 8:30)

Combatting Racism – different approaches over the past 75 years
Thursday 29 June (7:00 – 8:30)

The Churches role in combatting racism over the past 75 years
Thursday 6 July (7:00 – 8:30)

Combatting racism - An Agenda for the Future for Britain
Saturday 29 July (10:00 – 11:30)

The Church’s role in the struggle for Racial Justice in the future
Thursday 3 August (7:00 – 8:30)

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We see These Webinars as a preparation for CARJ’s 40 ^th Anniversary in 2024.

The Webinars will take place on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Each Webinar will last for an hour and a half. There will be two speakers and ample time for discussion. Yogi Sutton will Chair the Webinars. The Webinars are free. To register for one or more webinars or if you need further information, please contact the CARJ Administrator at info@carj.org.uk A link will be sent to all who register. The Webinars will be recorded and will be available on the CARJ website until the end of August 2023.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 3rd May

Wed, 03 May 2023 14:00:27 GMT

Today the Church keeps the feast of the Apostles Saints Philip and James, a feast originally kept on 1 ^st May, the day of the consecration of the Basilica of the Holy Apostles in Rome. This changed in 1955, when Pope Pius XII instituted the memoria of St Joseph the Worker to salvage International Workers Day from the Communists in Italy and throughout Europe, giving the celebration a Christian face. As a result, the feast of the Apostles was translated to May 3 ^rd .

The Gospel passage for today comes from John, (Jn 14: 6-14), where we hear Philip interacting with Jesus. To begin with, Jesus says to Thomas, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you know me, you know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him.”

These words of Jesus cause Philip to come forward and say to Jesus. “Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.” Philip asks for the moon, does he not? Jesus does not castigate Philip for his words, but patiently explains. “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?” It would appear that the disciples still do not know Jesus or understanding what he is saying to them when he speaks of himself and the Father.

Jesus continues:

“To have seen me is to have seen the Father,

so how can you say, ‘Let us see the Father’?

Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.

You must believe me when I say

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever believes in me

will perform the same works as I do myself,

he will perform even greater works,

because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask for anything in my name,

I will do it.”

The words of Jesus are powerfully Christological, as he explains fully to the disciples his relationship with the Father. Listening to Jesus, could anyone doubt his word, and yet many did, especially the scribes and Pharisees and the high priests, who denounced Jesus to be a blasphemer and had him arrested, an action that ultimately led to his trial and crucifixion. Jesus goes on to promise the disciples that anyone who believes in him will do even greater things than he is doing. When we turn to the Acts of the Apostles, we can see that the promise of Jesus was true and abundantly fulfilled.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 2nd May

Wed, 03 May 2023 13:52:52 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Athanasius of Alexandria, the great theologian and Doctor of the Church, who also wrote the life of St Antony of Egypt, the Father of Christian Monasticism. It was Athanasius who, while still a deacon, saved the Church from falling into generalised heresy by combatting and overcoming the Arians at the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It was also Athanasius who, on one of his several exiles in Rome, brought monks from Egypt to Rome. These were soon followed by monk refugees from Syria, whom St Benedict met as a young boy in Nursia. The Universal Church owes a great debt to St Athanasius and we should get to know him better and venerate him more.

In today’s Gospel we continue reading from John, (Jn 10: 22-30), the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem, which follows on from the Discourse or Parable of the Good Shepherd. John. writes: “It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’” The Jewish authorities and the crowd in general want to know if Jesus is the Messiah or not. The very fact that they ask him this question would suggest that many of them do believe or suspect that Jesus is the Messiah. He replies:

“I have told you, but you do not believe.

The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;

but you do not believe,

because you are no sheep of mine.

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;

I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost

and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,

and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.”

Jesus questions their asking him constantly whether he is the Messiah or not. They do not listen to what he says because they do not want to believe. It is clear to Jesus that they simply do not believe. The sheep that listen to his voice do believe and they will be blessed with the gift of eternal life. No one can take them from him, for they have been given him by the Father. He concludes by saying, “The Father and I are one.” There are bound to be objections to these words of Jesus, for to say that he and the Father are one means that he is equal to and with the Father, in other words, God incarnate. This will be considered as blasphemy and a serious cause for his arrest, which ultimately leads to death by crucifixion.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 1st May

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:13:31 GMT

You know that I walk with Toby first thing in the morning and I often give details of what we see and hear. We also go out at other times and each walk has its own features, all chosen by Toby. Around 9am we walk on the old school playing fields, now used by a Hereford football academy called Toros, which accounts for the field being so beautifully kept. On this walk he meets up with his friends Holly and Murphy, two adorable chocolate Labradors and serious walkers, and occasionally with Ben, a handsome black lab. Returning from this walk, in season we feed our fish and check out the pond for visitors and any damage caused either to fish or plants by grey herons, otters and the occasional mink. In the course of the day there are several short walks and last thing of an evening, around 9pm, we take out last walk of the day, usually in the company of Fr Alex. Again, Toby choses the route, his favourite being a lengthy inspection of the cemetery. You will have noticed that I often take photographs in the Belmont cemetery, and when I get to opportunity, in other cemeteries too.

I just wish to say how impressed I have been by the beauty of the various liturgical celebrations that have taken place during the Holy Father Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Hungary. You can see them all on YouTube.

Today’s Gospel is the continuation of yesterday’s, the Parable of the Good Shepherd from John, (Jn 10: 11-18).

“I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.

The hired man, since he is not the shepherd

and the sheep do not belong to him,

abandons the sheep and runs away

as soon as he sees a wolf coming,

and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;

this is because he is only a hired man

and has no concern for the sheep.”

This is a passage we know well, the image of God as a shepherd coming from the Old Testament. God loves his sheep, and the depth of God’s love is seen in the Incarnation, when God becomes man in order to offer his life as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world, the salvation and eternal happiness of his sheep. The hired man could well be the scribes and Pharisees and the religious authorities in Israel at the time of Jesus’ ministry. I wonder who these would be today?

Jesus continues:

“I am the good shepherd;

I know my own

and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me

and I know the Father;

and I lay down my life for my sheep.”

A good shepherd knows each one of his sheep and knows them by name. They, in turn, know him and trust him. Jesus reiterates that he has come to lay down his life for his sheep rather than to slaughter them for his own advantage. In fact, we know Jesus to be the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, as John the Baptist testified at the very beginning of Christ’s ministry, when he came to be baptised by John in the Jordan. Jesus tells his disciples that there are other sheep, not of his fold, whom he also wants to lead and save and bring into the fold of God’s kingdom.

“And there are other sheep I have

that are not of this fold,

and these I have to lead as well.

They too will listen to my voice,

and there will be only one flock,

and one shepherd.”

Jesus has come to reconcile all people with one another and with God, so that there be but one shepherd and one flock. I have always felt that this, in part, refers to the fact that in the life to come and in God’s kingdom, the sad divisions among Christians, even within the same confession, will cease to be and that the unity we yearn for on earth will become a reality in heaven, when God will be all in all.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 30th April

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:10:34 GMT

Yesterday was a busy day. That is probably the understatement of the year to date! It began, as usual, long before dawn and was still going strong at 10.20pm when I sat down to write this message. It contained the daily monastic duties of prayer and work as well as exercise and fresh air with Toby, as real blessing for me.

Saturday is also the day when I finish off the parish newsletter, the monastic music list for the following week and other weekly items, such as bidding prayers. On Saturdays there is also the Parish Sunday Vigil at 4pm, a Mass started during Covid that now has a life of its own. In addition, parishioners organised a marvellous Fun Dog Show, attended by a surprisingly large number of dogs and their human companions. All those present thoroughly enjoyed themselves and expressed the hope that the day could be repeated next year. Toby was very pleased with his blue rosette and second place in the Senior Dog section. This was followed by a wedding, which fortunately was celebrated by Fr Simon. Nevertheless, things had to be set up for it and then cleared away, so that the Parish Mass could take place on time: we were just a few minutes late starting. When I sat down for the first psalm at Vespers, I suddenly relaxed in my choir stall, realising that this was the first time I had sat down since a quick five-minute lunch at one o’clock. Then, shortly after Vespers, Belmont hosted the most spectacular concert given by the ladies’ choir ‘Le Voci.’ They were truly amazing, giving the audience two hours of pure joy. They will be returning for a Christmas Concert on 16 ^th December. If you get the chance to see them, don’t hesitate in doing so.

Our Gospel passage today, Good Shepherd Sunday, consists of the first ten verses of John chapter 10 and is the introduction to the discourse on the Shepherd and the Sheep. Jesus tells us that, “I am the gate of the sheepfold.” Only through him can we enter the kingdom of heaven.

“I am the gate.

Anyone who enters through me will be safe:

he will go freely in and out

and be sure of finding pasture.

The thief comes

only to steal and kill and destroy.

I have come

so that they may have life and have it to the full.”

Only through Jesus can we be saved and have life to the full, God’s own life, the life of the Spirit, united to the Father and to one another through Christ and in his Spirit.

Today is the day when the Church prays especially for vocations to the sacred priesthood. We pray for the Church throughout the world, but above all in our own country, region and diocese. At Belmont, we also pray for vocations to our own monastery and to our foundation in Peru. May generous souls come forward to offer their lives to God in his service through the priesthood.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 29th April

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:08:54 GMT

Today is the feast day of St Catherine of Siena, the 14 ^th century Italian mystic, activist, writer and theologian, Patron of Europe and Doctor of the Church, who died on this day in the year 1380, just a month after her 33 ^rd birthday. Apart from Our Lady, no other woman at any time has exerted so great an influence in so many spheres of international life as Catherine Benincasa. Her influence on Italian language and literature alone is inestimable. Although the feast day Mass has special readings, I propose sticking with John, the reading for the feria, as it brings with it the conclusion to chapter 6, the discourse on the bread of life (Jn 6: 60-69). Yesterday we heard Jesus say, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (Jn 6: 51) The Jews argue among themselves as to what this could possibly mean, which leads Jesus to go even further and say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” This is where we pick up the story.

Many of his followers are shocked by his words and perturbed by their meaning. They call it, “Intolerable language.” They find the words of Jesus quite unacceptable. Jesus knew that they were thinking like this and he says, “Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?”

“It is the spirit that gives life,

the flesh has nothing to offer.

The words I have spoken to you are spirit

and they are life.”

Jesus knows our innermost thoughts. He knows what is in our minds and in our hearts. He also knows who would betray him. John comments that, “After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.” Rather like Caesarea Philippi in the Synoptics, this is the pivotal moment in John, when his disciples have to decide whether to go on with Jesus or not. It should also be a moment of decision for us, his disciples today. Jesus asks the Twelve, as he asks you and me, “What about you, do you want to go away too?” It is Simon Peter who answers for us, “Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.” I can’t remember the number of times I’ve said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Who else is there? You, and you alone have the word of eternal life.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 28th April

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:36:51 GMT

Yesterday we were talking about the Discourse of Jesus on the Bread of Life. Today we come to the conclusion of the discourse as found in John, (Jn 6: 52-59). As a result of what he has just been saying, the Jews begin to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” That is the question they’re asking and it’s the question that many ask still today, especially in the Protestant churches and among non-Christians. But Catholics and Orthodox have always taken Jesus at his word and believe that the Eucharistic Bread, consecrated in the Eucharist or Mass, is truly to Body of Christ, his flesh that is given for the life of the world. These are the very words of Jesus:

“I tell you most solemnly,

if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,

you will not have life in you.

Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood

has eternal life,

and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food

and my blood is real drink.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood

lives in me

and I live in him.

As I, who am sent by the living Father,

myself draw life from the Father,

so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven;

not like the bread our ancestors ate:

they are dead,

but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.”

Jesus makes it quite clear that what we are invited to eat and drink are his flesh and blood. This is the only guarantee that we will have for eternal life and the fact that we will be raised to new life at the end of time in the final resurrection from the dead on the last day.

I apologise for the brevity of today’s message. Yesterday, I had no time to sit down and write this daily message.eternal life, and moreover, bread that is the flesh of Christ, given for the life of the world, the body of Christ, Jesus living bread.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 27th April

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:33:51 GMT

I suppose we’re still in April, but isn’t it cold, even when the sun is shining? And I keep saying to myself, less than two months to go and the days will be drawing in. Worse still, the social, political and economic climate is no better. I always tend to look on the bright side and I’m a bit of an optimist, even so I get the feeling that the situation is bleak and not getting better. This feeling is even stronger when I speak with our brethren in Peru and in other parts of Latin America, and when I think of the civil war in Sudan (how else can we describe it?) and the ongoing war in Ukraine, my heart sinks. I have a close friend in Odessa, we speak several times a day, and at night I hear the sirens warning the inhabitants of impending air strikes. It reminds me of recordings I heard as a child of the bombing raids on London and other large towns and cities in the U.K. Whatever happened to the hopes we had at the beginning of the Third Millennium? Lord, have mercy and forgive us our sins.

Today we continue our reading of John, (Jn 6: 44-51), Jesus’ Discourse on the Bread of Life. He begins by saying, “No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him up at the last day.” This is not a declaration of predestination, but rather that the Father created us through the Son in order that we might come to the Son and be raised to eternal life in him. God wills our salvation and that through Christ we should hear his voice and know his teaching, that leads to Christ and salvation. “To hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it, is to come to me.” Jesus reiterates that, “everybody who believes has eternal life.” To believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Lord, means that eternal life is his gift to us.

It’s at this point that Jesus says once more, “I am the bread of life.” This is one of the great I AM sayings in John, I AM being the name revealed to Moses at the Burning Bush, God’s name, the very source of being, life itself. In giving us the bread of life, Jesus gives us himself. That is what he promises those who believe in him. “Your fathers ate the manna in the desert and they are dead; but this is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die.” The bread that comes down from heaven and is Christ, God incarnate, gives life for he is the bread of life, unlike the manna in the desert that was mere food and only fed the people of Israel for a moment, one day at a time. Jesus then qualifies his statement, “I am the bread of life,” for he says, “I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” Not simply bread now, but living bread, living bread come down from heaven, bread that gives eternal life, and moreover, bread that is the flesh of Christ, given for the life of the world, the body of Christ, Jesus living bread.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 26th April

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:29:57 GMT

Yesterday was a gloriously sunny day, yet cold, especially in the shade. I drove down to my mother’s for an early lunch, fresh and delicious, so that I could then take her to yet another clinic for her sixth Covid jab. She’s never returned to the same place twice and it always seems to be an ad hoc arrangement. Volunteer staff are invariably punctual and polite: it was a delight to see them interacting with my mum, the conversation centring on squirrels and sunflower hearts. My mother wages a constant battle against an astute fellow, the most handsome squirrel I have ever set eyes on and with the bushiest tail. On the way back, I stopped for a few minutes just opposite the Skirrid to enjoy the fresh air and take a few photographs.

We began reading John chapter 6 on Friday last, but have missed two days of the Discourse on the Bread of Life due to the feasts of St George and St Mark, that had proper readings. We return to John today, (Jn 6: 35-40). Jesus is addressing the crowd. You will remember that the episode began with the feeding of the five thousand and then moved to Capernaum.

“I am the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never be hungry;

he who believes in me will never thirst.

But, as I have told you,

you can see me and still you do not believe.

All that the Father gives me will come to me,

and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away;

because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will,

but to do the will of the one who sent me.

Now the will of him who sent me

is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,

and that I should raise it up on the last day.

Yes, it is my Father’s will

that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,

and that I shall raise him up on the last day.”

Although he fed the five thousand with the five loaves and two fish offered by a small boy, Jesus points out to the crowd that he himself is the true bread, the bread of life, and that feeding on him, coming to him and believing in him, will take away any deep and insatiable hunger and thirst they might have, the hunger for forgiveness and thirst for everlasting life. Jesus insists that he will not turn anyone away, because he has come down from heaven not to do his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him. It is the Father’s will that no one should be lost. What is more, it is the Father’s will that whoever sees Jesus and truly believes in him and obeys him, will have eternal life and be raised up by God on the last day. The message of Jesus is one of consolation and hope. No one will be turned away. All we need do is believe in him and come to him with a repentant and open heart.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 25th April

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:28:39 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Mark the Evangelist. We don’t really know whether this is the Mark or John Mark mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as the companion of Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus. Tradition tells us that he took the Gospel to Egypt and founded the Church of Alexandria. His body is venerated at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. I wonder if the countless tourists to that unique city ever spare a thought or a prayer for the saint who made the city great. St Luke’s body, on the other hand, is venerated not far from Venice, at the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Giustina in Padua, another wonderful city.

The Gospel chosen for today’s feast is made up of the final verses of Mark, (Mk 16: 15-20), the last words of the risen Christ to his disciples, followed by a brief account of the Ascension. “Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.”

Jesus sends the Apostles out to the whole world, not simply to all peoples, but to the whole of creation, to proclaim the Good News, that Jesus, who was dead, is risen from the dead and offers to all who believe in him and are baptised the gift of salvation and the forgiveness of their sins. Why would anyone want to refuse this gift, yet many are not interested? Sadly, Christ means nothing to them, even to many who are baptised and once believed. Let’s keep all the lapsed in our prayers and never cease to love them and plead with God for them. The signs associated with believers are not an invitation to try out any of those things. We sometimes hear of people who do, but they don’t live to regret It. Healing the sick is one thing, drinking poison and picking up snakes is another. Even so, one night in Peru, (we had no electricity after 9pm), I stepped on something, cold and slimy, slipped and fell. In the morning, we found an extremely poisonous snake dead on the cloister floor. In the dark, I had stepped barefoot on its head.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 24th April

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:25:13 GMT

In England today we keep the solemnity of our patron saint, St George, who died a martyr’s death on this day at Lydda in the Holy Land in the year 303 at the age of 28. He was a Greek from Cappadocia, a soldier in the Roman army and a member of the Praetorian Guard, sentenced to death for refusing to recant on his Christian faith. He became one of the most venerated of all Christian martyrs with churches dedicated to him throughout the Christian world. He is also venerated among Druze and Muslims for his monotheistic faith. St George is the patron saint of many countries and of countless cities, towns and villages. His cross forms the national flag of England. We pray for his powerful intercession today, that we might be always faithful to Christ and never depart from his teaching.

The short Gospel passage for today’s feast comes from John, (Jn 15: 18-21). Jesus is speaking with his disciples.

“If the world hates you,

remember that it hated me before you.

If you belonged to the world,

the world would love you as its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

because my choice withdrew you from the world,

therefore, the world hates you.

Remember the words I said to you:

A servant is not greater than his master.

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too;

if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.

But it will be on my account that they will do all this,

because they do not know the one who sent me.”

He warns them, in fact, he warns us, that we should not expect to be treated any differently than he was treated. If the world hated Jesus, then it will most surely hate us. For we, like Jesus himself, do not belong to the world. We belong to God and to his kingdom. Not only will the world hate us, but it will also persecute us and believe that it is right and just to do so. We, too, then will be persecuted, just as Jesus was persecuted before us. In very truth, we will be persecuted for Christ is present in our souls and lives in each one of us, for we are the Temple of his Spirit. The world does not know the God who sent Jesus as Messiah into this world, so it won’t recognise us to be his true disciples, so we should rejoice when we are persecuted and even put to death of Jesus’ sake. Would that the English People followed to example of St George today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 23rd April

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 21:32:58 GMT

Today we read the Gospel account from Luke, (Lk 24: 13-35), of the two disciples who meet the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus. It’s beautifully told, as only Luke can tell a story, and encourages us to reflect on our own encounters with the risen Christ, Jesus who walks along the road of life with each one of us. We mostly don’t realise that he’s here with us, or we just don’t recognise him, but our hearts burn within us and there are moments, fleeting moments, when we do recognise him in the breaking of bread. Only one of the two is named, Cleopas, the other’s name is written in heaven, but for the time being he represents each one of us. As the two walk along the road, what else can they discuss but the events that have taken place these past few days in Jerusalem, culminating with the crucifixion and death of Jesus. At a certain point, Jesus joins them and walks along with them, listening carefully to what they’re saying. He even asks them for more details, he of whom they were talking, the irony! Cleopas replies, “You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.” They lay bare their hearts and tell Jesus everything, even that they had been hoping for a political messiah, one who would liberate his people from the yoke of Roman rule. But Jesus has come for a far more radical liberation, the forgiveness of sin and entry into God’s kingdom, for, as St Paul writes, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

When he has heard what they have to say, he explains what the scriptures really meant when they spoke of the Messiah. Even so, they fail to recognise him, although later they will recall, “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?” `it was a long walk, so he had time to go through the scriptures from Moses to the prophets. When they get close to the village, it looks as though Jesus is going further, but they insist he stay with them. When they sit at table, as a guest in their house, Jesus is invited to break bread and say a prayer. Luke tells us, “Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’” The four eucharistic moments are present: he took the bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and handed it out. This, preceded by Jesus explaining the scriptures to them, gives us the outline of what would become the Eucharist, Mass or Divine Liturgy, in which Christ’s Incarnation, Death and Resurrection become a living reality for those present, for it is truly Christ who explains the scriptures to us and breaks the bread of his body and blood for us.

Cleopas and his companion, and remember that a companion is someone who shares their bread with us and sits at table with us, set out immediately for the return journey in the dark to Jerusalem, where further appearances of Christ have taken place. “They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.” Today may we experience some of the joy and excitement of that first Easter when Jesus rose from the dead.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 22nd April

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 21:23:45 GMT

Yesterday, together with Fr Brendan, Fr Matthew and Fr Augustine, I was privileged to take part in a safeguarding course organised by the Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Diocese of Menevia. Safeguarding lies at the very heart of the Gospel and of the Church’s ministry and finds its origin and it end in the justice of God and his love for his children. As Christians, we all have a God-given duty to safeguard the integrity our own lives and the lives of others, especially the young and those who are in any way vulnerable and could fall prey to those who are unscrupulous and evil. To make sure that this is the case, dioceses have safeguarding commissions and co-ordinators, parishes have safeguarding representatives and monasteries designated safeguarding leads. You will always find details of these on our websites and in our newsletters.

Today’s Gospel passage is very short and follows on from John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand, (Jn 6: 16-21). This is John’s account of Jesus walking on the water. “In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles, when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time, it reached the shore at the place they were making for.” It is evening and the disciples are making for Capernaum, As it is dark, they have set off without Jesus, probably thinking that he might walk there. The wind is strong and the sea rough. They have rowed a fair distance when they see Jesus coming towards them, walking on the water. Their reaction is one of fear, but Jesus tells them not to be afraid. “It is I,” he says, reminding us of the many I AM sayings in John’s Gospel. He doesn’t calm the storm nor does he get into the boat, for no sooner than he appears that the boat reaches the shore just at the place where they were making for.

We come to realise, as we go through life, just like the disciples in that boat, that when we allow Jesus to come close and enter into our lives with its fears and uncertainties, everything changes for the good and Jesus keeps us safe and in God’s embrace.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 21st April

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:35:19 GMT

It was good to meet up with a group of old school friends yesterday in Cardiff. Because of Covid we hadn’t met for four years, in my case five, as in 2019 I was recovering from pneumonia. A lot of building, huge grey concrete buildings, quite ugly, seem to have gone up in the vicinity of the Central Station since I was last there. Today I shall be travelling back in the same direction with Fr Augustine, as we will be taking part in a safeguarding course for clergy at Miskin, near Llantrisant.

Today we keep the feast of St Anselm of Canterbury, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, the great Benedictine philosopher and theologian, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 until this date in 1109. He was one of the greatest thinkers the Catholic Church has ever produced and we are blessed to have had him as a bishop in England.

Today’s Gospel takes us to the 6 ^th chapter of John, the multiplication of the loaves and fish, (Jn 6: 1-15), the great sign that will lead Jesus on the deliver the Discourse on the Bread of Life. “Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.” Jesus, like a new Moses, teaches his disciples and the crowds that follow them on a hillside and, like Moses, he will feed his people, though not with manna, but with bread and fish, that will come to symbolise his own body and blood. In John’s version of this miraculous feeding there is the participation of specific disciples: Philip and Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Present, too, is the small boy with five barley loaves and two fish. He is the only person to come forward with food to feed the five thousand. I wonder what his name was? With the simple act of giving thanks, Jesus is able to feed all those present from the five loaves and two fish. Not only that, but twelve hampers are filled with the leftover scraps. So miraculous is the feeding that the account reads like a parable, hence a sign that points to the deeper meaning of the miracle, that Jesus will feed all those who come to him in faith and surrendering their will to God with the Bread of Life that will enable them to live for all eternity.

Here is John’s text of the feeding of the five thousand: “Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough, he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So, they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 20th April

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:32:12 GMT

Having looked closely at the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, we now find ourselves listening to the words of John the Baptist, although many commentators would say that these are probably the words of the author of the Gospel rather than those of John commenting on his statement regarding Jesus in verse 30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Today we read Jn 3: 31-36. This is what John is purported as saying to his disciples.

“He who comes from above is above all others;

he who is born of the earth is earthly himself

and speaks in an earthly way.

He who comes from heaven

bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,

even if his testimony is not accepted;

though all who do accept his testimony

are attesting the truthfulness of God,

since he whom God has sent

speaks God’s own words:

God gives him the Spirit without reserve.

The Father loves the Son

and has entrusted everything to him.

Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,

but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life:

the anger of God stays on him.”

Although some Bible scholars think that verses 31-36 continue the words of John the Baptist, I’m inclined to agree with those who argue that they are the words of the evangelist. The original text did not have quotation marks. A couple of things point us in this direction. First, the Christology seems to be more in line with later, more developed understanding than with that which John the Baptist would have had. Also, these verses are clearly Trinitarian. It would be highly unusual for a Jew like John the Baptist at this point in history to have had such well-defined views. Nevertheless, the text is inspired by God for our spiritual profit. John makes four main points to show why we should believe in Jesus. 1) Jesus has a heavenly origin and is above all. 2) Jesus has a message that comes down from heaven, from God. 3) Jesus has heavenly authority. 4) As a result, our eternal destiny hinges on believing in Jesus. Here the Gospel parts company with those who do not accept that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God and do not believe in God as a Trinity of Persons. The daily proclamation or reading of the Gospel should purify our faith and conform it to the will and reality of God, our Creator and Redeemer.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 19th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 15:33:38 GMT

It’s been a great joy having Abbot Nicholas stay with us for a few days. How we miss him, but understand that he is doing great work with the Downside Community, at present living on the campus at Buckfast Abbey, discerning where their future lies. All monastic communities do that as a matter of course, trying to figure out through prayer and discussion what it is the Lord wants us to do and how he wants us to do it. The same goes for the Belmont Community and for our brethren in Peru. We all want to do what is best for the monks and for those we serve in any way. Most of all, we want to do God’s will through the gift of his grace and the power of his love. Ultimately, we can want nothing else.

Today’s Gospel passage can help us all understand what God wants of us and what he is willing to do for us. We continue listening to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus as found in John, (Jn 3: 16-21). We begin with some of the best known and best loved words of Scripture.

“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.”

Perhaps the version we know best in the anthem from Stainer’s Crucifixion, which at one time was performed in many churches during Holy Week. What better or greater gift could God give us than his own beloved Son, and given up to death on a cross for our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins? We are all called to faith, a faith that will bring us, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, to eternal life, life in God. What God wants above all is our salvation and no sacrifice was too great for God to accomplish that and invite us to believe and accept Jesus as Saviour.

Yet sadly, as we know too well, not all believe. They have refused, “to believe in the name of God’s only Son.” In fact, “though the light has come into the world, men have shown they prefer darkness to the light, because their deeds were evil.” Christ is the light of the world, even so, many reject that light and prefer darkness to light. However, all is not lost, for we know that people do often turn to God when the end comes. When they see eternal darkness beckon them, repentant, they turn to the light for acceptance and forgiveness. “The man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.” It is never too late to turn towards the light and seek reconciliation with God, acknowledging that

“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 18th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 15:31:55 GMT

Yesterday we began reading the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, although Nicodemus does little more than ask a few short questions, as in today’s Gospel passage, (Jn 3: 7-15). Jesus reiterates what he has already said to Nicodemus, that we need to be born once more from above, born again of the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus asks, “How can that be possible?” To this Jesus replies, “You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!” He then goes on to say:

“I tell you most solemnly,

we speak only about what we know

and witness only to what we have seen

and yet you people reject our evidence.

If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,

how are you going to believe me

when I speak to you about heavenly things?

No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Jesus insists that he is not making things up, that he only speaks of what he sees and knows to be true, that he is the only one to have come down from heaven to reveal the hidden things of heaven. What is more, he has come, the Son of Man, who must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so that whoever believes in him and relies on his healing power, the power to forgive, will have eternal life.

As we know this was accomplished by Jesus in his passion, death and resurrection. We recall and celebrate these each day in our daily Eucharist, when the mystery of salvation becomes a reality in our lives.

Fr Paul

WOW Group Lent Lunch

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:56:31 GMT

WOW group enjoying the Lenten Lunch with cheese and ice cream tasting at St Michael’s Hospice 4th April 2023

Next meeting 3rd May 11am, at the Parish Centre.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 17th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:48:52 GMT

Yesterday we concluded the celebration of the Octave of Easter, that ancient Judaeo-Christian custom of celebrating an important feast for eight days. There was a time when the Church celebrated many Octaves, such as Christmas, the Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost and the Assumption, for example, but today we only keep two Octaves, those of Christmas and Easter. It fascinates me to see how we, as Christians, spend time celebrating and enjoying festal seasons, while the world around us moves on very quickly and soon forgets that Easter or even Christmas ever was. All that seems to matter is the commercial aspect of the feast and not that we should celebrate or meditate on the great mystery that we commemorate. It’s only Lent that seems to escape commercialisation, with the sole exception of hot cross buns., which, of course, are now available in our supermarkets all the year round.

Today, then, Monday in the Second Week of Easter and we begin reading John’s Gospel at Mass each day, those sections that were probably not read during Lent. We start at Chapter 3, verses 1 to 8, the visit of Nicodemus to Jesus. “There was one of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a leading Jew, who came to Jesus by night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who comes from God; for no one could perform the signs that you do unless God were with him.’“ Nicodemus will reappear with Joseph of Arimathea after the crucifixion, when they ask Pilate for permission to bury the body of Jesus. Here we learn that he is a Pharisee and a leading Jew and obviously a secret admirer of Jesus, recognising him to be a teacher, a rabbi, come from God. Jesus replies, “I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Although our translation has “born from above”, the Greek word can also be translated as “born again.” This accounts for Nicodemus’ answer, “How can a grown man be born? Can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Is it possible to be born a second time?

Jesus’ reply is similar to teaching we will hear many times from his lips in the course of the Gospel. “I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: what is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.” We all need to be born again of water and the spirit if we are to enter into the kingdom of God. We need to be born of the Spirit. Although that happened with most of us when we were baptised as children or when, later in life, we asked for baptism or confirmation, nevertheless it’s a decision we have to make every day. asking the Lord anew each day to anoint us and fill us with his Spirit. We need to be born of the Spirit anew at each moment of our lives. We need to ask ourselves how often, consciously, do we ask the Lord to anoint and guide us with his Holy Spirit, to strengthen and heal us with his Spirit. Today’s Gospel invites us to renew our lives as disciples through a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit on each one of us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 16th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:27:49 GMT

Yesterday was such a busy day, which included a rather grand wedding and a baptism. If I tell you there were no less than fourteen bridesmaids, that might give you an idea of the number of guests and all that went with it, yet it was also homely and informal and such a lovely couple. The baptism, too, was a very happy affair, with more small children present than I have seen altogether in a long while, and all so well behaved. Then a large number of our Ukrainian friends came for the blessing of Easter food parcels and we remember them and all Eastern Rite Christians, who celebrate Easter today. An exhausting day, but one that was full of joy and thanksgiving for the gift of life, love and family.

I’ll write briefly on today’s Gospel, because it deserves a book or at least a series of lectures, rather than a message or a short homily. It is John’s account of Jesus’ two appearances in the upper room, the first on Easter Sunday evening, the other a week or eight days later, that is today, the Octave of Easter, (Jn 20: 19-31).

“In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

So am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

They are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.”

The climax to the account come in the words of Jesus, “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe.” We are among those who have not seen and yet believe, but would believe were it not for the testimony of Thomas?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 15th April

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:26:38 GMT

I enjoy reading novels and most nights I get to read a chapter of my current novel in bed before turning out the light. More often than not I fall asleep before getting to the end of the chapter and wake up in the middle of the night with the light still on and my iPad still held firmly in my hand. It’s a way of relaxing at the very end of the day, a way of clearing the mind of all that I have dealt with in the course of the day and will have to deal with the following day. There are times I would like to write an alternative ending to the novel in an effort to draw all the threads together, dotting the I’s and crossing the t’s. It’s clear that those who redacted or edited the Gospel texts early on also did something similar. I mentioned the case of John chapter 21 yesterday. Today we have the case of Mark 16. It’s clear that the Gospel originally ended with verse 8, unsatisfactory as it may appear, with the women frightened out of their wits as they run away from the tomb. It’s possible that there were further verses that brought the Resurrection narrative to a more positive conclusion, but somehow these were lost. So a new ending was composed, a summary of what is found in the other Gospels or might well have been found in the original Marcan ending. These constitute today’s Gospel reading, (Mk 16: 9-15).

“Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.

After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.

Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’”

This reads very nicely, containing as it does in the first place the appearance of Jesus to Mary of Magdala. She goes to tell the disciples, often called companions in the Resurrection narratives, yet they do not believe her. This reflects the initial disbelief of the disciples when faced with the news that Jesus is risen from the dead. Next follows his appearance to two disciples, possibly on the road to Emmaus. They too return to tell the disciples, who do not believe them. Finally, he appears to the Eleven when at table, where he reproaches them for their incredulity and obstinacy. reflecting perhaps the account in John 20. Yet, even here, there is something new, the great mission on which the disciples are sent: “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.” That mission remains ours today and is what Jesus is telling his Church, and that includes you and me. We must never forget that it is a mission to the whole of creation. How could we forget that in Spring, when the whole of creation bursts into life anew?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 14th April

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:24:46 GMT

It was really nice to have an almost free day yesterday: no appointments, no urgent papers to read or emails to write, just the Conventual Mass and usual Offices, and plenty of free time for rest and prayer. I won’t say that I didn’t need it, as the weekend ahead promises to be pretty brutal.

Our Gospel passage today comes from John, (Jn 21: 1-14), the first part of a chapter that looks to have been written or, at least, attached later on to chapter 20, which itself has a powerful ending. Chapter 21 sees the disciples back at their work, fishing on the Sea of Tiberius or Lake Galilee. It’s true that the angels had told the women to tell the disciples to return to Galilee, where Jesus would appear to them. However, all the first resurrection appearances take place in Jerusalem or nearby, such as on the road to Emmaus. “Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.” Seven disciples in all are fishing that night and have caught nothing. It’s as though they had never met Jesus or been his disciples. They talk about fishing, not about Jesus.

It’s daylight when Jesus appears, or should I say because Jesus appears. “It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in.” Although he speaks with them, they do not know him. Not even the large catch gives them a clue. It’s only the beloved disciple, the one who leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper and stood with Mary at the foot of the cross, who recognises Jesus. “The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.” Why could the others not recognise him? How come they no longer knew him, if they had spent a number of years following him around Galilee, Samaria and Judaea, listening to his teaching, witnessing his miracles, living with him, praying with him? What was it that prevented them from recognising him? It seems they had to get to know him all over again. In fact, they are still wanting to ask Jesus, as if not sure, “Who are you?” Isn’t that strange?

“As soon as they came ashore, they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.” Had Jesus himself lit the charcoal fire, or were there other people present? Did he provide the bread and the fish that were already cooking, or were there others who did that, the women perhaps. There’s so much we don’t know, but would like to know. It is Jesus who invites them to break their fast after a hard but futile night’s work. It is Jesus himself, in a eucharistic gesture, who gives them the bread and fish to eat. Tantalisingly, that is all we are told. And what about that number of fish, 153. What would be the meaning, if any, of that?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 13th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:23:39 GMT

It was a great joy yesterday to visit my mother and enjoy an Italian Easter together. Every region, town and village in Italy has its own traditional Easter dishes. It’s amazing how in wettest and windiest Wales, an extremely old lady can still conjure up the authentic flavours of Perugia that so delight the palate and the stomach. The weather going down took us through all four seasons from near-freezing temperatures and snow on The Blorenge above Abergavenny, a severe hailstorm with hailstones that appeared to be the size of golf balls as they crashed against the windscreen, torrential rain and savage winds, and then the calm of sunshine and fluffy spring clouds. After passing Neath, the traffic became pure chaos, as drivers discovered that the M4 was closed: there had been no advance warning of this and it added an hour to our journey in the last few miles. As always, for God is good to Toby, the weather brightened up around 2.30, enabling me to take him down to the beach for a good two hours. There we met an old school friend, who returned to live locally after retirement. It was cold and windy but exhilarating, and we were the only three to venture onto the beach.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 24: 35-48), takes up the story of the two disciples, Cleopas and his companion, who “told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.” Luke’s account continues with the appearance of Jesus to all the disciples gathered together. You will notice some similarities with the account in John 20, where Jesus appears to ten apostles, locked for fear in the Upper Room, when Thomas is missing. “They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.” Isn’t it strange how even those closest to Jesus fail to recognise him on that first Easter day? They are frightened out of their wits and think they’re seeing a ghost.

Then Jesus explains the scriptures to them, as he had done to the two on the road to Emmaus. “Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’” His resurrection is the fulfilment of the scriptures and they are now witnesses to this, but they must witness to Jesus by bringing others to salvation through faith in him, so that all peoples can have their sins forgiven. This means that you and I are also witnesses. I wonder if we are fulfilling the task given us by Jesus after his resurrection?

Fr Paul

Ears to Hear Feedback

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:21:36 GMT

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Lenten exercise and those who came to the feedback session on
1st April. The PPC have produced a report for the entire community to read, digest and respond to available

It will be available as a hard copy in the church porch after Mass, via email and on the parish website via the following link;

Summary Report

If you feel able to share your responses with us you can do so by 14th May in one of three ways:

(1) by emailing Belmontabbeycensus@gmail.com
(2) by writing on a piece of paper and dropping into the box marked ‘Ears to Hear’ in the church porch.
(3) by talking to one of the members of the PPC after Mass.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 12 April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:06:48 GMT

Of all the Resurrection accounts, the one that most touches our hearts, because it’s closest to our own experience, is that of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. We are only told the name of one of them, Cleopas, the other could be you or me. Perhaps that’s why we’re not given his or her name by Luke, the evangelist who tells the story, (Lk 24: 13-35). “Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.” Is it little wonder that their faces were downcast? They were returning from Jerusalem, not a short walk, and they were discussing what had happened there, as they saw it, these past few days. They were confused and didn’t quite know what to believe. In fact, they’re so upset that they don’t recognise the stranger who comes up and begins to walk alongside them. We know it’s Jesus, because Luke tells us, but they, like all the others, fail to recognise him, even when he speaks with them. He asks them to tell him their story, which is what Jesus asks us to do when he with meets us, and when we are at prayer.

It is Cleopas who answers him. “’You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’” Although they tell him their story, they let slip that even they, his disciples, hadn’t grasped the truth about Jesus. They were still looking to him to be a political liberator rather than the Saviour of the world, the Mediator between God and humankind, he who would forgive his people their sins. I often wonder how Jesus felt listening to them tell their side of the story. His reply is powerful. “‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.”

He has given himself away, yet even so, it hasn’t twigged. How could it? They could never imagine, just as we can’t, that Jesus would be with them in their sorrow and disillusionment. The very fact that they were still speaking about Jesus, however, shows that they still lived in hope that there would be something more than a bare cross and an empty tomb.

So intense had been the conversation that, without realising it, they were soon at the outskirts of their village. The stranger is about to take his leave, but Cleopas and his friend invite Jesus to stay and share a meal with them. It’s late and getting dark. “When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So, he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’” It is at table that their eyes are opened. But why at table? Had they been at the Last Supper? Or had they just been present at the feeding of the five thousand? In hindsight, they realise that their hearts also burned as he explained the Scriptures to them on the road. Suddenly, everything fits into place and they have the answer to all their questions. Christ is risen from the dead and they have seen him. He walked with them and they spoke with him. He entered into their house and ate with them. He is alive and they are new men.

“They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.” It might be late in the evening, but they set off in the dark and walk straight back to Jerusalem. In fact, they now walk by the light of faith. It might be pitch black but they can see and they have a message to convey, a Gospel to preach. “They told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.” What is our story this week? How are we proclaiming the Gospel to all those we meet?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 11th April

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:04:21 GMT

I have a confession to make. I was so tired after the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, that yesterday I could barely keep awake. In fact, after lunch, I fell asleep on Toby’s sofa and didn’t wake up until just before Vespers. Then in the evening, I had been invited to have supper with Fr Simon and his sister Georgina. As a result, I couldn’t see my way to writing a message last night for today. Forgive me, as it is a wonderful Gospel passage and one of my very favourites, the encounter between Mary of Magdala and the Risen Christ in John, (Jn 20: 11-18). Here is that passage:

“Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.”

Mary is called the Apostle of the Apostles. She is the first to speak with the Risen Christ, who sends her to announce his resurrection to his apostles and disciples.

I attach a photograph of an early 16 ^th century Dutch tapestry. In it, Mary wears a sumptuous cloak, shimmering with gilt-metal-wrapped thread. She kneels with her hands extended, her eyes fixed on Christ’s body. Christ raises his right hand, commanding Mary to keep her distance, and presents his wound. As if captured in the exact moment of his revelation, Christ holds a humble spade, though he appears here in his resurrected majesty. Gilded threads blaze forth from his head to create a cruciform halo. It’s a magnificent work. I also attach a few icons.

Fr Paul

Copy of Message from Fr Paul for Easter Monday 10th April

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 10:51:27 GMT

As a young lad, I often spent Holy Week and Easter with my Italian grandmother in Perugia, Italy. It was easy to do so, as school holidays in the U.K. in those days coincided with religious festivals. I was always struck by the fact that Italians called Easter Monday ‘Pasquetta” (Little Easter) or ‘Lunedì dell’Angelo’ (Monday of the Angel), celebrating the Angel of the Resurrection who proclaimed to the women that Jesus had risen from the dead. The Gospel, in fact, begins and ends with an Annunciation: that God would become Man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, had risen from the dead and was alive. The Angel told the women, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.” (Mk 16: 6)

In addition, in the Roman Gradual today’s Offertory Chant is the exquisite ‘Angelus Domini descendit de caelis.” (The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven). My hope is that we will manage to sing it at Belmont, not an easy task. What for most people is just another Bank Holiday with no religious connotation whatever, for us Christians today is the second day of the Easter Octave, when we continue celebrating with joy the fact that Jesus, who was crucified, dead and buried, rose from the dead and is alive in the hearts of all those who believe in him and accept him to be their Lord and Saviour.

The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven and said to the women, “The one you are looking for is risen, just as he said he would. Alleluia.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Easter Sunday 9th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 10:49:26 GMT

My dear friends, please allow me to wish you a very happy and holy Easter, full of the joy of the Risen Lord, the feast that never fails to touch our lives with faith, hope and the power of God’s love. I pray for my readers each day and thank you for praying for me. I share with you a few thoughts about the Resurrection, on which our Christian faith is based. Were it not that Christ is risen from the dead, there would be no Church, no Christians, and the world would be a far bleaker place than it is. God bless you abundantly and may you meet the Risen Christ today and everyday.

“Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and he believed.” What did he see and what did he believe? He saw nothing but an empty tomb with the linen cloths lying on the ground. At the end of the gospel, we are told what he believed, “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,” and that we have life in his Name. On that first Easter Day, St John has the Beloved Disciple come to faith in the risen Lord on the evidence of an empty tomb alone. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

The joy and beauty of our Easter celebrations cannot alter the fact that the true significance of this day is far harder for us to appreciate than the meaning of Christmas or Good Friday. We believe that God stepped into our world at Bethlehem to become part of human history and this causes a ray of light to fall even on those who do not have faith. Passion and death also reflect the world in which we live and our own experience of suffering. Much as we try to avoid the thought, we know that death awaits us all and that one day we will give in to a force far greater than ourselves. We celebrate Holy Week, grateful that God has shared with us the anguish and pain of suffering and death. But Easter is different. In his resurrection, Jesus has not entered into the ordinary life of human beings; rather he has broken through its limitations and entered a new realm beyond our understanding. This is unknown territory for us all. God leads us into a vast, uncharted expanse and encourages us to follow him. Since we are only acquainted with things on this side of the grave, there is nothing in our experience that connects us with the news that Jesus is risen from the dead.

Easter centres on something unimaginable and, in human thought and language, inexplicable and indescribable. The doubts of the disciples and their confusion cry out to us from every page of the resurrection accounts, culminating in the words of Thomas, “Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.” Then, like Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus, there is their inability to recognise Jesus. Only when he was at table with them, were their eyes opened as they “recognised him in the breaking of bread.” One of the strangest features of the resurrection narratives is his unrecognizability. For most of the disciples, an encounter with the risen Christ begins as a meeting with a stranger and Jesus often condemns the inadequacy of their earlier understanding. Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener. Rowan Williams writes, “Jesus is not what they have thought him to be, and thus they must ‘learn’ him afresh, as if from the beginning. Once again, John crystallises this most powerfully by presenting the disciples in their fishing boats, as if they had never known Jesus: they must begin again.”

Neither the disciples nor the evangelists, nor has the Church ever tried to iron out the discrepancies between the various accounts of the Resurrection. The risen Christ was not a projection of the hopes of the first Christian community. The Resurrection of Jesus remains the greatest of all mysteries and yet it lies at the very heart of the Christian faith. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” The Church has always translated the Easter message into symbols, which point to things that words cannot express. The Paschal fire and the Paschal candle, for wherever light conquers darkness, something of the Resurrection takes place. Water, which can be both lifegiving and life-threatening, is blessed for baptism so that we might die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. We bless people and things with holy water in order to establish oases of life and hope in the desert places of our world. With the constant singing of Alleluia, we join in the song of the angels in heaven, where every tear shall be wiped away and every sorrow and lament be ended.

Like the beloved disciple, we have seen and we believe. We do not ask to see more than an empty tomb and we must be content to recognise Jesus in the breaking of bread and to hear his voice as he explains the Scriptures to us. Every day, encouraged by the celebration of the Easter mystery, we learn anew what it means to be a disciple of the Risen Saviour as we walk in faith. Faith is the greatest adventure there is, an invitation to go much further than we had anticipated or foreseen. It is a window that opens out onto eternal life. Jesus asks us not to be afraid, but to trust in him and follow him through darkness into light and from death to life. To Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, be glory and praise for ever. Alleluia. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 8th April

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 14:33:04 GMT

“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” For some unknown reason the compilers of the Lectionary omitted that final verse of St Mark’s account of the Resurrection from tonight’s Gospel reading, ending as it does with those extraordinary and unexpected words, “for they were afraid.” How strange that the three women, who had been so brave until now and had even entered the tomb on seeing that the stone, which was very big, had been rolled away, should be filled with amazement and fear at hearing the message of the Easter angel, “There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He is risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him.”

Although the women eventually did tell the disciples and Peter what “the young man in the white robe seated on the right-hand side” had said, their initial reaction was one of terror and amazement and, in fear, they fled from the tomb. What would you or I have done? Jesus had often said to his disciples, “Do not be afraid,” yet they were still afraid and confused, especially after the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Now it looked as though the Resurrection would add to their fear and confusion. But the women weren’t simply afraid, they were amazed, for they realised that there was something more than a miracle here. Now, unlike the apostles, they had been faithful to Jesus even when he was taken prisoner, condemned to death and crucified. They had stood by at a distance as he died on the cross and was buried in the tomb. It had been a rushed affair, that burial, so “when the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices with which to anoint him.” So it was that, “very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising.” There they became the very first to learn of the Resurrection. Once their fears had subsided, they became the first to tell the apostles and the whole world that Jesus was risen from the dead.

The Church, this community of believers, is still here 2000 years on, because of what happened that first Easter sometime after sunset on the Sabbath and before sunrise of the first day of the week. From that moment, nothing could ever be the same again. The Angel of the Resurrection tells us tonight, “He is risen; he is not here.” Jesus, the source of all life, lies no longer in the tomb, but lives in our hearts through faith. In baptism we died with Christ in order to live with him. Do we recognise the living Christ within us? Do we see the living Christ in our neighbour? And is it possible for us to say with St Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”? St Gregory of Nazianzus expressed it like this: “Yesterday I was crucified with Christ; today I am glorified with him. Yesterday I was dead with Christ; today I am sharing in his Resurrection. Yesterday I was buried with Christ; today I am waking with him from the sleep of death.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Good Friday 7th April

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 14:30:13 GMT

“What I have written, I have written.” It was Pilate’s last word. He had written the notice himself and fixed it to the cross; “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” For St Paul, the Cross was the answer to all his questions. Nothing else was needed: he could glory in the Cross of his Lord and Saviour, accepting all manner of suffering and hardship in the joy and confidence of being reconciled to God in Christ Jesus. The Cross is the work of the Father, who so loved the world that he gave his only Son. It is the work of the Son, who did not cling to equality with God but humbled himself, accepting death on a cross. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, in whom the Son offers himself to the Father and who is poured out by the Son, when “bowing his head, he gave up the spirit.” In the Cross, we come to know the love of God, which surpasses all understanding.

Adam fell at a tree, yet by a tree he was saved. Eve was seduced at a tree, yet through a tree the bride was restored to her spouse. At a tree Satan defeated Adam: on a tree Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. At a tree God cursed man and through a tree that curse gave way to blessing. God exiled Adam from the tree of life: on a tree the New Adam endured exile that we might inherit the earth and know the joys of heaven. The Cross is the tree of knowledge, the tree of judgement and the tree of life. The Cross is the staff of Moses that divides the waters and leads us dry-shod through the sea of life. The Cross is the wood thrown into the bitter waters of Marah to make them sweet and life-giving. The Cross is the standard on which Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and on which Jesus is now lifted up to draw all people to himself.

The Cross is planted on Calvary, and Golgotha is the new Eden. It is greater than Sinai, for the new Covenant is sealed in the Blood of Christ. On Calvary God reveals his Glory and speaks his final Word. It is greater than Mount Zion, the mountain of the Great King. It is the true Tabor, for the Transfiguration prefigured this moment when Christ is glorified and in him God is glorified. Calvary is the new Carmel, where the fire of God falls from heaven to consume with its living flame the altar of the new Israel of God, the Church, the Body of Christ made up of living stones. The Cross is the new ladder of Jacob, by which we climb to heaven, while Jesus is the new Bethel, the house of God, in which there are many mansions, where we shall live forever.

The Cross lies at the heart, at the crossroads of history, “the twisted knot at the centre of reality”, to which all previous history leads and from which all subsequent history flows. The Cross reveals the ultimate meaning of life, where the love of God embraces the whole universe and redeems it in the sacrifice of Christ, our High Priest, who takes into his very being our sufferings and our sins, the tragedy of our fallen nature. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering, but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.” The Bible contained in a single verse.

Pilate was a weak but stubborn man. “What I have written, I have written.” St Paul was a stubborn man, calling all things rubbish when compared to knowing Christ crucified, for the Jews a stumbling block, for the Gentiles madness, but for those who believe the very wisdom and salvation of God. Let us be stubborn in our faith. We worship you, Christ, and we bless you, by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 6th April

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 09:07:20 GMT

Although today is Maundy Thursday, when in all parishes we commemorate the Last Supper with a Solemn Evening Mass, after which there is a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to an altar of repose, that symbolises the Garden of Gethsemane, nevertheless it is also the day when traditionally every bishop celebrates the Chrism Mass in his cathedral surrounded by his priests and deacons. Although it is called the Chrism Mass, because Holy Chrism is consecrated during the Mass, other holy oils, the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens, are also blessed. I thought that today, for a change, I would say a brief word about this Mass and the Gospel read at it.

First of all, it should be said that most dioceses now celebrate this Mass with a few days anticipation to avoid a rush on Maundy Thursday and to enable more priests and layfolk to be present at the Mass in the cathedral as well as at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in their parishes. Likewise, although traditionally the Oil of the Sick was blessed during the Eucharistic Prayer, while the Oil of Catechumens was blessed and Chrism consecrated after Communion, today bishops are free to move things around a bit, if it is more convenient. In addition to blessing and consecrating oils, it’s also now become the custom for priests to renew their priestly vows or promises, the ones they made at their ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. You can find all the texts in your Missal, so do read them, if you have a spare moment.

The Gospel at the Chrism Mass is taken from Luke, (Lk 4: 16-21), where Jesus returns to Nazareth, where he is about to preach his first homily in the synagogue there on the sabbath day. Luke remarks that Jesus always attends synagogue on the Sabbath. The section he reads from Isaiah is the following.

“The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

for he has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives

and to the blind new sight,

to set the downtrodden free,

to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.”

Jesus is anointed with the Spirit, because he comes to bestow the Spirit upon us, and he does that, as Messiah, by anointing us with holy oil. Isaiah also gives an indication as to why Jesus is anointed, and so why we are anointed.

What is really interesting is what follows in the synagogue sequence. “He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’” Jesus himself tells them that the text he has read is being fulfilled before their very eyes, that he is the Messiah foretold by Isaiah. Jesus is the anointed one and the one who will impart mercy and grace on those with whom he shares his Spirit through holy anointing. The Church is the anointed Bride of Christ and Maundy Thursday, the day on which Christ lavishes on his Church all her Sacraments, his gifts of grace and life, hope and salvation.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 5th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 09:06:15 GMT

Again today, the Gospel reading concentrates on the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, but this time as related in Matthew rather than John, (Mt 26: 14-25). It’s similar in many ways to the version we read yesterday in John chapter 13. We read that even before the Passover, Judas has already decided to betray Jesus and hand him over to the chief priests. “One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.” What a desperately sad story it makes. It’s always struck me as somewhat strange that the other disciples had no idea about what was going on in Judas’ mind.

So it was, then, that “when evening came, Jesus was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating, he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’” The disciples were honest men and they knew perfectly well that anyone of them had it in him to betray Jesus. “Not I, Lord, surely?” came from the lips of each one of them. Even Judas says, “Not I, Rabbi, surely.” Jesus’ reply is enigmatic, neither yes nor no, but he does say to Judas, “Those are your words, not mine.” The others might not know, but Judas does know exactly what he is planning to do. It’s a sad story, which we pray will never be repeated.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 4th April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 09:38:43 GMT

So many have written thanking me for the birdsong that I occasionally record while walking Toby first thing each morning, that I hope to attach another example. However, this does depend on our email system accepting such a large file. I will also attach some photographs of wild flowers, violets and celandines, and a few photographs of Belmont taken yesterday.

The Passion and Resurrection narrative in John takes up a third of his Gospel. Today, (Jn 13: 21-33; 36-38), we hear some of the discussion between Jesus and his disciples, two predictions or prophecies: that Judas would betray him and Peter deny him, two similar forms of infidelity to his friendship and love. “While at supper with his disciples, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, ‘I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, wondering which he meant.” They are conscious of the fact that anyone of them could possibly be the one who is to betray Jesus. We, too, know that we are capable of betraying Jesus. The disciples want to know who it is. “The disciple Jesus loved was reclining next to Jesus; Simon Peter signed to him and said, ‘Ask who it is he means,’ so leaning back on Jesus’ breast he said, ‘Who is it, Lord?’ ‘It is the one’ replied Jesus ‘to whom I give the piece of bread that I shall dip in the dish.’ He dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At that instant, after Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus then said, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’” Jesus knows what Judas has in mind to do, which he why he offers him the piece of bread that has been dipped into the dish. Judas understands at that moment that Jesus is aware of his intentions and leaves. The other disciples fail to see what is going on and remain confused. “None of the others at table understood the reason he said this. Since Judas had charge of the common fund, some of them thought Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’, or telling him to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. Night had fallen.” That short sentence, “Night had fallen,” indicates that the powers of evil are at work and appear to have the upper hand. The light of the world is about to be snuffed out.

Yet, once Judas has gone, Jesus feels he can say: “Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon. My little children,

I shall not be with you much longer. You will look for me, And, as I told the Jews,

where I am going, you cannot come.” In John, Jesus’ passion and death are his glorification for they lead to his glorious resurrection from the dead. Peter, however, is mystified. “Simon Peter said, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus replied, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow me now; you will follow me later.’ Peter said to him, ‘Why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ ‘Lay down your life for me?’ answered Jesus. ‘I tell you most solemnly, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.’” Poor Peter, he wants to follow Jesus and lay down his life for him, but Jesus warns him that before the cock crows he will have disowned his Lord three times. How tragic this story would be, were it not for the fact that we know what lies ahead. Perhaps knowing that makes it even more tragic.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 3rd April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 09:35:33 GMT

Looking back at Palm Sunday, all our celebrations were very well attended with good participation by each of the congregations. If there was one thing that really stood out for me, it was a birdsong that accompanied the blessing of palms and the procession to the church at the 11 o’clock Mass. At present they begin singing each morning at around 5.30am and are still singing as I write these few words at 8.30pm. Where do they get all that energy from? And I do envy their perfect pitch and the ability to reach the top notes without fail every time.

Our Gospel today comes from John, (Jn 12: 1-11), and sees Jesus return to Bethany and the house of his dear friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus. John sets the scene. “Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.” Once again, we find Martha waiting at table, serving Jesus, and Lazarus sitting among the guests, but where is Mary? We soon find out. “Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was full of the scent of the ointment.” What can be the meaning of this anointing? Why only his feet? And why wipe them with her hair? What do you make of all this? Yet, only Judas Iscariot reacts. “’Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contributions. So Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.’” The ointment used is costly. Judas’ reasoning seems justified, yet John comments that Judas was a thief and often stole from the common fund for his own personal use. Jesus, on the other hand, seems to interpret her act as one of charity towards the dead, implying that he himself will soon be a dead man and that her action is prophetic.

The home of his friends at Bethany is bursting to the seams with visitors, some come to see Jesus, other to see Lazarus. The result is that the high priests decide to kill not only Jesus, but also his friend Lazarus, who could be used as a propaganda tool by the disciples of Jesus. In fact, we are told that, “It was on account of Lazarus that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 2nd april

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 09:15:31 GMT

Yesterday, we had the great privilege to host the Installation of the High Sheriff of Herefordshire at Belmont. The ceremony took place in the Abbey, an historic first, and was a wonderful occasion, greatly enjoyed by all present. We thank God and pray for the outgoing High Sheriff, Sarah de Rohan, and the new High Sheriff, Robert Robinson

Today we keep Palm Sunday, recalling the day on which Jesus entered triumphantly into Jerusalem, acclaimed by the crowds, who threw palm branches at his feet and covered the ass he rode upon with their own cloaks. It was a decision that Jesus took, knowing what the outcome would be. At the Blessing of Palms, we read the episode as described in Matthew, (Mt 21: 1-11). Jesus also decides how he is going to enter the city. “When they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village facing you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her: untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and he will send them immediately.’” We don’t know who the animals’ owner was. It’s clear that Jesus doesn’t have to ask permission. Matthew does, however, explain why the ass and its colt. “This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Sion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass.’” The prophet is Zechariah and the verse 9: 9 and the king is the Messianic King, the Messiah himself. This is how he would be recognised.

Although not fully understanding why, the disciples obey their master’s command. “The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” What could have been going through their minds, as they saw Jesus riding straight into the lions’ den that awaited him in Jerusalem? However, for the moment it was a triumphant entry. The crowds were on his side and acclaiming him. “And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” In the Hebrew Bible, Hosanna is a cry for help or salvation made to one who can save, whereas in the New Testament it is a cry of praise to one who can or will save us, Jesus the Saviour, who comes in God’s name. As he enters Jerusalem there are questions asked about him. “And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said,

‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.’” The enigma of Jesus: who is this? Who is he? For an answer we go back to the beginning of the Gospel story where he was called, “the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Crowds are fickle, especially when under the influence of astute political or religious leaders. Very soon they will turn against Jesus and will opt to save the life of a criminal called Barabbas. I wonder what you and I would have done.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 1st April

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 09:12:32 GMT

You might remember that last Sunday we heard the account from John’s Gospel of the Raising of Lazarus, one of the unforgettable stories about Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. In today’s Gospel passage, (Jn 11: 45-56), we read the sequel, you could say, what happened as a result of that miracle. “Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done.” Sadly, the fact that many Jews came to believe in Jesus takes second place to the fact that others reported what had happened to the Pharisees. Trouble was bound to come out of this and it most surely did. “Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs’ they said ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.’” What is interesting here is the fear of the Romans that they express, over and above any theological concern for what Jesus has said about himself. If the crowds begin to follow Jesus, he will be regarded as a political agitator and the Romans will come in and destroy the Temple and fully subjugate the nation. Ironically, this happened in the year 70AD.

Next John reports the words of the high priest Caiaphas. “You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” He then comments, and this is important. “He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God.” God can use even an evil and corrupt man to make a prophecy, that Jesus would die not only to save his own people but the whole world. As a result of his words, the religious authorities set out seriously to find Jesus, arrest him and have him killed. He has become a political danger to them as well as a religious one. Jesus himself now goes into hiding with his disciples in the country area bordering on the desert, but that refuge would only last a short while, as Passover was approaching.

John reports an expectancy among the people. “The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’” There are times when John’s Gospel reads almost as a pantomime script. As well as speaking amongst themselves, these country folk are addressing the reader or the hearer of the Gospel, and our church congregations too. Will he come, or won’t he? What do you think?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 31st March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:43:25 GMT

This coming Sunday we will be celebrating Palm Sunday as Holy Week begins. In the U.K. it all tends to be rather minimal and low key, very sad really. So my thoughts turn towards Peru and other Latin American countries, where I spent so many exhausting but happy years celebrating Holy Week and Easter, or to Greece, where I spent several Holy Weeks and Easters as a student. Today, the Friday before Palm Sunday, the first of the great nine processions of Holy Week takes place, that of the Dolorosa, the Sorrowful Mother of Our Lord. The procession begins after an evening Mass, accompanied by a band, through the streets of Tambogrande and not end until daybreak. Then at dawn on Easter Sunday there is the procession of the Risen Christ, known as Los Encuentros, following on from the Easter Vigil that begins at 3am. The town’s entire population always seemed to be present at everything. This year Byzantine Easter is a week later than our Western Easter, so I will have the joy of celebrating Holy Week a second time, in Greece via YouTube. I fear I’m a glutton for Liturgy and popular religion when it comes to Holy Week and Easter. How I wish I could be back in Peru today, but I’ll have to make do with vivid memories and what can be found live on the Internet, although the six-hour time difference makes it difficult. Please forgive my bouts of nostalgia, but I find Holy Week a particularly bleak week to cope with in the U.K.

Our Gospel for today comes once more from John, (Jn 10: 31-42), and although we’ve moved on a couple of chapters, the religious authorities are still fetching stones with which to stone Jesus. He asks them, “I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?” But they reply, “We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.” You will remember that yesterday Jesus used the Holy Name of God and applied it to himself. I AM, the name God gave to Moses at the burning bush. “Before Abraham was, I AM” Jesus argues from scripture, where in the psalms we find written, “You are gods and sons of the Most High.” (Ps 82: 6) Jesus retorts, “You say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because he says, ‘I am the son of God.’” He wants them to believe in his works, if not in him. Yet his final statement is even stronger than his first. “You will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” If only they would take notice of his works, they too would come to this conclusion. They want to arrest him, so yet again he eludes them. He goes back to where John had been baptising, on the far side of the Jordan. For a short while, the situation calms down and Jesus is at peace. People there even come to believe in him in contrast to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. But things are coming to a head.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 30th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:03:21 GMT

The past few days have been difficult in more ways than one. The hay fever, that first raised its ugly and painful head in February with the advent of catkins, has flared up for some unknown reason, waking me at 2 or 3 o’clock with sneezing fits, struggling for breath and, worse still, streaming eyes and veritable buckets full of mucus: where on earth does it come from? I’m not allowed to take antihistamines because of the abundant medication I take for blood pressure and diabetes. Add to that, what appears to me to be more work than ever. The result is that I feel washed out morning, noon and night. Thank God I have a sense of humour, a modicum of patience and the company of my beautiful companion Toby, who instils peace and calm into my life. Now, I’m not a complete pagan, so I realise and acknowledge that it is God our heavenly Father working through the ministrations of Toby, who, perhaps even more than I, was created in God’s image and likeness. I thought I’d better share this with you in case you see me looking glum next time you bump into me. I hope it clears before Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum.

In our Gospel reading today, we continue in John, (Jn 8: 51-59), where Jesus is discussing with the Jews, i.e. the religious authorities of his day, scribes and Pharisees, his relationship and theirs with Abraham and with God. Jesus begins by saying, “I tell you most solemnly, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” This is like a red rag to a bull, for they answer. “Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?” This is their fundamental question, who is Jesus claiming to be? We might well ask, how many times does he have to repeat the answer? Admittedly, Jesus can be enigmatic in his words. He replies, “If I were to seek my own glory that would be no glory at all; my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you say, “He is our God” although you do not know him… But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.”

Not only does Jesus claim to know the Father, but he also knows and has seen Abraham. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.” This theme will be fully developed in the Letter to the Hebrews, where the faith of Abraham and the great men and women of the Old Testament is detailed and praised. His hearers fail to understand his words. “You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!” To which Jesus replies with one of the famous I am sayings, “I tell you most solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I Am.” This is one of my very favourites. Jesus, as Son of the Father, is from all eternity. Sadly, the reaction of his hearers is far from positive and is yet another prophecy of the Passion, which fast approaches. “At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.”

Just a thought. Our dear Fr Simon is 80 today. You might want to congratulate him and pray for him today. Ad multos annos.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 29th March

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:00:35 GMT

I was so pleased to hear that many of you enjoyed hearing the dawn chorus from Belmont, but Monday was a beautiful, Spring morning, full of hope and rejoicing. Sadly, yesterday morning was very dark and wet, and this certainly dampened the spirits of our feathered friends and even caused Toby to cut his walk short. But it’s not only the dark clouds of a British dawn that cut birds dead in their tracks. We also know that the dark sounds of war deaden the hearts of our avian friends and even cause them to move away. Let us continue praying for our friends in Ukraine and never tire of praying for peace and for an end to this totally unjust, horrific and unnecessary war.

The Gospel for today continues our reading of John, (Jn 8: 31-42), where Jesus is talking with a mixed group of believers and non-believers. He begins by saying, “If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.” The disciple makes his home in the word of Jesus, for it is there that the disciple belongs and finds his true identity. The word will teach us the truth and the truth which is Christ will set us free. We will enjoy the freedom of the children of God.

The debate continues around the person of Abraham. How can Abraham’s descendants be slaves and thus made free by Jesus? He replies, “I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave.” It is from this slavery, and we are all slaves to sin, that Jesus comes to save and free us. Nevertheless, they insist that they are the children of Abraham, and thus already free. However, Jesus know that it is their intention to kill him. Why kill the Son of God if they are children of Abraham? It makes no sense. Jesus says, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. As it is, you want to kill me when I tell you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham did. What you are doing is what your father does.” They say they are children of Abraham, but their actions deny their words. They then go on to say their father is God, to which Jesus replies in no uncertain terms, “If God were your father, you would love me, since I have come here from God; yes, I have come from him; not that I came because I chose, no, I was sent, and by him.” The truth is that Jesus’ opponents are so confused in their ignorance and sinfulness, that they no longer know who they are, nor do they know or even recognise the truth. May we never fall into the same trap ourselves.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 28th March

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:07:16 GMT

A dear friend of mine in Ukraine, who is accustomed to hearing the sound of bombs and missiles falling, tells me that the song of birds has disappeared altogether. He misses the dawn chorus. I was telling him about this wonderful concert that takes place each morning at Belmont, when Toby and I are on our early morning walk. He asked me to record it and send it to him, so that he can be reminded of what life was like before the enemy invasion and the destruction of much of his country. I had never thought of recording our feathered friends before, so yesterday morning I did, not on the way out as they were too noisy, especially on seeing Toby, but on the way back into the monastery. I hope that our websites and Facebook page can convey to the beauty of this early morning concert and, perhaps, remind you of Belmont.

Our Gospel today comes from John, (Jn 8:21-30), where we find Jesus continuing to argue with the Pharisees over his identity and ability to forgive sin. They constantly fail to understand him. Whereas he says to his disciples that he goes to prepare them a place and will show them to way to heaven, for he is “the Way and the Truth and the Life,” he tells the Pharisees that, “you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” The reason he gives is that, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” And he repeats several times, “You will die in your sins.” As a result, they continue to ask him, “Who are you?”

Jesus replies:

“What I have told you from the outset.

About you I have much to say

and much to condemn;

but the one who sent me is truthful,

and what I have learnt from him

I declare to the world.”

However, the Pharisees still fail to understand that he’s taking about his heavenly Father, the one who sent him. He feels obliged to explain

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man,

then you will know that I am He

and that I do nothing of myself:

what the Father has taught me is what I preach;

and has not left me to myself,

for I always do what pleases him.”

As a result of what he says here, we are told that “many came to believe in him. May many more come to believe in Jesus, Son of God, through the power of the Gospel, which is no less powerful today than it was when Jesus first walked the dirt tracts of Galilee, Samaria and Judaea and proclaimed the God News of salvation..

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 27th March

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:04:15 GMT

Even today in a limited number of countries, women, and men too, can be stoned to death for actions considered to be sinful or blasphemous. In Jesus’ time women were stoned to death for committing adultery, among other ‘crimes.’ In addition to the horrific nature of the punishment, trials were and are still loaded against the accused with little or no opportunity for making a proper defence or being heard by her accusers. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is dragged into a case of adultery by a group of scribes and Pharisees, who bring a woman to Jesus in the hope trapping him into saying something against the law of Moses for which he can be put to death as well.

The scene is set by John, (Jn 8: 1-11), although a similar passage is found in Luke, (Lk 7: 36-50). “Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.” It is while Jesus is teaching in the Temple that the scribes and Pharisees arrive to make trouble. The woman is an innocent pawn in this game. “The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’” It is clear that they have no interest in the woman, whether she is guilty or not, or should be stoned or not. Where is the husband who accuses her and where the man with whom she was committing adultery? Is he not equally guilty? No, the scribes and Pharisees are out to get Jesus. It is his death that they want, more than that of the poor woman.

This is clear in John’s next sentence. “They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again.” Jesus tests their patience with his writing in the sand. What was he writing? Texts from the law, or simply scribbling to anger his adversaries? What matters are his words, and what a judgement he gives, such words of wisdom, God’s own word. ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ With these words, he has won the battle, for John tells us, “When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin anymore.’” One by one they slink away, for they have all sinned. Who knows how many of them are guilty of the same sin as the woman? No one is able to condemn her and neither does Jesus, who comes to bring forgiveness and a second chance to those who sin. The second half of his sentence is as important or even more so than the first. “Go away and sin no more.” These are Jesus’ words to us each time we go to Confession and truly repent of our sins. I hope we all hear them before Easter.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 26th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:43:56 GMT

There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill. It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. The sisters sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judaea.’ The disciples said, ‘Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews wanted to stone you; are you going back again?’ Jesus replied:

‘Are there not twelve hours in the day?

A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling

because he has the light of this world to see by;

but if he walks at night he stumbles,

because there is no light to guide him.’

He said that and then added, ‘Our friend Lazarus is resting, I am going to wake him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he is able to rest he is sure to get better.’ The phrase Jesus used referred to the death of Lazarus, but they thought that by ‘rest’ he meant ‘sleep’, so Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe. But let us go to him.’ Then Thomas – known as the Twin – said to the other disciples, ‘Let us go too, and die with him.’

On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. Bethany is only about two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in a low voice, ‘The Master is here and wants to see you.’ Hearing this, Mary got up quickly and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village; he was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were in the house sympathising with Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who followed her, Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:

‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.

I knew indeed that you always hear me,

but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me,

so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.

Jn 11: 1-45

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 25th March

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:42:36 GMT

Yesterday, it was a great joy to visit my mother after more than a month’s absence due to my trip to Peru and commitments here at Belmont. I must organise my time better so as to enable me to see her more often. It’s not easy being an only child, especially when a parent gets to an advanced age and you’re not far behind yourself! The journey down was a joy, the journey back a nightmare of closed roads and endless diversions. Toby and I were able to go down to the beach for a couple of hours, good for his arthritis and excellent for my hay fever. It was heaven on earth.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation, which is a feast both of Our Lady and Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the feast of the Incarnation, celebrating the day that the Angel Gabriel came to Mary with the Good News that she had been chosen by the Father to bear his incarnate Son, to whom she would give the name Jesus, he who saves. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.” These words, this text and this feast are fundamental to our Christian faith. Let us with Mary always say to God, “I am the servant of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” Like her, may we always do God’s will.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 24th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 08:54:15 GMT

I apologise for the extreme brevity of today’s message, but there just wasn’t time yesterday to sit down and put a few words together. It was one thing after the other and the day had disappeared before I’d got down to doing all the things I was hoping to do. I’m sure you’ve all had days like that.

Our Gospel today is a shortened version of the first half of chapter 7 of John, (Jn 7: 1-2; 10; 25-30), in which Jesus leaves Galilee and goes alone to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles, so as not to draw attention to himself. Meanwhile, the people debate as to whether he will be coming or not and as to his identity. Is he or is he not the Messiah?

Even so, Jesus begins teaching in the Temple and this leads to further animosity on the part of the religious authorities. We read, “As Jesus taught in the Temple, he cried out: ‘Yes, you know me and you know where I came from. Yet I have not come of myself: no, there is one who sent me and I really come from him, and you do not know him, but I know him because I have come from him and it was he who sent me.’ They would have arrested him then, but because his time had not yet come no one laid a hand on him.” We find this phrase: “his time had not yet come.” In John, it is a phrase that occurs frequently, referring to his death and resurrection as his time. We first meet it at the wedding feast of Cana, when Mary his mother asks him to perform a miracle on behalf of the bride and groom, who have run out of wine. In John the miracles are prophetic signs of the coming ‘time’ of Christ, the coming of God’s kingdom, the dawning of salvation.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 23rd March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 08:52:45 GMT

Yesterday’s Gospel ended with these words of Jesus. “My aim is to do not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.’ Jesus is speaking with the religious authorities of his day, who are angry that he calls himself Son of God, thus making himself equal with God. Jesus insists that he has been sent by the Father, to carry out the Father’s plan for the salvation of humanity and that his aim is not to do his own will, but the Father’s will. In today’s Gospel from John, (Jn 5: 31-47), the argument continues. Jesus’ constant point of reference is the Father, the Father who witnesses to the Son. In fact, Jesus says, “Were I to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid; but there is another witness who can speak on my behalf, and I know that his testimony is valid.” His hearers, who are his enemies, are not going to accept what he says, but the Gospel has been written to make sure that we, his disciples, do accept his word and his teaching.

Jesus compares himself with John the Baptist, whom many took to be the Messiah.

“John was a lamp alight and shining and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave. But my testimony is greater than John’s: the works my Father has given me to carry out, these same works of mine testify that the Father has sent me.”

John himself said something very similar, that whereas he baptised with water as a sign of repentance, Jesus would baptise with fire and the Holy Spirit, actually forgiving sin and filling those who are forgiven with the grace of the Spirit, God’s own life. In other words, there is no comparison. Jesus goes on to say that not only the Father gives testimony to him but the Scriptures too. “You study the scriptures, believing that in them you have eternal life; now these same scriptures testify to me, and yet you refuse to come to me for life!” It always saddens me when people reject the love of Jesus and fail to believe in him. Their loss is irreplaceable. So many people today have given up on faith in Jesus Christ, for all sorts of reasons, often on account of indifference or relativism. To them Jesus says, “You have no love of God in you. I have come in the name of my Father and you refuse to accept me.” Let us pray for ourselves, that we might always accept him, and for those who are lapsed, that they might return to him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 22nd March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 06:25:44 GMT

Today we celebrate the original feast day of St Benedict, that of his Passing or entry into heaven, for he died on this day in the year 547, aged around 67 years’ old. He died at Monte Cassino, surrounded by his monks, for whom he had written the Rule that bears his name. It always strikes me that there’s not a word in that rule, “a little rule for beginners”, as Benedict describes it, that is superfluous or meaningless, even for us who live by it today. I’ll just say a few words about one of the important themes we find there.

One of the monastic values and traditions St Benedict was most keen on was stability. In fact, it is one of the three Benedictine vows. It is a word derived from the Latin verb stare, meaning to stand, to stand still, to stand firm, to remain and to rest. The experts tell us that stability refers essentially to a monk’s standing in choir, in his choir stall, surrounded by his brethren. But it is also a vow that refers not only to staying put in one place. Rather more importantly, it also refers to what we do in this one place, i.e. pray. We pray together in choir, singing God’s praises and listening to his word. But in order to do that well, we have to pray alone and in silence, in our cells or wherever we happen to be. It also means assiduously reading the Bible, studying the Scriptures, ruminating on the Word of God, practising lectio divina , which should always lead to mental prayer or the prayer of silence.

Stability is also about growing in love for the monastic community, with the brethren that God has chosen for us, loving our brothers with patience and humility, generosity and joy, seeing Christ in them. This is equally true of those who are married and live a family life. In fact, at the very top of the ladder of humility, beyond the last rung, we find that perfect love which casts out all fear, the goal of the Christian life. So today let us pray for the gift of stability, especially if we are monks, but also if we are married or single, oblates, parishioners or friends of Belmont. We pray for that real stability which, for all of us, means being anchored in the very heart of God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 21st March

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 11:44:11 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 20th March

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:36:39 GMT

Although it’s Lent, today the Church keeps the transferred Solemnity of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Devotion to St Joseph and the exaltation of his person was late to develop among Christians, partly because we know so little about him, save what we read in the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke. It’s from the 9th century that slowly devotion for him grows among Christians of East and West. St Thomas Aquinas, for example, discussed the necessity of the presence of Saint Joseph in the plan of the Incarnation for, if Mary had not been married, the Jews would have stoned her, and that in his youth Jesus needed the care and protection of a human father. It was St Bernardine of Siena, in the 15th century, who cemented popular devotion to St Joseph in his homilies and theological writings. Today he is one of the most popular and best loved saints of the Universal Church. Yesterday might have been Mothers’ Day in the U.K., but 19th March is Fathers’ Day in Italy. In fact, Pope Francis tweeted, “Today, we extend best wishes to all fathers! May they find in St Joseph a model, support and consolation to live their fatherhood well. Let us pray together for Fathers.”

The German theologian Friedrich Justus Knecht wrote, “St. Joseph’s high place in the kingdom of God comes from this, that God chose him to be the guardian and protector of His Son, entrusting him with what was greatest and dearest to Himself, singling him out and especially blessing him for this office. The Church celebrates a Feast in honour of St. Joseph on 19th March, and desires that all the faithful should honour him, ask for his intercession, and imitate his virtues. St. Joseph is the especial patron of the Church. Even as he was the protector of the Child Jesus on earth, so, we believe, is he now the protector of the mystical Body of Jesus, His holy Church. We also especially seek his intercession for a good death, because, having died so blessedly, in the presence and with the assistance of Jesus and Mary, he should be supplicated to obtain for us from Jesus the grace of a happy death.”

The Gospel passage for today comes from Matthew, (Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24).

“Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ. This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.” May we follow St Joseph’s example of obedience to God’s will and his love of Jesus and Mary. May he protect the domestic Church that lives in our homes and grant us all the grace of a holy death. Amen.

Fr Paul

Ears to Hear

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 19:04:47 GMT

Ears to Hear, the sharing and listening meetings continue to take place at Hedley Lodge.

Throughout Lent we have started a deep listening exercise as we seek to discern a new vision for the parish. It has been wonderful to hear the heartfelt hopes, fears and ideas from around 30 different parishioners.

This coming week we will hold the final session as we ask two questions “How do we make a difference?” and “How could you/we make a difference?” The session will be held at Hedley Lodge on Monday 20th March from 1pm to 2.30pm and repeated on Thursday evening 23rd March from 7pm to 8.30pm. You are warmly invited to come to either session to suit you. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been to the previous meetings, everything you have to say will be heard and form part of our new mission.

On Saturday 1st April there will also be a feedback session to the parish at Hedley Lodge from 2pm to 3.30pm. This will be an opportunity for you to hear what has been said, ask questions and discuss what this means for the parish for the future. Please come if you are able.

The dates of the remaining meetings are:

Monday Group – 1.00pm to 2.30pm 20th March

Thursday Group – 7.00pm to 8.30pm 23rd March

There will be a feedback session on Saturday 1st April 2.00pm - 3.30pm.

If you've not had chance to come along, please try and attend one of the two meetings. It's friendly, with a cuppa and the chance to meet new people who are also new to participating in the process, as well as parishioners who've been involved throughout.

It's important to be involved to have your voice heard as we go forward together as a parish. Everyone listens and shares, you can say as much or as little as you want, and there is a prayerful element throughout the meeting.

Further details;

‘Ears to Hear’ - help us listen to you

During lockdown and the pandemic many of the groups and activities of the parish stopped. It has left us in a rare pivotal moment with a clean slate in front of us. Do we want to continue the same as we always were or are there things we’d like to do differently? As a Pastoral Council we know we cannot answer this alone - it can only come from listening to everyone in the parish. We warmly invite you to be part of this.

Throughout Lent we will hold six meetings and ask six questions; the feedback for which will give us a starting point or framework for a new vision for the parish.

It may be that you are perfectly happy with your faith, your parish and the activities you participate in. This is as important for us to know as knowing that you are not. We would not want to ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’. But if you are looking for more, either for your yourself in terms of faith, spirituality, inclusion or activities; or for others in what you feel you or we should be doing, then we would like to know this too.

So that everyone is heard and has an equal voice, during the meetings we will follow a synodal method. Put simply, this means everyone has the same amount of time to speak; they will not be interrupted or questioned, only listened to. This is not a new idea, in fact it was the way the early church decided what they would do. They gathered together and everyone from the oldest to the youngest had a chance to speak. It was how they discerned the will of the Holy Spirit. We will seek to do the same.

We cannot stress enough how every voice is equally important to this. Even the smallest contribution and the quietest voice are vital. Please come along if you can.

The questions, which will cover three themes of Communion, Participation and Mission are:

Week 1

- What are your experiences, hopes and fears for your parish?

Weeks 2 - Where would I like to develop in my faith and how can your parish help?

Week 3 - Do I feel involved in my parish?

Week 4 - How can we engage more with our parish?

Week 5 - How do we make a difference?

Week 6 - How could you/we make a difference?

When?

There are two meeting options - daytime or evenings. The final meeting will be on Saturday 1st April where we will invite both groups to come together.

The dates of the meetings are:

Monday Group - 1pm to 2.30pm

20th February

27th February

6th March

13th March

20th March

Saturday 1st April 2pm - 3.30pm

Thursday Group - 7pm to 8.30pm

23rd February

2nd March

9th March

16th March

23rd March

Saturday 1st April 2pm - 3.30pm

Where?

The first meeting will take place in Hedley Lodge. Depending on numbers at that meeting, subsequent meetings will either be at Hedley Lodge or the Parish Centre.

What will happen in the meetings?

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served. There will be a welcome and introduction by the group leader/Moderator. Then depending on numbers, the group will be split into smaller ‘Listening groups’ of 6-8 people. Everyone will have up to 3 minutes to speak and in between each person talking there will be a prayer or silence. The moderator will take some notes and invite the next person the speak. At the end of everyone speaking, the Moderator will sum up what has been said ready to feed back to the Pastoral Council.

Inclusion

We would like to include as many parishioners as possible. We also want to reach out to those people who for whatever reason do not currently come to mass but are still part of the parish. Whether they have been excluded, feel disenfranchised or have not felt welcome. Can you help us reach out to them? Is there a family member or friend that fits this bill that you could invite along with you? Their voice is equally important to us. We would love to see them.

What will happen afterwards?

This is a ‘deep listening’ exercise for the Pastoral Parish Council as we seek to discern a new vision for the parish. Nothing you tell us will be lost. This is the start of what we see as an ongoing process. Over the coming weeks, months and years your voice will shape what we do.

Contact

If you have any questions about this please call or email Louise Wright, Chair of the Pastoral Parish Council on 07553 361864 or louise@thewoodee.com

“This is an opportunity for you to be heard without judgement. A chance to air your hopes and fears for your faith, your parish and your church. To talk about your experiences and how you would like to make a difference.”

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 19th March

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 19:00:34 GMT

Based on the Scripture readings alone, Lent should be our very favourite season of the year. The Sunday readings in Year A, which can be used every year, especially if there are catechumens preparing for Baptism, are surely the greatest masterpieces of the Fourth Gospel. Last Sunday, we heard of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, while today we have the story of the Man Born Blind, (Jn 9: 1-41). Neither last week nor this are we told by John the name of the persons concerned. Perhaps they are meant to represent every man or woman, who seeks after the truth, searching for salvation and a meaning to life. If last week’s theme was that of living water and the gift of the Holy Spirit, then today it is not simply a miracle of healing that we are witnessing, but growth in faith and coming to know Jesus as God and Saviour, the source of light and life.

If you read the Gospel passage through or hear it read, you will realise at once that it is written in similar fashion to the Passion Narrative, which is meant to be read or acted by several voices and thus brought to life, almost like a Greek drama, where the chorus played such an important role. There is a debate on the cause of the blindness. Who was responsible for this on account of their sins? Jesus says at the very outset, “Neither he nor his parents sinned, he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Ultimately, the works of God will be displayed fully in Jesus’ death on a cross, burial in a tomb, resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The healing of the man born blind looks forward prophetically to the saving events of Easter. It’s beautifully written. The secret is to read and reread it, preferably aloud. The story builds up to the man’s declaration of faith, though at times it looks as if he’ll never get there. His parents don’t help, as they’re afraid of the religious authorities.

“Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him, he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.” Not only can the man now see, but he can see and believe that Jesus is the Saviour. The whole point of John’s Gospel is that those who read or hear it will come to faith just as the Samaritan woman did and the Man born blind does today. Through the Gospel all people, men and women, young and old, and of any race or station in life, can come to know Jesus through faith in a personal encounter. Today we are given the opportunity to see and hear Jesus and to come to an even deeper faith in him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 18th March

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 18:59:29 GMT

I returned from Peru early on Friday morning. I’m most grateful to the kind parishioner who met me at Birmingham Airport and brought me back to Belmont. It was a surprise to be woken up by the loud cries of the jackdaw colony, a much larger choir of singers than that of the monks. In Peru we have a colony of “mirlos” related to the British blackbird. They belong to the thrush family. These birds accompany the monks as they sing the daylight offices and Mass. They also knock at the stained-glass windows to attract attention. However, they are much, much louder, sing amazingly well and have perfect pitch. I’ve tried to do an ordinary day’s work on my first day back, but I’m beginning to fall asleep as I write these few words. It was good to collect Toby and bring him home to Belmont. The first thing he wanted to do was pay a visit to the cemetery and tuck into the long grass among the graves, primroses and daffodils. He knows what he wants.

Out Gospel passage this Saturday comes from Luke, (Lk 18: 9-14), the reaction of Jesus to those, ”who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else.” Jesus does so by means of a parable, one of his most famous and here it is:

“Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, ’I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.’ The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Poor Pharisee, he was a good man, but sadly over-conscious of his goodness and his obeying God’s commandments to the letter. There are many Christians like that, proud of their obedience to the commandments of God and of the Church. The problem with pride is that it tends to despise others, who on the surface aren’t so good. But God looks not so much on our many good works as on our humility and spirit of repentance. All the Pharisee could say to God was, “Look how good I am.” The tax-collector, on the other hand, was conscious of being a sinner and simply knelt before God and said, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” It’s hardly surprising, is it, that he went home forgiven and justified, while all the Pharisee could do was wallow in his pride.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 17th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:57:02 GMT

I began writing this short message for St Patrick’s Day on the Air France flight coming over from Lima to Paris and finished it off in a lounge at Charles De Gaulle Airport, where I sat waiting for the connection to Birmingham, my airport of choice due to its proximity to Belmont. I’d like to offer my prayers and congratulations to Fr Patrick, Hospital chaplain and Parish Priest at Little Malvern, whose 70th birthday it is today. I always admire his devotion, energy and enthusiasm and pray that just a drop will rub off on me! It will seem strange being back at Belmont today. I’ll be collecting Toby from his Lenten retreat this afternoon. He certainly wouldn’t appreciate the heat of Peru. The brethren tell me it’s been an exceptionally hot Summer there. The climate seems to be going crazy the world over.

Today’s Gospel passage is from Luke 10 and recounts the sending forth of the seventy two disciples as missionaries of peace and salvation, preparing the way for Jesus himself. That’s what we all do as Christians. We take Christ’s peace into the world around us and bring others to know Jesus,, the source of salvation. We could all do this with more enthusiasm and conviction, following the example of St Patrick.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 16th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:55:41 GMT

Well, tonight I’m writing this message not in my cell at the monastery, but in a comfortable, air-conditioned lounge at Lima airport. Because several roads were closed due to flooding, Fr Alex brought me by a way we’d not tried before, and amazingly it took half the time we usually take. Sadly, many homes have been flooded and crops and animals lost here around Lima, Lurin and Pachacamac. Yet, this pales into insignificance when compared with northern Peru and such towns as Piura, Chiclayo, Sullana and Tambogrande. Apart from the rains and the intense heat that accompanies them, it’s been a wonderfully fulfilling visit in many ways and I’ve been very impressed again by my Peruvian brethren. Some will be glad to hear that Fr Alex will be at Belmont in September to lead two icon courses: details in due course. I’ll be adding a few photographs of the community as also of the novices painting paschal candles with Fr Alex.

I won’t say much about the Gospel today as I don’t have it before me. It’s from Luke 11 and is about the power by which Jesus casts out devils, as some were complaining that he did so by the power of Satan himself (herself?). But Jesus reminds them that a house divided within itself is bound to fall, so would Satan cast out his own? This is a call for unity in the Church and for unity among Christians against evil of all kinds. Let us join with Jesus in ridding the world of sin and evil, harbouring in the reign of God and his kingdom among us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 15th March

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:13:17 GMT

This evening I’ll be leaving Peru to fly back to the U.K. via Paris. I must confess that, after two happy weeks, it’s difficult to up sticks and go back as though it were the easiest thing in the world. It’s not. How can I put it? It’s like constant tampering with an open wound. Some of my readers will understand what I am trying to say, others not. This has happened all my life, of course, since I was a small boy: all those long holidays in Italy and then having to go back to Wales. It’s difficult, and can be heartbreaking many times over, to belong to two or more places and groups of people. This time it’s been a particular joy to renew old friendships and make new ones. Yesterday I finished the novel I was reading and started a new one. Novels help my sanity! I also ate all the fruit l safely could, but don’t tell my diabetes nurse, as she’ll never forgive me. I thought you’d like to see Fr Alex preaching at the Conventual Mass, so I’ll include that among my photographs today.

For today’s Gospel we return to Matthew, (Mt 5: 17-19), and the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus explains to his disciples his attitude to the Law and the Prophets. He says, “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.” He asks us not to infringe or break the commandments, but to keep them and teach others to do the same. It all sounds very simple, but are we prepared to do what he requires of us. It’s not always easy being a Christian, is it?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 14th March

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:10:41 GMT

The days are rushing by quickly and the nights seem shorter than ever. I usually wake around 3am and spend time in personal prayer and sorting out emails before going down the church for Vigils. Today is my last full day in Peru, as, God willing, I will be leaving Lima on Wednesday evening. Yesterday our bishop was coming to see me, but at the last minute he was summoned to the Bishops’ Conference for an emergency meeting on the current political problems in Peru and the flood disaster in the north of the country. I was asked to visit a friend of the monastery and her son to pray with them. It was a delightful visit and, as you know by now, Peruvians take prayer very seriously, so it was also hard work. The lady has a wonderful collection of orchids, a particular passion of mine, so I hope to include a few photographs. I was so exhausted by the form of prayer, that also includes exorcism, that I slept all the way back to the monastery, a 90 minute journey.

Our Gospel today comes from Matthew, (Mt 18: 21-32), and is about forgiveness, which is not only one of the great themes of Lent, but one of the main tenets of the Christian faith. When Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who wrongs him, suggesting that seven times might be the right number, Jesus tells him, “Not seven, but seventy seven times.” This number can also be translated as “seventy times seven.” In other words, a disciple, a Christian, should be disposed always to forgive, even before he has been wronged. There is only one way for a Christian and that is to forgive “from the heart.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 13th March

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:46:41 GMT

Yesterday was a special day for the monastic community here in Lurin and, therefore, for Belmont too, which is the mother house, as Br Bernard always used to remind us. How we miss him and how our Peruvian brethren miss him, too, for they all had a special love for him. At 6.50am, following on from Lauds, we processed to the Chapter Room, where in a moving ceremony our postulant Saul Castillo, entered the noviciate and was clothed in the habit of the English Benedictine Congregation. He asked to keep his baptismal name. I was reminded by Dom Richard Yeo, the Novice Master, that there should be a homily on the Scripture reading as well as a few words about humility and obedience after the novice has been clothed and given a copy of the Rule of St Benedict. So, no corners were cut and we had the full Rite of Clothing as described in the Monastic Ritual. I hope I can attach a few photographs this evening, as it’s raining again and we’re told that Lima could well be hit by a cyclone, possibly on Tuesday. I hope it spends itself out further north, where things are very bad indeed, poor people.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk 4: 24-30), Jesus is rejected by his own people and forced to leave his own town. This reminds me to ask for prayers for the Church in Nicaragua that is being persecuted by the government. My beloved Cistercian nuns, whom I have visited many times, and supported through AIM, have been forced to leave the country and are now in exile in Panama, experiencing in their own flesh what Jesus experiences in today’s Gospel.

When Jesus tells the synagogue congregation that, “A prophet is never accepted in his own country,” and points to examples in the lives of the great prophets Elijah and Elisha, he so angers his hearers that they physically hurl him out of the town and try to throw him over the brow of a hill and down a cliff. Jesus is able to save himself at the last minute. This episode is surely a prophecy of his arrest, trial and crucifixion. I wonder how we might have reacted had we been in the synagogue that day. Would we have joined in with the crowds or done something to help Jesus? What do you think?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 12th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:45:00 GMT

Yesterday, I was invited by an old friend to visit some of the historic churches of Lima. It’s many years since I visited the historic heart of the old city. In fact, I first visited Lima in 1977. We met at San Francisco, probably the most interesting because of its museum and catacombs, by which is meant a guided tour, (all photographs forbidden - why, as practically none are available for purchase?), of the 16th century Franciscan convent and cemetery. The choir, Chapter room, refectory, sacristy, library and cloister are quite spectacular and the highlight of the morning. We then went to the Cathedral, where amazingly we bumped into a Dominican sister I had known since she was a little girl in San Lorenzo. It was good to catch up, as we’d not seen each other for over 20 years. We then visited the Mercedarian church of Our Lady of Ransom, before having lunch in a restaurant on the Plaza San Martín. We then walked around the spotlessly clean colonial city centre, admiring the restoration work, and ended up in an outdoor café, where we chatted animatedly until Br Wilmer arrived to drive me back to Lurin. Because of the ban on photography in these churches and museums, I doubt I have much to show you.

Today, after Lauds, our postulant Br Saul Castillo enters the noviciate and receives the habit, a moving and uplifting occasion. Please keep him and our other two novices, Br Antonio and Br Miguel, in your prayers. Tomorrow I hope there will be some photographs available.

Our Gospel this Sunday is that of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, one of the most famous and beautifully written episodes in John, (Jn 4: 5-42). All I can suggest is that you read and reread it during the day. Jesus will speak to our hearts just as he did to that woman and we will come to the same conclusion as she and her neighbours came to, that Jesus is our Saviour, our brother and our friend, the giver of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God’s love. Jesus will feel no shame in speaking with us. Let us feel no shame speaking with him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 11th March

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 08:03:16 GMT

The internet appears not to be working at the moment. Not sure why, but it could be the rain that’s falling on Lima this evening. It began as we processed into Vespers. I can’t exaggerate how unusual this is, as they say that in Lima it never rains. Nevertheless, for the past four or five days there have been torrential rains in the north of the country, with many roads and bridges washed away, including some very important ones, so cities like Piura and Talara can no longer be reached. Smaller towns and villages are in dire straits as no one was prepared for the severe flooding caused by the Niño current. Please pray for the poor people, as it’s impossible to get help to many of them. The Peruvian people are long suffering and resilient. Please keep them in your prayers. If by any chance, I can’t get this to you for tomorrow, you’ll know why when you eventually read it.

Today’s Gospel is that of the Prodigal Son, that we find in Luke, (Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32), one of three parables used together by Jesus to explore and explain the accusation of the scribes and Pharisees that, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” I won’t repeat the parable, that we all know so well. The question is whether it answers the accusation. The important figure is the father rather than the younger son, who is obviously the most colourful of the three characters and the one most people focus on. He has become a proverbial figure, perhaps because most of us are or have been like him at sometime in our lives. Even Jesus becomes the prodigal son, when he takes our sins upon himself, and through his death and resurrection enables the Father to forgive them. Jesus becomes the friend of sinners in order to seek the Father’s forgiveness and reconciliation. The scribes and Pharisees are like the older son, the good and obedient one, yet the one who is unable to forgive and be reconciled with his repentant younger brother. Will he ever learn the art of forgiveness from his father? The parable teaches us that God is merciful and forgiving, wanting only the return of sinners to his loving arms. God is mercy, God is love, a lesson we all need to remember.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 10th March

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 08:01:58 GMT

I apologise for there being no message as such today. Yesterday, after Mass at 4am, we set out for Paracas, arriving around 8.30. We said office in the car and had a full Peruvian fisherman’s breakfast on the pavement on arrival. After much negotiating, we hired a small boat and crew to visit the Ballesteros Islands, home to the guano producing birds, of which there are hundreds of thousands, and countless fairly tame sea lions. Afterwards we went back the the port and had the most spectacular lunch at one on the restaurants, the very best, spotlessly clean, perfect food and exceptionally polite staff. Eventually, we took the car to the museum, a few miles away, and spent a couple of hours there, learning all about the local pre-Inca cultures that populated that part of the coast, one of the windiest and most arid parts of the Peruvian coast. After an ice cream, we made our back slowly to the monastery, stopping only for an ice-cold beer on the way. We got back around 10pm, worn out but happy. It was an unexpectedly wonderful day.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 9th March

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 08:00:30 GMT

Yesterday was my second day for interviewing the brethren and asking for their insights on the monastic life here at Lurin, their thoughts on the present and their hopes for the future. It’s been a very interesting and valuable exercise. Our postulant, who will be clothed in the habit and enter the noviciate on Sunday, is now on retreat and today those in solemn vows will have an outing to the famous beaches and historic ruins of Paracas. I’ve heard about the area many times, but as I’ve never been a tourist in Peru, this will be my first visit. We’re not planning on swimming, but I gather we’ll have a spectacular lunch of seafood. Peru is one of the gastronomic destinations of the world, so I live in hope. It is Lent, of course, so it will have to be a restrained and austere affair. It’s about three and a half hours’ away going south.

Today’s Gospel is a warning against the good life, especially gluttony, as it’s the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man from Luke, (Lk 16: 19-31), a useful parable on which to meditate during Lent. Jesus addresses the parable to the Pharisees, who made their living from religion and enjoyed a high standard of living. There’s a brief comparison of the living conditions of Lazarus and his rich neighbour, who did nothing to help him. Lazarus dies and goes to heaven, to Abraham’s bosom. Soon afterwards, the rich man dies and goes to Hades or hell. From there he can see Lazarus, so begs Abraham to allow Lazarus to dip his finger in water in order to relieve the rich man’s suffering, but Abraham reminds him of his behaviour when he lived on earth. The rich man begs Abraham to warn his brothers, all five of them, to change their way of life, but Abraham tells there would be no point, they would not change. In fact, even if someone were to rise from the dead, they still would not change. It’s a grim situation and a grim parable. Sadly, I can think of many who would behave like the rich man’s brothers, but the question is really about you and me, would we change? Has Jesus managed to change us or does he still have a battle on his hands?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 8th March

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 07:59:34 GMT

You might remember that in September I visited our monastery in Peru for the Canonical Visitation. It was my first visit since February 2020. Six months after a visitation, it’s customary to revisit a monastery to see whether advice given has been acted on and things are improving. Yesterday I held the first of a few days interviewing the monks from the superior down to the last postulant. Even a good, well-run monastery can make improvements to strengthen its monastic observance and bonds of charity among the brethren. We’re in late Summer now and it was a particularly hot day, not to sort of day you want to be cooped up inside carrying out interviews. A visit to a nearby beach would have been a more pleasant option! On the other hand, in the north, where we first lived, they had torrential rains caused by the Niño.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 20: 17-28), in which we find Jesus and his disciples making their way to Jerusalem for what would be their last visit. He tells them of his forthcoming arrest, condemnation, crucifixion and brutal death and how on the third day he will rise again. You would think that this alone would give them enough to think about, but no, two of them had other things on their minds. It’s the mother of Zebedee’s sons who comes forward with a request. “Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus’ reply is direct and to the point. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.” He addresses the brothers. “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” When they answer, “We can,” he replies, “Drink it you will, but a place at my right hand and at my left is only my Father’s to give. The others are indignant, but Jesus insists that theirs is a vocation to service carried out with humility and that the first among them must be as a salve or a servant. He reminds them that, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Their own vocation can be no different and that goes for all his disciples, including you and me.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 7th March

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 07:58:21 GMT

Yesterday was a good day and just what I needed. The community here have a monthly retreat day on the first Monday of each month. It’s a day of complete silence apart from morning and evening prayer and Mass. Meals and mealtimes are optional and the short daytime offices said privately. There’s a short conference at 9am and a priest comes in from outside, so the monks can go to confession. It’s a peaceful and relaxed day when people can just rest in the Lord. I wish we had something similar at Belmont. I often long for more silence and the opportunity for extended periods of prayer.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 23: 1-12), but not from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus, addressing the people as well as his disciples, criticises the scribes and Pharisees for being unfaithful to their own strict teaching with which they burden ordinary folk. Jesus says, “Do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach.” He criticises their hypocrisy and unwillingness to reduce the unnecessary burden of the Law on ordinary, faithful Jews. He also comments on their pride and love of recognition and adulation. He tells his disciples not to affect titles and honours, but rather to act humbly and with integrity. We need to take these words to heart today, recognising God to be our only Father and Christ our only teacher and master.

Fr Paul

Lay Canon Clare Wichbold installation at Hereford Cathedral

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 08:46:08 GMT

Best wishes to Clare Wichbold on her installation as Lay Canon at Hereford Cathedral. Here she is with Father Brendan after Evensong this afternoon. It was wonderful to see so many people from the Roman Catholic community supporting Clare on this special occasion, and she offers her thanks to everyone.

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 6th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 08:43:30 GMT

Yesterday was a busy day here in Peru and, as I begin to write this message, it’s not over yet. At the Conventual Mass, the organist and music teacher, who plays for the monks on Sundays, became a novice oblate of the monastery. Just as at Belmont and all other Benedictine monasteries, there is an active group of oblates under the pastoral care of Br Mario. It was good to meet with them afterwards. In Hereford, one of our parishioners, Clare Wichbold, was collated and installed as a lay canon of the chapter of Hereford Cathedral, a great privilege for Clare and an honour for Belmont and first Catholic since the Reformation. In Lurin we congratulate Br Manuel and in Hereford, Clare Canon Wichbold. Today the monks are having their monthly retreat day. I have been asked to give the conference, but I look forward to meeting with the external confessor, who will be hearing our confessions.

Today’s Gospel passage comes once more from Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 6: 36-38), in which Jesus invites his disciples, and that means you and me, to “be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” We are not to judge or condemn others, but always pardon and treat them generously. We should be so generous as to give all we can to those who need our gifts. In fact, the more we give, the more we will receive. We should never forget that all we have and all we are has been given us by God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 5th March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 08:41:51 GMT

Yesterday, I had the great joy of meeting up with an old friend I hadn’t seen for 34 years. He lives in Lima, so was able to come down to Lurin. We spent the morning walking round the farm, reminiscing on the past and commenting on the present social and political chaos in Peru. After lunch, which we took together in one of the parlours, as guests don’t eat with the monks and don’t enter the monastic enclosure, Br Wilmer kindly took us to Pachacamac to visit our old monastery. It’s a bumpy ride and I was surprised to see so many new houses and other buildings nearby. I was amazed at the transformation of our farmland with a good production of organic fruit and vegetables. Here at Lurin, too, all our farm produce is organic. Last week, for example, the brethren harvested 3,000 kilos of muscatel grapes, that they will transform into altar wine. The buildings at Pachacamac are being used for retreats, while the farm produces food for consumption of monks and guests, as well as for sale. The monks also support a number of local charities, such as old people’s homes and an orphanage. I really admire the intelligent use of resources by the monastic community here despite the chronic state of the Peruvian economy.

Our Gospel reading on this Second Sunday in Lent is Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration, (Mt 17: 1-9). When Matthew tells us that, “Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone,” in fact, he is taking us with them to share in their experience. It is there, in our presence too, that he is transfigured. What do we see? “His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.” Then Moses and Elijah appear, and they are talking with Jesus, who is the heir and fulfilment of both the Law and the Prophets, for all Scripture points to him. We might want to join Peter in proposing that three tents be erected, should it be the will of Jesus. “It is wonderful for us to be here,” we say with him, yet words cannot express how we feel. Even while we’re speaking, a cloud covers us in its shadow and we hear a voice proclaim. “This is my Son, the Beloved, who enjoys my favour. Listen to him.” It is the Father’s voice. We fall to our faces with fear, but Jesus comes up and touches us. “Do not be afraid,” he says, and when we look up, we see no one but only Jesus. That’s how it will always be from now on. We will see no one, but only Jesus in all those whom we meet and see. As we come down from the mountain, prepared for anything as long as Jesus is with us, he warns us, “Say nothing about this until I rise from the dead.” It’s a day and an experience we shall never forget.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 4th March

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 12:57:06 GMT

Greetings from Peru and from our monastery of St Mary of the Most Holy Trinity in Lurin, on the Pacific coast south of Lima. Yesterday was a normal day after resting on Thursday. I was up well in time for Vigils at 4.30, followed by lectio, then Sung Lauds at 6.20 and Sung Mass at 7.00. Thanksgiving after Mass is made together in church, then breakfast is at 8.00. Once the washing up is done, Terce is sung at 8.45 and so the day’s work begins. For some time I’ve had hanging over my head the task of writing a chapter for a book, so I took advantage of a relatively free morning to get a good part of it done. I’ve left two paragraphs and a general revision for this morning. Let’s hope I can get it finished by lunchtime. As for the rest of the daily timetable, Sext is sung at 1.00pm and is followed by lunch. After the washing up, there’s a short break until None which is sung at 3.00. Work or classes follow until Vespers which is sung at 5.30, followed by mental prayer done in common in church, then supper at 7.00. Recreation follows on from washing up, which is always done together, and after recreation, the daily Chapter with a short conference and, to conclude, Compline around 8.15. It’s a full day, but a rewarding one. Yesterday and today we also have a Parish group of about 25 young people on retreat. The retreat house is very popular, as is the shop.

Our Gospel passage today sees us again with Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 43-48). Here Jesus tells his disciples that they must love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Only this way will they be sons and daughters of their Heavenly Father. It is simply not good enough only to love those who love us. We must be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. Today we pray that this might become a reality in our lives. We can pray for the intercession of St Casimir, patron saint of Lithuania, whose feast day we keep today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 3rd March

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 12:55:54 GMT

It’s a great joy for me to be able to send you this short message from our monastery in Peru, where I arrived on Wednesday night after a comfortable and punctual journey from the U.K. with Air France via Paris. It’s late Summer here, quite warm, 28C, but humid, being just 5 minutes from the Pacific. I had a lie in, but got up in time for Mass at 7 o’clock. It was good to have a healthy breakfast of fresh tomatoes, avocados and lettuce, prickly pears, which I love, and mangoes, all washed down with strong Peruvian coffee. Most of the day I spent reading, chatting with the brothers and relaxing. I will try to have a bit of a break as well as dealing with monastery business. Greetings from the brothers. This coming Sunday I will be admitting an oblate postulant into the oblate noviciate and the following Sunday a monk postulant unto the monastic noviciate. It’s good to see the community growing solidly.

Our Gospel reading for today comes from Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 20-26), and begins, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the Kingdom of heaven.” You see, the scribes and Pharisees were essentially good people. Many of them became followers of Jesus, who himself was probably brought up in that tradition. Jesus often criticised them for their complicated interpretations of the Law, which didn’t allow their hearers to see the wood from the trees. So, while criticising them, Jesus also recognised the good that was in them, hence today’s saying, that we must go even further than the scribes and Pharisees in keeping the Law and in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains to us how he wants us to do this. Lent is a good season of the year in which to take the teaching and example of Jesus seriously and obey him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 28th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 07:30:07 GMT

Yesterday was an extremely busy day, so it was very late when I finally found a few minutes to write a brief message for today just before going far too late to bed. This morning Toby will be going into Cosy Toes, his usual kennels just a few miles down the road from Belmont, for his Lenten retreat while I’m away in Peru. So among the routine religious duties of the day, there will be washing, cleaning and packing in preparation for the 2.30am departure from Belmont on Wednesday. In the past I always drove myself to Birmingham or Heathrow in time to arrive by 4am for a 6am flight, but I’m beginning to find I’m too exhausted to face that sort of an ordeal. I might still go back to the practice one day, but for the time being I have accepted to extremely kind offer of a parishioner to take me to Birmingham airport. I hope to send a daily message from Peru, though it might be impossible on the days when I am travelling. I hope you will forgive me.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, (Mt 6: 7-15), the section in which Jesus teaches his own prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, to his disciples. He begins by telling them, “In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So, you should pray like this:” The kind of prayer the father wants is not the multiplication of words, babbling as Jesus calls it, but a few, simple and straightforward words that go directly to the point. This is the prayer that Jesus teaches them:

“Our Father in heaven,

may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

but save us from the evil one.”

We know the prayer so well, we sometimes say it without thinking of what we’re saying to God. Perhaps this Lent, we could just slow down and make a prayer of each phrase. Jesus, in his teaching emphasises forgiveness as the hallmark of the Christian. “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” Is this what forgiveness means to me? Is this how I practise forgiveness? Lent is a good time to renew our desire and promise to forgive all those who offend and sin against us. That’s what Jesus came to do on earth. We should make that our mission and way of life too.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 27th February

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:53:31 GMT

On Wednesday, I will be travelling down to Peru to visit the brothers in the monastery there and I’m really looking forward to my trip. It’s six months since I was last there and, on that occasion, it was for the canonical visitation of the monastery, long overdue because of Covid. This visit is the follow up to the visitation, to check that the advice given then has been put into practice. The socio-political situation in Peru has got seriously worse in the past six months, with the president ousted from power after just a year in office and accused of attempting to stage a coup. There is rioting on the streets of Lima and in many provincial capitals, including the usually peaceful north of the country where I lived for twenty years. Fr Alex, now fully recovered from surgery, is hoping to give a number of icon courses later this year in monasteries in the United States as well as at Belmont. He is a fine iconographer and an excellent teacher.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 25: 31-46), and is the well-known account of the last judgement. It begins like this: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.’” The final exam was probably quite unexpected to those who hadn’t heard it before and is still surprising today to those of us who have heard it many times. We will not be judged on our beliefs, on matters of doctrine, nor on the number and gravity of our sins, rather it will be a test of our charity, kindness and generosity to others. To those who have passed the examination, Jesus will say, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” When the virtuous ask him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Those who fail the test have not been generous in their lives and have not considered the needs of others. Sadly, Jesus concludes. “And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.”

This is salutary teaching and teaching that we should take to heart, especially as we are still at the beginning of Lent. May our lives be ones of kindness, consideration for others and selfless generosity. Then we will truly be walking in the footsteps of our Lord and Saviour.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 26th February

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:52:15 GMT

The First Sunday in Lent is characterised by the reading of the Gospel of the Temptations. This year we read Matthew’s version, (Mt 4: 1-11). Here is the text:

“Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.’ But he replied, ‘Scripture says:

Man does not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God’ he said ‘throw yourself down; for scripture says:

He will put you in his angels’ charge,

and they will support you on their hands

In case you hurt your foot against a stone.’

Jesus said to him, ‘Scripture also says:

You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’

Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘I will give you all these’ he said, ‘if you fall at my feet and worship me.’ Then Jesus replied, ‘Be off, Satan! For scripture says:

You must worship the Lord your God,

and serve him alone.’

Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.”

It’s important to remember that it’s the Holy Spirit who leads Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and that temptation doesn’t come from within Jesus, but from outside him, from the devil. The tempter waits forty days and forty nights, until Jesus is at his weakest, before attacking him. Jesus is hungry, so the first temptation is to transform stones into loaves of bread. In time, Jesus will change water into wine and wine into his own precious blood; he will change bread into his own body in the Eucharist. Jesus does not give in to temptation, which would be going against God’s will and his plan of salvation. Jesus’ mission is to do the Father’s will and teach his disciples to do the same. Adam and Eve disobeyed: Jesus obeys. With the power of God’s word, he rebuffs the devil, but the devil goes one stage further. From the parapet of the Temple in Jerusalem, he invites Jesus to throw himself off, to show that he has power over the angels who would save him from certain death. Again, with a word of Scripture he warns the devil not to put God to the test.

The third and final temptation, very apt for the present moment when we see Putin wanting to create a Russian Empire and the world divided and at a loss as to how to stop him without causing a worldwide catastrophe, sees the devil tempting Jesus with becoming ruler, emperor of the whole world, “I will give you all these, if you fall at my feet and worship me.” Jesus rebukes the devil and sends him packing, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.” Who do Putin and those who support him serve? The answer is clear. We pray for their conversion and forgiveness. Lent has only just begun. There is still time.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 25th February

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:51:09 GMT

Each one of us who is a disciple of Jesus has heard him say, “Follow me,” and like Levi in today’s Gospel passage, we have left everything and followed him. Now by everything, I don’t mean our families and loved ones or even our work, friends and homes. What we have left behind are other gods, spiritual guides and ways of life. We have followed Jesus by entering into a personal relationship with him through prayer and meditating on his word, receiving his sacraments and putting his teaching into practice though love and obedience, faith hope and charity.

Here is the passage from Luke, (Lk 5: 27-32).

“Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him.

In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’”

Levi was a tax collector, employed by the Roman state, and so considered to be a traitor to Israel and the Jewish religion. I’ve often wondered what the scribes and Pharisees were doing in Levi’s house at a great reception in honour of Jesus and no doubt sitting at table with Jesus and his disciples, when all they could do was criticise Jesus for mixing with sinners. What were they doing? Even so, the reply of Jesus has become proverbial, even if people no longer understand what his meaning is. The virtuous and the good have no need of Jesus, for by their own efforts they can enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has come, like a physician, to help the weak, those who need the doctor, and sinners to repentance. Are we conscious of being those sinners and that Jesus, in calling us to follow him, has called us to repentance? Lent is a good time to remember that we are sinners called to repentance as well as to discipleship by Jesus.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 24th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:49:46 GMT

Yesterday I had to return to Belmont from visiting elderly parishioners, who live near Leominster by way of Hereford Crematorium, where I had to conduct a funeral service for a dear parishioner who died recently. As the traffic earlier on had been so bad on the A49, I decided to take a cross-country route via Ivington in order to join up with the A4110. I hadn’t taken this road before, so it was new to me. What a delightful journey it turned out to be: no traffic whatever and the most beautiful scenery on this early Spring afternoon with snowdrops everywhere. By the way, Fr Cenydd told me the other day that there are over 110 varieties of snowdrop in the UK. I didn’t realise there were so many. How wonderful God’s creation is, and how hard we should work to care for it and nurture it. I think my experience yesterday is a symbol of our Lenten journey, with the Lord inviting us to think about alternative ways of prayer and spiritual reading to give us new insights and bring us closer to him. We should never be afraid of taking a different path, particularly when we sense that God is leading us that way.

Our Gospel passage today is very short, a question to Jesus from John the Baptist’s disciples and Jesus’ reply, as found in Matthew, (Mt 9: 14-15). “John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’” To be near Jesus and to walk with him along the road of life’s journey surely means to have joy in our hearts and to live rejoicing even amid life’s difficulties, for we know that he will be with us always. As we come to the end of life, at whatever age, he will be with us in our passion and cross, death and resurrection to new life. We pray today for the grace never to lose Jesus from our sight but to walk with him always.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 23rd February

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 07:32:40 GMT

It was a joy to see so many parishioners come to Mass yesterday and begin Lent by receiving the ashes as a sign of repentance and commitment to Christ. I was surprised at the numbers, just over half of those who regularly come to Sunday Mass. Interestingly, although numbers dropped for obvious reasons on account of Covid, our numbers have now recovered and are somewhat higher than they were before the pandemic began. In addition, we no longer have retreatants to bolster our numbers. The truth is that people are drawn to Jesus, just as they were in his lifetime on earth, as we read in the Gospels. We want to meet him, hear him, get to know him and be healed by his presence in our lives. We know that at Mass, he is present in the scriptures, in the sacrament, in the priest and in the congregation. The Mass is the celebration of the presence of Christ in our midst and in our hearts.

Today’s short Gospel passage to help us on our Lenten journey comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 22-25), two short sayings of Jesus. The first is about himself, the second what he expects of his followers. Only to his disciples he says, “The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.” Rejection, which they are already experiencing with him, suffering and death lie ahead, but the story doesn’t end there, for he will be raised on the third day. Passion, Death and Resurrection go hand in hand in Jesus’ teaching as in his life. Although he will suffer grievously, it is the way that leads to life, true and eternal. What he says of himself prepares us for what he asks of his disciples.

“If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?” Jesus only asks his followers to follow his own example and do what he will do. They are to give up their own will, take up their cross each day and walk where he has led. He doesn’t ask us to do what he is not prepared to do himself. It is only by renunciation of our own will that we save our lives and enter with Jesus into glory. For us too, Passion and Death lead to Resurrection and eternal life. That is the journey we begin each year on Ash Wednesday.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 22nd February

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 07:30:54 GMT

If you happen to have been born on 22 ^nd February, it means that a number of times in the course of your lifetime your birthday will fall on Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting and abstinence. As today is my birthday, I am looking forward to celebrating it in penance rather than in feasting. As my hay fever has come back with a vengeance, especially the burning eyes, then my Lenten penance has already been chosen for me by the Lord, it will be my task not to complain, but rather to suffer gladly!

“Let your hearts be broken, not your garments. Turn to the Lord your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, ready to relent.” These words of the Prophet Joel remind us that Lent is the time when we turn to God with broken hearts and ask him in his mercy to heal them. ”Now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation,” writes St Paul. In fact, God is so merciful and loving that Paul can say, “For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.” Incredibly, salvation doesn’t demand great sacrifices on our part. All God wants is that we open our hearts to him, so that he can do the rest. Salvation is God’s gift, not something we earn by our own efforts. Holiness is the fruit of faith and trust in God, allowing his grace to work in us.

This is why Jesus warns us today to do nothing that attracts the attention of others. Don’t give arms, don’t pray, don’t fast like hypocrites, who are seen by others and praised for their good works. No, we are to do everything in secret; only God should know what we’re doing, as we seek to follow Christ this Lent. Although it is an ancient tradition of the Roman Church to place ashes on our heads today, the keeping of Lent is something intimate between God and each one of us. Above all, unless we undergo a change of heart, a real conversion, the whole exercise is futile. Yet, the simple giving up of a little thing can be a constant reminder of the essential giving up we should be aiming for, the giving up of our own will. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Thy will be done,” and that is the goal of Lent.

There are, of course, many penances and good works to choose from, but, in fact, God is calling us to accept, in a spirit of humility, the penance he has chosen for us. It could be something to do with our character or personal weaknesses, just learning to accept ourselves. It could be trying to accept others, someone we live with or a neighbour, being patient with their foibles and idiosyncrasies. As we grow older, it could be accepting diminishment, sickness or pain, loss of memory or agility. Inevitably, these come to all of us, so Lent can be about facing up to the realities of life with patience and good humour, knowing that beyond the Cross lies the glory of the Resurrection and the light of Easter.

As we receive the ashes this morning, we will hear the words, “Remember that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.” It would be good to reflect on these words of Scripture. We are dust, dust and ashes, and yet dust that is precious to God and has been given new life through the Spirit of Jesus. Passion, Death and Resurrection lie before us as we journey towards eternal life. Where Christ has gone, he will surely lead us, in spite of our many weaknesses and shortcomings. We are in his hands. May his will be done in us. Amen

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 21st February

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 07:29:32 GMT

Unfortunately, I have not been able to write a message for today, as yesterday was a strangely busy day and then last night I had to take part in a Churches Together meeting. I hope you will forgive me. However, it is Shrove Tuesday, so a day for feasting and relaxing before the rigours of Lent begin at midnight.

I’ll simply attach the Gospel reading for today, which comes from Mark, (Mk 9: 30-37), and hope that we are inspired by it to become as little children, so that we may enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, ‘The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.

They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.’ He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 20th February

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 07:51:35 GMT

The mornings are getting lighter much earlier and there’s a lot of noise and activity when I go out with Toby for our early morning walk. For a reason unknown to me, he seems to attract the attention of a good number of robins. They sing loudly, and I should say beautifully, as he approaches and then try to engage him in some sort of fight. Yesterday morning, I stopped for a moment and looked on bemused as three of them appeared to highjack him, preventing him going further to the spot he was innocently making for. As he turned back disappointed, they sang some kind of victory cantata and the song was taken up an army of blackbirds and others whose songs I couldn’t make out in the cacophony of exhilaration. The whole performance was entertaining, to say the least.

Our Gospel passage from Mark is quite a long one, (Mk 9: 14-29). I’m always surprised how in a Gospel as short as Mark’s we frequently find these long passages. As Jesus comes down from the mountain of the Transfiguration with Peter, James and John, they come across a large crowd arguing with some scribes. When they see Jesus, they turn and run towards him in amazement. Jesus asks why they are arguing. “A man answered him from the crowd, ‘Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to.’” We note the detail in the man’s description of his son’s condition and the fact that the disciples are unable to cure the boy. Jesus appears to be angry, but he is not. “‘You faithless generation’ he said to them in reply. ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth.” Who is Jesus addressing? It's not the boy’s father, surely. Is it the crowd or even his disciples?

Jesus asks for more details. Not every healing is simple and straightforward. “Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he replied ‘and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’” The poor man is desperate to see his son healed. He doesn’t doubt Jesus’ ability to heal the boy, but says quite naturally and politely, ‘If there is anything you can do…’ Jesus replies as he often does when speaking of faith. “Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’” How often have we said words such as these. We do have faith. We are men and women of faith, and yet, at times, our faith appears to be lacking, at least to ourselves. God probably sees things differently. Jesus, seeing the man’s faith, heals the boy. “And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’ Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand.”

The disciples are disturbed. They thought they had been given power to heal the sick and cast our evil spirits, so what went wrong? “When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ ‘This is the kind’ he answered ‘that can only be driven out by prayer.’” The disciples needed to pray more and not just rely on the gift that Jesus had given them. There are situations in life that need more prayer and the powerful intervention of God himself.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 19th February

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 07:49:16 GMT

Those who know Fr Andrew, Parish Priest of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs on the Belmont Road and Oblate Master, will be overjoyed to learn that his by-pass operation went well yesterday, according to plan, the hospital said, and that he is comfortable, but not allowed to speak with anyone. We pray for his complete recovery and that, restored to health, he will return to his many duties in due course. May Our Lady take care of him and fill his heart with joy.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 5: 38-48), in which we continue reading the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus explains to his disciples how the Law of Israel, God’s Law, should be kept. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees who emphasise a literal observance of the Law and the countless minutiae we find in the Pentateuch, Jesus goes to the heart of the matter: the Law should help us to love God above all else and all others and our neighbour as ourselves, leading us to be holy and perfect as God is holy and perfect. After all, we were created in the image and likeness of God, and through Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection re-created in his image and likeness through assimilation and aggregation to the Body of Christ, becoming living stones in that Body and Temples of the Holy Spirit. If God is merciful, loving and forgiving, then should we be any different? Can there be room in our hearts for hatred or a spirit of revenge, when God himself does not behave like this? Jesus came to forgive sins not to store up punishment for sinners.

Let us now read what Jesus teaches his disciples, among whom he counts us, his dear friends, and vow to live according to his teaching and example, that like him, our loving Saviour, we too might become, ”perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.

‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 18th February

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 07:46:22 GMT

As on weekdays in Ordinary Time we read through the three Synoptic Gospels in turn, beginning with Mark, today we come to chapter 9, (Mk 9: 2-13), and the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. We will read Matthew’s account on the Second Sunday in Lent, just two weeks away, bearing in mind that this year Ash Wednesday will be kept on 22 ^nd February. All three accounts of the Transfiguration are remarkably similar.

Mark tells us that Jesus led three of his disciples, Peter, James and John, up a high mountain where they could be alone. These are the three closest to Jesus and accompany him, for example, on the night of his betrayal to the Garden of Gethsemane. Without any further introduction, we are told that Jesus was transfigured in their presence. Mark describes it like this. “His clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them.” He describes the clothes but not the face of Jesus. Perhaps at this stage, they cannot look at his face for the brightness of his clothes. What else do they see? “Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.” Elijah and Moses, the Prophets and the Law, but how would they have recognised them? Even so, Peter has a bright idea. “Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened.” Mark comments rightly that when men are afraid, they have the tendency to say too much and often without thinking. It is not Jesus who replies, but the Father from heaven. “And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.” The cloud reminds us of the Exodus. The disciples can hear the Father’s voice, but they cannot see him. The voice of God declares Jesus to be his beloved Son, to whom the disciples should listen, for he now speaks with the authority of the Father. Just as suddenly as the cloud appeared, it disappears, and the disciples can see no one but only Jesus, for in Jesus they see the Law and the Prophets and hear the Father’s voice.

As Jesus and the three come down from the mountain, Jesus warns them to tell no one what they have seen until after his resurrection. Although they obey his command, nevertheless they discuss among themselves what this rising from the dead might mean. They ask him about Elijah and the tradition that he would come before the Messiah. Jesus tells them that Elijah has already been among them and was badly treated. Was this John the Baptist, perhaps? Jesus now wants his disciples to focus on his passion and death, for which he has prepared them by allowing them to see his Transfiguration and thereby enter into the very mystery of God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 17th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 09:01:55 GMT

Sometimes people ask me why I am still a Christian or, worse still perhaps in the UK, why I am still a Catholic. My answer is usually simple and straightforward, quite uncomplicated, and it’s simply this. I believe that Jesus has called me to be his disciple and his friend. I know this to be a fact as he says so clearly in the Gospel. I also believe that he has called me personally and by name. It’s not a general call and he calls each one of us personally. To become a Christian is a call to discipleship and an invitation to a deep spiritual and loving friendship. Throughout my life I have found this personal relationship with Jesus to be fulfilling and sustaining even if, at times, it’s not been easy. Through Jesus we come to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and in the Spirit come to know the Father, who sent his Son into the world to be our Saviour. As a disciple and a friend of Jesus, I am also called to be a member of the Body of Christ, which is the Church, not a building, not an institution, but a company of friends and disciples of the Lord, a company of believers who are motivated by their faith to live according to the example of Jesus and to share his love with others, especially those who in a very practical way need that love the most. In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about what it means to be a disciple. We find his words in Mark, (Mk 8: 34- 9: 1).

“If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to win the whole world and ruin his life? And indeed, what can a man offer in exchange for his life? For if anyone in this adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. I tell you solemnly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” Obviously, being a disciple involves a certain renunciation of self, by which Jesus means our self-will, and an acceptance of the cross, which is ourselves, our difficult character and idiosyncrasies and whatever may come our way in life. This Jesus calls ‘losing our life’, but in fact, it is the way we gain our true selves, the self or person that God created and wants us to be, created and saved in his image and likeness. Let us pray today that we may be faithful in our discipleship and loving in our friendship with Jesus and his followers.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 16th February

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:10:00 GMT

In today’s Gospel we read Mark’s version, (Mk 8: 27-33), of that pivotal moment in the life and ministry of Jesus when his disciples declare their faith in him, spoken through Peter, to be the Messiah and Son of God incarnate. It took place at Caesarea Philippi and also marks the halfway point in the Gospel story. “Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ And they told him. ‘John the Baptist,’ they said ‘others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he asked ‘who do you say I am?’ Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.” Before asking who they think he is, Jesus asks his disciples what others have to say about him. We have become accustomed to the list: John the Baptist, Elijah or another of the prophets come back to life. It is then that Jesus asks them about their own position on the question of his identity. As we know, Peter, in the name of the Twelve, speaks up, “You are the Christ.” In other Gospels this is expanded to say, “the Son of the living God.” This comes together with the constatation of Jesus that their faith is the result of divine revelation, but in Mark, Peter simply says, “You are the Christ“. Jesus does no more than to tell them to keep silent on the matter.

Jesus then goes on to speak of his forthcoming passion, death and resurrection. This is not quite the Messiah they were hoping for and believed him to be, a Messiah “to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again.” Yet Jesus says all this quite openly, even so it’s obvious that the disciples have difficulty understanding this and Peter remonstrates against what Jesus teaches, forcing Jesus to rebuke Peter saying, “Get behind me, Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.” Comparing this with our own fluctuating faith, it’s easy to imagine how one moment Peter is declaring his faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the next, Jesus is accusing him of being like Satan. We, too, can fluctuate between extremes.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 15th February

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:06:37 GMT

Yesterday was a wonderful, but exhausting day, as Toby and I went home to my mother’s to celebrate her 96 ^th birthday. We had a really good day together, although I always feel guilty about the amount of work we cause by our arrival and stay. My mother is still hyper-independent and not the sort of woman who allows others to do things for her, difficult when you would like to give a helping hand. The walk on the beach with Toby and an old school friend was like stepping into Paradise for an hour or more. You can feel the sea air doing you good.

Our Gospel today from Mark, (Mk 8: 22-26), sees Jesus healing a blind man at Bethsaida, a name that means either house of the hunter or house of the fisherman. It was the hometown of Andrew, Peter and Philip. Scholars disagree as to where exactly to was, probably on the eastern side of Lake Galilee somewhere in the Bethsaida Valley. “Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man, who was beginning to see, replied, ‘I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about.’ Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly. And Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’”

As often happens, the sick person is brought to Jesus by others and we are not told if they are friends or family. They know that Jesus’ touch is miraculous, but Jesus does nothing there and then. Rather, he leads the man out of the village, taking him by the hand. He lays hands on him and then anoints his eyes with spittle. Jesus brings about a new creation through the life-giving power of his touch and his saliva. To begin with the healing is partial, for the man recognises people looking like trees. Perhaps, he was not blind from birth, but had seen before. A second laying on of hands assures the healing and restoration of sight. However, Jesus sends him home and does not want him going back into the town, spreading the news of his healing. Jesus does not seek publicity, but simply the healing, forgiveness and salvation of sinners.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 14th February

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:10:58 GMT

Reading the Gospels, Jesus seems always to have been going to and fro across Lake Galilee, always making for the opposite shore. This would seem to suggest that those disciples, who had been fishermen, still owned their boats and probably had other family members still busy bringing in the fish, part of the staple diet of the locals. Today, in our reading from Mark, (Mk 8: 11-13), we find the Pharisees coming up to him to start an argument. “The Pharisees came up and started a discussion with Jesus; they demanded of him a sign from heaven, to test him.” On several occasions the Pharisees and others ask Jesus for a sign, a sign to prove who he is, as though the authority with which he taught and the many miracles he wrought were not sign enough for them. What more could they have wanted to see, when they failed to see and understand the signs that were already there?

“With a sigh that came straight from the heart, Jesus said, ‘Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.’ And leaving them again and re-embarking, he went away to the opposite shore.” That sigh of his that comes straight from the heart is a sign of his frustration and sorrow that he is completely misunderstood. His words might sound negative, but if they can’t grasp the meaning of what they can see, then what difference will a sign from heaven make? They are not disposed to understand, their hearts and minds are closed to any inspiration from God. Having said that there will be no sign at their request, we see Jesus re-embarking and returning from whence he came. As they will not become his disciples, he moves away from them. The abyss between them is cemented by their lack of belief. What about us? Do we demand signs? How deep is our faith?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 13th February

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:09:45 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 12th February

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:46:26 GMT

Today, as we continue reading the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel, (Jn 5: 17-37), a long section, we become aware that this is the sermon for today and that no other is necessary, for Jesus himself preached it to his disciples and who are we today but those same disciples. So I invite you to read carefully what Jesus has to say and simply put his teaching into effect in your life.

Jesus begins by telling us that he has not come to abolish the Law but to fulfil it, and he does that by explaining that it’s not the letter of the Law we need to concentrate on but the spirit. We can kill someone in many ways, by taking away their good name, for example, or by insulting or belittling them. Abuse, whether physical, emotional or sexual, is a form or extension of murder, and so it goes on. The same applies to adultery. Jesus reminds us that just for a man to look at a woman lustfully is already to have committed adultery in his heart. Jesus invites us to love and respect our neighbour and to walk in his footsteps, for he is the Way the Truth and the Life. Here, then, is the full text of today’s Gospel. Let us allow ourselves to be instructed by Jesus himself. What an honour that is.

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

‘For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell.

‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

‘Again, you have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 11th February

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 15:37:45 GMT

As today we remember Our Lady of Lourdes, we also keep it as a special day of prayer for the sick. For those living in the UK, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for us to pray especially for the NHS, our hospitals, surgeries, surgeons, doctors, nurses and administrative staff, who have always looked after our health so well and at present are going through a difficult patch. We pray that with the support of our citizens as well as of the government, not only will it survive but go from strength to strength. For my part, I can truthfully say that I have only ever received the very best care, for which I am eternally grateful.

In our Gospel today we continue reading from Mark, (Mk 8: 1-10), where the evangelist recounts one of the episodes where Jesus feeds a vast crowd of people, in this case four thousand. Mark’s introduction is brief in the extreme and no reason is given for the crowds being there with Jesus and his disciples. “A great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat.” We have to wait for Jesus to speak before we discover that the crowd has been with him for three days. “I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. If I send them off home hungry, they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance.” We note the compassion of Jesus and his fear of the consequences should the crowd begin to walk home without having eaten. The disciples realise that it’s their responsibility to take care of logistics. “Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like this?” they ask Jesus. All they have left are seven loaves, but that’s all Jesus needs.

“Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them among the crowd. They had a few small fish as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also. They ate as much as they wanted, and they collected seven baskets, full of the scraps left over. Now there had been about four thousand people.” It strikes me that the scene is as apocalyptic as it is eucharistic. It is a vision of heaven. It also reminds us of the Exodus, Moses and the manna. The crowd eats as much as it needs of the bread and fish and there’s an abundance of scraps left over. Is this for the journey home? We are not told what happens to the scraps. The story ends as abruptly as it began. “Jesus sent them away and immediately, getting into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.” This is the only occasion this place is mentioned in the Bible. Matthew has a similar story, but tells us that Jesus landed at a town called Magadan. Theories are far too complicated to go into here. There is much in the Bible, even in the New Testament, still for us to discover. But that’s true of life in general.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 10th February

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:01:57 GMT

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St Scholastica, twin sister of St Benedict. They were born at Nursia (today Norcia) deep in the Apennines of Umbria in Central Italy around the year 480. She died before St Benedict, as related in the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great, on this day in the year 543. I have always felt that she had a great influence on Benedict and was probably behind the humane domestic arrangements he wrote about in the Holy Rule. Examples could be what he has to say about the length of the monks’ habits and the quality and colour of the material used. Again, what he writes about the diet of his monks, the variety and quantity of food. And there is much more besides. Today we pray for all Benedictine and Cistercian nuns, who live by the Rule of St Benedict. They are our twin sisters, just as Scholastica was Benedict’s.

The Gospel passage chosen for the feast comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 38-42), a well-known passage that tells of a visit of Jesus to the home of Martha and Mary. “Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’”

In John’s Gospel, we are told that the village was called Bethany and that the sisters also had a brother, Lazarus. All three were friends of Jesus and often received him and, presumably, his disciples into their home. This was no small task, hence the words of Martha in today’s Gospel. We also presume that they had a servant or two, a kitchen maid, for example, which is why Mary permitted herself the luxury of sitting at the feet of Jesus to hear him speak. Whatever the facts, Jesus tells Martha to calm down and be at peace, for there is no hurry. In fact, Jesus is never in a hurry, he always has time. Moreover, he insists that what Mary has done is right, for she is feeding spiritually on his word, while Martha is simply preparing a meal. Not that Jesus didn’t eat or that food and drink were unimportant to him, but Mary’s action was one of faith, while Martha’s was one of charity. Both are needed, but it is faith that leads to charity. Ultimately, he doesn’t want the sisters to criticise each other, but both to sit at his feet. I suspect that Scholastica was like Mary, whereas Benedict was a Martha. Both are needed, they complement one another, but in heaven all will lead to contemplation and adoration. All else will be left behind.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 9th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:01:01 GMT

Today at Belmont we keep the feast of St Teilo, one of the most important of Welsh saints and patron of the City of Cardiff as well as of many towns and villages in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. He was born at Penally, Pembrokeshire, where my Welsh grandmother was born, in the year 500 and died at Llandeilo Fawr in 560. He rose to become Bishop of Llandaff. He was educated by St Dyfrig and St Paulinus of Wales and was a friend and contemporary of St David. In 540 he moved to Brittany with a group of monks. You can still see the apple orchards planted by Tello and his fellow monks in Brittany, where there is great devotion to him. You can venerate his skull at Llandaff Cathedral, although Llandeilo and Penally also claim to have his body and his tomb. You can see a beautiful stained-glass window of him in the former St David’s Chapel at Belmont. He is depicted as a handsome young man, carrying juicy red apples as in his right hand and a crozier in his left. May he pray for us today and for the people of the countries he served.

It was very moving indeed to see President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine visit King Charles and Westminster Hall, where he addressed both House of Parliament. I hope and pray that that the West will now give him the help he needed almost a year ago when his country was first invaded. Soon it will be the anniversary of what amounted to a declaration of war against the Ukrainian people and of the free world. Unless we put an end to this war very soon, I fear it will drag on for ever and not stop at Ukraine.

Our Gospel today comes from Mark, (Mk 7: 24-30), and sees Jesus in the territory of Tyre, an area with a large pagan population. He was staying in a house, but didn’t want people to know he was there. Was he resting, perhaps? But even here, Jesus is recognised. “A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him straightaway and came and fell at his feet. Now the woman was a pagan, by birth a Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ But she spoke up: ‘Ah yes, sir,’ she replied ‘but the house-dogs under the table can eat the children’s scraps.’ And he said to her, ‘For saying this, you may go home happy: the devil has gone out of your daughter.’ So she went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone.”

What a lovely story this is, which sees Jesus breaking through the boundaries of faith and respectability of his day, for the woman who falls at his feet, as well as being a woman is also a pagan. Not only does she fall at his feet, but she begs him to heal her little daughter who has an unclean spirit. Although Jesus at first appears to reject her, when she stands up for herself, accepting Jesus’ comparison of her and her daughter to house-dogs, he recognises her faith and assures her that her daughter will be well. So strong is her belief in Jesus, that on returning home she finds her daughter healed and well again. Let us pray for a faith like hers. Jesus will never reject or abandon us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 8th February

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:59:57 GMT

It’s impossible to be about our daily work at the moment without thinking of the people affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and the extreme suffering and trauma they are confronting. It’s truly heart-breaking. And that continues to be true of the war in Ukraine, to which I can see no just or peaceful conclusion. Today I also received further news both in the media and personally from friends in Nicaragua of the persecution of the Church in that sad country. I tend not to fall into despair because of my faith in the Resurrection of Jesus and the hope of eternal life, but I do get very sad, very low. I often hear in my head that song that was so popular in the 60s, “Where have all the flowers gone?” and the line, “When will they ever learn?” The words haunted me then and they haunt me now.

Our Gospel passage carries on from yesterday’s: we’re reading Mark, (Mk 7: 14-23). Jesus wants to go deeper with the crowds into what he was saying to the scribes and Pharisees. “Jesus called the people to him and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’” Jesus points to what is truly unclean, our thoughts and actions, and asks us to think about the source of evil. The Pharisees would have us believe that the keeping of a ritualistic law guarantees purity and goodness, but Jesus says this can’t be so. It’s what goes on in our hearts and minds that cause us to be unclean and impure.

Later, at home, he explains to his disciples. “Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer? It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.” We know full well that what Jesus says is true and we have experienced it for ourselves. The only remedy is repentance and conversion, baptism, faith and grace. Let us pray today that the Holy Spirit will keep the flame of faith alive in our hearts and, through faith, the presence of Christ in our lives. Lord, only you can purify my soul and cleanse my heart. Make me a temple of the Holy Spirit and a living member of your Body. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 7th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:58:16 GMT

Who would not be shocked by the mammoth earthquakes that took place in south eastern Turkey and north western Syria late on Sunday night and early yesterday morning? I have experienced many earth tremors and la few earthquakes both in Italy and Peru, so know the sense of fear and helplessness that strikes us when the earth we’re standing on or the building we’re working or praying in begins to shake to and fro or, worse still, up and down. It’s frightening beyond belief. We pray for our brothers and sisters who have been killed or injured, left homeless or without family, friends and neighbours. We pray for those countless people who are helping to alleviate the suffering of survivors and seeking to find those who are trapped under the rubble. Lord, in your mercy be with them all, show them your merciful love and give them all the help they need to face a difficult future.

Today’s Gospel goes further into our reading of Mark, (Mk 7: 1-13), with an argument between Jesus and a group of Pharisees and scribes. It began because some of Jesus’ disciples were eating with unclean hands, i.e. ritually unclean. “The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place, they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’” In their origins, all these laws were norms of hygiene, but gradually they took on an exaggeratedly ritualistic meaning. Jesus’ objective was to recover their original meaning, that of health and hygiene and not of religious observance. This is why he calls the Pharisees hypocrites, who only honour God by lip-service but not by obedience or a contrite heart. As Jesus says of them, taking his words from the prophet,

“The worship they offer me is worthless,

the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.”

And he adds, “You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions. How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition!” At times I think this is true a certain Christians, who are more interested in preserving their own traditions than in making the Gospel accessible to those who are searching for God and for his truth. As Jesus concludes, saying to the Pharisees, “In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.” I hope and pray he doesn’t have to say this to any of us today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 6th February

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 22:48:38 GMT

I usually mention Toby’s first morning walk, but he has about six walks a day, some lasting only a few minutes, others half an hour or more, but they all fit into the monastic timetable. One of his favourites is the late afternoon walk, probably because his supper follows straight afterwards. This walk usually ends up in the cemetery, where he leaves his football with me and does some serious investigative sniffing. There’s always the scent left behind by other dogs, or by nocturnal deer, badgers and other night visitors, scents that linger and become more intriguing. I’ll attach a photograph I took yesterday afternoon. It will give you an idea of how magical it is and why we both enjoy walking there so much. Toby loves cemeteries in general and there’s hardly be a Herefordshire cemetery we haven’t visited together.

Today the Church celebrates the Martyrs of Nagasaki, Japan, St Paul Miki and his Companions, 26 of the many Japanese Catholics martyred for their faith from the end of the16th century onwards. I believe that about 400 have been beatified and 42 canonised. What an example of faith and fortitude these martyrs are. May they pray for Christians throughout the world today.

Our Gospel passage comes from Mark, (Mk 6: 53-56), and describes briefly how the crowds followed Jesus and his disciples around Galilee and how they were patiently and lovingly healed by Jesus as a sign of God’s love and forgiveness. “Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.” Following the example of the crowds may we seek Jesus and ask him for healing and forgiveness today and every day. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 5th February

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 22:47:14 GMT

Today, Churches throughout the world are keeping Racial Justice Sunday, when together Christians focus on the need to oppose racism and pursue racial justice with renewed vigour in fidelity to the Gospel of Christ and the will of God the Father, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This year the theme for Racial Justice Sunday is: “All are included in the mission of Christ and His Church. Let us walk together, pray together and work together.” It reflects the role each of us must play in promoting the mission of Christ and His Church. This was inspired by conversations around last year’s Racial Justice Sunday and Pope Francis’ visit to Canada in July 2022, when he spoke about looking towards a future of ‘justice, healing and reconciliation’. There is a powerful prayer we can use today and at any other time.

God of our past, present and future,
you created each one of us in your image and likeness,
help us to recognise you in each person.

As we pray for end to suffering caused by racism
lead us this day to walk with one another,
pray with one another and work together,
so that we create a future based on justice and healing,
where all can fulfil the hope you have for all peoples.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Our Gospel reading this Sunday follows on from the Beatitudes, that we read last Sunday. We are in Matthew, (Mt 5: 13-16), reading the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus tells us, his disciples, that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the living and proclaiming of the Gospel life depends on each one of us, no one can leave it to others and say, ‘this doesn’t concern me’ because it does. You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world, not someone else. That is why racial justice depends on each one of us, we all have a role to play in making this a better world for everyone. Jesus also spoke of himself as being the Light of the world, so the more united we are with Jesus, the more likely we are to become the light of the world too, as we reflect from the very depth of our being Christ’s own light and the gift of the Spirit, symbolised in the salt, for we are also the salt of the earth. If Jesus has asked us to do this, then he will give us the grace to fulfil his commandment.

Here is another prayer, addressed to the Holy Spirit:

Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty,
reflected in all the peoples of the earth,
so that we may discover anew
that all are important and all are necessary,
different faces of the one humanity
that God so loves.
Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 4th February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 22:45:40 GMT

Don’t you find that some days are more difficult than others? Yesterday I woke up feeling tired and things just got worse as the day wore on. I fell asleep a couple of times at my desk and even, embarrassingly, during an important meeting. Fortunately, another monk was present to take over from me. It’s good to know I can rely on the brethren. I was also saddened to receive news that one of Toby’s friends had passed away, a dear Jack Russell aged 16 ½ called Alfie. We’ll both miss him, but he will live on in our hearts and in the heart of God, for whom even the hairs of our heads are counted and not a sparrow dies but he is aware of it.

Today’s Gospel reading from Mark, (Mk 6: 30-34), in which the crowds follow Jesus wherever he goes, even if he’s searching for a little quiet and solitude in order to rest and pray with his disciples, reminds us of the vast crowds following Pope Francis on his pastoral visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, two divided and war-torn countries in the heart of Africa with large Catholic populations. Let us always keep Pope Francis in our prayers, a sensitive pastor and a man who is the very image of Jesus and the great saints of history. There’s something very special about Francis. When he speaks, we hear Jesus speaking. His words always come from the heart and speak directly to our hearts. It saddens me deeply when I hear some Catholics malign him and reject him. Are they above the Holy Spirit who chose him lead and guide the Church? I feel profoundly hurt by their words and attitude. There is no greater sin than to sow division in the Church. It is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Let us keep the people of the DRC and South Sudan in our prayers, not just today but in all times.

Let us now look briefly at our Gospel passage. “The apostles re-joined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat.” The apostles are rather full of themselves and what they’ve done on the mission they were sent by Jesus to accomplish. Jesus can see that they need to rest and pray. There is so much going on, so many people coming and going, that they can’t even sit down for a moment and have a bite to eat. “So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them.” It was bound to happen: Jesus was so popular and people wanted to see and hear him and just be where he was. In fact, as Mark states, they got there before him! “So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.” Jesus didn’t get angry, as some people do if it’s their day off, no, he had compassion on the crowds because he could see that they were like “sheep without a shepherd.” And that’s how so many people in the world are like today. Perhaps, we could introduce them to Jesus. It is Jesus whom the world needs today and we know him. Could we not share him with others. Why keep this treasure for ourselves?

Fr Paul

Your Direction

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:50:16 GMT

Support when parents split available here

Churches Together In Herefordshire Newsletter

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:44:47 GMT

The latest newsletter from C TIH available here

7th - 14th February National Marriage Week

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:41:25 GMT

Prayers and MARRIAGE MATTERS, a collection of 60-word snippets, adapted from the Sunday Mass Scripture Reading reflections found in I AM WITH YOU Year A.

Gregorian Chant Workshop

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:32:56 GMT

New Paragraph

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 3rd February

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:31:28 GMT

What a joy it was yesterday to celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. For Toby and me it began as usual with our early morning walk, as I said the Rosary and Toby interacted with the army of robins who accompany us every morning on this walk. I presume that they are protecting their territory from the canine predator, but as they see him every day and know him to be peace-loving and friendly, perhaps it’s just a game. What is certain, as the temperature rises, is that the birdsong is more joyful and robust. How can such small creatures create such a loud and beautiful concerto? What a privilege it is to walk among them and hear them sing each morning and how do others manage to sleep through it?

Two saints are remembered in our Calendar today: St Blaise, the 3 ^rd /4 ^th century Armenian bishop and martyr, whose intercession is invoked for the blessing of throats, and St Ansgar or Oscar, the 9 ^th century Benedictine Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, who is known as the “Apostle of the North”, as he received the mandate to take the Christian faith into Scandinavia. Let us pray today for the Church in Armenia and for the large Armenian diaspora throughout the world and for the Church in Scandinavian countries. These are probably areas of the world we rarely remember to pray for. Many of the relics of St Blaise are to be found in Dubrovnik in Croatia, a city well worth visiting.

Our Gospel passage from Mark today, (Mk 6: 14-29), recounts the death of John the Baptist at the hands of King Herod, a weak man, who to save face before his courtiers and army officers after making a rash promise when drunk to the daughter of his unlawful wife, Herodius, had him beheaded. It’s a tragic tale and one that gives us much to think about our world today and the horrendous things that take place in the name of politics and for the sake of power and image. It was clear that one day John would die a martyr, but this was not the way to go. We pray that God will raise up in the world today men and women of the integrity and faith of John the Baptist and rid the world of those people who are not worthy of its beauty and fragility, those whose delight is only to destroy what is good and given us by God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 2nd February

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:25:37 GMT

Today we celebrate the most unusual of feasts in that it has no less than four names, three of them deriving from the event it celebrates and one from the rite that takes place before Mass begins, the blessing of candles. So in the West we have Candlemas, the Purification of Our Lady and the Presentation of Our Lord, whereas in the East we have the Feast of Meeting, Ὑπαπάντη (Hypapante) in Greek, referring to Christ who enters his Temple in order to meet with his people, represented by Simeon and Anna, a meeting between the Old and New Testaments. And, of course, it is the last day of Christmas, the fortieth day since the birth of Jesus, the last feast of the Advent-Epiphany cycle, which at the same time looks forward to the season of Lent and the Easter cycle of feasts. “A sword will pierce your own soul too,” says Simeon to Mary as he sees, in the Christ Child, the Messiah born to suffer and die for our sins. If we go back further, to the dawn of creation, today is also the halfway mark between the shortest day and the spring equinox.

Forty days after his birth at Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph came to the Temple in Jerusalem to be purified and to present the child Jesus, Mary’s first-born, for God’s service. This traditional Jewish rite also involved the offering of a small sacrifice, “a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons,” Essentially, they were giving thanks to God for the birth and good health of their son and the survival of his mother. Even today, childbirth is the most danger thing a woman can go through in life. This rite of purification and presentation was always a joyful occasion, a day of hope and thanksgiving. Yet, as we heard in the Gospel, after the blessing came a warning for Mary, when Simeon said to her, “This child is destined to be a sign that is rejected, and a sword will pierce your own heart too.” There would be many sacrifices ahead, culminating with the sacrifice of Calvary, when Jesus would offer his own life and shed his blood for the redemption of sinners.

Today is the last of the Christmas feasts, each one of them a theophany, an encounter with the living God in the person of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, Emmanuel, God with us. At his Nativity, the angels in heaven and the shepherds on earth rejoice at the birth of the Saviour, the child in the manger. At his Epiphany, the gentiles, represented by the wise men, follow a star and kneel to worship the infant King, whom they recognise to be both God and Saviour. At his Baptism, John the Baptist sees and hears the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as Jesus emerges from the waters. At the Wedding Feast of Cana, at his Mother’s behest, Jesus transforms water into wine, as at the Last Supper bread and wine will become his Body and Blood and on the Cross blood and water will flow from his side as the Church, his mystical Body, comes into being through the Sacraments. Today, on this loveliest of feasts, Simeon and Anna, inspired by the Holy Spirit, see in the child presented in the Temple “the Christ of the Lord.” This is the final theophany of the Christmas story, when two prophetic figures, a man and a woman, bless God and say, “My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.”

Today, like Simeon and Anna, we have come to the Temple to encounter the Saviour of the world, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary. May this meeting be for us the source of salvation and confirm our discipleship. Amen.village today, would he be amazed at our lack of faith? I often wonder. What do you think?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 1st February

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:23:27 GMT

Many have asked for an update on Fr Alex in Peru. His operation was planned to take place at 7pm (midnight GMT) on Tuesday, so in the course of today there should be news of his progress. Br Mario, who is a doctor, will keep me informed of how Fr Alex is getting on. He is very grateful for your prayers and asks you to continue praying until he is out of danger.

So we come to the beginning of a new month, the second of 2023, and the vigil of the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, the last of the Christmas/Epiphany feasts. Christmas trees and cribs should not come down until tomorrow night. Our short Gospel reading today from Mark, (Mk 6: 1-6), sees Jesus pay a visit to his home town of Nazareth. He went accompanied by his disciples. ”With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him.” As a matter of courtesy, Jesus would have been invited to address the congregation. By now he was so accustomed to preaching and teaching, that he always did so in any synagogue, and Nazareth was no exception. Afterall, wasn’t it here that he leant the art in the first place?

Nevertheless, the people were astounded by his eloquence and wisdom.

They asked one another, “Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?” They were amazed both at his wisdom and at the miracles we wrought. They just couldn’t make it out. They knew him to be a carpenter, but no more. Mary, his mother, is mentioned and four brothers by name and then his sisters. Joseph seems to have been a long time dead, as no mention is made of him. Could these brothers and sisters of Jesus have been children of Joseph’s by an earlier marriage? That’s what tradition tells us and it seems to most probable solution. One thing is certain: the people of Nazareth “would not accept him.” Jesus’ reaction was to say, “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house.” This saying of Jesus has become proverbial. In Nazareth he only worked a few miracles, but Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith.”

If Jesus came to our town or village today, would he be amazed at our lack of faith? I often wonder. What do you think?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 31st January

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 22:18:08 GMT

Yesterday, a friend and I took advantage of the mild, sunny weather to take a trip out into the countryside and visit a church yet on our list to see: St Cuthbert’s at Holme Lacy. I hadn’t realised that this was a redundant church, rarely used for worship now. It’s about a mile and a half from the village, down by the river and extremely damp and cold inside. Nevertheless, both the church and the graveyard are beautifully kept and well worth a visit. We also visited St Mary’s, Fownhope, a fine if rather over-restored church that leaves one wondering what it must really have looked like before the Reformation. Sadly, the magnificent Tympanum is on a back wall directly under a large window, thus making it difficult both to see and to photograph. When I visited two months’ ago, the light that should make this possible was out of order and by yesterday nothing had been done to change it. At Holme Lacy I sang a Latin chant to Our Lady and you could feel the stones hungrily absorbing both words and music. Strangely, I didn’t feel moved to pray in the same way at Fownhope.

Today the Church remembers St John Bosco, the 19 ^th century founder of the Salesians, a priest who dedicated his life to the Christian education of the young.

We ask him to bless all young people and children and to protect them from all harm through his heavenly intercession.

Our Gospel passage from Mark today is a surprisingly long for such a short Gospel, (Mk 5: 21-43). It recounts two miracles, one story within another: the raising to life of the synagogue official Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the woman with the haemorrhage. The text is so beautifully written and well-worth reading over and over again that I’ll reproduce it.

“When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.

Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. ‘If I can touch even his clothes,’ she had told herself ‘I shall be well again.’ And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Immediately aware that power had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples said to him, ‘You see how the crowd is pressing round you and yet you say, “Who touched me?”’ But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. ‘My daughter,’ he said ‘your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.’

While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’ And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up.’ The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.”

What strikes us throughout is how calm and respectful Jesus is. Even when he is searching for the woman healed of her haemorrhage, it is to reassure her that her faith has made her whole again and that she is now free of her ailment. When news comes of Jairus’ daughter’s death, Jesus calms her father and those with him by inviting them not to fear but only to have faith. The crowd gathered at the house might laugh at him, but he ignores their laughter and asks them to leave. Only those who have faith can remain in the house and pray with Jesus that the girl’s life be restored. So important for Mark were the words Jesus addressed to the little girl that he leaves them in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke. Although everyone is astonished, Jesus simply tells them, sensibly, to give her something to eat. No drama with Jesus, just common sense.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 30th January

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 21:23:46 GMT

Dear friends in Christ, I apologise that it hasn’t been possible to prepare a message for today. Yesterday was a particularly busy Sunday and, in the end, I ran out of time. Nevertheless, I assure you of my prayers for you and your loved ones.

Please could I ask a prayer for Fr Alex, the Prior of our Peruvian monastery, who is having major surgery today or tomorrow. For many years Fr Alex has suffered from Achalasia, a rare disorder of the oesophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. It is characterized by impaired ability to push food down toward the stomach (peristalsis), failure of the ring-shaped muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus, the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES), to relax. It is the contraction and relaxation of the sphincter that moves food through the tube. The symptoms of achalasia typically appear gradually. Most people with this disorder experience an impairment in the ability to swallow (dysphagia) as a major and early symptom. There may also be mild chest pain that comes and goes. Some affected individuals experience pain that is very intense. Retention of saliva and ingested food in the oesophagus may often cause regurgitation of these contents; in addition, such contents may also be propelled into the lungs during breathing (tracheobronchial aspiration). Other symptoms of this disorder may include a cough during the night and significant weight loss, because of difficulty in swallowing, in cases that remain untreated. Dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) and dry mouth (xerostomia) are not unusual in patients with achalasia. The aspiration of saliva and food contents by people with achalasia may cause pneumonia, other pulmonary infections, or even death. The incidence of oesophageal cancer is significantly increased in patients with achalasia.

I know I can rely on you to remember Fr Alex in your prayers. We pray that surgery will be successful and that he will soon recover from the operation. I also ask you to pray for a benefactor in Lima who has made it possible for Fr Alex to have the operation in a private hospital. I am hoping to visit our brethren in Peru from 1 ^st to 16 ^th March. God bless you.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 29th January

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 17:13:12 GMT

At Sunday Mass today we begin reading that section of Matthew’s Gospel known as the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus is presented as the new Moses, giving to his disciples and to the Church the New Law, as he reinterprets important facets of the Law of Moses. It begins with the Beatitudes that we read today, (Mt 5: 1-12). I hope you’ll forgive me using a different translation to the one we find in the Mass Lectionary. I find the use of the word ‘happy’ to translate the Greek ‘μακὰριοi’ a somewhat unfortunate choice.T

Just as Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai and gave it to the children of Israel, so Jesus who is both God and Man now interprets that Law for his disciples and so for you and me, who are his disciples today. “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.” He begins with the Beatitudes, so called because each verse or sentence begins in Latin with the word ‘beati’, the plural of ‘beatus’. Who, then, are those blessed by God and called to holiness? The poor in spirit, i.e. those who recognise their need for God, for the kingdom of heaven is already theirs, as God will satisfy their needs. Then come those who mourn, the meek and humble, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and justice, the merciful and kind, the pure of heart and those who practise integrity and speak the truth, those who work for peace, those who are persecuted because of their righteousness. Finally come those who are insulted, abused and columnized against. They, too, can rejoice with all their hearts because God is with them and will reward them in heaven, just as he has the prophets and saints of old.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 28th January

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 09:49:06 GMT

The bitterly cold weather seems to be improving and becoming more springlike and the dawn chorus these past two days certainly gives the impression that Spring is on its way. The snowdrops are now accompanied by primroses and daffodils and there’s a feeling of hope in the air. The days are lengthening and you get a sense of light at the end of the tunnel. Toby really enjoys going out for his walks, particularly if there are canine friends to walk and play with. Next week we’ll celebrate the last of the Christmas feasts, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple or the Purification of Our lady, also known as Candlemas, and we’re already planning our Lenten parish programme.

Today we keep the feast of St Thomas Aquinas, the great Dominican philosopher and theologian, the saint who wrote the beautiful texts for the feast of Corpus Christi. We commend to his intercession all those who are studying or teaching philosophy and theology, as well as the Synod process that is taking place all over the world. May his writings and prayers illumine our deliberations.

Today’s Gospel from Mark, (Mk 4: 35-41), sees Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee for the first time with his disciples. I wonder how many times he’d crossed previously. “With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.” It’s not said how far they were planning to go or even their destination. Was it just to get away from the crowds for some well-earned peace and quiet? It looks as though they took nothing with them and there was more than one boat. But things didn’t go to plan. Jesus was in the stern fast asleep, leaving the sailing to others. He was a carpenter, not a sailor. A gale begins to blow. “Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’”

The boats were small and precarious in bad weather. The disciples are frightened and wake Jesus, hoping he has the solution to get them out of danger. They’re looking for a miracle and a miracle takes place. “And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’” Jesus rebukes the wind just as he rebuked the unclean spirits of those who were possessed. He questions the faith of his disciples that has proved lacking. If they really believed he was the Messiah, then fear of the elements should have no place in their lives. The calming of the storm causes them to ask each other. “Who can this be?” Can we think

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 27th January

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:34:12 GMT

As we follow the Benedictine Calendar, yesterday we kept the feast of the Holy Founders of the Cistercian Order, Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen. As a result, today we are keeping the feast of St Paul’s two great friends and protégés, Saints Timothy and Titus. Three Letters traditionally attributed to Paul are addressed to them. Paul held Timothy in high esteem: when Paul was passing through Lystra at the beginning of his second missionary journey, he chose Timothy to be his companion. Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem for the so-called Apostolic Council, where the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles that freed them from the constraints of Mosaic Law was solemnly accepted. We ask them to intercede for the Church today and especially for the Synod, that it might bring many fruits to the Church’s mission.

Our Gospel passage from Mark, (Mk 4: 26-34), presents us with two Parables of the Kingdom, with which Jesus wishes to encourage his followers not to give up hope but to continue preaching the Good News of salvation. This is the first. “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.” Jesus explains how from a small seed there eventually grows a large shrub that produces much fruit. All the farmer has to do is plant the seed. Nature takes care of the rest. Likewise, the disciple sows the seed and God does the rest. We should not stop sowing the seed of the word; in God’s own time it will bear much fruit.

The second is similar, but the emphasis is on the size of the seed compared with the size of the shrub. “What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.” Here it’s not a question of the fruit produced but the fact that the shrub is so large it has branches, where birds may rest in the shade the foliage produces. In both parables, the plants produced by the seed are live-giving.

Mark then comments on Jesus’ method of teaching. “Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.” Inspired by Jesus’ example, may we find exciting new ways of preaching the Gospel today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 26th January

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 07:01:27 GMT

Sadly, our internet connection went down again yesterday evening, so I was unable yet again to join in the zoomed Night Prayer for the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. I feel both upset and embarrassed. I fear we have become a fourth world country, as St Teresa of Calcutta always used to say when she visited the UK. Far worse than not having an internet connection is the suffering of a quarter or so of British children who are hungry and cold as I write this message, while here I’m sat, warm and well-fed. So often now I feel I should give up this way of life and do something more positive and practical to alleviate suffering, as I used to do when I lived in Peru. There is so much going on at the moment that makes this country unrecognisable, such as the loss of faith and lack of vocations, that I get bouts of deep sorrow for the world in which I live. Last night I really felt the loss of not being able to pray with those taking part in the short, united service. Obviously, I was able to sit in silence and join them in my heart, but it wasn’t the same, of course.

Today the Church, and especially Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, are keeping the feast of the holy founders of Cisteux, Saints Robert, Stephen Harding and Alberic. May their example and writings guide all monks and nuns on the road to holiness through their prayer, work and community life.

Our Gospel reading comes from Mark, (Mk 4: 21-25), and presents us with two of the sayings of Jesus.

“Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

To what is Jesus referring when he talks about light? It could be about himself and the fact that he is the Messiah. It could be the message he preaches and the grace, healing and forgiveness that goes with it, but Jesus limits the revelation of his message to those who trust him enough to really want to understand. Ultimately, everything will be brought into the light and all will be revealed and known. Lord, you once called your disciples the light of the world: may we be a light in the world for you today. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 25th January

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:54:12 GMT

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Conversion of St Paul. I started keeping this as my feast day while studying in Rome, because we always left for home before 29 ^th June, the official end to the summer semester, and so I would miss out on a party with my fellow students. So powerful an experience was it for St Paul himself, that there are no less than four accounts of it in the New Testament, as well as further allusions to it. Since those happy, long-off days, I have continued to keep it as my feast day, conscious as I am of the need for continuous conversion and renewal in my life. I’ve still a long way to go. Today is also the last day in the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. Sadly, I was unable to take part in our zoomed Night Prayer last night, organised by Ewyas Harold and District Christians Together. I rushed back from visiting my mother in order to be at Belmont at 8.30, only to discover that yet again our Internet connection had gone down. This is now becoming a regular occurrence and it's an embarrassing nuisance and a hindrance to work. I have no idea when or if it will return, so heaven knows when you will get to see this message.

As I mentioned, yesterday I was able to visit my mother and what a glorious day it was. I believe that Herefordshire remained shrouded in mist, while in South Wales we enjoyed a glorious, sunny day, warm and calm. Toby and I went down to the beach, where he met a number of friends and played with them. I found the walk restful and invigorating. The sky was truly breath-taking and I took a number of photographs to share with you. We’ll see if that will be possible.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from Mark, (Mk 16: 15-18) where Jesus appears to the Eleven, the Twelve less Judas, after his Resurrection and instructs them, saying, “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus himself went out to share the Good News with Saul, the great persecutor of Christians, and caught up with him on the road to Damascus, whither he was going in search of Christians to persecute and kill, as he had son with Stephen. He believed, was baptised and was saved. Not only that, but from persecuting the Church, he became its greatest missionary, evangelist and theologian. We might well ask what would have become of that small group of Jesus’ disciples had Paul not been converted. But then, his conversion was all part of God’s plan and the work of the Holy Spirit and for this we give thanks to God today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 24th January

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 14:07:15 GMT

As we’ve been reading the past few days, Sunday included, although from Matthew, Mark tells us how Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum to begin his ministry and how Capernaum became his headquarters. Today, Mark, (Mk 3: 31-35), recounts how the family of Jesus came over to Capernaum from Nazareth to see him. We are not told why they came, nor is there any mention made that they might have been worried about him or preoccupied for him. We are simply told that they came asking for him. His mother and brothers and sisters want to see him. This description of the visitors is repeated no less than four times in the short episode. They want to talk with him. We don’t know whether they would have liked him to return to Nazareth or if they came bringing gifts from home, especially food. All we know is that they arrive, stand outside the house (it must have been crowded) and ask for him. The message is passed on to Jesus. He doesn’t get up to go out, but looks at the crowd, his hearers, and says, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then he adds, looking round at those sitting in a circle around him, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.”

Did he then go out to see them and speak with them? We don’t know, we’re not told. Perhaps that isn’t the point of the story, rather the words of Jesus that he is forming a new concept of family, not one based on blood ties but on faith and discipleship, his mystical Body, the Church, God’s family, in which all those who believe and follow him are brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, the Gospels present us with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the very first believer of the New Testament, she who believed God’s word and promise, said YES to God and conceived the Word made flesh, God Incarnate, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. But who were these brothers and sisters? An ancient explanation is that they were the children of Joseph by an earlier marriage. We notice that Joseph isn’t mentioned after the infancy and childhood of Jesus, so he had probably died by then, leaving his older children, the half-brothers and sisters of Jesus in Mary’s household. This has always made sense to me and saves us searching after other explanations or theories.

Fr Paul

Response to the Document of the Continental Stage from Archbishop Mark O'Toole, in Cardiff and Menevia.

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 21:12:27 GMT

Please find below the r esponse to the Document of the Continental Stage from Archbishop Mark O'Toole, in Cardiff and Menevia.

The report is available here: Response to the Document of the Continental Stage from Archbishop Mark O'Toole

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 23rd January

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 08:17:22 GMT

Jesus was often accused by the scribes, who were doctors of the law closely aligned with the Pharisees, of casting out devils and evil spirits by the power of the prince of devils or Beelzebul, as he was often called in Jesus’ day. This name derived from a Philistine god, who was also called the Lord of the flies or the Lord of filth. It was a pretty horrid way of criticising another religious authority, whom you hated and regarded as a rival or even an enemy. Matthew, (Mt 3:22-30), tells us that, “The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘Beelzebul is in him’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out.’”

Jesus patiently called them to himself in order to explain where his power to expel evil spirits came from. “So he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand.’” What Jesus says is as clear as can be. A kingdom or a household divided against itself cannot stand, so he cannot be casting out evil spirits by the power of the prince of devils. Satan cannot be divided against himself. That would make no sense.

Jesus goes on to say something more important. Accusing him of casting out evil spirits by the power of Beelzebul is tantamount to blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, for they are refusing to recognise Jesus for who he really is, the Messiah, the Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. “’I tell you solemnly, all men’s sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘An unclean spirit is in him.’”

All this took place two thousand years’ ago. We must pray that today people will recognise Jesus for who he is. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a good time to do this.

Fr Paul

The Archdiocesan Response to the Continental Stage of the Synod

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 17:19:21 GMT

Please find below the latest document to come from Cardiff on the Synod. It summarises the discussions the various parishes had just before Christmas. Do read and pray about it and discuss it. The Synod is really a listening process, which has been undertaken by the whole Church, as we try together to discern the will of God for his Church today and in the future. We should remember what is says in the Letter to the Hebrews: Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. God does not change, but we do.

The report is available here: Response to the Continental Stage of the Synod

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 22nd January

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 17:13:05 GMT

Today is the Sunday within the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, so I know that Masses, Liturgies and Services will be held in churches and chapels all over the world for this intention, and Belmont is no exception. We are all praying for unity, just as we long for it and work seriously towards it, even if at times is seems an impossible task. One of the positive things we can do is to thank God for the unity we already share in Christ and for the many things we now do together which we once did apart. When I was a boy, we weren’t even allowed to say the Lord’s Prayer with other Christians, treating them as though they were pagans or worse. We have moved on leaps and bounds since then, due in great part to the Week of Prayer.

Our Gospel today, which comes from Matthew, (Mt 4: 12-23), explains to us the move from Nazareth to Capernaum, the preaching of Jesus and the call of the first four disciples, Andrew and Peter, James and John, all four of them fishermen, to whom Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew sees in the move to Capernaum the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah.

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.’

The preaching of Jesus echoes that of John the Baptist, but there is a great difference. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” Jesus is the incarnate Son of God, the Word made flesh. He embodies the kingdom of heaven that he proclaims. Where Jesus is, there is the kingdom.

The calling of the disciples is as radical as it is dramatic. Both sets of brothers are at their daily work, Peter and Andrew fishing, James and John mending nets with their father Zebedee. With not so much as a Good Morning, Jesus simply says, “Follow me.” They stop working, they leave their boats and their nets and the old man Zebedee and simply follow Jesus. This really is obedience without delay, not an easy or realistic example to follow, but is does make us reconsider our own following of Jesus and whether it is truly radical enough. Matthew then gives a summary of the ministry of Jesus from that moment on. “He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.” As we are often reminded, Jesus himself is the Good News and where Jesus is, there is the kingdom.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 21st January

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:05:49 GMT

Today’s Gospel passage is very short, one of the shortest in fact, just two verses from Mark, (Mk 3: 20-21). Here they are. “Jesus went home, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.”

Where was the home of Jesus? By this stage his centre of activity had become Capernaum, so this is the home Mark refers to. We know that crowds followed him wherever he went and that it was difficult, if not impossible, for Jesus and his companions to have any time to themselves. Mark emphasises this fact by telling us that they didn’t even have time to take a meal, so great were the crowds at the door.

Mark isn’t one for beating around the bush. He invariably tells it straight. His relatives thought that Jesus was out of his mind. Even Mary, who had so much to ponder in her heart, must have been mystified at this stage, but neither she nor Joseph are mentioned by name. Mark simply speaks of relatives. We are not told of the outcome of this visit, but it’s clear that they were unsuccessful in their attempt to take charge of him, for Jesus continues his mission uninterrupted. Jesus, like many young people, was not understood by his own family and was often misunderstood by his disciples. Little wonder we often find him difficult to understand!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 20th January

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 08:24:05 GMT

Yesterday, we were able to conclude the canonical visitation at Prinknash and I returned to Belmont, where there was a lot to do just to catch up with the few days I was away. This time Toby remained at Belmont and was admirably looked after by Fr Alex. As I was unable to follow the funeral in Athens on Monday of the late King Constantine, a man I greatly admired ever since I was a student at the University of Thessaloniki in 1967 and 1968, I have started watching it on YouTube, where the entire service at Athens cathedral can be seen. It’s a pity that a translation of the liturgical texts is not provided, as that would be a great help for those who do not understand Greek. It’s such an uplifting service in the Byzantine Rite, full of praise for the Holy Trinity and of thanksgiving for the gift life through the resurrection of Jesus.

Today’s Gospel passage from Mark, (Mk 3: 13-19), recounts the appointment of the twelve to be companions of Jesus. That’s the word Mark uses, neither apostles nor disciples, but companions, those who share everything with Jesus, symbolised by the food they eat and the bread they break. This is how Mark tells his story. “Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.” I love the understated way in which Mark recounts the events. May we, like the twelve, although Judas betrayed him, be faithful companions of Jesus and may he bless us to do his work in the world today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 19th January

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 09:14:27 GMT

We are in the Week or Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began yesterday. Even if you are unable to take part in an ecumenical prayer service in a local church, please do pray at home for this intention for which Christ himself prayed at the Last Supper, when he asked his Heavenly Father, speaking of his disciples, “Father, that they may be one as you and I are one,” such was the strength of the unity he wanted his disciples to share and build upon.

Today is the feast of St Wulstan, the 11th century Benedictine monk and Bishop of Worcester, a truly great Englishman and one of whom we can be proud as Catholics. He was brave enough to stand up to the Norman conquerors and denounce their barbarous customs such as slavery and their gross injustices towards the country they had conquered. He refused to give up his see in favour of a Norman protégé of the King and remained in post until his death on this day in the year 1095.

Today we continue reading from Mark, (Mk 3: 7-12), in which Jesus seeks a moment’s solitude, retiring with his disciples to the lakeside, but huge crowds follow him, not only from Galilee, but from almost every part of Israel. In order to save them from being crushed by the crowds, he asks his disciples to prepare a boat, so that they can distance themselves a little. More and more were coming to be healed and they all wanted to touch him. Unclean spirits would cry out, “You are the Son of God.” He rebuked them, as that was not the way he wanted to be known. Jesus still walks among us today and he wants to heal those who are sick. Let us not run away from him ourselves or discourage others from seeking his presence in their lives.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 18th January

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:18:12 GMT

You’ll be pleased to hear that it’s just as cold here as it is where you live. The monks at Prinknash live in an ancient building, that had been the hunting lodge of the medieval abbots of Gloucester, so it’s not easy to heat and keep warm. Still, yesterday was a pleasant and productive day and I believe we are more than halfway through the Visitation. I can already look forward to returning to Belmont on Thursday. I apologise for not sharing a few photographs, but I’ve not had the opportunity as yet to take any.

Our Gospel passage from Mark for today, (Mk 3: 1-6), finds Jesus once again in the synagogue on the Sabbath and present there is a man with a withered hand. The religious authorities were on the lookout to see if Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath, as they were intent on putting together evidence on which to arrest him. Jesus asked the man to step forward where all could see him. He then asked the question, “Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save a life or to kill?” There was no answer. The Pharisees knew that he had got the better of them. Their silence aroused Jesus’ anger, so he asked the man to stretch out his hand and healed him. The Pharisees walked out and started plotting with the supporters of King Herod. We pray for the courage of Jesus always to do good, no matter what the personal cost to ourselves, and never to be afraid to stand up for the truth.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 17th January

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 09:17:15 GMT

Just a short message today to let you know that yesterday I arrived as planned at Prinknash Abbey just in time for the opening of the Visitation, which is always a moment of grace for a monastic community. We then worked all day, stopping only for the Divine Office, a half hour of mental prayer together in choir and simple meals. Today we continue after the early morning offices, breakfast, Terce and the Conventual Mass. I ask for your prayers.

Today we celebrate the father of monastic life, St Antony of Egypt, who was born in the year 251, and was among the first to hear the call of Jesus to follow him in the monastic life, albeit as a hermit. Many disciples soon flocked to follow his example and teaching, as a result monastic communities came into existence. We ask his intercession today for monasteries of monks and nuns throughout the world, but especially in Egypt, North Africa and the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity, where Christians live under persecution, causing many to migrate as refugees. May the Lord look on them with his loving mercy and may we receive them with generosity and kindness.

Fr Paul

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 09:17:19 GMT

Ewyas Harold Christians Together

Night Prayer 8.30pm from 18 ^th to 25 ^th January except for Sat & Sun.
This is the link you need for each of the Zoom sessions
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81018987720
Go d bless you,

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 16th January

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 09:15:35 GMT

Yesterday, I had a really lovely visit to our parish at Little Malvern to celebrate Mass for the patronal feast of St Wulstan. It was a dry, sunny day, if rather cold in the wind, and from the house and church there were spectacular views over the Worcestershire countryside. The singing of the chant was perfect. When I closed my eyes, I could have been listening to the nuns of old Stanbrook: such happy memories of a distant past. Today, I go to Prinknash Abbey, near Gloucester, to help the monks in their Canonical Visitation. Now I’m not sure if there will be any spare time to write this message or even the means of sending it by email, so be prepared for a blank page until Friday or Saturday. I ask for your prayers, that all will go well. The last time I stayed at Prinknash was in January 1975, when on retreat before my priestly ordination. It seems only yesterday!

Our Gospel reading today comes from Mark, (Mk 2: 18-22), and begins with a quarrel about fasting. “One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast.” Although fasting was not part of the Law of Moses, by Jesus’ day it had become an important expression of the Pharisees’ meticulous devotion to the law. To the Pharisees, if Jesus’ disciples were not fasting, then it called into question their piety, sincerity and devotion toward the law. Further, it called into question Jesus’ attitude toward the law. Jesus had already healed on the Sabbath, and his disciples had already been noticed picking grain on the Sabbath and eating without the prescribed ceremonial washing. Add to that the lack of fasting, and the Pharisees must have found Jesus and his behaviour increasingly troubling. After Jesus was gone, fasting would have a place in the Christian community. It would remind believers of their dependence on God, of their need for God’s mercy, and of the power of God for the salvation of those who believe the Good News of Jesus Christ. Until then, Jesus’ disciples had no reason to fast. In the Bible, fasting is a sign of disaster, or a voluntary abasement during times of great stress or trial. But the presence of the Son of God on earth with his disciples was a time of joy, not of sorrow. The time for sorrow would come later, when Jesus was put to death and taken away.

Having used the metaphor of the bridegroom, Jesus now continues with two mini parables, that of a piece of unshrunken cloth and that of new wine and old wine skins. “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!” Fasting in the manner of the Pharisees, as a sign of their devotion to the law, was incompatible with the new covenant Jesus was inaugurating. For Jesus’ disciples, fasting while Jesus was with them would have been like sewing a new piece of cloth on an old garment — it would have been incompatible. Jesus’ point was that the old has gone, the new has come. The two are not compatible. To put new wine in old skins ruins both the skins and the wine. New wine requires new skins.

Today, it’s still easy for us to try to pour the new wine of the Gospel into the old wineskins of the Law. Grace doesn’t come easily to us. We like to have a way of measuring where we stand with God. The Gospel tells us simply to trust that God loves us and has forgiven all our sins for the sake of Christ. But we often want something more tangible than that. We want something we can sink our teeth into. So, we run back to the Law. The Law provides a way of measuring where we stand with God. But the Law cannot save us. It is God’s mercy and love that we need, and only Jesus assures us of that.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 15th January

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 20:10:04 GMT

Today I hope to celebrate Mass for the feast of St Wulstan in the parish church dedicated to him at Little Malvern, where Fr Patrick is Parish Priest. This is one of five incorporated parishes belonging to Belmont, the others being Abergavenny, Belmont, Weobley and Whitehaven. St Wulstan was a priest who became a Benedictine monk, and who studied at the abbeys of Evesham and Peterborough before serving in the abbey at Worcester that was attached to the cathedral. He became bishop in 1062 and remained in post until 1095, when he died, the only English bishop to retain his see for any length of time after the Norman Conquest.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from John, (Jn 1: 29-34), and presents us with the testimony of John the Baptist. Let’s read the text. “Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’”

John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Lamb who through his sacrifice on the cross will forgive the sins of those who come to him in repentance for Baptism. Here they will receive the forgiveness of sins and be blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life, who will make them God’s sons and daughters, his children and temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the Messiah, the Chosen One of God, the baptised will become one with each other in the Body of Christ as they enter into communion with God. Let us pray that we will always be conscious of our Christian dignity and centre our lives on Christ and the power of his Spirit, as we strive to become obedient to the Father’s will.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 14th January

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 19:27:22 GMT

I am not sure how and when this message will get to you as our Internet system has gone down again, although it might miraculously return by the time I finish! St Benedict proposes “prayer with tears” during Lent. I find they always work. What a day this has been. About midday, I set out for my osteopath at Letton, little imagining that I would never get there. I thought I’d take my usual route via Madley and Bridge Sollars. And I did, ignoring the various Road Closed signs, as the sun was shining and a number of cars were coming in the opposite direction and I had another on my tail. I made it, but not without fear and trepidation, but I knew that if I drove slowly, we could “walk on water.” I had a lot of experience of this in Peru. Then on the A road, just 4 miles before my destination, there was a diversion that took me close to Weobley and by a roundabout route, I was on my way to Letton again. You can imagine my disappointment, when just a mile and half before my destination, the road was closed, this time with barriers to prevent people driving through. There was nothing for it but to turn around and return to Belmont. The whole journey took two and a half hours. Much of the countryside was under water and the Wye had burst its banks in several places. Let’s spare a prayer for all those whose lives are severely affected by flooding in many parts of the country.

Our Gospel passage from Mark today, (Mk 2: 13-17), sees Jesus taking a walk along the lakeshore and calling Levi, the tax-collector, usually called Matthew. The call is radical, as is the response. “Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” Jesus is then invited to a meal at Levi’s House, which leads to an argument between Jesus and the scribes of the Pharisee party. “When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this, he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’” We know the story well and have read it in the different versions in which it has come down to us. The fact that Jesus mixes with men and women regarded as sinners by the religious authorities and even eats with them and relaxes in their company becomes a reason to criticise him and ultimately seek his arrest. The reply of Jesus is constant and it’s deeply consoling and enriching for us even today. “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” We are the sinners whom Jesus came to call. Thanks be to God!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 13th January

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:03:54 GMT

January is certainly flying by. It’s already 13 ^th and, although the weather can be pretty miserable, especially the rainy days with serious flooding in some areas, nevertheless the days are lengthening quickly and soon it will be possible to go out with Toby at 6am without our miner’s torch. With the strong winds and wet earth, trees are easily toppling over, including a huge one in our woods, blocking the dogwalkers’ path. January is a good month for planning the many activities, both spiritual and social, that will be taking place at Belmont and in the Belmont Parish this coming Spring and Summer. This week we have had some excellent meetings both of the Parish Council and the Events Committee and I’m thrilled to report much enthusiasm after the near three-year closedown caused by Covid.

Our Gospel passage for today follows on from yesterday’s. We are reading Mark, (Mk 2: 1012). The event it describes is a famous one and one we know by heart, the healing of the paralytic brought to Jesus by his friends, who see themselves obliged to lower him down through the roof so as to catch the attention of Jesus. Let’s read the entire passage. “When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’”

The crowds are beginning to be a constant feature in the life and ministry of Jesus. They are forever following him around, even when he would like to have a few hours to himself or for prayer with his heavenly Father. Jesus never rejects them, but has compassion on them in their suffering, poverty and need for God. The friends of the paralytic, seeing that the crowds impede their ability to bring their friend before Jesus, go to great lengths to get him seen and healed by the Master. They strip the roof and make an opening in order to lower the man down in front of Jesus and it is on the basis of their faith that Jesus heals the man. Yet Jesus begins by assuring the paralytic that his sins are forgiven. This statement brings criticism from the scribes or doctors of the law. How can Jesus forgive sin? Surely only God can do that. Jesus asks them which is it easier to say: your sins are forgiven or take up your sleeping mat and walk? If they want proof that he is the Son of Man and has authority on earth to forgive sin, then he will show them his power. He tells to man to pick up his mat or stretcher and walk. This the man does. All are astounded, both for the healing and for the gift of forgiveness. We, too, can seek both healing and forgiveness in Jesus. We have only to ask. We can also ask our friends to pray for us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 12th January

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:00:43 GMT

Yesterday, Fr Michael and I had the joy of celebrating the 48 ^th anniversary of our priestly ordination, a day for thanksgiving and for many happy memories. God has been very good to both of us, allowing us to serve him in a large variety of ministries in many parts of the world, mostly unexpected and undreamt of when we were ordained by Bishop Daniel Mullins back then in 1975, a Holy Year decreed by Pope St Paul VI, of happy memory. In fact, Fr Dyfrig and I were staying at St Paul outside the Walls that night of 6 ^th August 1978, when Pope Paul passed to his eternal reward. We were in the garden chatting after supper when news came of his death. It was the end of an era.

Today, in our English Benedictine monasteries, we keep the feast of St Benet Biscop, 628-690, Abbot of Jarrow and Wearmouth, a man who exerted enormous influence over the life of English monasteries, encouraging learning and scholarship and the introduction of Roman customs and traditions. He was, for example, the Venerable Bede’s abbot. Do read what you can about him, a fascinating man and an outstanding international figure.

Our Gospel reading of Mark, (Mk 1: 40-45), continues with the healing of a leper. We read, “A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course, I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.” We note the courage of the leper who comes to kneel before Jesus and the compassion of Our Lord, who stretches out his hand and heals the man, like a new creation. I always think of Michelangelo’s fresco in the Sistine Chapel ceiling of God creating Adam. Then Christ’s order that he show himself and give the appropriate offering to the priest in order to have his cure ratified. He orders the man to tell no one, but the man does the exact opposite, so that everyone gets to learn about it, as a result of which Jesus is no longer free to travel about openly. The whole world wants to be healed.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 11th January

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 08:23:14 GMT

I warned you yesterday that Tuesday was due to be a very busy day, with little or no spare time to sit down and write a message, let alone think and pray about it beforehand, so apologies for the poverty of this offering.

Yesterday we read of Jesus in the synagogue and today, in Mark’s Gospel, (Mk 1: 29-35), we follow Jesus to the home of Andrew and Peter, accompanied by James and John. All four live with their respective families in Capernaum, where Jesus has now moved from Nazareth to set up the headquarters, so to speak, of his mission in Galilee. We discover that Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever, whereupon Jesus goes to her, takes her by the hand, lifts her up and heals her. From lying prostrate in bed, she turns to serving the group at table. Then, after sunset, crowds appear bringing the sick for healing. Mark talks of the “whole town crowding round the door.” Jesus heals those who are sick and casts out devils from those who are possessed. We are told that Jesus silenced the devils, “because they knew who he was.” This activity seems to have gone on all through the night.

Then Mark tells us that, “in the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.” This is the first time that Mark reports on Jesus’ custom to seek solitude for pray, something that both he and the other evangelists will report as happening frequently. It is also in his prayer life that Jesus reveals his divine sonship. “Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him, they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.” Jesus’ mission begins in earnest and his first disciples go with him. They really have begun to follow him, just as they promised they would, and he has made them “fishers of men.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 10th January

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 08:25:25 GMT

I apologise, but I’ll be brief today, as yesterday was a particularly busy day and today looks to be even busier. We can always learn to be more patient. Yesterday I spoke of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, his preaching and the call of the first disciples. Following on from that, Mark tells us that Jesus made Capernaum the centre of his activity and that it was here that he began teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath day, (Mk 1: 21-28). “Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.” However, Mark tells us something else, something of immense interest and importance, that his teaching makes a deep impression on his hearers, for he teaches with authority, unlike the scribes or doctors of the law. From the start, people note the difference and realise that there is something very special about Jesus.

Jesus then reveals his authority over unclean spirits by healing a possessed man who was in the congregation. The spirit recognises Jesus to be “the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebukes the spirit, saying, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit obeys the command of Jesus, which leaves the people astonished and asking what it all means. “Here is a teaching that is new and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.” Jesus’ teaching is new, for he accomplishes in deed what he says in word. We are witnessing a new creation, where men and women are recreated in the image and likeness of God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 9th January

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:53:02 GMT

As you know, the Ukrainian Liturgy is usually celebrated in our church on the first Sunday of every month from 3 o’clock onwards, but this month we had the celebration today, for in Ukraine, as in Russia and several other countries, 7 ^th January was Christmas Day. It was lovely to see over 100 local Ukrainians present and a delight to hear them sing their carols in the course of the Liturgy and afterwards at the “agape” celebrated in the Parish centre. Tragic and horrific as the war in Ukraine is, sowing death and destruction for no purpose but the fulfilment of irrational human pride, nevertheless they hope and pray that soon the war will come to an end, occupied lands be restored to Ukraine and their country rebuilt with the help of the international community. I have always admired the Ukrainian people, intelligent, hard-working, peace-loving and long-suffering. Let us make it one of our chief objectives this New Year to pray for peace and justice throughout the world.

As we enter into Ordinary Time, which will take us up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent on 22 ^nd February, we start reading the Gospel of Mark on weekdays, whilst continuing with Matthew on Sundays. Today’s passage from Mark, (Mk 1: 14-20), sees Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee, following the arrest of John the Baptist. Jesus’ message is similar to John’s, but with greater urgency for with Jesus the kingdom of God is already present on earth. “The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.” Mark’s Gospel is very short, just 16 chapters, so it often reads like a summary. Hence, the need to pay attention to every word. Jesus himself is the Good News, so repentance leads us to Jesus and faith in him.

The first thing Jesus does, according to Mark, is to call his first disciples. Recently we read in John’s Gospel how Jesus originally met these men where John the Baptist was baptising and how they had been disciples of John. However, like Jesus they were Galileans, which accounts for Jesus walking along by the Sea of Galilee, where he meets up with them again. He could not have been a stranger to them, for they accept his call to discipleship immediately, no questions asked. The call like the response is radical. “Follow me!” he says, qualified by the famous phrase, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark comments, “And at once they left their nets and followed him.” Next, he calls James and John, who were actually in their father’s boat mending the nets. Their reaction is the same as that of Andrew and Peter. “He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.” These were not poor men: they owned boats and had employees, at least their father did.

What if Jesus came by today and asked you to follow him, what would your reaction be and how radical your reply?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 8th January

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 16:50:59 GMT

What a joy it is to see the days lengthening and to observe the longer sunsets. Everything appears to be springing back to life. I hope this isn’t a false alarm and that nature isn’t in for a nasty shock with some unexpected deep-winter week of heavy frosts and penetrating cold before Easter. Our first snowdrops are already nodding their delicate heads and, no doubt, they will soon be joined by a colourful army of varicoloured primroses, the quintessential flower of Spiring, that, unlike the snowdrops, seem to last for months on end.

Today we keep the feast of Our Lord’s Baptism, one of the three theophanies of Jesus as the Messiah, God incarnate, that we celebrate at the Epiphany. Obviously, it’s not just the manifestations at the time of happening that matter, but what they mean for us today in our journey of faith. Let’s look at the Baptism of Jesus and today’s Gospel account from Matthew, (Mt 3: 13-17). Jesus has decided that he wants to be baptised by John the Baptist and, although John tries to dissuade him, he insists. He says, “Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.” What is the Father’s will? That Jesus, his incarnate and sinless Son, should descend into the waters and thereby sanctify the waters of Baptism for all those who with faith seek to follow Jesus in their lives as the way of salvation. Jesus might even have become a disciple of John for a while. It is once the Baptism has taken place that the Theophany happens, a Theophany of the Holy Trinity.

Matthew tells us, “As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’” What always strikes me when baptising babies or adults, is that what we are told about Jesus is exactly what happens to us at our baptism, in which we become Christians, clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, become temples of the Holy Spirit and children of the God who loves us, as we are conformed to Christ and become members, living stones, of his mystical Body. It would be a good idea to find out the date of your baptism and then celebrate it each year, rather like a second and more important birthday.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 7th January

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 10:39:09 GMT

Having celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany yesterday, we have but two days of Epiphanytide before being plunged into the inappropriately designated Ordinary Time on Monday. For a feast that is so important, the Epiphany should either have retained its Octave, and the same goes for Pentecost, or we should have continued referring to the weeks between now and Lent as the Sundays after the Epiphany, so as to have a proper point of reference. Life is difficult enough, and at times extremely boring, without have to put up with the abomination of Ordinary Time. Forgive the rant, it’s been a long day and I feel strongly about it!

Our Gospel passage today takes us to Matthew, (Mt 4: 12-17, 23-25), where we find that John the Baptist has been arrested and Jesus is back in Galilee. However, he has moved now from Nazareth to Capernaum, “a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.” This town will become the centre of his activity, as prophesied by Isaiah:

“Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.”

These words remind us of the Epiphany and that Jesus is the Light of the world. Wherever he goes he brings the light of God’s grace and the hope of salvation. In fact, this is the moment in which he begins his own preaching with the message, similar to that of John, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” Jesus preaches a Gospel of repentance, preparing his hearers for the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew then gives us a summary of the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry.

“He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.”

We note how Jesus travelled throughout the whole of Galilee, often in hostile territory, always beginning in the local synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and healing the sick and those in any need. He quickly becomes famous and large crowds begin to follow him round, crowds that arrive from well beyond Galilee. It’s clear that he is going to need the help of disciples and, eventually, apostles. The Gospel story is about to begin.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 6th January

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 13:46:45 GMT

“Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.”

What a blessing it is that we can celebrate the Epiphany on the right day and so keep the Twelve Days of Christmas. Sadly, the Epiphany, greatest and most important of all Christian feasts after Easter, is now overlooked, forgotten or unknown to most people. They know about the kings and the star, but that’s about all. In any case, they celebrate them together with the shepherds and the angels on Christmas Day or long before. Last night my mother was expressing her sorrow that all her neighbours had dismantled their Christmas trees and taken down their decorations on 2nd January. Mind you, some had them up since 1st November. People no longer have the patience to wait for anything and that means they are no longer able to really celebrate and enjoy the feasts and get to know the mysteries of our faith.

Advent and Christmas, like the star, guide us to the great Feast of the Epiphany, or Theophany as our eastern brethren call it. This is the Feast of Light, Easter in Winter, when in ages past whole towns and nations were baptised and received into the Church. It celebrates and allows us to meditate on the three mysteries of Christ’s appearing to the world as Messiah, Saviour and Lord.

Today we recall the coming of the wise men to Bethlehem, following the light of a star. In the cave at Bethlehem, they kneel and adore the Christ Child, God made man, and offer him their prophetic and symbolic gifts. The gifts were three; we don’t know how many wise men there were. The place where the star came to rest is itself prophetic, for he who is born in the House of Bread is himself the Bread of Life and he who is laid on the wood of the manger will die for our sins on the wood of the Cross. Today we remember the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist, when the Father’s voice was heard declaring him to be his beloved Son, while the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. The Baptism of Jesus is a true Theophany, where the Holy Trinity is revealed to us and Jesus is proclaimed to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Today we celebrate the Marriage Feast of Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle, his first sign, at the request of his Mother, transforming water into wine just as at the Last Supper the wine would become his Blood “shed for many for the remission of sins.”

The full meaning of Advent and Christmas is not revealed until today and the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection can only be understood in the light of the Epiphany. That is why on the Epiphany it is an ancient custom, after the Gospel, to read out the dates of the moveable feasts of the year, for the seed of Easter is sown today. The Epiphany is also reflected in the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, where the three disciples see once more that vision given to the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan. From the summit of Tabor and from the height of the Epiphany, through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, we can look back at the whole History of Salvation and we can look forward to the Last Day and his Second Coming, when every tear will be wiped away and God’s Kingdom fulfilled.

Truly today, “the people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.” We rejoice on the Epiphany because we no longer walk in darkness: we walk in the light of Christ. The Child in the manger, the Man on the riverbank and the Guest at Cana is Jesus our Lord, who said to his disciples, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He also said to them, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” In Christ we too are light and in us others can see God. The Epiphany teaches us that we too are the light of the world, if we allow our star to shine and so guide others, that we too are beloved children of God, if we live each day the grace of baptism, and that we too can change our world as Jesus transformed water into wine, if we are prepared to love and sacrifice ourselves for others. The Epiphany tells us to look through the prism of Jesus at ourselves and at our world. Christ renews in us today the vocation of shedding his light on everyone we meet and on every situation.

“Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.” On behalf of the monastic community, I wish you all a blessed and fruitful Epiphany.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 5th January

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:15:29 GMT

As today we will witness the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, I thought you might like to read a short reflection he gave on death. Forgive me if you have already seen this elsewhere.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters:

During these days that follow the liturgical commemoration of the dead, many parishes celebrate the octave of the dead, an appropriate occasion to remember our loved ones in prayer and to meditate on the reality of death, which the "civilization of comfort" often tries to remove from people's conscientiousness, immersed in the concerns of daily life.

To die, in fact, is part of life and not only of its end, but, if we pay attention, of every instant. Despite all the distractions, the loss of a loved one makes us discover the "problem," making us feel death as a radically hostile presence contrary to our natural vocation to life and happiness.

Jesus revolutionized the meaning of death. He did so with his teaching, above all by facing death himself. "Dying he destroyed death," says the liturgy of the Easter season. "With the Spirit that could not die, Christ defeated death that was killing man," wrote a Father of the Church (Melito of Sardis, "On Easter," 66). In this way, the Son of God wished to share our human condition to the end, to open it to hope. Ultimately, he was born to be able to die and, in this way, to free us from the slavery of death. The Letter to the Hebrews says: "that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" (2:9).

Since then, death is no longer the same: It has been deprived, so to speak, of its "venom." The love of God, acting in Jesus, has given new meaning to the whole of man's existence and in this way, has also transformed death. If in Christ human life is a departure "from this world to the Father" (John 13:1), the hour of death is the moment in which this departure takes places in a concrete and definite way.

Those who commit themselves to live like him are freed from the fear of death, no longer showing the sarcastic smile of an enemy but offering the friendly face of a "sister," as St. Francis wrote in the "Canticle of Creatures." In this way, God can also be blessed for it: "Praise be to you, my Lord, for our Sister Bodily Death." We must not fear the death of the body, faith reminds us, as it is a dream from which we will awake one day.

The authentic death, which one must fear, is that of the soul, called by the Book of Revelation "second death" (cf. 20:14-15; 21:8). In fact, he who dies in mortal sin, without repentance, locked in prideful rejection of God's love, excludes himself from the Kingdom of life.

Through the intercession of Mary Most Holy and of St. Joseph, let us pray to the Lord for the grace to prepare serenely to depart from this world, when he wills to call us, with the hope of being able to be with him eternally, in the company of the saints and of our deceased loved ones.”

This short address was given at the Angelus on 6 ^th November 2006 in Rome.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 4th January

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 12:44:10 GMT

You will have seen on television or on the Internet the vast crowds queuing in St Peter’s Square and filing through the vast basilica to pay their last respects and say a prayer before the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Although we are not physically present in Rome, in the silence of our hearts we can accompany the pilgrims as they wait and pray. Tomorrow, we can be spiritually present at his Requiem, praying for the repose of his soul, and we can make a spiritual communion. No matter how great and wonderful a man he was, he still needs our humble prayers to see him safely on his journey to heaven. If you have any difficulty seeing the funeral on Thursday morning, then the Vatican Channel on YouTube or Facebook will be live-streaming the Requiem Mass celebrated by Pope Francis.

Our Gospel today continues our reading this week of John’s Gospel, (Jn 1: 35-42), in which some of John the Baptist’s disciples become the first disciples of Jesus. This is a fascinating passage as it offers a viable alternative to how Jesus came across his first disciples. John explains that they had first been followers of John the Baptist, as Jesus himself could well have been.

“As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.

One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.”

We must not forget that it was the Baptist who pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the one on whom the Spirit descended after his baptism, indeed the one who would baptise with the Holy Spirit, and not only with water as a sign of repentance. Again, John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, only this time to two of his disciples, who, to begin with, are not mentioned by name. Soon we are told that the first to follow Jesus was Andrew, who the following day called his brother, Simon Peter, to go with him to see Jesus again, telling him, “We have found the Messiah, which means the Christ.” When Jesus sees Peter he says to him, “You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.” Andrew had been fascinated by Jesus, even accepting his invitation to go and see where he was living. How are we to evangelise today if not by following Andrew’s example and sharing with others what we have discovered ourselves. Would Peter have come to faith without Andrew? Faith is a living flame, that sets fire to people’s hearts. We must not be afraid to pass on this flame.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 3rd January

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:59:30 GMT

I suppose it was God himself who invented data protection when he refused to reveal himself to Moses at the Burning Bush by sharing his name with Moses, who nevertheless kept insisting, “Tell me your name.” All other gods, such as the gods of their enemies, had names, so Moses and the Israelites also wanted a god with a name. The problem with a name is that it determines and limits a thing or a person and God, if he is truly God, the one true God, cannot be limited or determined. Hence, what God says to Moses is something quite revolutionary. He simply uses the verb to be, saying, I AM or I AM WHO I AM. In other words, I am not a god as other gods are, but rather I am the very source of life, I am the creator of all that is and all things have their being in me. God’s Name, therefore, could not be known to man, nor could it be pronounced by man, for to know and speak it would be to possess God and have control over him. Hence, God shows himself to men and women in dreams and by means of angels, who both hide and reveal the living God. In the fulness of time, when God becomes man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, when the Word becomes flesh, God’s own choice of a name for him is Jesus, to show forth that this child will become the Saviour of the world, in the words of the Gospel, “that he would save his people from their sins.” Today, 3 ^rd January we celebrate the Most Holy Name of Jesus, “the only name,” as St Paul teaches us, “by which we can be saved.”

As we are still in Christmastide, we continue reading the Gospel of John, (Jn 1: 29-34), in which John the Baptist reveals to the crowds that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is what John said: “Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water. I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.” John’s words could not be clearer. It is John who presents us with the image that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Lamb who will be sacrificed that we might be saved through the forgiveness of our sins. Just as the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus when he was baptised by John, so too Jesus will baptise his followers and believers in the Holy Spirit, thereby bestowing on them God’s own Spirit and sharing his life with them. This is why Jesus has come into the world, to accomplish the Father’s will that all creation might be reconciled with God and so made new.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 2nd January

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 09:46:52 GMT

As today is already 2 ^nd January and a Bank Holiday in England, it’s a good moment to thank all those who sent Christmas and New Year cards to the monastery and to me and Toby. There was so much work before Christmas, that I have to apologise for not sending cards this year, added to which the constant postal strikes made it almost impossible. I can remember as a pupil at the local grammar school how each Christmas I would work at the Royal Mail sorting office or as a postman doing two deliveries and working from six in the morning until gone five in the afternoon. It was hard work, especially when it rained or was cold and frosty, but it did mean extra pocket money for the holidays.

Today the Church keeps the feast of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzen, monks, bishops and doctors of the Church, close friends, men of acute intellect and great theologians who defended the catholic and orthodox faith in the 4 ^th century. They met as students in Athens and became as brothers, united above all in their pursuit of learning, Christian faith and love of Christ. St Gregory wrote of their friendship that, “We seemed to be two bodies with a single spirit. Though we cannot believe those who claim that everything is contained in everything, yet you must believe that in our case each of us was in the other and with the other. Our single object and ambition was virtue, and a life of hope in the blessings that are to come; we wanted to withdraw from this world before we departed from it. With this end in view, we ordered our lives and all our actions. We followed the guidance of God’s law and spurred each other on to virtue. If it is not too boastful to say, we found in each other a standard and rule for discerning right from wrong. Different men have different names, which they owe to their parents or to themselves, that is, to their own pursuits and achievements. But our great pursuit, the great name we wanted, was to be Christians, to be called Christians.”

We are still in Christmastide, so our Gospel passage today comes from John, (Jn 1: 19-28), and recounts the testimony of John the Baptist. There appears to be confusion as to who is the Christ, the Messiah, John or Jesus. “When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:

Make a straight way for the Lord.’”

Every year I suggest that you listen to Orlando Gibbons’ This is the Record of John. I can think of no better way of meditating on this text. I wish the whole of the Gospel were set to music like this passage is.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 1st January

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 15:23:04 GMT

We were all saddened to hear the news of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, though it was a sadness tinged with thanksgiving for all that God had accomplished in him and through him. He must surely have been one of the greatest Christian theologians of the 20 ^th and 21 ^st centuries and one of the Church’s deepest thinkers, a great intellectual called to serve the Church he loved in the twofold task of teaching and administration. He was highly cultured, yet his life was simplicity itself. He was a cat-lover and throughout his life enjoyed the company of cats. Above all, he was a man of prayer, a mystic, a man of humility and of fidelity to Christ’s mission to bring all people to the knowledge of the truth. He was an infinitely lovable man, a gentleman and, if I may be permitted to say so, a saint. I hope that, like other recent popes, he will be canonised very soon. May he rest in peace. Amen.

So much will be said about him in the next few days, that I’d rather he spoke for himself. I always found him so open about everything, willing to listen and engage, and always so helpful. He invariably struck a chord. Only recently he said, “Looking back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling. I am nonetheless of good cheer, for I trust firmly that the Lord is not only the just judge, but also the friend and brother who himself has already suffered for my shortcomings, and is thus also my advocate, my “Paraclete.” In light of the hour of judgement, the grace of being a Christian becomes all the more clear to me. It grants me knowledge, and indeed friendship, with the judge of my life, and thus allows me to pass confidently through the dark door of death.”

Today, 1 ^st January, the Octave of Christmas, we keep the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, focussing on what Luke wrote about her at the Nativity of her Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. “The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.”

Mary treasures all she sees and hears about her child and she ponders them in her heart. She invites us to do the same. At the same time, the Gospel passage, (Lk 2:16-21), reminds us that originally this feast was known as the Circumcision of Jesus, the day on which he was given his Most Holy Name. It is the day on which his Passion begins with an initial shedding of blood for our redemption. The Gospel reads, “When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.”

The whole of Christ’s life was sacrificial: he was born to make us holy, born to save us from sin and death, born to reconcile us with our heavenly Father and with each other, born to be our Saviour and our brother.

I have just realised that I have not wished you a Happy New Year. There is so much to pray for, peace especially.

Fr Paul

Pope Benedict XVI Requiescat in pace

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 10:25:39 GMT

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who served as Supreme Pontiff from April 2005 to February 2013, has died aged 95, the Vatican has confirmed.

A short statement from Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, said: “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34am in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.”

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference, said:

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Benedict. He will be remembered as one of the great theologians of the 20th century.

“I remember with particular affection the remarkable Papal Visit to these lands in 2010. We saw his courtesy, his gentleness, the perceptiveness of his mind and the openness of his welcome to everybody that he met.”

“He was through and through a gentleman, through and through a scholar, through and through a pastor, through and through a man of God – close to the Lord and always his humble servant.”

“Pope Benedict is very much in my heart and in my prayers. I give thanks to God for his ministry and leadership.”

The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales will celebrate Requiem Masses for the repose of the soul of the late Pope Emeritus in their cathedrals.

Prayer cards have been distributed to Catholic parishes throughout the two countries.

Obituary

Benedict XVI was Pope for less than eight years – 19 April 2005 to 28 February 2013 – and became generally known in Britain as the second pope in history to visit the UK in 2010. The first such visit had been by Pope John Paul II to England, Wales and Scotland, in 1982.

Papal Visit in 2010

There were plenty of gloomy predictions for Pope Benedict’s visit: hostile demonstrations were expected, apologists for a new atheism resurrected a nickname for him as “God’s rottweiler”. But he was cordially welcomed by the Queen in Edinburgh and cheered by the crowds.

The turning-point that sealed the visit as a national success came on the second day: the Pope’s address to representatives of society , including parliamentarians, under the ancient beams of Westminster Hall. He spoke about “the legitimate role of religion in the public square” and he was listened to. He pressed the idea that “the Church and the public authorities can work together for the good of citizens” and he was applauded by David Cameron, the then-Prime Minister, and his predecessors Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Major and Margaret Thatcher. The Pope received a standing ovation as he walked down the great length of the hall.

The central purpose of the visit was to beatify – declare Blessed – the great 19th century English theologian Cardinal John Henry Newman. Some 55,000 people stood for hours in a grassy field at Cofton Park, Birmingham, in intermittent drizzle, for the Mass of Beat ific ation . They sang Newman’s Praise to the Holiest in the Height and the liturgy to the music of James MacMillan. In his homily, the Pope mentioned that the day happened to be the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. “For me as one who lived and suffered through the dark days of the Nazi regime in Germany, it is deeply moving to be here with you on this occasion, and to recall how many of your fellow citizens sacrificed their lives, courageously resisting the forces of that evil ideology.”

As for Newman, the Pope singled out his “gentle scholarship, deep human wisdom and profound love for the Lord.” As he had recalled in 1990, he was inspired by Newman’s teaching on conscience as a seminarian at Freising after the War.

One other detail from that visit struck many television viewers: the evening prayer vigil, the night before the beatification, attended by the Pope in Hyde Park . It was not so much what was said, as the sight of 80,000 people silent for a good spell as they prayed before the Blessed Sacrament in a public place.

There is a website dedicated to Benedict XVI’s visit to the UK in 2010.

Early Years

This Pope who had won over British hearts was baptised Joseph Ratzinger on the day of his birth 16 April 1927 ‒ Holy Saturday ‒ at Marktl am Inn, in Bavaria, near the Austrian border. His mother had worked as a cook; his father was a policeman whose criticisms of the Nazis led to the family moving from one small town to another.

In 1943 Joseph was conscripted into anti-aircraft duties and later began training in the infantry. On 29 June 1951, he and his brother Georg were ordained priests.

Ratzinger’s thesis for his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich was on St Augustine’s idea of the People of God. His post-doctoral thesis in 1957 was on St Bonaventure, and this, to his alarm, he had to revise to satisfy the objections of one of the examiners, who saw in its approach to revelation a ‘dangerous modernism’, Ratzinger recalled.

Ratzinger taught theology at Freising and then in Bonn. From 1963 to 1966 he taught at Münster, and from 1966 to 1969 in Tübingen, where in 1968 he observed ‘a very violent explosion of Marxist theology’.

In 1969 he took up a professorship at the University of Regensburg.

In 1962, aged 35, he had accompanied Cardinal Josef Frings of Cologne as a peritus, or theological adviser, to the Second Vatican Council, attending all four sessions. Ratzinger’s insights into divine revelation as the source of Scripture and tradition, which had caused trouble in his post-doctoral thesis, found a place in the Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum.

In 1972, Ratinger joined Hans Urs von Balthasar, Henry De Lubac and others in founding the theological journal Communio.

Archbishop and Cardinal

In 1977, came a change in direction for his life, up to then directed towards theology. Pope Paul VI named him Archbishop of Munich and later that year he was made a cardinal.

Three years into his pontificate, in 1981, Pope John Paul appointed Cardinal Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the department of the curia responsible for promoting and defending the Catholic faith.

In that role, as during his years as pope, his position as a respected theologian proved invaluable. That was his métier and – in the professional life behind his hierarchical offices – his vocation.

In 1984, Ratzinger issued an instruction drawing attention to ‘certain forms of liberation theology which use, in an insufficiently critical manner, concepts borrowed from various currents of Marxist thought’. This was followed up two years later by a more positive instruction on ‘the Christian doctrine on freedom and liberation’ which lies ‘at the heart of the Gospel message’.

In the six years leading up to its publication in 1992, Cardinal Ratzinger headed the committee that drew up the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a project which had come out of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 1985, encouraged by Pope John Paul II. It aimed at being an organic synthesis of the essentials of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council.

Ratzinger visited England in 1988 to give the annual Fisher lecture at the Catholic chaplaincy at Cambridge on ‘Consumer Materialism and Christian Hope’. When the chaplaincy was raising funds for a new chapel in 2005, Ratzinger, by then Pope, sent a donation of £2,000 from his own pocket.

At the funeral of Pope John Paul in 2005, as Dean of the College of Cardinals. he preached a homily, as he did at the Mass for those assembled to elect a new pope, when he said: “An ‘adult’ faith is not a faith that follows the trends of fashion and the latest novelty; a mature adult faith is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ.”

Elected Pope

On 19 April 2005, Cardinal Ratzinger, aged 78, was elected the 265th Pope , and chose the name Benedict. Commenting on this choice, he made reference to Pope Benedict XV (1914-22) as an apostle of peace, and to the monastic founder St Benedict of Nursia (480-547) ‘whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe’. He was the first German pope in almost 1,000 years.

As a theologian, Ratzinger had long emphasised the role of Judaism in revelation and salvation history. As Pope, Benedict visited Auschwitz in 2006. He said of the Nazis: “By destroying Israel, they ultimately wanted to tear up the tap root of the Christian faith.”

The year after his election, Pope Benedict was caught up in a controversy regarding Islam. Invited to give a lecture at the Regensburg University , where he had spent happy years as a professor, he referred in passing to a dialogue in 1391 between a Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Palaeologus, and a Persian, in which the emperor had said: “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new and there you will find things only bad and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.”

This quotation was not intended to reflect the Pope’s own attitude, but critics thought he should have seen the potential for offence. Despite initial alarm, the lecture was followed by an open letter signed by 38 respected Muslim leaders declaring that they accepted the Pope’s “assurance that the controversial quote did not reflect his personal opinion”. A year later, 138 Muslim scholars published an open letter ‘A Common Word Between Us and You’, emphasising that Muslims and Christians worship the same God and should live in peace.

Encyclical Letters

Pope Benedict wrote three encyclicals. Deus caritas est (God is Love, 2005) discussed the positive value of two Greek words for love, eros and agape, and of the word for friendship, philia. The encyclical incorporated some work left unfinished by Pope John Paul II. In Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope, 2007) he explored the relationship between the virtue of hope and Christian redemption. Caritas in veritate (Love in Truth, 2009) covered aspects of social justice, global development and respect for the environment. Another encyclical, Lumen fidei (The Light of Faith) was finished by his successor, Pope Francis.

An unconventional aspect of Benedict’s pontificate was the publication of three devotional books on the life of Jesus written under his own name, Joseph Ratzinger, not intended to be part of his teaching as Pope.

Pope Benedict’s attitude to the liturgy was no unthinking reversion to ways of the past. In his youth he had been enthused by the reforming liturgical movement in Germany. Like his successor, Pope Francis, Pope Benedict was an admirer of Romano Guardini (1885-1968), who had encouraged lay participation in the Mass, with use of the vernacular, long before the Second Vatican Council.

Tridentine Rite

Benedict did not want to cut off Catholics who loved the older version of the Latin Mass, and in 2009 he issued an Apostolic Letter, Summorum Pontificum , which made it much easier for most priests to say Mass according to the version of 1962, the revised Tridentine Missal promulgated by Pope John XXIII, the instigator of the Second Vatican Council. In England and Wales an indult already existed that had made it possible for priests to use the older form. This remained the case until July 2021 when Pope Francis published the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes.

Ordinariate

An exercise in ecumenism came in 2009 with the apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus . This made provision for personal ordinariates (a little like bishoprics of the armed forces) in which people from an Anglican background could retain some of their ‘heritage’ while being fully part of the Catholic Church. England proved to be the first place it was tried, with the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham being set up in January 2011.

St Hildegard of Bingen

In 2012, Pope Benedict canonised St Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th-century theologian, natural scientist and composer, and declared her a doctor of the Church. She was one of the few prominent woman in the medieval church and joined the ranks of Saints Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Sienna and Therese of Lisieux – just four women of the 35 saints – to be declared Doctors of the Church.

Evil of Abuse

Benedict felt personal pain in contemplating the evil of sexual abuse within the Church. From 2001 he had put the-then Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith at the service of the campaign to prevent further abuse. During the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday 2005, days before his election, he had exclaimed: “How much filth there is in the Church.” In 2010, writing to victims of sexual abuse in Ireland he said: “I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel.” He could only look to the example of Christ: “Like you, he still bears the wounds of his own unjust suffering.”

Praying for the Church

Pope Benedict was shy in manner. He did not wow vast crowds like John Paul II. He travelled nevertheless, taking trouble to be there for World Youth Day in Cologne (2005), Sydney (2008) and Madrid (2011). Like his brother Georg, a choirmaster, he appreciated church music and enjoyed playing the piano. Benedict was pleasantly taken by the music at Westminster Abbey, when he visited England, as he was by the outstanding choir of Westminster Cathedral.

He had a feeling for traditional clerical dress. Perhaps because he felt the cold he resumed the use of a fur-trimmed mozzetta in winter, but he showed an insight into the mystical significance of the ancient wool-scarf called the pallium that he donned when he became pope: “The lamb’s wool is meant to represent the lost, sick or weak sheep which the shepherd places on his shoulders and carries to the waters of life.”

Pope Benedict’s idea of a holiday was not mountaineering, like his predecessor, but spending a few days in a theological colloquium. He loved cats. His brother Georg remembered one that used to follow him to lectures at Tubingen.

Nothing in his pontificate took the world by more surprise than his announcing briefly, in Latin, on 11 February 2013 that his abdication would take effect at the end of the month. He would, at 85 years and 318 days, be the fourth oldest person ever to be Pope. He had long hoped for peace to study and write, but had repeatedly agreed to new duties laid upon him.

In 1997, at the age of 70, he had hoped that he might retire and devote himself to research in the Vatican archive. It was not to be. But in 2013 he saw, with brave realism, his increasing weakness in the face of the physical and mental demands of the papacy.

Benedict was to be known as Pope Emeritus, and he continued to wear a white cassock, but without the mozzetta and red shoes. The Ring of the Fisherman that he had used for his pontificate was formally destroyed.

He lived in a house in the grounds of the Vatican. He sometimes met Pope Francis, but he never meddled. He did what he said he would: he prayed for the Church .

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 31st December

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 09:32:40 GMT

I must begin by apologising for the fact that my daily message has failed to appear or has appeared in a faulty way on both the abbey and parish websites, the worst problem being with the parish website. I’m only responsible for writing the message, at times late at night when I’m pretty much exhausted, but not for publishing it. I’m not computer savvy and, when it comes to the internet, even less so. I apologise. If you notice this again, even if for only one day, please let me know and I’ll get on to it. I simply use my computer as a word processor, for email and to order things online. Perhaps one of my New Year resolutions should be to learn how to use this machine that stands before my eyes as I attempt writing these words!

The last day of the year is the feast of Pope St Sylvester I, the 4 ^th century Bishop of Rome, who was martyred on this day in the year 335 at the age of just 50, having served the Church of Rome as bishop for 21 years. During his episcopacy, many important churches were first built in Rome, including the Lateran and Vatican basilicas. Although he did not attend the Council of Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed was formulated, he did send two legates and approved entirely of the decisions taken. In many countries today is known as St Sylvester’s Day rather that New Year’s Eve and there are many customs and traditions attached to it.

Our Gospel today is once again the Prologue to St John’s Gospel, (Jn 1: 1-18), that gives a theological explanation in poetic form of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Word made flesh, and Son of Mary, source of light and life, grace and truth, the Saviour of all the Father created at the beginning through him. It strikes me that the best thing we can do today is to meditate on this Gospel passage and so enter into the mystery of God made man and the gift of salvation Jesus came to bring. I leave you with the text and will not comment on it.

“In the beginning was the Word:

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things came to be,

not one thing had its being but through him.

All that came to be had life in him

and that life was the light of men,

a light that shines in the dark,

a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.

His name was John.

He came as a witness,

as a witness to speak for the light,

so that everyone might believe through him.

He was not the light,

only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light

that enlightens all men;

and he was coming into the world.

He was in the world

that had its being through him,

and the world did not know him.

He came to his own domain

and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to all who believe in the name of him

who was born not out of human stock

or urge of the flesh

or will of man

but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,

he lived among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:

‘This is the one of whom I said:

He who comes after me ranks before me

because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –

yes, grace in return for grace,

since, though the Law was given through Moses,

grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God;

it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,

who has made him known.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 30th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:28:13 GMT

Today we keep the feast of the Holy Family, which is usually kept on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, but this year, as Christmas fell on a Sunday and next Sunday is January 1 ^st , the Solemnity of the Mother of God, we keep it today, 30 ^th December. How complicated it all sounds: I frequently wish our faith were somewhat simpler! In all depictions of the Nativity or of the flight into Egypt or the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, we see Mary, Joseph and the child Jesus. However, interest in the Holy Family begins at the very end of 15 ^th century and is only formalised in the 17 ^th . The feast of the Holy Family was inserted into the Roman Calendar in 1921 by Pope Benedict XV, so it is a modern feast, that’s been moved around several times even in my own lifetime. Today it takes on a new significance with the breakdown of family life and the corrosion of traditional values, whether they are Christian or of other religions. It is important to lay emphasis on the fact that Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, because of his Incarnation, belonged not only to the Divine Family of the Holy Trinity, but also to a human family: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family of Nazareth.

The Gospel chosen for the feast this year is that of the Flight into Egypt, which itself was a feast in the Calendar at one time and still is among Eastern Christians. It is taken from Matthew’s Infancy Narrative, (Mt 2: 13-15; 19-23).

“After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:

‘He will be called a Nazarene.’”

We notice how God continues to communicate with Joseph in dreams by means of an angel. His motive is to protect the child Jesus from an early death due to persecution. The child and Mary its mother are to be kept safe and Joseph does all he can to fulfil his promise to the Lord. Matthew also explains why the family do not return to Bethlehem, but rather go north to Galilee and the town of Nazareth, where eventually Jesus will begin his ministry after being a disciple of John the Baptist. Joseph prepares Jesus and Mary for what will eventually happen, by which time he disappears from the scene, probably dead and buried. Like Mary, Joseph accomplishes his duty in silent humility, always obedient to the will of God. Jesus learns the ways of God in the home of Mary and Joseph.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 29th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:25 GMT

I was delighted again yesterday at being able to visit my mother for our transferred Christmas celebration. A monk can never spend Christmas or Easter with his parents, even with an elderly parent living alone. Anyway, on Christmas Day I was so tired by the time we got to Christmas dinner, that I fell asleep at table and, later on, struggled to get through Vespers and Benediction. These great solemnities are a real marathon and I am beginning to feel my age. However, yesterday was a different story. I was wide awake and enjoyed every moment of the day, as did Toby who came with me. Yet again, practically no traffic meant that we were home in less than an hour and a half. The weather was grim, strong winds and heavy rain, and my mother’s house shrouded in a thick mist. After an amazing lunch (four courses, how does she do it?) and a short siesta, miraculously the rain had stopped and the mist cleared, so Toby and I headed for the beach. There was plenty of company for Toby and for me, too, as dog owners are always friendly people and speak at length with each other. On our return, Toby had his gourmet canine supper and, a bit later, my mother and I sat down to another spectacular meal. The return journey presented no problems and we were at Belmont in record time.

Today the Church keeps the feast of St Thomas Becket, the martyred Archbishop of Canterbury, who gave his life for Christ and the freedom of the Church from state interference at the age of 50 or 51 on this day in the year 1170.

He was murdered in his cathedral by followers of King Henry II. Before becoming bishop on May 24 ^th 1162, he had served as Lord Chancellor of England for seven years. He was canonised soon after his death by Pope Alexander II. He soon became one of the most popular saints in Europe, as can be testified by the rapid spread of his cult.

The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Luke, (Lk 22: 24-30), in which the evangelist recounts that, “A dispute arose between the disciples about which should be reckoned the greatest.” Jesus contrasts the behaviour of kings with the way he wants his disciples to behave and carry out their mission. Humility and fidelity to Christ should characterise the disciples of Jesus. Here is what he says in full.

“Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!

You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials; and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me: you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”

We pray for that same fidelity to Christ and humility in service that marked the life and work of St Thomas Becket and for the Church in England, that she may fearlessly bear witness to the values of the Gospel of Jesus.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 28th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:23 GMT

Yesterday I recalled a Christmas Day spent 36 years’ ago in Peru. How time flies. As today is the feast of the Holy Innocents, I thought I might share with you another experience to do with babies, one of so many. I should have written a book of my experiences in Peru. Now I’m beginning to forget. This took place in the village of Sinchi Roca in the so-called Valle de los Incas (Valley of the Incas). It was a community usually served by Fr David, although he was often indisposed. They had a monthly Mass on the first Monday of the month. On one occasion, as I arrived, I could see a great deal of commotion in the first row of benches. I asked the chief catechist what was going on and he replied, “They’ve brought two dead babies, twins, to be baptised before they bury them.” I explained how we couldn’t baptise the dead, only the living, and these tiny babies in shoeboxes we no more than small skeletons with greenish yellow skin and lifeless eyes. The mother was sick at home, the father so poor he didn’t have shoes, it was a tragic but common situation. I was tired and harassed, I’d had a very busy weekend, I didn’t express much sympathy, I confess. I sprinkled a drop of water on each baby, said I baptise you without much devotion or enthusiasm and told the father to take them to the cemetery at once for burial. I then said Mass, did what I had to do, went on to the next village and never gave the incident another thought. It happened all the time.

The following month, I went again to Sinchi Roca only to be greeted with even more noise than the last time. I asked the catechist, “And now what have you got for me, a surprise wedding?” “No, padrecito Pablo,” he said, “it’s the babies you baptised last month.” “What d’you mean, those babies, they were dead?” “They were, padrecito, and certified by the posta medica, but when they went to bury them, first one, then the other moved an eye, and padre, look at them now.” I couldn’t believe my eyes, two of the bonniest babies I’d ever seen, and now with both parents and rich godparents from the city, who had obviously paid for a big fiesta. I was in shock. Everyone was saying the I was a living saint for healing the babies and bringing them back to life. But it was quite clear to me, and I preached about it, that they were the saints, especially the poor father, who had so insisted I baptise his babies. They were the ones with faith, the ones who didn’t doubt that God can work miracles and God had rewarded their faith. That happened in 1984 and those boys are now 38 years’ old. That sort of thing happened so often. It was in Peru and with those simple Peruvian country folk that I discovered what faith is and I thank God for it.

On this feast of the Holy Innocents, we pray for recently born babies everywhere, for their good health and that they receive the gift of faith through baptism. Let us also pray for those babies who are not given a chance to live, but whose lives are terminated in the womb. That they will enjoy the glory of heaven and the gift of eternal life. And we pray for their mothers.

Here is the Gospel, from Matthew, (Mt 2: 8-13):

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loudly lamenting:

it was Rachel weeping for her children,

refusing to be comforted because they were no more”.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 27th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:21 GMT

Yesterday I wrote a few lines about the village of Olivares San Fernando in Peru. Today I’d like to share another Christmas Day memory, this time from 1986. The Leon family in Sullana, an important commercial town about an hour’s drive from Tambogrande, had become good friends and supporters of our work since the floods on 1983. The head of the family died on Christmas Eve aged 100. He was Chinese and had come to Peru to work on the haciendas while still a boy. In Peru the Chinese were imported to replace black slaves. Ultimately, he became a well-known business man. I was asked by his children to celebrate his Requiem Mass at the entrance to the cemetery on the afternoon of Christmas Day. As I prepared the altar and could hear the procession approaching in the distance, (big funerals are always accompanied by a band), half a dozen or more poor family groups came by carrying a dead baby in a shoebox for burial. Seeing me standing there, waiting to say Mass, they came one by one for a blessing with holy water and a prayer. I assured them that their child would be in heaven with the baby Jesus and included the words of baptism as surely most of them had not yet been baptised. The infant mortality rate remains high in northern Peru to this day, as it does in many parts of the world. Even my father, buried 19 years’ ago in South Wales, is surrounded by children, some no more than a day old. We are born to die, this we know, but the sadness of losing a child far outweighs that of losing a parent. Let us never forget to remember and pray for the departed. May they rest in the peace Christ came to bring us at his birth.

Today we keep the feast of the Beloved Disciple of the Gospel, St John the Evangelist or St John the Divine. Our Gospel comes from John, (Jn 20: 2-8), and is the account of Mary Magdalene running to tell Peter and the Beloved Disciple that she has discovered that the tomb of Jesus is empty and of how it is “the other disciple” entered to tomb after Peter. “He saw and he believed.” John is the disciple who sees and believes, who in his Gospel presents us with the Word made flesh, who tells us that, “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.” He teaches us that, “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.” God bless and keep you in his love this Christmastide. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 26th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:19 GMT

It was a great joy to welcome so many worshippers at our Christmas Masses this year. We pray for all those who were able to join us, but also for those who, through ill-health or lack of transport, were unable to do so. May the Christ Child, Emmanuel, God-with-us, bless you abundantly and bestow on you the Father’s love.

Today I attach a Christmas card for you all. The artwork comes from Peru.

We were blessed in having so many celebrations of Mass, however I couldn’t help but think back to my days in Peru. For the first five years, from 1981 to 1986, I was parish priest of the rural parish of Tambogrande, with an area of over 5,000sq miles and a population of over 100,000 souls, served by 127 churches and chapels. There were times I would have to celebrate up to eight Sunday Masses, travelling either on horseback or by 4WD. There were years when I was also the administrator at of a number of other neighbouring parishes. I was young and energetic and had the help of Fr Luke and Fr David as well as that of a community of amazing SND sisters, who did so much of the pastoral work in the area. I vividly remember going to a large village, Olivares San Fernando, about 50km from Tambogrande, for the first time on the Sunday after the Ascension in 1982. The vast, if primitive church was heaving with human life. The catechist, Don Santiago García, explained that there would be over fifty baptisms after Mass, then a procession through the village. I noticed that the altar was covered and surrounded by statues of the baby Jesus, Niño Dios. I asked why. He replied, “But father, it’s Christmas day! You see, we only have Mass once a year, and as the church is dedicated to the Child Jesus, whichever day we have Mass is Christmas day for us.” Imagine that, one Mass a year, and it was a similar story all over the parish. Eventually, we were able to organise a monthly Mass in each village and fiestas nearer the appropriate date.

Today is the feast of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr and one of the first seven deacons of the Church. As the early Christians faced persecution and martyrdom, they would have remembered the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 10: 17-22).

“Beware of men: they will hand you over to Sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 25th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:18 GMT

“Do not be afraid. Behold, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people.” So began the angels their message to the shepherds that first Christmas night, a message of great joy, a joy to be shared with all people. We are here tonight to hear that message once more and again it fills us with great joy. The birth of Jesus, the Messiah, takes our fears away, fills us with hope and gives us reason to rejoice. Even so, for many throughout the world this Christmas, it must be difficult to rejoice and well-nigh impossible to hope.

Tonight, our thoughts and prayers go out to the many families in this country, whose Christmas is marked by poverty and want. Please continue to donate food and money to your local food bank. Abroad it’s ten months since the war in Ukraine began, bringing destruction, death and the displacement of millions of refugees, a war where aggression shows no sign of abating. Sadly, this war on our doorstep has distracted us from warfare and extreme injustice in other parts of the world, in Somalia, Iran and Afghanistan, for example. Let us not forget the present hardships in North America caused by extreme conditions of ice and snow or the severe flooding earlier this year in Pakistan, to mention just two cases of natural disaster.

There can be no reason or excuse for the suffering inflicted on the weak and vulnerable by the great and powerful, or simply by those who are made powerful by the possession of a gun or a bomb. We know that there are no easy solutions to conflict, but the suffering, especially of women and children, is a crime that cries to heaven for vengeance. Can there be hope or joy for those who are hungry and naked, without home and family, for the innocent who see violence and death face to face? Nor should we ignore the murder of countless millions of human foetuses that takes place each year. The birth of the Son of God in a stable at Bethlehem and laid to sleep in swaddling bands in a manger, where cattle eat, is a sign of God’s solidarity with the poor and those who suffer, above all a sign of his love for children and for all those who are young and innocent.

Jesus Christ wasn’t born in a palace or a temple; he didn’t come into this world in a rich home or a luxury hotel. No, his companions were animals: the ox and the ass, sheep, mice and fleas. His mother Mary was a young village girl from the north, a peasant, and the man people presumed to be his father, Joseph, a simple carpenter. Both of them were surprised and confused at the strange events surrounding his conception and birth and now here he was, cradled in a manger, the baby to whom they were to give the name Jesus, meaning Saviour.

No sooner was he born, than angels appeared to shepherds in the fields, watching over their flocks by night, to tell them of his birth. “Today, in the city of David, a Saviour has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.” And with the angels there appears a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men who enjoy his favour.” That new-born babe in the manger is God, the God who made all that is, and he comes to share our weakness and fragility, our suffering and pain. He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour, and yet his way of saving is not Man’s but God’s. It is not through pride and self-seeking that he will save us but through humility and self-emptying, bringing life through death and redemption through suffering. This child in the manger is born to die and, through his death, he will reconcile the whole of creation with God. And in Christ, all suffering is redemptive, all pain has purpose and meaning, and even little children can share in God’s work of salvation because God now shares fully in their suffering and pain.

May the joy of Christmas be yours and may the child lying in the manger help us all to understand and value the suffering and death of innocent young children today. Christ’s birth doesn’t mean that their suffering is fine, that it doesn’t matter and we needn’t worry about it. Quite the opposite: it is wrong, it is unjust, it should not happen, it must be eradicated, but while that suffering and pain last, we know that Christ is still being born today and in still lying there, crying in the manger. May his suffering, death and resurrection bring to all people hope, life and salvation.

On behalf of Fr Prior and the Monastic Community I wish you all a very joyful and holy Christmas. It’s particularly good at Christmas to see so many new faces and visitors with us. This is your home, your church. Come back whenever you want. There will always be a warm welcome awaiting you. “Do not be afraid. Behold, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 24th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:16 GMT

Not only is it Christmas Eve, but it’s already two, or is it three, days since the Winter Solstice and the days are already lengthening, as we look towards Spring and Summer. It’s difficult to know anymore where we are with the climate. Last week I was walking Toby a little before 6am and it was -8C; yet yesterday it was +8C. That’s a big jump for the end of December. It’s looking as though we’ll have a wet Christmas, but definitely not a white one. No matter what the weather, our prayers remain the same: we pray earnestly for peace in Ukraine, for an end to the war there, the senseless destruction, intense suffering and the displacement of millions of innocent people. We cannot allow this aggression to continue. Sadly, there are times when prayer, hope and dialogue are not enough: this is one of those times.

At our morning Mass today, we conclude reading the account of the birth of John the Baptist from Luke’s Infancy Narrative, (Lk 1: 67-79). Today we hear Zechariah’s song of thanksgiving, commonly known as the Benedictus, from the first word of the song in Latin, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.” Luke tells us that Zechariah was filled with Holy Spirit and that his song was a prophecy. In the birth of John, God has fulfilled his promise to Israel that a precursor, a forerunner, would be sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, for the coming of God himself in Christ. God remembers his holy covenant made with Abraham,

“the oath he swore

to our father Abraham

that he would grant us, free from fear,

to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,

to serve him in holiness and virtue

in his presence, all our days.”

In God’s plan of salvation, John has a very important role to play,

“And you, little child,

you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare the way for him,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins;

this by the tender mercy of our God

who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,

to give light to those who live

in darkness and the shadow of death

and to guide our feet

into the way of peace.”

John’s specific ministry will be to forgive sins, as people prepare to meet and accept the Messiah and in him find not only forgiveness but salvation. John will prepare the way for the Saviour’s coming among us as Emmanuel, God-is-with-us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 23rd December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:15 GMT

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,
exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver,
the Desire of all nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

I apologise for the brevity of today’s message, but I have contracted a heavy cold and I’m feeling pretty rotten this evening. An early night with Lemsip is called for. I only hope I can get rid of this inconvenience before Saturday afternoon.

The final O Antiphon focusses on the word Emmanuel, God is with us, for that is who the Messiah is according to the prophet Micah, (Mic 5: 1-5), God who is with us through his Incarnation in every aspect of our lives. This antiphon looks beyond the conception and birth of Christ to his universal mission to save all nations and peoples. He is the one whom all men and women desire, who reconciles the world and all that exists in himself with the Father, as the whole of creation awaits with longing his return in glory. You might be aware of the acrostic,

O Emmanuel

O Rex

O Oriens

O Clavis

O Radix

O Adonai

O Sapientia

Ero cras being the Latin for Tomorrow I will come. Christians are always looking forward to the coming of Christ. Our life is a permanent vigil of joyful prayer and fasting, of longing for a deeper awareness and experience of Emmanuel, the God who is with us.

Today’s Gospel continues Luke’s Infancy Narrative, (Lk 1: 57-66) with the birth, circumcision and naming of John the Baptist, which prepares us for the birth of Jesus. May John pray for us in the final hours of waiting as we prepare for the birth of the Saviour.

“The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.

Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 22nd December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:14 GMT

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,

lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:

veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the nations, and their Desire,

the Cornerstone, who makest both one:

Come, and save mankind, whom thou formest of clay.

Yesterday I had the great joy of visiting my mother and it turned out to be a perfect day. It was mild, calm and sunny, the journey in both directions quick and traffic-free. I was able to stop on the way home and visit my father’s grave at Cadoxton church, before the Dissolution of the monasteries one of the many parishes staffed by the Cistercian monks of Neath Abbey. My mother was in good spirits and overjoyed to see me and Toby. She prepared a magnificent lunch and, after a short siesta, Toby and I went down to the beach and spent an hour there, probably his longest walk since surgery a year and more ago. On our return, there was afternoon tea and later on a light supper, before the journey back to Belmont.

Today’s O Antiphon focusses on the kingship of Jesus, as Messiah and Saviour of the world. Just as the people of Israel longed for his coming, so we, his disciples of all the nations of the world, long for his return in glory at the end of time to judge both the quick and the dead. He is the cornerstone who joins together Jew and Gentile and who alone can unite mankind in living faith and saving grace, thereby lifting us up from the clay with which we were fashioned.

Our Gospel passage today consists of the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise and thanksgiving, sung at her Visitation to Elizabeth and sung in the name of both women and the children in their wombs. It is the song the whole Church in all her branches sings each evening as Christians lift up their hearts and souls to God in recognition that, “the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.”

Here is the complete text, (Lk 1: 26-36):

Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

For the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 21st December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:13 GMT

O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ;

veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Dayspring, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Whatever we say about Advent and Christmas in our Northern Hemisphere, we can never get away from the interplay of dark and light. We experience in December long, dark nights and a few days before the festival of Christ's Nativity, the more ancient festival of the Solstice, the longest night and shortest day, which is today, 21 ^st December. Isaiah prophesied that, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land of deep darkness, light has shone." (Is 9: 2). Saint Bede the Venerable wrote a wonderful evocation of this light, Christ, our true Morning Star: 'Christ is the morning star who when the night of this world is past brings to his saints the promise of the light of life and opens everlasting day'. Jesus Christ is, as John’s Gospel Prologue proclaims, “The Light that shines in the darkness; the Light that darkness cannot overcome.” (Jn 1: 5)

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 1: 39-45), recounts Mary’s visitation to her aged relative Elizabeth, which follows on that of the Annunciation.

Jesus will tell his hearers that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb and here it is Elizabeth who is filled with the Holy Spirit as the child in her womb leaps for joy at the coming of Mary bearing Christ in her womb. Filled with the Spirit she prophesises that Mary is the most blessed of all women, for the child in her womb is blessed. In fact, Mary bears God made man, and the fruit of her womb is the Saviour of the world, the Kyrios, the Lord. Mary’s greeting causes John to leap for joy, for the whole world is filled with joy at Christ’s Incarnation. Today themes of joy and light fill our own hearts as we look forward to celebrating Christ’s birth as Light of the world at Christmas.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 20th December

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:24:13 GMT

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;

qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit:

veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,

sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;

you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open:

Come, and lead the prisoners from the prison house,

those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Today’s O Antiphon proclaims Jesus to be the Key of David and the Sceptre of the House of Israel, recognising him to be the Messiah King, who alone can open the door to the kingdom of heaven and free us from the darkness of sin and death. It is based on two important texts, one from the Old, the other from the New Testament. In the prophet Isaiah we read, “I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut and no one shall open.” (Is 22: 22) Then in the Book of the Apocalypse we find, “These are the words of the holy one, the true one, who has key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” (Rev 3: 7) Jesus, then is the key that allows us to gain access to the kingdom of his Father. We implore him to come quickly to save those who are still in their sins, those who most need the key of the kingdom to open the door for them, that the promise of Advent be fulfilled.

Our Gospel passage today is that of the Annunciation from Luke, (Lk 1: 26-38), a passage so well-known and loved, we could all recite it by heart. I shall simply reproduce it, but today without comment, that it be allowed to speak for itself.

“The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 19th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:50:16 GMT

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

Root of Jesse might sound an unusual Messianic title for Jesus and yet it can be easily explained, for Jesse, the grandson of Ruth, was the father of David. David was the youngest of his eight sons and chosen by Samuel to be king of Israel after the fall from power of Saul. He was the boy who famously slew the Philistine Goliath. Why is Christ called the root of Jesse? Because of the prophecy of Micah: “But you, O Bethlehem … from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” (Mic. 5:2). Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from the town of Bethlehem, and this is the same verse to which the scribes and priests referred when King Herod sought the birthplace of the king, who was to be visited by the Magi, as we read in Matthew (Mt. 2:6).

In today’s rather long Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 1: 5-25), we start reading the Infancy Narrative according to Luke. He begins with the conception of John the Baptist, son of the elderly couple, way past the age of having children, Zechariah and Elizabeth. In many ways it is much more detailed than that of Jesus himself. It consists of the annunciation of John’s conception by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, a priest serving in the Temple. It takes place in the sanctuary of the temple while Zechariah is serving there at the hour of incense, while the people are at prayer. These are the words of Gabriel to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.” We notice that it is God who chooses the name his father must give the boy and the fact that his birth will bring rejoicing to many. Important too is the fact that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb and that his vocation will be a prophetic one, to bring back many to God with the power and spirit of Elijah. His task, then, will be to prepare the way for the Messiah’s coming, emphasising that John himself will not be the Messiah.

Zechariah’s reply to the angel is similar to Mary’s, only here the objection is one of age rather than of youth and innocence. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.” Whereas Mary believed, Zechariah doubted, so the angel Gabriel says to him, “I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.” So it is that Zechariah will remain dumb until John is born and named. Elizabeth conceives and is filled with joy. Her reaction is recorded, “The Lord has done this for me now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.” We pray today for the gift of faith to believe in God’s promises and accept his plans with an open heart and a n open mind.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 18th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:46:01 GMT

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel,

qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,

et ei in Sina legem dedisti:

veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,

who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush

and gave him the law on Sinai:

Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

The O Antiphon for 18 ^th December begins with an ancient Hebrew word for God, Adonai, a word we first find used in the episode of the call of Moses at the Burning Bush. It is not the name by which God revealed himself to Moses, but rather a word that could be translated into Latin as Deus or Dominus. However, the ancient Hebrew word is kept, placing emphasis on God as giver of the law, leader and guide of the House of Israel. As God saved Israel from slavery in Egypt, so Jesus the Messiah, giver of the new law of love, will redeem God’s people by extending his arms on the cross. We ask him urgently to come and redeem us now.

The readings on the Fourth Sunday of Advent are dedicated to the Annunciation and Incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Today we read from Matthew, (Mt 1: 18-24), the Annunciation to Matthew, rather than to Mary. In fact, when the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, Mary has already conceived and is carrying Jesus in her womb. Joseph doesn’t want to cause a stir or make things difficult Mary, so he has decided to divorce her quietly so as not to draw attention to her situation, but in a small town like Nazareth? Yet, just when he’s made this decision, the angel appears to him in a dream and explains exactly what’s going on, that Mary has conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, that the child is of God and that he must take Mary to his home and take on the role of parental care for Mary and the boy. He is to name the boy Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Proof for all this is in the writings of the prophets. In fact, Mary is a virgin still and will remain so, and her son is Emmanuel, God-is-with-us. On waking, Joseph carries out to the letter what God has asked of him, becoming a model husband and father, protector of the Holy Family, obedient to the end, a role model for us all.

Here is the text of the Gospel:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 17th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:44:30 GMT

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem,

fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Today we embark on the second part of our Advent journey, the days marked by the great O Antiphons, after which each day is named. The antiphon is sung with the Alleluia before the Gospel at Mass and with the Magnificat at Vespers. Each one begins with a Messianic title of Jesus, the Christ, taken from the prophecies of the Old Testament, emphasising the meaning of the title and then asks Jesus to come and fulfil anew what that title reveals of his mission. Today, recalling that Jesus is Divine Wisdom, we ask that he come and teach us something of his wisdom and holy prudence. The antiphons were probably composed in the 5 ^th century and spread rapidly throughout the Western Church and are still sung today.

Our Gospel reading today is the genealogy of Jesus according to Matthew, (Mt 1: 1-17). Matthew, unlike Luke, who goes back to creation, Adam and Eve, begins with the history of Israel, and with Abraham, our faither in faith. He begins by saying: “A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.” To get a flavour of how it works, let’s read the first section of three, the fourteen generations from Abraham to David. Notice the women who are mentioned.

“Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.”

Matthew brings his genealogy to an end, writing;

“And Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.”

Matthew is careful to tell us that although Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is the Christ, and that Joseph was her husband, nevertheless Joseph was not the father of Jesus. Following on from the genealogy, Matthew’s infancy narrative begins with the annunciation of the angel to Joseph, where all is made clear. Let us pray today that people throughout the world, who are preparing to celebrate Christmas, will come to recognise and know that the Babe in the manger is indeed God incarnate, our Saviour and our Lord. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 16th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:43:21 GMT

Since the beginning of Advent, there’s been a great deal of emphasis placed on St John the Baptist in the Scripture readings of the Liturgy, especially at Mass. Today’s short Gospel passage presents us with a testimonial given by Jesus on John, (Jn 5: 33-36). It reads without any context like a text plucked out of thin air, so let’s deal with it like that. Jesus is addressing “the Jews.” This term is often used in John to denote those who oppose Jesus in general. Let’s see what he has to say.

“You sent messengers to John,

and he gave his testimony to the truth:

not that I depend on human testimony;

no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.

John was a lamp alight and shining

and for a time, you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.

But my testimony is greater than John’s:

the works my Father has given me to carry out,

these same works of mine testify

that the Father has sent me.”

Jesus reflects on the testimony given of himself by John. When they sent messengers to John to ask him if he was the Messiah or if, perhaps, another, Jesus for example, was the Messiah, the Christ, he gave witness to the truth. Later in the Gospel, Jesus will say to Thomas, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” The truth to whom John bears witness is Jesus, not that Jesus needs human testimony, for God is his witness. John was a lamp shining in the darkness, pointing to the hope that lay ahead, but now that Jesus has manifested himself to Israel, that light is no longer needed. John has done his work, for now a greater witness is present in the world, Jesus himself. Jesus can now carry out the works the Father has given him to do and these works alone will testify that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of the world. For us the question is whether we believe the word of Jesus or not.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 15th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:42:01 GMT

Yesterday, the feast of St John of the Cross, was a special day of prayer and thanksgiving for me, as I was elected Abbot of Belmont on this day 22 years’ ago. It was also a special day for our local Archdiocese of Cardiff, as one of our priests, Canon Peter Collins, was consecrated and enthroned at Bishop of East Anglia in Norwich, the city of Blessed Julian. We pray for him as he begins his ministry in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, a long way away from his native Wales. Our heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Peter. In Welsh, llongyfarchiadau.

Today’s Gospel comes from Luke, (Lk 7: 24-30), where we hear Jesus speaking of John the Baptist to the crowds with whom John was so popular. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Oh no, those who go in for fine clothes and live luxuriously are to be found at court! Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: See, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare the way before you.” For Jesus, John is not only a prophet, but more than a prophet. Indeed, he is the one spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, the Messiah’s personal messenger, who goes before him to prepare his way.

Then Jesus speaks of John’s ministry, highlighting the failure of the scribes and Pharisees to pay attention to John’s teaching, for they refuse the gift of conversion and baptism as a sign of repentance and forgiveness. ”I tell you, of all the children born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is. All the people who heard him, and the tax collectors too, acknowledged God’s plan by accepting baptism from John; but by refusing baptism from him the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted what God had in mind for them.” No one greater than John has ever walked the face of the earth, and, yet, the least in the kingdom is greater than he. Jesus’ respect and admiration for John knows no bounds, but Jesus is clear that he himself is the Messiah, the Christ, and John, the prophet or messenger.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 13th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:40:34 GMT

Yesterday was another bitterly cold day here in Kylemore. Wisely the site has been closed to visitors since Saturday, so another quiet day, although I spent time with the nuns, giving the final talk, celebrating Mass , having lunch with them, hearing a few confessions and attending Vespers in the church. I’ve also been checking up on flights and buses to see what’s working and what’s not. There appear to be quite lengthy delays, but not to worry, I hope and pray I can get back to Belmont this evening. I’ve really enjoyed my week in Ireland and hope to return one day to Kylemore, when the weather is better and there’s time to look around and explore the neighbourhood. I apologise if tomorrow there is no message. It might not be possible to write and send one.

Today, of course, is the feast of St Lucy, the light-bearer, a great celebration in many countries and regions of the world, where many beautiful and ancient celebrations surround her feast day abound. The glorious light of this virgin martyr leads us to Christ and the celebration of his birth at Christmas. In a week’s time the days will begin to lengthen and we shall look forward to the coming of Spring and the rebirth of nature.

Our Gospel today comes from Matthew, (Mt 21: 28-32), and is the continuation of yesterday’s passage. Jesus continues his discussion with the chief priests and elders of the people. He uses the Parable of the Two Sons, the one who promised his father to work in the vineyard, but didn’t go, and the one who at first said no, but then went, to declare that “tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.” Why would this be? Because they listened to John the Baptist and repented of their sins, yet the religious leaders of Israel did not. Today we pray that, through the intercession of St Lucy, we might repent of our sins and turn towards the light that is Christ.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 12th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:39:27 GMT

I’m not sure how things were where you live, but yesterday here in Connemara everything came to a standstill because of the subzero temperatures and the icy roads. So I spent most of the day like a hermit, apart from the middle of the day. I said Mass for the nuns in their house chapel, had lunch with them, then met with a sick sister, gave a retreat conference, then heard half a dozen confessions and had a meeting with another sister. Then I came back to my hermitage and fell asleep in an armchair. Then I wrote this short message, exchanged a few emails, rang my mother and made a spot of supper. The warmest place is bed, so I’m planning an early night. I did feed my robin friends, who were joined by pied wagtails, song thrushes and a rook.

In tomorrow’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 21: 23-27), we find Jesus preaching in the Temple and the chief priests and elders of the people demanding what authority he has to do this. In return, Jesus sets them a question, and one they do not expect. “John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?” They realise the question is a trap, for if they say it came from God, then people will ask why they rejected John, but if they say it was simply something human, the crowds will object for they believe John to have been a prophet. As a result they reply, “We do not know,” which leaves Jesus free to say, “Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.” Jesus comes as one who has authority from God, for the authority is his own, he is the Son of God, God incarnate. Let us accept that authority joyfully and listen carefully to what Jesus has to say.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 11th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:38:20 GMT

Yesterday was such a bitterly cold and icy day, that l didn’t venture out of doors until just before midday, when I walked gingerly to the church for the Requiem Mass of Dame Mary Groves. Birds here are unbelievably friendly and quite fearless. On the way to church, a robin came up for a chat so close, I bent down so he could nibble at my forefinger with his beak. Then, further along a song thrush wanted to chat. It’s quite extraordinary, considering the vast number of tourists who visit Kylemore.

Dame Mary’s Requiem was a most moving celebration. Because of the ice and closed roads, there was no congregation to join the nuns other than by live streaming. Only the undertakers and a couple Kylemore men were there to carry the coffin. The cemetery is about half a mile from the nuns’ church. I was surprised by the number of nun’s graves and interested to see how Irish burial customs differ from our own. Dame Mary and two other Oulton nuns transferred to Kylemore in 1992. Interestingly, you could say they were coming home, as the Abbey of Ypres, that of the Irish Dames, which eventually became Kylemore, was founded from the Abbey of Ghent in 1665. Ghent, which had been founded from Brussels in 1624, eventually became Oulton. Brussels had been founded by Lady Mary Percy in 1598. Kylemore is an ancient community and we should pray for its perseverance into the future.

Today is Gaudete Sunday, a day of special rejoicing on the third Sunday of Advent. I’m not quite sure what it can mean to modern Christians, as sadly we no longer fast and really keep vigil during Advent. Still, we now look forward to Christmas. In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 11: 2-11), Jesus gives his testimony of John the Baptist. “Of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.” We also hear from St James today who tells his readers, “Do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon.” Let us take these words to heart and pray for the Lord’s return, his Second Coming at the end of time.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 10th December

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:37:04 GMT

Today, at Kylemore, we will celebrate the Requiem Mass and Burial of Dame Mary Groves, who died just after midnight on 8th December not far short of her hundredth birthday. She was English and originally a nun of Oulton Abbey in Staffordshire. She is the nun I visited in a nursing home and prayed with on my arrival in Ireland on Monday. I must confess it is a great honour and privilege to be asked to preside at her funeral. Yesterday evening, just before Vespers we received her body into the church. With subzero temperatures, I wonder how gravediggers manage to do their job. Seeing how quickly the Irish get on with things, I wonder why we have to wait so long back in the UK. It’s often over a month.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 17: 10-13), where, as yesterday, Jesus speaks with his disciples about himself and John the Baptist. The disciples ask him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?” In fact, in general Jews believed at the time of Jesus, that Elijah would return to prepare the way for the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus replies, “I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased.” Matthew tells us that, “the disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.” However, Jesus has more to say, “The Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.” And so it was to be. In Advent we await the birth of a Saviour, who will suffer and die for our salvation, a Saviour who invites us to share in his sufferings so as to share in his glory.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 9th December

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:48:17 GMT

Yesterday was a long day, beginning just after midnight with the death of one of the nuns, Dame Mary, in her 100th year. What a beautiful feast day on which to leave this world for the next. As a result the timetable changed and so it was a different day from usual. Her funeral will take place during the retreat. However, I did get the opportunity to visit the magnificent shop the nuns have here and see the full range of their extensive production. Kylemore is, of course, a famous tourist destination and rightly so. I noticed a large number of Spanish visitors, for example.

Our Gospel reading today comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 16-19), in which Jesus, talking about the age in which he lives, compares himself with John the Baptist and the reaction of the people to them both. He comes to the conclusion that they are like “children shouting to each other in the market place.” They criticised John as a man possessed and Jesus as a drunkard and a glutton for mixing with tax collectors and sinners. Yet both are doing God’s work in bringing salvation to all men and women. We pray that we might receive Christ and accept him as our Lord and Saviour and follow the example of John the Baptist in preparing the way of the Lord.

Fr Paul

Report on Synod Meeting

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:44:57 GMT

Please find links below to the report following the Parish Synod meeting that took place in Hedley Lodge, Belmont, on. Saturday 3rd December

The report is available here: Report on Synod Meeting held at Belmont Abbey 3rd December

Excerpts from the Document for the Continental Stage that were discussed; Synod Day Excerpts

Personal submissions in response to the Synod Day Excerpts are welcomed. +Mark writes;

“Please invite individuals and groups in the parishes, to share any responses on the three questions, direct with me. It is an opportunity for me to hear direct from our parishioners, as somebody ‘new’ to the two Dioceses, if they would like. I am especially keen to hear from those who have not participated up to now. I am asking that these be shared with me by 20th December.”

Please forwarded responses to Fr. Laurence Bryce, Private Secretary to Archbishop Mark O'Tool at privatesecretary@rcadc.org

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 8th December

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:21:34 GMT

Today, right in the heart of Advent, we keep the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady, nine months before the celebration of her Nativity on 8th September. Mary was conceived without original sin and remained without actual sin throughout her life, hence she alone could conceive the Word, the Son of God, and carry him in her womb for she was the Temple of the Lord and Gate of heaven. For this we give thanks today and keep solemn festival. The Gospel chosen for the feast is that of the Annunciation, (Lk 1: 26-38). The angel Gabriel’s message begins with the greeting, “Rejoice, you who are full of grace. The Lord is with you.” Mary is already filled with grace and without sin from the moment of her Immaculate Conception, for God is truly with her. It is the Father’s will that she conceive the Saviour of the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary is left free to choose whether she will cooperate with God or not, so much does God love and respect her. After prayerful reflection and consideration her answer is, Fiat, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to thy word.”

We pray today that we might do God’s will as Mary did, and so play our part in the salvation of the world. Amen.

The Immaculate Conception is the patronage feast of Kylemore Abbey, so I ask you to pray for the community of nuns as they continue their retreat.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 7th December

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:19:09 GMT

It’s a great joy for me to be able to write this short message from Kylemore Abbey in Ireland, where I am accompanying the delightful Benedictine nuns in their annual retreat. I arrived on Monday evening after a long, but interesting journey. I particularly enjoyed the comfortable bus ride from Dublin Airport to Galway, which included a wonderful scenic tour through the city of Dublin, such a beautiful, vibrant city. Then, after an excellent late lunch, came the fascinating car ride to Kylemore. On the way, I was taken to visit a hundred year old nun in a nursing home to pray with her and give her a special blessing. Yesterday, after a good night’s sleep, twice the usual length, I was able to admire the dramatic scenery round about, after morning office with the nuns and have a free morning until Mass at midday. The retreat began with the first conference early in the afternoon. I’m so glad I came and feel that this is doing me the world of good. I hope it will prove the same for the sisters.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 28-30), one of the loveliest and most consoling sayings of Jesus. “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.” Jesus invites all those who need his help and support to come to him. No one is excluded, but must come to him and accept the rest that he can give them. In return for his shouldering our yoke, he offers us his own, a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. Our own burdens are often the result of pride and a sinful desire to dominate others or perhaps go it alone, as though we were self-sufficient. Jesus teaches us to do things differently, in faith, hope and love, and together with others.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 5th December

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:17:22 GMT

My dear friends, today I will be travelling from Belmont to the west of Ireland, where I’ll be accompanying a community of Benedictine nuns during their retreat. I should be returning to Belmont on 13 ^th . I’m not quite sure if I will have access to the internet, so I won’t promise a daily message until I see what facilities there are. I beg your understanding and forgiveness should it be necessary to have a brief hiatus in communication. Also yesterday was such a busy day, that I had no spare time to sit down and write a few lines about today’s Gospel, that wonderful episode from Luke chapter 5, where Jesus heals a paralysed man who is lowered by his friends through an opening in the roof of the house, where Jesus was teaching a large crowd of followers. Here is the Gospel passage. What strikes you most? What does it challenge us to do?

“Jesus was teaching one day, and among the audience there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the Power of the Lord was behind his works of healing. Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’ The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. ‘Who is this man talking blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, ‘What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralysed man – ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

They were all astounded and praised God, and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’”

Let us remember that without Christ we are truly paralysed.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 4th December

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:16:06 GMT

Although there is no strict and hard rule, it seems to me that the first week of Advent is dedicated to the teaching of the Prophets, while focussing on Jesus’ preaching on the end of the time and the last judgement. This second week, John the Baptist comes to the fore with his proclamation that the kingdom of God is at hand. The third week moves towards Our Lady and the Incarnation, whereas the fourth week takes its lead from the infancy narratives, especially that of Luke. Today then, we hear of the preaching of John the Baptist according to Matthew, (Mt 3: 1-12). In Luke we can read the infancy narratives of Jesus and John intertwined and we learn that they are closely related. In Matthew, John simply “appears.”

We read: “In due course John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said:

A voice cries in the wilderness:

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight.

This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.”

Like the prophets of old or the first monks in the desert of Egypt, John is a wild and frightening figure, yet he attracted large crowds and, among them, we know were Jesus and those who would become his disciples. His message was a call to repentance, for the kingdom of heaven was close at hand, by for John meant that the Messiah was about to appear. He himself is only a voice crying in the wilderness, but soon the Messiah will be with them. He has particularly savage words for the Pharisees and Sadducees, religious leaders in Israel, because of their hypocrisy and pretence at repentance. They might think they are and even proclaim that they are sons of Abraham, but as John says, “God can raise children for Abraham from these stones.” This is a very powerful statement indeed, in fact Jesus will go out towards sinners and pagans and incorporate them, through faith and baptism, into his mystical body, the Church.

John then goes on to talk about the Messiah: “I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.” Again, powerful words. Jesus will indeed baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire, not a simple, symbolic baptism of repentance, but the gift of the Spirit that will consecrate and transform people into children of God and fire that will eradicate sin and restore purity of heart.

Today God wants us to heed John’s message, but also to become like John, prophets in the wilderness of our world, proclaiming the coming of the kingdom as we prepare a way for the Lord, both in ourselves and in all those we meet for whatever reason. By the lives we live, we can proclaim the coming of the Lord.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 3rd December

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:13:51 GMT

We’re already well into the month of December with the feast of St Francis Xavier, the great 16 ^th century Jesuit missionary to India and the Orient. Let us not forget that, for 300 years during penal times, Herefordshire was also a Jesuit mission, which is why the parish church of Hereford is dedicated to St Francis Xavier. This is also a propitious day for the Belmont parish to hold is study morning on the Synod, which is very much to do with the Church’s mission in today’s world and looking to the future. I wish there were more enthusiasm for the Synod among Catholics in the U.K. Sometimes it looks as if we had forgotten our Lord’s command that his disciples go out everywhere preaching the Gospel and bringing those living in darkness into the light of Christ. We have also come to the end of the first week in Advent. How has it been for you? Will this be a memorable Advent for you?

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 9: 35 – 10: 1, 5-9), “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.” All was going well, but Jesus was aware of the large crowds and that he alone could not preach the Good News and cure the sick everywhere. As a result, he said to his disciples, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” He was only too aware that the crowds looked, “harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” The only solution was to call his disciples to himself and share his authority with them, so that they too could do what he was doing. Here we see the beginnings of ministry in the early Church, not in the way it ultimately developed in a clerical way, both in East and in West. Nevertheless, here is all begins. He says to his disciples, “As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.” If Jesus had said those words to you, what would you have done? If he asks you today, what will you do?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 2nd December

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:59:34 GMT

Yesterday I wrote briefly about the will of God and obedience. Forgive me if I return to these two words in order to make clear what I mean. The English word obedience derives from the Latin verb audire which simply means to listen or to hear. The compound oboedire means to listen carefully, to comprehend and carry out what is said. For a Christian that is done out of love, returning love for love, loving someone so much that we want to do with all our heart what it is they have expressed in the word that we have listened to. Within the dynamic of the Holy Trinity, it is love that is expressed and generated, so that the Son is nothing other than the Son loving the Father as deeply and as fully as possible and the Father in the Spirit returning love for love. In this love there is no coercion, let alone anger or even a power struggle. The will of God, then is what is best for us, the way in which the Father expresses his love for us, and our obedience is the deepest expression of our love and devotion for him.

Today’s Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 9: 27-31), and is a short account of the healing of two blind men by Jesus. “As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house, the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.”

The two men shout in unison, “Take pity on us, Son of David.” Unlike the criminals crucified either side of Jesus, the two blind men are united in their plea for mercy and pray for each other. Although they do not ask specifically for their sight to be restored, nevertheless Jesus tests their faith by asking them if they believe he can do this, to which they reply together, “Sir, we do.” Jesus declares their faith to be the healer as he touches their eyes. Matthew tells us that their sight returned. As always happens, the more Jesus tells those healed not to publicise the fact, the more they do, so that everyone everywhere ends up speaking of Jesus and praising God’s work accomplished in him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 1st December

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:58:17 GMT

When Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, he included a short phrase, essential to Christian life, that we repeat every time we say the prayer. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Thy will be done by us, your children on earth, as it is done by the saints and angels in heaven, in this vale of tears as in the kingdom of heaven. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus insisted that this was the hallmark of a disciple, to do God’s will. Our Lady at the Annunciation said to the Angel Gabriel,

“Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord: let it be done unto me according to your word.” In other words, “Thy will be done on earth…” Jesus often says to the disciples that he has come to do not his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him. The Incarnation was an act of obedience not only on the part of Mary, but on the part of Jesus too, the obedience of God, where Father, Son and Holy Spirit are mutually obedient to one another. Obedience is the expression of that eternal love which binds the Holy Trinity together and is the very charism and essence of God who is love.

Today’s Advent Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 7: 21, 24-27), where Jesus, once again, explains the conditions for entry into the kingdom.

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’”

Nothing could be clearer. Those who do the Father’s will are those who will enter the kingdom of heaven, those who listen to the words of Jesus and act on them. Now as we all know, it’s possible to hear the words of Jesus and do nothing about them. It might be that occasionally this has happened to us. We have been struck by lethargy or a momentary lack of faith, (who knows?), but we haven’t acted on the words of Jesus and then regretted not doing so. Let us promise the Lord this Advent never to pass by an opportunity to do his will, but, as St Benedict teaches in the Holy Rule, to practise obedience without delay.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 30th November

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:56:28 GMT

Today we celebrate the feast of St Andrew, patron saint not only of Scotland but of many countries, cities, parishes and Christians. He is, undoubtedly, one of the most popular of all the saints. Interestingly, there are two accounts of the call of Andrew in the Gospels. In the Synoptic tradition, and today at Mass we read Matthew’s version, (Mt 4: 18-22), he was a fisherman on the sea of Galilee and was with his brother Simon Peter and their friends, the brothers James and John, when he was called by Jesus, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” All four responded immediately the call of Jesus and downed their nets, left their work and their families and followed Jesus. However, after the resurrection of Jesus, we find them once more fishing on the Sea of Galilee, so that the initial leaving all things to follow Jesus might not have been quite as radical as at first it appeared to be.

In John, (Jn 1: 35-42), we find a very different account of the calling of the first disciples of Jesus. Here it is.

“The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon, son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).”

It appears, then, that the disciples were originally followers of John the Baptist and that they shifted their allegiance to Jesus at the instigation of John. We also discover that Andrew was the first to follow after Jesus. So convinced was he that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, that he rushed to introduce Peter his brother to him. This is why Andrew has always been known as the “First Called” or in Greek

Πρωτόκλητος. His name was Greek and not Hebrew or Aramaic, but it was quite common at the time for Jewish children to be given foreign names. Ἀνδρέᾱς means manly or brave. The life of St Andrew and his subsequent popularity gave rise to many customs and devotions. Let us simply ask his intercession to be faithful disciples in the world in which we live today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 28th November

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:37:30 GMT

Advent has always been my favourite season, even when I was a small boy. It wasn’t the proximity to Christmas that made me like it so, but the even more exciting prospect of something beyond this life. It was like the science fiction aspect of the Christian faith, the idea of Christ returning at the end of time, coming on the clouds of heaven to judge the living and the dead, in those days known as “the quick and the dead”, an even more exciting prospect. I still haven’t lost my fascination for the end of time or, indeed, my love of Advent with all its wonderful hymns and carols and the very best readings the Scriptures have to offer. Give me Advent any day over any other season of the year.

Today’s Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 8: 5-11), and tells of the faith and humility of a centurion and the healing of his servant by Jesus. “When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him,’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’” It’s hardly likely that the centurion would have been a Jew; he would have been a pagan, but a God-fearer nevertheless. This makes no difference to Jesus, who offers to go to the centurion’s house to heal his servant. We note the compassion of the centurion, whose name is not given, and his care for his servant. The centurion’s response to Jesus are the very words we repeat each time we receive Holy Communion and Jesus comes into our homes, the intimate homes of our bodies. We, too, are not worthy, although there may be some who think they are. With the centurion there was no pretence as there can sometimes be with us. Jesus was astonished at his faith and humility and says so publicly. He also goes on to say that the kingdom of heaven will be full of people like this centurion, people of faith, but not necessarily of the right religion in the eyes of those who think themselves perfect. What do we think of people who are not of our faith? Are we prepared, like Jesus, to recognise the faith they have or do we reject them out of hand?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 27th November

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:36:05 GMT

It was truly uplifting last night to begin Advent with a Carol Service, sung not by the monastic community, although we participated in the prayers and the readings, but by a choir based on Hereford Sixth Form College, called Academia Musica. I was particularly moved by some of the 15 ^th century texts they sang, which I had not seen or heard before. I have always been struck by the theological depth of popular medieval carols and their breath-taking interpretations of the life of Christ and the implication of his Incarnation. Together with the celebration of Vespers with its Advent antiphons, it was a wonderful way to begin Advent, this season of prayer and fasting that takes us up to Christmas. My parish priest, when I was a boy, always called it Little Lent to remind us of the penitential nature of the season, which is often overlooked by Christmas talking over.

Advent is a time when we look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time, while at the same time looking back to his First Coming at his Incarnation and Birth, something we do by reading the prophets of Israel who looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. We look back in order to look forward, while recognising and celebrating the fact that he is with us now, this Third or Intermediate Coming in the present moment. It’s a season that takes us out of ourselves into the presence of the Mystery of God. In our Gospel passage, taken from Matthew, (Mt 24: 37-44), as this year we will be reading Matthew on Sundays, apart from Lent and Eastertide, basing himself on the story of Noah and the Flood, Jesus warns his disciples in this way. “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Just as we do not know the moment in which we are going to die, so too we do not know the day or the hour when Christ will return in the glory of his angels on the clouds of heaven. What we do know is that we will die and that Jesus will come again. What can we do but keep calm and wait in patience, simply making sure that we are ready at the time of his choosing to meet him, see him and receive his welcome into the kingdom of his Father.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 26th November

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:48:06 GMT

So it is that we come to the end of another Liturgical Year and prepare to begin our annual journey anew. Tomorrow is the First Sunday in Advent, a new year and a fresh start in our following Jesus along the way of the Gospel. This is reflected in the short Gospel reading for this morning from Luke, (Lk 21: 34-3). Here it is; Jesus is speaking with his disciples.

“Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.”

The message is very simple and straightforward. He wants us to live pure lives and not allow ourselves to become distracted by unnecessary things. Hence, we will remain focused on God and in constant prayer. In this way we need have no fear, for God will be with us.

Let us pray, then, that through faith and humility, patience and perseverance, this will become a reality in our lives, as we prepare for the beginning of Advent this evening.

Please note that the Advent Carol Service at 7.30 this evening will also be live streamed on the Belmont Parish website

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 25th November

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:45:48 GMT

It was a real pleasure to be able to visit my mother yesterday. The journey down, once we reached the Heads of the Valleys part of the A465 at Brynmawr, soon became what I imagine parts of hell to be like: torrential rain so thick you can’t see through it, fearful black skies and 10 miles of muddy roadworks as workers valiantly plod on constructing the new dual carriageway from Dowlais Top to the big Hirwain roundabout. However, once we made it to my mother’s, the rain stopped, the sky turned blue and the sun began to shine. After a spectacular lunch and a quick snooze, we went down to the beach, but the wind was so strong that even Toby had difficulty walking straight. My mother was wise to stay in the car. Later on, after a supper of homemade ravioli, we returned to Belmont in record time. Driving conditions could not have been more different. I’ve often wondered, as God is so merciful and loving, if hell must be redundant.

Today we remember St Catherine of Alexandria, the virgin martyr who died in the year 305 and whom I learned a lot about as a boy buying Catherine wheels for Guy Fawkes! In addition, the local Anglican parish church, a beautiful, miniature cathedral, was dedicated to her. My best friend’s father was the vicar, so we often played there as well as in the cemetery and in the ruins of the old primitive medieval church dedicated to St Baglan. Old age encourages happy memories!

In today’s short Gospel from Luke, (Lk 21: 29-33), Jesus tells his disciples one of several parables about a fig tree. “Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Here Jesus suggests that it won’t be difficult to discern when the world is coming to an end: it will be just like looking at a tree and understanding what season of the year it is. All that we see will one day pass away, God and those who live in God and live by the word of Jesus will not pass away, for God is eternal.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 24th November

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:44:13 GMT

I am always amazed at the amount of time and energy parishioners are willing to expend in the organisation and running of the many events that contribute to the pastoral, liturgical and social life of the parish and its missionary outreach. Last night, Fr Augustine and I attended a meeting of the Belmont Summer Fete Committee. We are there to support and encourage the fantastic ladies who have all the ideas and, with the help of many volunteers, do all the work. Where would we be without them? We are all immensely grateful. And this is the story of most parishes that I know or have worked in. Peru was no different. There, too, ladies did the most extraordinary amount of work, as well as having a job, keeping a home, looking after children and grandparents and keeping an eye on their husbands.

Yesterday was a windswept day with a lot of heavy rain. Walking with Toby between showers in the afternoon, I took the photograph which adorns this short message.

Today the Church remembers the Vietnamese Martyrs, 117 canonised of the

4,799 who were martyred for the Catholic faith between 1745 and 1862. Christians were martyred in horrific ways in Vietnam, their bodies were mutilated and some were tortured with the use of psychoactive drugs. Many were branded on the face, and whole towns known to hold Christians were wiped out. An 1862 treaty with the French granted religious freedom to Catholics, but did not stop all persecutions throughout the country. Most recently, in the last century, the Communist government tried to purge the nation of religion, and more than 600,000 Christians fled, leaving everything behind. We ask the intercession of the Martyrs and pray for the Church in Vietnam and for Vietnamese Christians throughout the world today.

In our Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 21: 20-28), Jesus speaks to his disciples of the fall and destruction of Jerusalem and of the religious persecution that will take place when the Roman Empire turns against Christians. “For great misery will descend on the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every pagan country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.” Sadly, throughout the history of the Church, persecution has happened many times, and in many countries, and is taking place even today in a number of countries. Christians must always be prepared to suffer persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ and the Christian values he taught. Jesus also speaks of the Second Coming: “They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.” We know neither the day nor the hour, but we must be prepared. Jesus will give us the faith and courage to be brave and to hold our heads high, for he will be with us to grant us the freedom of the beloved children of God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 23rd November

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:42:33 GMT

This week we have a spate of feast days as we speed towards the end of the liturgical year and the beginning of the Church’s New Year on Advent Sunday. To mark the beginning of Advent, we’ll be having our Advent Carol Service at Belmont this Saturday evening, 26th November, at 7.30pm, a service of wonderful readings and glorious Advent music. Everyone is welcome. Do come and join us. Getting back to today, we keep the feast of St Cecilia, the Roman virgin martyr, venerated by all Christians, who died a martyr’s death on this day in the year 230. There might well have been an earlier Sicilian martyr of the same name. She was martyred at the same time as her husband, Valerian, who had respected her virginity and was baptised through her influence and holiness, and brother-in-law, Tibertius. She is, of course, the patron of church music, composers, musicians, especially organists, and singers. Her popularity testifies to the importance of music in the Church’s liturgy.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from Luke, (Lk 21: 5-11), and describes a visit that Jesus made to the Temple in Jerusalem. He listens as people talk about its beauty and wealth, its carvings and adornments. He reacts by saying, “All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” Is this a prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in the year 70, when the Temple was destroyed and raised to the ground? They ask for a sign. “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place? Jesus warns them to be careful of false prophets, some of whom will use his name, purporting to speak on his behalf. Even should there be wars and revolutions, they are not to be afraid. They will witness or hear of earthquakes, plagues and famines, but these too will not necessarily be signs that the end is about to come. We are to be vigilant and never lose our trust in God. In his hands we are safe, even in the midst of persecution and death. St Cecilia took these words of Jesus to heart and accepted martyrdom with joy and thanksgiving, knowing that she was in God’s hands and that he loved her.

Fr Paul

Advent Carol Service to be live streamed

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:40:59 GMT

If you are unable to attend Belmont in person, the Advent Carol Service will be live streamed on the Parish website. It takes place this evening, 26th November, to mark the beginning of Advent. It begins at 7.30pm and all are invited to come along, either via the website or to be there yourself. As last year, it will be a wonderful celebration of music and readings with which to begin Advent. It will be led by Academia Musica, the 6th Form College choir.

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 22nd November

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:30:16 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 21st November

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:29:04 GMT

Today the Catholic and Orthodox Churches celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Our Lady, the Mother of God, in the Temple. It is a feast based not so much upon the Scriptures as on the Protoevangelium of James, which scholars date before the year 200, and ancient Coptic Christian tradition. A very Eastern feast that spread into the West, it was celebrated in monasteries in southern Italy by the 9 ^th century and gradually spread north and became popular in the Papal court at Avignon. It was introduced into the Roman Missal in 1472 and is undoubtedly one of the loveliest feasts of Our Lady that reflects the Presentation of her Divine Son.

Today, for us English Benedictines, it is the Dies Memorabilis, the special day on which, in the year 1607, the old English Benedictine Congregation, suppressed by Henry VIII, was restored through the person of Dom Sigbert Buckley, the last surviving monk of St Peter’s Abbey, Westminster. For us who live in Herefordshire, it’s interesting to note that the last abbot of Our Lady’s Monastery, Abbey Dore, became a Benedictine monk of Westminster at its restoration by Queen Mary Tudor in 1556.

The Gospel reading for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 12: 46-50).

“Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’”

Jesus does not criticise his mother in any way. Rather, he would wish that all his disciples could be as obedient as Mary to the word of God and his will expressed in that word. At the Incarnation, she uttered the words, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.” She is the first and the very model of one who, ”does the will of my Father in heaven.”

I attach a photograph of Adoration in the abbey church yesterday, feast of Christ the King.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 20th November

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:27:30 GMT

Today we keep the feast of Christ the King, not an ancient feast but one instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925, at a time when the royal families of Europe were losing their importance or disappearing altogether. The Pope quite rightly wished to emphasise the fact that for Christians, Jesus Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life, the Lord of Creation and Messiah, the Anointed One of the Father, who saved mankind from sin and death and opened for us the gate of God’s eternal kingdom, was indeed our only king, whose kingdom is justice, peace and love. Originally kept on the last Sunday of October, for over half its existence it has been kept on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, that is today.

It might seem strange that the Gospel passage chosen for Mass, taken from Luke, (Lk 23: 35-43), is that of the Crucifixion and, more specifically, the conversation between Jesus and the two criminals between whom he lhangs dying. Here is the Gospel reading:

“The people stayed there before the cross, watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case, we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’”

Three crosses. Three men condemned to die. Jesus is in the middle, the star attraction, with criminals on either side. In this way, Jesus is portrayed as the king of criminals. As Isaiah had prophesied, Jesus was “numbered with the transgressors.” This means that Jesus came to be identified with us, for the men on either side of Jesus represent the entire human race. We have all taken up arms and rebelled against the Lord and his Anointed. We have all sinned: we all deserve to be punished. Hanging on the cross, Jesus evoked two kinds of response. One says, “If you’re the Christ, then save yourself and us as well.” The other says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ The first is an insult that implies, “If you are the Christ, but I don’t believe you are, what are you doing here?” This is not a prayer, but a curse. However, the words of the second criminal are the prayer of a believer, a disciple. This man confesses that Jesus is truly a king, and he addresses him by his Holy Name, the only person in the Gospels to do so. He also confesses that Jesus and his Kingdom are greater than death and that good is more powerful than evil. In response, Jesus promises him new life in paradise, not as some vague hope for the future, but today, today. “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Death stares us all in the face. We have all sinned and got it wrong, one way or another. We all need a Saviour: Jesus Christ t

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 19th November

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:26:29 GMT

I always find it sad having to come out of a retreat and get back to the normal routine. A retreat is like a spiritual holiday. We have conferences and then time in silence to think and pray about what we have heard. This year the retreat has been particularly good and gave us much to think and pray about. I hope it has a beneficial effect on our lives. There was a time I used to give a lot of retreats to religious communities of both men and women. It’s not an easy thing to do and very tiring, as it also includes seeing each retreatant privately and that takes up any spare time that might be available in the timetable. In fact, at the beginning of December I have to go over to Ireland to give a retreat to a community of Benedictine nuns. When the time comes, I’ll be asking for your prayers.

Our Gospel reading today is one we read a few Sundays’ ago. It comes from Luke, (Lk 20: 27-40), and is essentially about the resurrection of the dead, something in which the Pharisees believed, but not the Sadducees. Belief in life after death took a long time coming in Hebrew religion and even at the time of Jesus the Sadducees were a major sect that did not accept the idea, as opposed to the Pharisees who did. Most early Christian converts from Judaism were, in fact, Pharisees. The question the Sadducees put to Jesus is a bit of a red herring. It’s about a widow, who marries seven brothers, as each one dies before leaving descendants. They ask which of the brothers will she be married to at the resurrection. Jesus’ reply takes them by surprise, as they can only think of this world and that heaven must be a continuation of this earthly life. Jesus says, No, it is not like that! “The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection, they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.” Eternal life is not simply a continuation, albeit a better one, of this life, but life on a different plane. As we will be focussed on God, we will see and love others in and through God. It will be perfect love, heavenly love, God’s love, for God will be all in all.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 18th November

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 10:25:19 GMT

You might remember that, just over a week ago, we kept the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of Rome. Well today we remember the dedication of two other Roman basilicas, that of St Peter in the Vatican and St Paul outside the Walls. Together with St Mary Major and the Lateran, the Church of Christ the Saviour, these four churches are known as Papal Basilicas. Thinking of Saints Peter and Paul, this concept of two major churches in a city, dedicated to these two apostles, was repeated all over Europe as the Christian faith spread over the continent. Look at London, where the cathedral was dedicated to St Paul and the great Benedictine abbey at Westminster to St Peter. Today, then, we pray for all church buildings, whether they are cathedrals or not, large or small, that they will remain sacred spaces where people, often with no faith, can come in contact with the living God.

Interestingly enough, our Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 19: 45-48), and describes the Cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem by Jesus.

“Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’

He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 17th November

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:41:36 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Hugh of Lincoln, an exceptional saint, as he was a Carthusian monk when appointed to the largest diocese in England in the year 1186. Before he became a Carthusian, the strictest of all religious orders, Hugh was a Benedictine. So famous was his renowned holiness that he was canonised in 1220, just 20 years after his death. In art he is often shown with his pet swan.

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 19: 41-44), describes Jesus weep over the city of Jerusalem, longing as he did for its conversion and salvation.

“As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city, he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’”

We pray that, through the intercession of St Hugh, we might hear the voice of Jesus call to us and respond with repentance and conversion.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 16th November

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:40:01 GMT

You will be pleased to hear that our retreat is going well. I just wish we could switch off our computers and mobile phones for the week and be allowed a real retreat in peace and quiet. Perhaps, that’s too much to hope for. Today we keep the feast of St Gertrude the Great, born on the feast of the Epiphany in 1256. She entered the monastery school at Helfta in Germany at the age of four and joined the monastic community at the age of ten. She received a thorough education and it was only at the age of 25 that she started receiving visions. She became one of the great mystics of the 13 ^th century, dying in the year 1302. She produced numerous writings, not all of which survive, but she is a true teacher of the art of contemplative prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to this day. We ask for her prayers as we, too, walk the path of Christian discipleship.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 15th November

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:35:39 GMT

Our annual community retreat began yesterday and lasts until Friday, so this week the messages will be short. Today we read the Gospel passage, found in Luke (Lk 19: 1-10), that recounts the meeting of Jesus with Zacchaeus. It’s the delightful story of a leading tax collector, short in stature, who ended up being more generous than anyone one else and all because he found acceptance from Jesus, who invited himself to stay at his home. We meet with one form of generosity, acceptance and forgiveness, being returned with another, lavish giving, especially to the poor. It’s a story that invites us to think twice before judging others, for until we give people a chance, we can’t really discover what’s in them and how good they really are. After all, we were all created in the image and likeness of God.

Here is the passage: Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

We pray that all who are healed by Jesus today, may also receive the gift of salvation. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 14th November

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:34:07 GMT

Remembrance Sunday never fails to move us as each year at this time we remember our war dead and, with them, all those who have died in war to this day, flighting for justice and freedom. May we never cease to appreciate and give thanks for the many sacrifices that have been made by countless individuals so that we might enjoy the many freedoms we now possess.

Today at Belmont we keep the feast of St Dyfrig, the 6 ^th century monk, abbot and bishop, who was born in the year 465, just down the road at Madley. From a very early age he wanted to live the monastic life. He founded large monasteries at Hentland and Moccas and taught Saints Samson and Teilo among many other saints. He was a close friend of Saints Illtud and David and is said to have been Bishop of several sees, Ergynt (based at Weston under Penyard), Caerleon and Llandaff. He would appear to have been the first bishop in Wales. He attended the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi. Although he died on Bardsey Island in the year 550, his body was transferred to Llandaff, where he is one of the saints to which the cathedral is dedicated. The Latin for his name is Dubricius and the Norman, Devereux.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 18: 35-43), the healing of a blind man by Jesus. It’s very moving and beautifully told, as is typical of Luke. “As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past, he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.” What most attracts our attention is the fearless insistence of the blind man. The more the crowd tell him to keep quiet, the louder he shouts, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Then, when Jesus asks what he wants, he simply replies, “Sir, let me see again.” He only asks for what is absolutely necessary, his sight, and asks for nothing else. Jesus heals him, saying, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.” So, not only does he get his sight back, but his faith has saved him and Jesus assures him of salvation. We pray that all who are healed by Jesus today, may also receive the gift of salvation. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 13th November

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:31:51 GMT

As we come to the end of the liturgical year, we have begun reading apocalyptic texts from the Bible, texts that speak of the end of this age, final judgement and the recapitulation of all things in Christ. Many of these passages can be quite frightening to read and I must confess that I have never been drawn to them. We all accept that life, as we know it in this world, must come to an end and that the Lord will weigh up the good and the bad we did. My own hope is that I can get at least a toe nail into Purgatory. That will be enough to get on the road that leads to ultimate salvation and eternal life. God is shown to be merciful and just for that is how Jesus reveals him to us. We are taught of the Four Last Things in Christian Eschatology: Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell, and we would do well from time to time to meditate of these ultimate realities. I find it helpful during such meditation to ask myself what do I truly want. What is my dream for eternity, for God who knows my inmost thoughts knows exactly what I hope and long for, the deepest yearnings of my soul.

In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 25: 5-19), we find Jesus talking of the Temple in Jerusalem, reminding those who listen that this magnificent building will collapse and fall and be no more. No matter how fine it is or richly decorated, it remains a material thing, and so, in the words of Jesus, “the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” However, Jesus warns his followers that before this comes to pass, they will be persecuted for their faith and for their fidelity to him. The history of the world has known several ages of martyrs. I wonder whether we are about to pass through another one very soon. Fortunately, only God knows, so we need not worry ourselves wondering when and how. In fact, as Jesus says, “that will be your opportunity to bear witness.” We need not be well prepared. Jesus once more: “Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.” Jesus will be with us and he will keep us safe in his heavenly Father’s arms. No matter who opposes us and what they plan to do against us, we need not fear. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”

Fr Paul

Summary Synod Document

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:22:47 GMT

We had had a number of emails relating to the Working Document, saying it was too long and not easy to read. There was a call for a shorter and simpler version.

The Diocesan Synodal Team (DST) recognised that it is actually a beautiful document but felt that we had to answer the call. A member of the DST spent considerable time writing. a shorter and simpler version.

The documentation is available here: Working document summary

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 12th November

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 10:36:46 GMT

Today, in the Benedictine Calendar, we have a choice between St Theodore the Studite, the 9 ^th century Byzantine monastic reformer, and St Josaphat, the 17 ^th century Ukrainian bishop and martyr. I fail to understand why we can’t celebrate both and why we have to choose one or the other. It makes no sense. Usually, we keep St Theodore, because he was a monk and an important reformer of monastic life in the East, added to which our own beloved Fr Theodore was named after him. However, this year we are keeping St Josaphat, as we pray constantly each day for an end to aggression and war in Ukraine and a peaceful re-entry to their homes of Ukrainian refugees, who would like to return to their motherland, while recognising that some will remain in their new homes. It is a great joy, in the tragic sadness of such an unjust and unnecessary war, to be able to welcome our new Ukrainian friends to the United Kingdom, such talented and intelligent people.

St Josaphat’s biography is so complicated, so it’s best that you look him up on the Internet or in a library and read all about him for yourself. What we must do now is to continue praying for peace not only for Ukraine, but for all those areas of the world, where people are divided and hate one another, not wanting to recognise that we are all sons and daughters of the one God and Father of all that exists.

In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 18: 1-6), “Jesus tells his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.” We know the parable well and I have discussed it several times in these messages. It is about an unjust judge and a persistent widow, who perseveres in begging for justice. In the end, he caves in, as he fears that she will pester him to death. Jesus uses this parable to encourage his disciples to persevere in prayer and never give up, for God might delay at times, but eventually he always answers our prayers, even if not in the way we want or expect, but then God knows best. However, Jesus goes beyond the personal to talk about more serious matters, questions of justice and faith. Let us pray today that governments and individuals may all seek for justice based on faith, for this God alone can give.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 11th November

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 10:35:25 GMT

Last night it was great fun to be taken out for supper by a dear friend of mine to a local Italian restaurant. The food was excellent, the ambient convivial and the company the very best there is. It was the holiday I didn’t have this year. Today, I’m having to change cars, as my old black jalopy has started playing up and is too expensive to repair. I shall miss it and so will Toby. It was like an extension to our arms and legs.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St Martin of Tours, the 4 ^th century soldier, monk and bishop, one of the most popular of all Christian saints, a man noted for his charity towards the poor and his love for Christ. The Gospel for the feast is taken from Matthew, (Mt 25: 31-40). in which Jesus speaks with his disciples on how the practice of charity will determine our place in the kingdom of heaven. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.” We know, then, that at the end of time the final judgement will take place in which Christ glorified will be assisted by his angels. We will be separated as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats. The image is well-known and needs no explanation. Then comes the judgement, which likewise is straightforward enough.

“Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.’ Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?’ And the King will answer, ‘I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’” The kingdom of heaven has been set apart from the beginning of time for those whom God has chosen. Jesus gives a list of the corporate acts of mercy, saying at each one that those chosen for the kingdom were present to assist him in the poor and needy. These are puzzled, not being aware of having served Christ directly or even in others, so Jesus tells them that whatever they did for the poor and needy, they did for him. “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” This is, in fact, the story of St Martin, who cut his cloak in half in order to dress and keep warm a poor man. We pray today for the grace to follow his admirable example.

Fr Paul

Ecumenical Invitation to the Year of Prayer Launch

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 10:20:54 GMT

Please find above an invitation from Bishop Richard to the Year of Prayer launch in Hereford Cathedral, where there will be a special Festival of Light service on Saturday 7 ^th January at 4:30pm.

If you are able to attend, please reply to Roslyn Kirkwood r.kirkwood@hereford.anglican.org to help guide planning for the event.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 10th November

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:32:28 GMT

Pope St Leo the Great died on this day in the year 461. He had been Bishop of Rome for eleven years and was aged just over sixty. He is undoubtedly one of the most important popes in the history of the Church. He lived in turbulent times and did much to unite the whole Church, East and West, to clarify and support the decisions of the great Councils of the Church, especially that of Chalcedon, and to turn the heart of Attila the Hun from invading the Italian peninsula. Today we celebrate his feast day and ask his intercession for the world and the Church today.

In our reading from Luke, (Lk 17: 20-25), Jesus is asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God is to come. He answers them, saying, “The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, ‘Look here! Look there!’ For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.” This is a significant answer, for the kingdom of God is not like earthly kingdoms: it has neither beginning nor end, for it is eternal as God is eternal. In fact, where God is, there is the kingdom. Hence, “the kingdom of God is among you.”

He then goes on to tell his disciples, “A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. But first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.”

Here Jesus speaks not of the kingdom but on the days of the Son of Man. The disciples might long to see one of these days, but they will see nothing until the Son of Man suffers grievously and is rejected by this generation. In other words, they must first witness his Passion, Death and Resurrection; only then will be kingdom be inaugurated as far as the children of men are concerned.

Let us pray, through St Leo’s intercession, for patience and humility as we, too, await the coming of God’s reign among us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 9th November

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:31:11 GMT

It was good to visit my mother yesterday, although the weather in South Wales was rough and it looked as though a visit to the beach would be impossible. Then, around 3.30, after a marvellous lunch and much needed siesta, the rain appeared to stop and a window of opportunity presented itself, so down we went. There were two other cars in the large carpark, yet no one seemed to be walking. The moment I opened the door, I realised why. The wind was so strong, it was almost impossible to stand, but I knew that Toby was keen to get out and give it a go. So there was nothing for it but to put on my walking boots. Toby was in his element running up and down the sand dunes, aiming for the beach. However, the tide was in and I knew it would be dangerous, what with that wind and the possibility of more rain. The last thing I wanted was to be marooned with no one nearby to come to our help. Not twenty minutes had passed before, suddenly, the heavens opened and the rain beat down sideways in the gale force wind. We both ran for the car. I managed to get Toby in first (he now uses steps to reach the back seat and his pet tube), then crawled in myself. I was soaked to the skin, whereas Toby, being a border collie, was not.

Today the Church celebrates the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the city and Bishop of Rome. The church is dedicated to Christ the Most Holy Saviour, Christ Church, as well as to St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. We say that this church is the Mater et Magistra of all the churches, the mother and teacher. In fact, it is one of the oldest of the churches of Rome and takes precedence over the other Roman basilicas, including the Vatican. It is the mother church of Catholics and so kept as a feast all over the world.

Th Gospel read today comes from John, (Jn 2: 13-22), the cleansing of the Temple, in which he makes clear that the true Temple is his body, that will be raised to new life at his Resurrection on the third day. The Church is the Body of Christ, built of living stones by the working of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Father’s will. Hence, today is a day of rejoicing for it is our feast, when we thank God for calling us to be members of his Church, the Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 8th November

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:29:57 GMT

Today I hope to visit my mother together with Toby. We both hope the weather brightens up a little, as it’s grim walking with Toby and attempting to play games in the rain and wind. Yesterday I was blessed at long last to see a physiotherapist, who worked wonders on my neck and shoulder, tendons and right arm. I’ve been in agony, no exaggeration, for the past few months and, although I began treatment in Peru, this is not available in the U.K., at least not locally. Constant pain tends to get one down, so it’s a relief, as I write this, to say that this evening I feel cautiously optimistic!

Our prayers intensify for all those taking part in COP27, asking the Lord, in his goodness, to guide the hearts and minds of the leaders of the nations, rich and poor, as well as those with economic power and activists alike, to come to decisions that are truly achievable and effective.

Our Gospel passage today continues on from yesterday’s reading, so we are in Luke, (Lk 17: 7-10). Jesus is talking with his disciples: “Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, ‘Come and have your meal immediately?’ Would he not be more likely to say, ‘Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards?’ Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So, with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ’We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.’” This parable is about a master and his servant. The danger for the disciples, especially as they share in the work of Jesus and will eventually be at the heart of the Church to represent him, is that they will begin to look upon themselves not as servants but as masters. Jesus, the true Master and Son of God, Lord of all creation, has always behaved like a servant, doing the Father’s will, and will continue to serve even after his Resurrection. He, the Suffering Servant, who will do his duty by the Father in offering his life as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world, expects his disciples to act in the same way, and to say with him what the servants of the parable say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 7th November

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:28:32 GMT

There are many short prayers to be found in the Gospels. One of these, on the lips of the apostles, is, “Increase our faith.” It occurs several times and in different contexts, and is one that I often use, “Lord, increase our faith.” We note that, like the Lord’s Prayer, it’s in the plural. We don’t pray, “Increase my faith,” but, “Increase our faith.” Our prayer is inclusive; we omit no one from it. What we ask for ourselves, we automatically ask for all others, for prayer must not be selfish or self-centred. Were it to be that way, it would cease to be prayer. Jesus assures his disciples that if their faith were the size of a mustard seed, it would be enough to uproot the largest of all trees and order it to replant itself in the sea, an impossible request, if ever there was one. Yet Jesus wants to teach us, as he taught his disciples, that there is no power greater than faith-filled prayer.

We are reading Luke, (Lk 16: 1-6), where Jesus speaks to his disciples. “Obstacles are sure to come, but alas for the one who provides them! It would be better for him to be thrown into the Sea with a millstone put round his neck than that he should lead astray a single one of these little ones. Watch yourselves!” This is the first of three short sayings of Jesus. The disciples are not to put obstacles in the way of those seeking to know God and follow Jesus. They must not lead the “little ones” astray, but rather guide them and help them to become disciples of Jesus and so find the road to salvation. We are here to help one another.

Jesus then speaks of forgiveness and reconciliation within the Christian community. “If your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’” Repentance and forgiveness lie at the very heart of the Christian faith, that way of life taught by Jesus to which he calls each one of us. Forgiveness is not an option, an extra, rather it is the very essence of the Christian faith, for Jesus himself came to forgive us our sins and reconcile us with our Father in heaven and with each other.

Finally, we end where we began. “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’” Let this be our prayer today. “Increase our faith.” Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 6th November

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 08:39:55 GMT

It’s said that where there’s a will there’s a way, but as COP27 opens in Cairo, in the land of the Pharaohs, we are forced to ask whether there is really a will among the nations of the world and their leaders to bring global warming under control and so avert the catastrophic end of the planet which is our common home. It’s tragic to think that some couldn’t care less and are willing to put the lives of our children and grandchildren in jeopardy in order still to make a fast buck today. Climate change and the environment are topics far too important just to sweep under the carpet and ignore, as we did for so long. Sadly and shamefully, we continue to destroy the world which is God’s gift not only to us humans but to all those who have no other home but this.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 20: 27-38) sees Jesus talking not with Pharisees, as he usually does, but with Sadducees. As Luke reminds us, Sadducees are “those who say that there is no resurrection.” Yet, like the Pharisees, they try to catch Jesus out by asking him an interesting but rather pointless question. “Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally, the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?” Now, you would think from the question that’s it’s about the custom they describe of a widow marrying her dead husband’s brother in order to bear children with the same family name, but no, it’s really a catch question on the resurrection and what relationship resurrected people have with each other as compared with this life. Jesus, however, can see where this discussion is going and so cuts it short by stating that marriage and family life are for this world only as in heaven everyone is focussed on God and that we all find fulfilment in God alone.

Jesus replies, “The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and, being children of the resurrection, they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.” Even now in this life we are the children of the God who lives, sons and daughters of God, and we come to know God through one another. But in the life to come, when God shall be all in all, we will come to know one another and love one another in God. We will all live in God’s love. Faith and hope will no longer be needed and will fade from our lives, but love is eternal and will grow and mature and become more beautiful and fully satisfying. We will no longer long for God for we shall see him face to face and come to love him as he loves us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 5th November

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 11:59:16 GMT

When I was a boy, Guy Fawkes Night was such an important celebration and for weeks before we would go round the streets, especially on a Saturday when people were doing their shopping, or of an early evening going from door to door, begging, “A penny for the guy.” We’d proudly carry around with us a guy we had made at home with the help of our parents. The objective was to save up enough money to buy a box of fireworks to use on 5 ^th November. Usually, a group of friends would band together to have a better display. Life was much simpler then, no rules and regulations to restrict us and I suppose, looking back, most of us were quite poor, so we shared what we had. Sadly, I get the impression that life is very different now. I can’t remember the last time I saw a homemade guy or was asked by a child for “A penny for the guy.” Fireworks have become ubiquitous, unbelievably expensive and used at all the wrong times: New Year’s Eve, birthdays, weddings and celebrations in general. The magic has gone out of life. I hope you disagree!

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 16: 9-15), continues on from yesterday’s reading on the general theme of money and how is can become enslaving and corrupting. Jesus is speaking with his disciples, “I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?” Money has its uses but should be treated with care. It’s dangerous when used and loved for its own sake. It is a tainted thing. In the midst of this outcry from Jesus there’s a little gem of a proverb – “The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great.” Let us take heed and practise this in our daily lives. Jesus then goes on to speak of those with a divided heart. “No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” Again, we pray that we might not have a divided heart. Wealth can become an obsession, for poor as well as for rich, perhaps even more for those who have less and struggle to survive. “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, ‘You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’” The Pharisees might laugh at Jesus, but we do not, we listen carefully and follow his teaching. God alone knows what is in our hearts.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 4th November

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:45:50 GMT

The Synod that’s taking place in the Catholic Church throughout the world is a truly exciting initiative for all Catholics as Pope Francis has invited us all to take part. No one should be excluded, even those who feel it’s of no interest to them. How could it not be? Surely the salvation of all peoples depends on our desire to share our faith with them, and so to make our faith palpable, transparent and attractive? If we lived in a truly Christian way, who would not want to know Jesus and follow him as we do? The latest documents from the Synod will be available on our parish website from tomorrow for everyone to read. There will also be links from our Facebook page. I really encourage you to read these and then think seriously of taking part in the next round of discussions and prayer.

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 16: 1-8), makes for interesting reading. It’s the parable of the dishonest steward which Jesus tells his disciples.

“There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.’ Then the steward said to himself, ‘Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.’

Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘One hundred measures of oil’ was the reply. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.’ To another he said, ‘And you, sir, how much do you owe?’ ‘One hundred measures of wheat’ was the reply. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond and write eighty.’

The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.”

As I’ve mentioned before, in the parables Jesus doesn’t fight shy of casting himself as an outsider, such as a Samaritan, or as here, someone who is dishonest. What the steward does in this parable is what Jesus does for us before the Father in his Passion and Cross: he takes away our sins and pays the price of our redemption. Now this gift of God’s loving mercy, although completely free and of God’s desiring, nevertheless demands a response on our part, which consists of repentance for sins and errors past, a firm proposition of amendment and the return of love for love. For this we need God’s help and that too is given us by Jesus, our loving Saviour. Let’s not forget thank him today.

Fr Paul

Synodal process 2021-2024

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:38:15 GMT

Four documents are available which have been issued from the Synod Office outlining the next phase in the work towards the Synod of Bishops in 2023-2024. This is known as the “Continental Stage” where the Bishops’ Conferences of the area in which you live (for us in Europe the CCEE will be leading on this) send delegations to an ecclesial gathering for further discernment of the theme of the Synod: For a Synodal Church: Communion, participation, mission.

The documentation is available here:

4. There was a Press Conference which presented the Working Document today which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKYiTsXYnwk

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 3rd November

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:29:52 GMT

One of the most popular saints the world over is St Martin de Porres, the first saint of colour to be canonised in modern times, by Pope St John XXIII in 1962. Martin died in Lima, Peru, on this day in the year 1639 in his sixty first year. Devout and kind from his earliest years, he became a Dominican brother and served, throughout his life, at the lowliest tasks in the convent. Because of his racial mix, he wasn’t actually allowed to become a friar or a lay brother, so in truth was really a kind of religious servant who was allowed to wear a habit. However, because of his charity and humility, his prayerfulness and sense of humour, his ability to bilocate and levitate, he became famous throughout Lima and was greatly loved by everyone, especially the poor he fed at the convent gate. He is always depicted with a sweeping brush in his hand and, at his feet, a dog, a cat and a mouse eating together from the same dish, a prophetic miracle of social justice, which we still pray will be brought about in our day, where there is so much inequality and injustice in our world.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 15: 1-10), presents us with the first two of three parables, the third of which is that of the Prodigal Son. These are the Parable of the Lost Sheep and that of the Lost Drachma, the first involving a shepherd and the second a housewife. Jesus preaches all three parables to explain why it is that he mixes and eats with tax collectors and sinners.

“The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’”

The scribes and the Pharisees complain constantly about Jesus, while he patiently teaches them the reason for his behaviour, which is none other than the loving mercy of God himself. In doing so, Jesus is showing us how we should behave, the lengths to which we should go to save sinners and bring people to know the love, the forgiveness and the justice of God. This is what St Martin de Porres did throughout his life. Today, we must follow his example and do the same.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 2nd November

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:28:29 GMT

Yesterday was a particularly joyful feast of All Saints for the monastic community at Belmont as we rejoiced to be blessed with two new novices to the monastic life. All our liturgical celebrations were particularly happy occasions and we enjoyed a really lovely lunch together shortly after the midday Conventual Mass. Then, after lunch, instead of the usual festal recreation of sitting together and chatting over coffee and chocolates, Fr Augustine had arranged with the master magician Josh Hooper, whom some will remember from the Parish Fete, to entertain the brethren. It was a truly spectacular show and none of us had the slightest idea of how he works his magic. It was truly amazing.

Following on from All Saints, the Church celebrates All Souls, and indeed the whole month of November is dedicated to the departed and to praying for the eternal repose of their souls. Lists of names of the faithful departed are kept on the high altar throughout the month and each day Mass is celebrated for the repose of their souls. It was in the 10 ^th century that, thanks to the practice of the Benedictine monks of Cluny, the feast became standardised in the Western Church to 2 ^nd November. Previously there was a great variety of traditional practises. Many of the Eastern Churches keep the Friday before the beginning of Lent as a special day of prayer for the dead. When I was a boy growing up in Wales, Palm Sunday was the day for visiting the dead in their graves, having a spring clean of the grave and leaving bunches of fragrant spring flowers.

Our Gospel reading, from the many we could choose from today, comes from Luke, (Lk 7: 11-17), and recounts the occasion when Jesus raised from the dead the only son of a poor widow in the town of Nain. “Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.”

What a beautiful story this is, showing clearly the compassionate mercy and charity of Jesus. It is the sight of the young man’s mother that moves Jesus to take pity on her and say, “Do not cry.” Then, as he would do later with his dear friend Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary of Bethany, he speaks directly to the dead man, saying, “Young man, I tell you to get up.” Only Jesus, the Lord of life, can raise the dead and the young man is restored to his mother. People are filled with awe at Jesus and praise his heavenly Father, echoing the words of the Benedictus, “A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.” When a loved one dies, we too know that God has visited his people. We are never alone in our mourning.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 1st November

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 08:16:30 GMT

Yesterday evening in the Chapter Room at Belmont, Br Meinrad Earley and Br Gildas Dudonis were received into the Novitiate of Belmont Abbey and thus they began their monastic journey under the Novice Master, the Very Revd. Dom Michael Evans, Prior of the monastery. It was my joy and privilege to clothe them in the habit of the English Congregation. They had been postulants since the beginning of the year. I ask you to pray for their perseverance in the monastic life and that the good Lord bless us with many more vocations.

Today is the Solemnity of All Saints and here is my short homily for the feast.

“I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and with palms in their hands.” This vision of heaven lies at the heart of the Feast of All Saints, which began as a celebration of the martyrs, many of whom were unknown by name. St Ephrem the Syrian, in the middle of the 4 ^th Century, mentions a feast dedicated to the saints, all of them martyrs, and St John Chrysostom, about 40 years’ later, assigned the feast to the Sunday after Pentecost. Byzantine Rite Christians still celebrate All Saints on that day. The feast only came to the West when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome for Christian use on May 13 ^th 609. A pagan temple, dedicated to the worship of the entire pantheon of Roman deities, was transformed into a Christian church in honour of all the saints. The feast was observed annually on this date until Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica to "All the Saints" on 1 ^st November some time towards the middle of the 8 ^th Century. It was Pope Gregory IV, who in 835 ordered the feast to be observed on 1 ^st November throughout the Western Church. That is how All Saints came to be celebrated in Britain in the middle of the 9 ^th Century.

Today we honour all the Saints, those who are famous and universally loved, those who are local and known only to a specific community, those who have gone out of fashion and been replaced by modern saints and those who are completely unknown, in fact, known only to God and to their fellow saints. Among these are members of our own families and community, people we have known and loved and who have had a great influence on our lives and still do through their intercession and the memory of their example and writings.

St John reminds us in today’s second reading that, because of the “love the Father has lavished on us,” we can be “called God’s children, and that is what we are.” This is why St Paul calls all Christians saints. God has poured out his Spirit on us, making us temples of the Holy Spirit, living stones forming the Body of Christ. We are far from perfect, and yet, like the wheat grain that falls to the ground and dies, we are called and destined to be saints. “We are already children of God, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.”

This is the exiting dynamic of being a Christian, the tension between what we are and what we shall be, the future hidden in the present and the present yet to be revealed in the future. At the Transfiguration, the disciples had a vision of Christ in glory. We too, just occasionally, “see in a glass darkly” a fleeting glimpse of our own future glory in the sight of God. What we cannot normally see in ourselves, we see in the saints. So, let us take heart from their lives and join in that glorious hymn of the saints in heaven, “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 31st October

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 08:19:34 GMT

Today is the Vigil of All Saints, at one time a day of fasting and abstinence in preparation for the great feast. The old English word Halloween simply means the Vigil of All Saints and has nothing whatever to do with what it has been turned into commercially the world over. We pray for the young people who were killed or injured in that horrific accident in Korea and for their families. What on earth were they celebrating?

This evening, we will be blessed at Belmont by the Clothing of our two postulants in the habit of St Benedict as they enter the Novitiate and begin their monastic formation as novices. As a sign of conversion and new life, they will be given new names by which they will be known for the rest of their lives as monks of Belmont. I ask you to pray for their perseverance and for the blessing of new vocations to the Benedictine life both at Belmont and in our foundation in Peru.

Today’s short Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 14: 12-14), sees Jesus at table in the house of a leading Pharisee. He had already warned people about rushing to take the best seats. He now continues with his critical advice. This is what he has to say. “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.” The words of Jesus couldn’t be clearer and have no need of interpretation. The Pharisees weren’t too happy with what Jesus taught and responded with criticism and, ultimately, arrest and death. When I listen to Pope Francis speak, I can’t help but think that here is Jesus speaking with the scribes and Pharisees. I realise that there is a problem in how to translate his nuanced remarks and homilies that are spoken in Italian or Spanish. Lord, grant us the humility to listen carefully with the ears of our heart to the words of Jesus and to the teaching of the Holy Father. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 30th October

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 12:18:26 GMT

Today in Luke, (Lk 19: 1-10), we read one of the loveliest stories in the Gospels, that of Zacchaeus, the short tax collector who wanted to see Jesus. He lived and worked in Jericho, a town some fifteen miles from Jerusalem. This is how Luke tells the story. “Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’”

We hear that Jesus is passing through Jericho when Zacchaeus appeared, having heard that Jesus was nearby. He leaves his post as senior customs officer or a few moments to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Like everyone else, he must have heard a lot about the prophet from Nazareth and was curious to see him, but so was everyone else. Such was the crowd that his short stature prevented him from seeing anything of Jesus, so he runs ahead and climbs a tree, which we’re told by Luke was a sycamore. Beware, this is not the noble British sycamore that we know so well. The tree that Zacchaeus climbed was a ficus-sycomorus or fig-mulberry tree, common in large parts of Africa, as in Egypt and the Holy Land, of the fig family, which can grow to 60 feet and has a considerable spread. It produces a fig-like fruit, which is edible. Jesus looks up and spots this short man in a tall try, so calls him down by name and invites himself for a meal and possible lodging. “I’m going to stay at your house today.” He comes down from the tree and welcomes Jesus, and presumably his entourage, to his home. As always happens, people begin complaining about Jesus accepting the hospitality of Zacchaeus, considered by them all to be a sinner because he was a tax collector. But for Zacchaeus this is a moment of conversion and renewal in his life.

To begin with, he pledges to give half his wealth to the poor, and then to pay back to any one he has cheated four times the amount. Either he was an honest man, or very rich. Either way, he wanted to make amends for anything he that he had done in the past that might be judged as unjust or sinful. He might well have been a tax collector, but he didn’t want to be tarred with the brush of corruption and injustice. Jesus assures him, as he would us, that today salvation has come to his house. For he too is a son of Abraham, a son of God, and that Jesus has come to seek and find what was lost. Jesus will not rest until we are all saved.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 29th October

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:38:48 GMT

It’s that time of year again, when we have to remember to turn back the clocks before going to bed, but things have got more complicated now that we have so many digital or apparently digital gadgets to deal with. Can you remember which oneschange time automatically and which don’t? I certainly can’t, so always end up not really knowing, on the first day, what time it is.

Our Gospel passage today, (Lk 14: 1, 7-11), recounts what happened when Jesus was invited for a meal at the house of one of the leading Pharisees. It was a sabbath day and they were watching him closely, but then he, too, was watching them closely. As they are waiting for the food to be served, Jesus entertains his fellow guests by telling them a parable. “He told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’” Jesus, who himself was God and yet took on our human nature and became man, could speak with experience of humility to his hearers, and especially to the Pharisees who frequented the house of one of their leaders. He could speak of the humility of God. All he asks of them is to be modest in their behaviour and not to seek the highest places, the places of privilege, authority and power. At the very least, they should wait patiently to see if they are invited to move higher. Jesus concludes with what has become a proverb among Christians and non-Christians alike. “ The man who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” If this is how he wants them to behave amongst themselves, then how should we behave before God?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 28th October

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:35:41 GMT

Yesterday I was able to enjoy talking part in further celebrations of the Divine Liturgy and other services for the great feast of St Demetrius from his church in Thessaloniki, thanks to the Internet. I’m deeply grateful for this gift, something I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams when I was a penniless student at the university there in the mid 60s. The things I did to survive, such as selling my blood at the local hospital to the highest bidder, or hanging around the old cemetery near the university waiting for a funeral or anniversary celebration, so that I would be invited to partake of the blessed memorial meal. How I loved that special cake, called koliva, and still do! I can taste it as I write.

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 13: 31-35), consists of two short paragraphs containing a warning to Jesus to beware of Herod, followed by a lament over the city of Jerusalem and her people. “Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.” Interesting that the warning should come from a group of Pharisees, but then we know that a number of Jesus’ followers were Pharisees, St Paul for example. They genuinely care for Jesus and don’t want to see him harmed, least of all by Herod. Even Jesus refers to him as ‘that fox’. Yet Jesus speaks of himself as a prophet, and one who is to die in Jerusalem, attaining his end on the third day. Jesus is powerfully aware of his vocation and his duty to give his life that others might be saved and live. This acknowledgement leads him to lament for the holy city.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say: ‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’” What is it that Jesus laments? The fact that Jerusalem, in the past, often put God’s prophets to death, stoning the very ones that God had sent to preach the message of salvation? Using an Old Testament image, Jesus expresses his own frustrated desire to have gathered her children under his wing as a hen gathers her chicks. What a beautiful yet humble image! Do his last words refer to his Second Coming or to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, what we commonly call Palm Sunday? What do you think? The heart of God, made manifest in Jesus, longs to give refuge under his wing to those who long for salvation.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 27th October

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:33:49 GMT

Today is the feast day of the great martyr and patron saint of Thessaloniki, St Demetrius, born there in the year 270 and martyred in 306, during the persecution ordered by the emperor Galerius. Almost 60 years’ ago I lived in that beautiful city and studied in the Aristotelian University. I often visited his church, a typical Roman basilica, and prayed at his tomb, so it was a lovely experience for me to be able to join in the Divine Liturgy of the vigil on YouTube followed by in the procession around the city of his icon and relics. It really was a glorious sight and reminded me of one of the great modern Greek poet Cavafy’s description of a procession of priests and bishops in Constantinople. At times I have a deep longing to be in Thessaloniki again, taking part in the living faith of our Orthodox brethren. At least I have many happy memories to treasure and give thanks for.

In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 13: 22-33), we read “Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem.” Someone asks him a question, although we’re not told where. “Sir, will there be only a few saved?” This is a question we ourselves still ask today. Jesus’ reply is a warning more than anything else, that encourages us to add our efforts to his gift of salvation. “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” It’s a narrow gate that leads into heaven and, although salvation is God’s gift to us in Christ, nevertheless we have to make our own contribution to achieving that goal. Jesus then goes on to tell his hearers a parable, one they need to hear.

“Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’ but he will answer, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will find yourself saying, ‘We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets’ but he will reply, ‘I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!’ Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.” Although Jesus began by telling his hearers that they should try to enter by the narrow door, here the door is shut, and once shut, it cannot be opened. Hence, they must get to the door before it is closed by the owner of the house. People will come from all over the world and pass through that doorway, but those who are late, for whatever reason, will not be allowed in, no matter how familiar they are with the householder or how much they plead with him. Little wonder that the first will now be last and the last first. Jesus invites us never to take our eyes from him and always to be awake to what he is doing. If we are with Jesus, then we will know well in advance when the door is about to close and we will enter in good time. In other words, don’t put off entering the household of the faith and never leave there for whatever reason. Good advice for us as well.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 26th October

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:52:47 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 25th October

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:57:38 GMT

Yesterday was truly a momentous day for the United Kingdom. Whatever we might think of the way the British political system works, nevertheless we all sense the urgent need to pray for our country and those who govern it. I feel sure that if we all prayed earnestly for the government, then it might do a better job at governing. Looking back over the shambolic recent past, perhaps things would be better now had we prayed more and argued or criticised less. I must confess to being particularly happy that we have a prime minister elect who comes from an ethnic minority, is a man of colour as well as a believing and practising Hindu. May the good Lord bless him in his office and protect him from all harm. In addition to praying for those in government, let us never forget to pray for those in opposition. The quality of government depends to a large extent on the quality of opposition.

As St Paul stated, writing to Timothy, (1 Tm 2: 1-4), “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Today’s short Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 13: 18-21), presents us with two miniature parables of the Kingdom, that of the mustard seed and that of the yeast. Here they are: “Jesus said, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.’

Another thing he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’”

The first sees a man throw a mustard seed into his garden. Did he do this intentionally and was it really only one seed? Insignificant questions, for from this smallest of seeds grows, unaided by the man, a tree so large that birds can shelter in its branches. So, we focus on the extraordinary growth of the plant into a bush and then a tree. The second is similar, for the kingdom is also like a small portion of yeast with which a woman can leaven three measures of flour and so produce an enormous quantity of bread. Both parables focus on the extraordinary growth attributed to both mustard seed and yeast. Jesus takes simple examples from ordinary, everyday life to explain how the kingdom of heaven will grow and eventually take over the whole world. The disciples are not to lose heart, but rather to be encouraged by the parables of Jesus. I hope that we, too, are encouraged and so do not lose heart in the mission of the Church.

Fr Paul

Mary's Meals

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:22:56 GMT

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Message from Fr Paul for Monday 24th October

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:13:43 GMT

I apologise for the brevity of yesterday’s message, but as we all know, there are occasions when we run out of time and have to admit to ourselves that we can do no more. On Saturday night our Parish Quiz Night was a great success, immensely enjoyed by everyone, including the monks who were present. Likewise, the supper was of exceptional quality and appreciated by all. I must thank all those who worked so hard to make the evening an enormous success. God reward you!

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 13: 10-17), tells us graphically what happened in a synagogue on the Sabbath day. “One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.” Although we rejoice to hear of this miracle and to see the poor woman, who had been severely crippled for 18 years, suddenly healed at the hands of Jesus, not everyone was happy with what Jesus did, for a miracle involved work that was forbidden on the Sabbath day. Jesus laid hands on her and she was healed. Although she glorified God, the synagogue official was angry and came forward to reprimand Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. “But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’”

Having heard what the synagogue official has to say, Jesus can see through the man. How come we are not allowed to heal on the Sabbath and yet we are allowed to do a certain amount of farm or domestic work? Jesus says to the synagogue official and to those who agree with him, “‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.” Jesus easily sees through their hypocrisy and tells them so in no uncertain terms. An ox and a donkey can be untied on the Sabbath and taken out for water, yet on the same day it’s forbidden to untie a poor woman who has been chronically ill for years from the bonds of her suffering? What sense can there possibly be in that? Whilst his adversaries are covered with confusion, ordinary folk rejoice and are overjoyed not only for the miracle he wrought, but also for the authentic message that Jesus brings them from God their loving Father. The message is clear: we are always allowed to do good, even if at times it might contradict custom and tradition. Goodness will always win the battle against suffering and evil.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 23rd October

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:12:08 GMT

It seems hard to believe, but we’re fast coming to the end of October. With little more than a week to go, we will soon be celebrating All Saints and All Souls and then begin ploughing at breakneck speed through November. It’s barely two months to Christmas, but what sort of Christmas will it be this year? The way the world and this country are going, I’d rather not think about it, other than as it should be, a faith-filled religious festival. I have always loved Advent, Christmas and the Epiphany, especially the Epiphany, and find the over-commercialisation of some aspects and total ignorance and lack of interest in others painful indeed. One of the advantages of monastic life is that we truly celebrate all feasts as religious festivals, but I feel really sorry for those who don’t, can’t or won’t. Rant over for the day!

Our Gospel reading, as we keep the feast of Pope St John Paul II, comes from Luke, (Lk 13: 1-9), and has people coming to Jesus and asking him to explain the significance of recent deaths from persecution and accident. “Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’” Two recent historic events are brought to Jesus’ attention and those asking him want to know how he interprets them in the light of who he is. Jesus does not see God as punishing people for their sins. Nevertheless, God calls them through Jesus to repentance, as indeed he calls us today. To explain what he means, he tells them a parable, that of the fig tree.

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, ‘Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ’leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’” It’s a lovely parable, beautifully told by Jesus. It explains why the Father sent his Son to earth, to give us all an extra chance to put things right and begin to bear the fruit that God wants to see us bringing forth, just like a fig tree. There is no richer, no more delicious fruit than figs freshly picked from the tree with the morning dew still on them. I have such wonderful memories from Greece and Italy of collecting figs at dawn and enjoying them for breakfast with freshly baked crispy bread: a wonderful symbol of what we could be, humanly speaking, with a little more care and effort combining with God’s grace.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 22nd October

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 10:23:12 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 21st October

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 10:28:19 GMT

Anyone walking around the gardens at Belmont in the past few weeks will have noticed that St Michael’s star and sword were missing. They were, in fact, being renovated and regilded. Yesterday, in a simple ceremony, they were returned to the patron of Belmont Abbey and now shine gloriously in the bright autumn sunlight. I attach a few photographs to this message. Taking advantage of the hire of a cherry picker, our head gardener and maintenance manager, Mr Elwyn Williams, did the job. We concluded by reciting together the prayer to St Michael.

Our Gospel passage today is somewhat disconcerting, but we must bear in mind that Jesus was contemplating his own Passion, Death and Resurrection while warning his disciples of one of the unfortunate consequences of faithful discipleship. The text is taken from Luke, (Lk 12: 49-53). Jesus begins by telling them, “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!” The baptism he has to receive is the death that leads to life, not only for himself but for all those who will come to believe in him. All four Gospels attest to the anguish and distress this caused Jesus as he suffered in the flesh. The fire he is to bring on earth is the fire of repentance, conversion, faith and baptism that will radically change the world and usher in the kingdom of God, the fruit of Pentecost to be brought about by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Next comes the enigmatic statement that describes divisions in the family and in society caused by allegiance to the faith and the faithful following of Jesus. “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” These words of Jesus not only reflect his own experience on earth but also that of the apostles and their contemporaries, the first generation of Christians. Sadly, it also reflects the experience of Christians through the ages. The faith that should and could unite us often divides us, and not just into denominations or ecclesial bodies. Think of divisions within the Church, brought about by theological, liturgical or political viewpoints or the way we see marriage and divorce, human sexuality and gender issues, and so much more that seems to divide us, often leading the hatred and sectarianism. In the heart of the Church, we continue to pray for unity and fraternal charity, that in Christ we might all be one.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 20th October

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 09:48:22 GMT

It was a great joy to visit my mother yesterday and spend part of the day with her. The heavy morning mist didn’t go further than the Welsh border and Pontrilas. From there onwards it was hot sunshine all day long. In my mother’s garden, we basked in the sun after lunch at 22C. It was just like a fine summer’s day. I didn’t go down to the beach with Toby as there was a problem with the car, but we went up into the woods behind my mother’s house. It was cooler there.

In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 12: 39-48), Jesus tells his disciples a short parable as a warning that they should be prepared for the Second Coming and Judgement. He says, “You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” I love the way Jesus often compares the Son of Man returning at the end of time with a common burglar breaking through the wall of a house. Only Jesus himself would dare do that. Peter is confused and wants to know who the parable is for, so he asks, “Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?”

Jesus then goes on to expand the parable, making much more of a story out of it. As he talks about stewards, servants and masters, it would appear that it’s specifically for his disciples, but as he doesn’t actually reply to Peter’s question, let’s say it applies to us all. We can pick out a few phrases to get the gist of what Jesus is trying to say to his disciples. “Blessed that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns.” In other words, if the disciple fulfils his duties faithfully on earth, he will enjoy even greater friendship with God in the life to come. It is a call to fidelity, duty and service, but all for the love of God. Jesus goes on to say, “When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.” What more have we been given on trust than the gift of life itself and that is what we will offer back to God on the day he calls us. Let us pray that we will all give to God on that day what he expects of us and even more. Our life is his; may his Name be blessed and glorified.

em, thus encouraging them in their faith. God has not forgotten them, but is already among them. The harvest might be rich and the labourers few, but the Lord has sent them to gather in the harvest and they should not lose heart, and neither should we!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 19th October

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:26:13 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 18th October

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 10:15:26 GMT

I have been asked to post a few more photographs of the Harvest Altar at Belmont. I do so with great pleasure. I think it’s one of the most beautiful harvest arrangements I’ve seen in a long while and to think that everything came from one garden in the Herefordshire countryside. Also today, Toby and I will be driving down to South Wales to visit my mother. He has now got accustomed to climbing up his short stairway to the back seat of the car and his dog tube, so he can be assured of a comfortable journey there and back.

Today we keep the feast of the evangelist St Luke, author not only of the Gospel that bears his name but also of the Acts of the Apostles, the Good News that continues in the life of the disciples and apostles of Jesus. The Gospel passage designated for his feast is taken from his Gospel, (Lk 10: 1-9), and contains the instructions given by Jesus to a large group of over seventy disciples he sent out on their mission to prepare towns and villages for his coming. “The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit.” This number reminds us of the seventy helpers chosen by Moses in the Book of Exodus. Their task is to prepare their hearers for the coming of Jesus. The Word always prepares for the coming of the Sacrament.

Having thus set the scene, Luke then shares the instructions given to the seventy-two in great detail. “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house’And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, ‘The kingdom of God is very near to you.’” Essentially, they are to trust in God and not worry about the difficulties to be encountered. They are being sent as sheep among wolves, God knows that and will protect them. Their greeting should always be one of peace and they should accept humbly whatever is offered them. Under no circumstances should they be demanding or greedy. God will provide for their needs. Above all, they are to assure people that the kingdom of God is very close to them, thus encouraging them in their faith. God has not forgotten them, but is already among them. The harvest might be rich and the labourers few, but the Lord has sent them to gather in the harvest and they should not lose heart, and neither should we!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 17th October

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 06:57:19 GMT

When I was a boy, Autumn was the season of Michaelmas daisies. You could see them in every garden and in flower arrangements in all churches, cemeteries and homes. There was something comforting about them as the nights drew in, the days got colder and we looked forward to Christmas and the end of the long, long Michaelmas Term in school. It struck me yesterday that this is no longer the case. It was seeing two small and rather sad looking clumps of these lovely flowers yesterday afternoon in one of the small Belmont estates that brought this home to me.

So it is that I pray for the revival of the fortunes of the Michaelmas daisy in Britain.

Today we keep the feast of one of the most attractive saints in the Church’s calendar, St Ignatius of Antioch, the 2nd century bishop and martyr, who wrote a series of letters to various churches as he journeyed through Asia Minor towards Greece and Rome, where he was martyred for his faith. He is an important link between the age of the Apostles and the Early Church. The contents of his letters cannot be underestimated nor his importance as a witness to subapostolic Church life and belief. He is also a saint that all Christians recognise and accept to be a Father of the Faith.

Our Gospel reading today comes from Luke, (Lk 12: 13-21, and presents us with the views and teaching of Jesus on wealth and money. It all begins when a man in the crowd says to Jesus, “Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.” To this Jesus replies, “My friend, who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims”’ He then goes on to say to his disciples and to others listening to him, “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.” There is no doubt that Jesus sees the love of and attachment to wealth and money to be highly dangerous for the soul and for the good of men and women. How easily we sell our souls to possessions. Now this vice or sin can affect the poor as well as the rich. We can become possessed by what we possess, and that needn’t be much!

He then tells them a parable, one that is easy to understand. “There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, ‘What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?’ So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.” This parable leads us to examine our own way of life and our motives for managing wealth and security. Am I storing up treasure in heaven, a store of goodness and virtue in the sight of God, or am I obsessed with material wealth and wellbeing? Worse still, am I a slave to material things, or do I simply use them as and when necessary for the common good, rather than for my ego? A lot to think about today!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 16th October

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 08:40:06 GMT

Although we have already offered prayers in thanksgiving for the harvest and sung our harvest hymns, a parishioner and her daughter kindly brought examples of home grown produce in fruit and vegetables, including chicken and duck eggs, to the abbey this morning and created a beautiful display at the memorial altar. If you come to Belmont in the next few days, I hope you will stop and admire the harvest altar and say a prayer of thanksgiving for this year’s harvest and another for our farmers, who are going through a difficult and uncertain time, perhaps even more so than other sectors.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 18: 1-8), and touches on the subject of perseverance in prayer, or as Jesus puts it, “the need to pray continually and never lose heart.” To emphasise his point, he tells his disciples the Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Widow. “There was a judge in a certain town who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, ‘I want justice from you against my enemy!’ For a long time, he refused, but at last he said to himself, ‘Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me, I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.’” The message is very clear. Although the judge is an unjust man who has no care for the rights of the poor, nevertheless the widow’s persistence wears him down until he gives in.

Obviously, God is not unjust, nor is he impatient. He is nothing like the unjust judge. However, this is the parable Jesus has chosen to explain the need of perseverance in prayer. He explains to his disciples, “You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?” Jesus admits that at times God delays in granting our requests, but that doesn’t mean to say that he’s not listening to us. God listens and “sees justice done speedily.” God being God knows what is best for us, so often he will answer our prayers in the way we least expect. God will always give us what is best for us, but at times that might mean waiting for the appropriate moment. However, Jesus does leave us with a question, and it’s about faith. When he returns at his Second Coming, will he find faith on earth? Will we remain faithful? That’s a question only each one of us can answer.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 15th October

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 06:58:52 GMT

Today the Church celebrates the great Spanish Carmelite reformer and mystic, St Teresa of Avila, known as St Teresa of Jesus, who died at the age of 67 in 1582. As well as radically reforming the Carmelite Order, she was also a great teacher of the way of contemplative prayer, often described as mental prayer or the prayer of quiet. You might well have read some of her writings, especially The Inner Castle and The Way of Perfection. She also wrote an Autobiography. Considering she was a 16 ^th century woman, an enclosed nun and a mystic, she has had and continues to have an extraordinary influence on the Church as well as on the non-Christian world. We ask for her intercession and the grace to follow her teaching and example. She also had a powerful sense of humour: we can all do with that today in the difficult times in which we live, that combined with a deep trust in God.

Today’s Gospel reading consists of three sayings of Jesus addressed to his disciples, as found in Luke, (Lk 12: 8-12). The first is about bearing witness to Christ, or standing up for him, not being afraid or ashamed of declaring openly, even in difficult circumstances, our allegiance to Jesus and the Gospel. “I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.” The second saying is related to the first. “Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”

What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spiirit? Blasphemy against the Spirit, the unforgivable sin, is the ongoing hardening of our hearts against the Holy Spirit who is trying to lead us to repent of sin and believe in Christ. Furthermore, it is an issue of the heart that manifests itself in our words . This hardening of the heart, that results in denying that Jesus is the Son of God, will cause us to become unrepentant and unforgiving and to not seeking forgiveness for ourselves.

The third saying is somewhat different and encourages us not to run away from persecution that might come our way on account of our faith . “When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.” We are not to worry, because, whatever happens, when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need to speak up for our faith before whoever is persecuting us. When reflecting on the lives of the martyrs, these words always come to mind. Will we have the opportunity to bear witness of Christ? If not to the extent of shedding our blood, at least by the choices we make in life.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 14th October

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:49:55 GMT

All four Gospels delight in describing the vast crowds that followed Jesus from place to place, hanging on his every word and longing to see him heal the countless sick and possessed who were brought to him. His opponents, the scribes and Pharisees, obviously didn’t attract such large crowds, nor were they capable of teaching as Jesus did or of performing miracles of healing. At the beginning of Chapter 12, Luke vividly describes the situation, (Lk 12: 1-7). “The people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another.” Unless the disciples were able to act successfully as stewards, the scene must have been chaotic indeed, even more so as Jesus begins by addressing his disciples rather than the vast crowds. “And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy. Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops.’”

Once again Jesus returns to the subject of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who failed to practise what they taught: there was no integrity in them. However, Jesus was aware that even the good fall at times and can fail to come up to the standard they have set themselves at God’s request.

His disciples, just like Jesus, are destined to be persecuted by the civil and religious authorities of Israel and by the Roman State itself, so he encourages them not to be afraid, but to remember that only God has ultimate power over eternal life, their enemies can only attack and kill the body. “To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.” Look how many times Jesus uses the verb ‘to fear’, only to tell us that we should not be afraid of God, for he loves and cherishes us, and takes care of us eternally. The biblical term ‘the fear of the Lord’ is more akin to love and respect, to be filled with awe at his presence. Not only is every hair on our head counted, but he knows us through and through: he knows us far better than we know ourselves, hence there can be nothing to fear. With God we are safe and will be kept safe into eternity.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 13th October

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:48:45 GMT

In England today we keep the feast of St Edward the Confessor, considered to be the patron saint of England before we switched to St George about 1350. He was born, son of Aethelredthe Unready and Emma of Normandy, around the year 1003 and died on the eve of the Epiphany in 1066. He was crowned at Winchester on 3rd April 1043. He was greatly loved by his peopleand admired by the sanctity of his life. In fact, he was acclaimed as a saint by his people even before he was canonised by Pope Alexander III in 1161. He is buried in Westminster Abbey, near to his wife Edith of Wessex, and St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle was originally dedicated to him. I think it’s really important to celebrate our English saints and not to forget them, as they have left us an outstanding legacy of holiness.

Today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk 11: 47-54), sees Jesus continue his divine diatribe against the scribes or lawyers and Pharisees. He says, for example, “Alas for you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building.” And he goes on, “Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.” As far as Jesus is concerned the scribes and Pharisees have been and continue to be obstacles in the way of ordinary people who want to live their faith to the full and grow in knowledge of God and his love for them. The result of his preaching is clear, as Luke tells us that, “When he left the house, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.”

Whereas Jesus speaks boldly about the scribes and Pharisees, describing what he sees of their behaviour, they, on the other hand, seek to trap Jesus into making heretical statements concerning the Scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, for which they can arrest him and have him charged and even put to death. Ultimately this is what will happen and lead to his Cross and Resurrection.

A question we all need to ask is: who are the scribes and Pharisees today? Are we, perhaps, counted among them? Or, do we simply acquiesce to the way they behave and teach? Are we on the Lord’s side or are we not? Not easy questions, but ones that need to be asked.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 12th October

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 05:09:14 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 12 ^th October 2022

Yesterday I was blessed in having to take a trip into Breconshire. It was a beautiful day and the countryside was quite spectacular. Going, I stopped briefly at the church of St Faith at Dorstone, whilst returning, I stopped at St Bartholomew’s, Vowchurch, one of my absolute favourites, such a light and airy church in an outstanding position near the bank of the river Dore. I stopped there for over half an hour simply to pray in silence. There’s so much going on in the world at the moment, so much to pray for, especially the horrific situation in Ukraine, not to mention the many uncertainties in our own country, I needed that time and space to be alone. I pray every day that God will intervene and stop the war in Ukraine, but I know that’s not how God works: he does not remove our responsibility to bring that war to an end. At times I despair at what appears to be a certain inertia, perhaps fear, that prevents Ukraine’s allies from a more committed and determined quest for peace.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk 11: 42-4), Jesus continues his attack on the Pharisees. Yesterday it was just one Pharisee, who, poor man, had invited Jesus to his house for a meal. Today it’s a more general attack on the Pharisees as a powerful and influential group in society. He says:

‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!’”

Sadly, their fundamental sin is to place so much emphasis on a ritualistic observance of the minutiae of the Law, that they forget the important fundamentals, justice and the love of God. Again, he criticises this obsession of theirs with appearance and position in society, all rather futile, to say the least.

Then a lawyer or scribe stands up, feeling insulted but Jesus has something to say to them as well.

“A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’

‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’”

Here his criticism is that instead of helping people to keep the Law and discovering the gift of faith in God, they turn people away with the exaggerated interpretation of the Law that only serves to drive people away in despair, rather than encouraging them to seek the love of God.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 11th October

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:10:30 GMT

It’s beginning to get colder at night, so when Toby and I go out at a quarter to six each morning, it’s still cold, but as I’ve had a hot shower, I really don’t feel the cold. During this early morning walk it’s usually very quiet, so I enjoy saying the Rosary. At six o’clock the church bell rings the Angelus, which I also enjoy saying. At this time of year, I wear a miner’s torch, which is useful for making sure where Toby is and what he’s up to. It should be said that he never lets me out of his sight. These past few mornings we have been accompanied by a pair of robins, curious to see where we’re going. It’s lovely to see them so full of life and vigour and obviously enjoying our company.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 11: 37-41), recounts what happened when Jesus was invited for a meal in the house of one of the Pharisees. “Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’”

It appears that Jesus alone has been invited to the Pharisee’s house, as there’s no mention of his disciples. Jesus goes in and sits at table without washing his hands ritually beforehand. He obviously does this purposely so as to draw his host’s attention, which leads to the important teaching he wishes to give. He points to two problems with the behaviour of the Pharisees that go against the law of God. In the first place, Jesus has nothing against norms of hygiene, but emphasises the need that the Pharisees have of repentance and conversion. They need to purify their hearts and minds, as well as wash their hands before eating. Then he points to their need to give alms, as they tend to be greedy and possessive of all they own, but not generous towards the poor and needy.

Are there areas of our lives, for example, that need to be put in order before God? Is our religious observance, to some extent, tinged with superstition or superficiality? What is Jesus asking you and me to do in this short Gospel passage? The Gospel is read to make us think, and to change the way we live.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 10th October

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 05:10:14 GMT

What always strikes us in the Gospels about Jesus is that he was constantly being followed by crowds of people. Even when he tried to get away briefly for a few hours’ rest, quiet and prayer, the crowds went in search of him and sometimes got there before him. Even so, he never seemed to get flustered, impatient or annoyed, as we might do at times. In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 11: 29-32), we are told that, “The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them.”

I’ve often wondered how he did that in the open air without the aid of microphones and loudspeakers, or even the natural acoustic of an amphitheatre. I always remember visiting the famous amphitheatre at Dodoni, not far from Ioannina in Epirus, northern Greece, and being asked to drop a pin at the very centre. The sound could clearly be heard by my friends in the top circle.

What is it that Jesus says to the crowds? “This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement Day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached, they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.” People want to know who Jesus is and they want proof. If he is the Messiah, then they want a sign to prove that he is the Christ. Jesus sees this as a lack of trust in his actions as well as his word. And so he tells them that they will be given just two signs, that of Jonah and that of Solomon. When Jonah preached repentance at Nineveh, the great city, its inhabitants repented of their sins and turned back to God, but what effect is Jesus’ preaching really having? He appears dejected by the lack of response in his contemporaries, despite their curiosity. The Queen of Sheba came all the way from deepest Africa to hear the wisdom of Solomon and she was moved by what she heard. It changed her life, and yet what effect is the wisdom of Jesus having on those who hear his preaching? In Jesus there is something, and there is someone greater than Jonah, the prophet, and greater than Solomon, the king.

Is our generation a wicked one? Do people today listen to Jesus’ call to repentance, conversion and new life? If not, why not? Do they demand a sign like the Jews of old? Is this the age of indifference, relativism and indifference? Is there something we should be doing to change this? Let us pray today for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and for fidelity to Christ and the Gospel.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 9th October

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 05:07:53 GMT

Two of the most fascinating characters of the Old Testament are the prophets Elijah and Elisha, whom we read about in the books of the Kings. Our first reading today comes from 2 Kings, (2 Kgs 5: 14-17), part of the longer story of Naaman the Syrian, who was afflicted with leprosy, a common disfiguring disease in those days. Taking the advice of one of his Jewish servant girls, he came to the prophet Elisha to seek healing. After a long wait, he was curtly told by Elisha to bathe seven times in the river Jordan. To begin with, he refused, thinking he deserved better treatment than that, but eventually he relented and bathed in the Jordan. Our reading takes up the story at that point. He wants to give Elisha an expensive present for his healing, but the prophet rejects the gift. Finally, Naaman asks if he can take home with him to Damascus two mule loads of soil from Jerusalem, so that he can always pray to the God of Israel on holy ground. Naaman, a Syrian pagan is not only healed of his leprosy, but converted to the one true God and saved. As the the Responsorial Psalm says, “The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.”

In our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 17: 11-19), Jesus is travelling to Jerusalem along the border between Samaria and Galilee. “As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’” These lepers would have been standing just outside the gates of the village, as they weren’t allowed in. They ask for mercy; in other words, healing rather than material help. They will have heard of Jesus’ ability to cure the sick. Jesus simply tells them to go and show themselves to the priests, meaning that they were cleansed and should be certified as clean. Indeed, we read, “Now as they were going away, they were cleansed.” They all had faith in the word of Jesus and were healed. However, only one returned to thank Jesus, recognising him to be more than an ordinary miracle healer, in fact, the Son of God, the Messiah. “Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’”

The man, who turns back praising God and throws himself at the feet of Jesus, thanking him, is a Samaritan, a heretic regarded as a foreigner and hated by the Jews. He alone praises God, recognises Jesus to be the Saviour and Redeemer and thanks him for what he has done. Why go to the priests when he can thank Jesus, the Eternal High Priest. Jesus recognises him to be a man of faith and declares, “Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.” Faith, made manifest in his praise of God and thanking Jesus, saves him as well as heals him, which is why he is free to stand and go on his way, walking always in the presence of God. May we follow his example

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 8th October

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 20:17:20 GMT

When Fr Luke, Fr David and I settled in Tambogrande, northern Peru, in 1981, with the intention of founding a monastery, one of the many fascinating customs we found was associated with birthdays. Apart from the fact that these were celebrated in grand style, often over several days, an important aspect, perhaps the most important, was to congratulate the mother of the person celebrating their birthday, as it was she who had given the gift of life to her son or daughter. We were struck by the beauty of this custom. This is also one of the main reasons why devotion to Our Lady is so strong in Peru: it was Mary who conceived and bore a son, Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Mary always leads us to Jesus.

In today’s brief Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 11: 27-28), we discover something very similar in Jewish society at the time of Jesus. “As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!” What a charming vignette this is. While Jesus is speaking, a woman in the crowd raises her voice to bless his mother, Mary. “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that suckled you.” Indeed, they were truly blessed, but Jesus tells us why they were so blessed: the very fact that Mary heard the word of God and obeyed it. The Incarnation is the result of Mary’s obedience to God’s word. Jesus wants us all to follow his Mother’s example. Let us pray for the grace to do that always.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 7th October

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:08:38 GMT

Today the Church celebrates the memoria of Our Lady of the Rosary, a feast with a history that goes back to the year 1571, when it was instituted by Pope St Pius V to commemorate a decisive victory over the Ottomans at the Battle of Lepanto, which he attributed to the intercession of Our Lady. The Rosary, of course, is a much older devotional prayer, that in its present form in the Western Church goes back to St Dominic in 13 ^th century. The Rosary is a powerful prayer, which we can use to pray for peace and the victory of justice and truth in our world today. I always pray the Rosary when walking with Toby first thing in the morning, now well before dawn when there are few or no distractions. As we ponder on the mysteries, we get to look deeply into truths of our faith, made manifest in the lives of Our Lord and his Mother and the working of the Holy Spirit in the Church, which is the Body of Christ.

The Gospel reading chosen from today is that of the Annunciation found in Luke, (Lk 1: 26-38), which is used on many of the feasts of Our Lady. It recounts the central mystery of our Christian faith, that of the Incarnation, when God became Man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, when Mary said to the Angel Gabriel, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” Let us pray that all men and women everywhere follow the example of Mary, accepting God’s word into their hearts and doing his will.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 6th October

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 21:03:20 GMT

Yesterday we read the Lord’s Prayer as found in Luke, comparing it a little with the better-known version found in Matthew. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus places emphasis on forgiveness, warning the disciples that if they will not forgive those who offend them, then God will not forgive them their sins. In Luke, the Gospel passage which we read today, (Lk 11: 5-13), Jesus speaks at length on perseverance in prayer, trusting that God will always give us what is best for us. He begins with an example from daily life rather than a parable.

“Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, ‘My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him’; and the man answers from inside the house, ‘Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.’ I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants”. We might wonder why the man wanted three loaves of bread, unless it was that his friend had arrived unexpectedly with family or serving staff. Anyway, the lesson is clear: perseverance in asking eventually brings about the desired result. But God was not made in the image and likeness of man and his reactions are not ours. He’s doesn’t play power games, nor does he play cat and mouse with us, his beloved children. Jesus goes on to explain the mind and heart of God, hence why we should persevere in prayer.

“So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father will give us whatever we ask or need. Above all, he will give us the Holy Spirit, which is far more than we can imagine or desire. In fact, God will always give us those gifts of which we are most in need, rather than simply what we pray for. After all, he knows best. Prayer and perseverance in prayer conform our minds to the mind of God, our hearts to his Heart. Perhaps, that is the goal of prayer, acquiring the mind of Christ, understanding the mind and heart of God. Let us remember this when we pray and especially when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer that Jesus himself taught us to pray.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 5th October

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 20:59:58 GMT

Last night I took part in a meeting of Christians Together in Ewyas Harold and District, to give its full title, until recently Churches Together, and when I was a young priest, Council of Churches. Belmont belongs to this group, as we once had a church in Ewyas Harold, dedicated to St John Kemble, which I served between 1975 and 198, and because we are a rural parish, outside the city boundaries. It brings together Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics and Methodists and is a wonderful opportunity to work and pray together. It’s amazing how truly united we are in our love of Jesus and our desire to be his disciples and proclaim his presence in our world, following the example of St Francis of Assisi, whose feast all Christians celebrate today. He was born in 1181 and died in 1226 and was canonised just two years after his death.

I have always had the greatest love for St Francis ever since I was a small boy and constantly visited the places associated with his life with my Italian grandmother and my aunts, uncles and cousins. He became very real to me, a beloved friend and companion. One place in particular I adored was a small chapel, with early medieval frescos, on farmland owned by my great uncle and aunt, Zio Beniamino and Zia Annunziata, just outside the village of Valfabbrica on the banks of the river Topino, halfway between Assisi and Gubbio. Here Francis would spend the night in prayer when walking from one town to another, and there was a large stone he apparently used as a pillow. I just loved lying there and imagining I was San Francesco. Of course, I was only allowed to take a siesta there, never spend the night. Forgive me sharing a personal memory, so dear to my heart.

Our Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 10: 38-42), is the famous account of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary. “Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’”

Although not the Gospel for the feast but for the feria, nevertheless it helps us understand the person and vocation of Francis, who was both a contemplative, blessed with the stigmata, and very much a man of action, a missionary, who preached the Gospel to the poor, not in the official language of the Church, but in the vernacular they spoke and understood. He wrote simple poems and hymns with which they could learn the truths of the Christian faith and come to know Jesus and Our Lady. He invented a visual aid in the Christmas crib. He rejected riches, power and influence in favour of the way of Christian discipleship, the poverty of Jesus and the way of the Cross. May we learn from him and follow his example as best we can.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 4th October

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:25:18 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 3rd October

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:22:52 GMT

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

Lk 10: 25-37

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 2nd October

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:21:04 GMT

I do apologise for not writing a short message for yesterday, but I was so exhausted when I returned to Belmont from Peru on Friday evening, that the moment I got to my room, I lay down on Toby’s sofa (he was still in kennels), fell fast asleep and didn’t wake up until 7.30 on Saturday morning, by which time it was too late. All I can say is that I enjoyed the rest and needed it. I’ve also come to realise that I’m getting older and don’t have the energy I had before Covid and lockdown. Peru is still very strict about Covid restrictions. I had to laugh one day when Fr Alex and I popped into a downtown supermarket to collect a few things for the community. We were stopped by an armed guard and asked to show proof of vaccination in order to be allowed in. I didn’t quite understand what the man was saying, so I showed him my passport. He said to Alex, “This gentleman is of the “Third Age”, so he must have been vaccinated. Now I know I’m of the “Third Age”!

In our Gospel passage today, (Lk 17: 5-10), the Apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. His reply is somewhat unexpected. All Jesus says is, “Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” What is he implying? In the first place, that there are no easy answers, no easy solutions to their request, “Lord, increase our faith.” Rather, it is a question of faith and of trust in God. Were our faith the size of a mustard seed, (How small can you get?), then that would be enough, because God would do the rest. Faith is a question of trusting in God and believing that he can do what we can’t.

Jesus then goes on to talk about duty, doing our duty before God, and gives the example of a servant and his master. He concludes by saying, “When you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.’” In other words, faith is also a question of obedience and duty. If we have faith, no matter how little, we listen to God and obey his voice, simply doing our duty before him and our fellow human beings, trusting that it gives him joy and that he will reward us appropriately. It all sounds rather simple and straightforward when Jesus speaks with his disciples. God has given us so many gifts and talents. How can we not please him by doing what he asks of us?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 30th September

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:18:35 GMT

I’m on my way back to Belmont. I’ve survived the hair raising car trip to the airport, the somewhat chaotic check in, security and immigration hurdles and I’m now sitting in a relatively quiet area, waiting for the lounge to open after fumigation,so I can write this message and say Vespers before boarding the flight to Paris. Everyone is wearing masks, as in all public places in Peru, including churches and supermarkets. All things considered, it’s been dead easy so far and I enjoyed the drive close up to the Pacific Ocean. It’s a bright sunny day, only the second since Spring began on 23rd September. This was written yesterday afternoon about 4 o’clock Peruvian time.

Today we keep the feast of that great ascetic, scholar and translator of the Bible, St Jerome. We remember our own Abbot Jerome, founder of the monastery in Peru, a man of scholarship and prayer. Our Gospel reading comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 13-16), in which Jesus laments for two towns that would not open their hearts to his teaching, or even to his miracles. “Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida!” Had such things been said and done in Tyre and Sidon, their inhabitants would have believed and been converted. The same goes for Capernaum, another town of unrepentant sinners! He says to his disciples, “Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.” We pray that we may never reject Jesus or his heavenly Father who sent him to us as our Lord and Saviour, Brother and Friend.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 29th September

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:16:38 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Michael and All Ángels, Belmont’s patronal festival, and the day on which many of us took our temporary or solemn vows. Today is very special to Dom Simon and Dom Leo, as they celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of their Monastic Profession, so our special prayers and congratulations to them. Sadly, I won’t be there to join in the celebrations, although we will be offering Mass for them in Peru, remembering that both served in Peru for a number of years and did sterling work.

Yesterday Abbot Benito and I were able to conclude the Canonical Visitation of our Peruvian monastery just in time for Vespers, but what hard and tiring work it was. Still the results were excellent and everyone was happy with the outcome. Fr Alex has been reappointed as Prior for another four years, until the next visitation. There will be a number of changes, that will prove beneficial for the community, especially as it grows in number, (12 monks at present), and some aspects of life become more complicated and will need more attention. It’s an observant, joyful, united, prayerful and hardworking community and really stands out for the quality of its monastic life. It’s been a joy to spend these past two weeks with them and will be sorry to leave after lunch today. I love the rhythm of monastic life here, which is so close to the Rule of St Benedict.

It’s late and I’m very tired, as yesterday also included quite exhausting and unexpected treatment on my shoulder at a specialised hospital. Apparently, I need another eight sessions. I have no idea how I’ll arrange that in Hereford! I won’t add anything else and no commentary on the Gospel reading. I hope you’ll forgive me. There are, however, photographs of the brethren.

Fr Paul

Golden Valley Ukraine Welcome Group September Update

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 09:10:54 GMT

Update September 2022

Dear supporter,

Things have been moving fast!

Our first Ukrainian family arrived in the first week of September and have been settling into their new home, Abbey Lodge, on the grounds of Belmont Abbey. Husband Sasha and wife Inna – they are both trained doctors, and gynaecologists - are very happy to be here and are very grateful for all the help, and their son Dmytro is settling in well to Lord Scudamore School.

It was a hectic week for some of us setting up the house for them and there are still a few things they need. With the help of one of our group they are applying for Universal Credit while they look for work and to retrain on the NHS, but it will be several weeks before they receive any funds and get an NI number, so we are supporting them financially until then. They are taking English classes already and seem happy. Their Wi-Fi will be fitted next week which will make life easier for them. Several of their neighbours are popping in and making them feel very welcome to Hereford.

Our second Ukrainian family is due to arrive on around 25 September. After trying but failing to rent a property in Hereford, a second property in Belmont Abbey grounds became available which we are able to rent thanks to a generous donor from our group, who is covering their rent for a year and bills for six months. Nataliya and her two children (two and ten) will be living at 3, Woodview and will have the benefit of living next door to Sasha and Inna.

We have 13 people who have already donated into a designated fund either with a one off sum or having set up 6 monthly payments. We are already using this money to purchase some white goods for the properties, to set up phone and Wi-Fi systems, to purchase some articles for the house and to provide them money to live on until their benefits come through. If anyone has ideas for fundraising or could also offer a donation please get in touch.

We are now planning a meeting for everyone to hear more, to meet our Ukrainian guests, and to hear how we plan to develop this group. Please put Sat Oct 8 ^th 11 – 1pm in Belmont Parish Hall in your diaries, and we will give you more details later.

Thank you to all those of you who have already given of your time and funds and possessions to help our Ukrainian guests settle in. We hope very much to see you on October 8.

To offer help or for more information please contact Jane Davies: jf58davies@gmail.com or Gabrielle Stanley: gabriellemarystanley@gmail.com

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 28th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:21:37 GMT

Yesterday was such a busy day what with interviews and meetings that I ran out of time to write a message for today. In fact, it was the busiest workday of the Visitation of our Peruvian monastery so far and tomorrow looks to be similar. At least we are hoping to get the work done by Wednesday lunchtime, with the help of God. You won’t be surprised to hear that people here are suffering the same price rises as in the U.K. The strange thing Is that even locally produced guano fertiliser has tripled in price, taking advantage of the steep hikes in imported fertilisers from Ukraine and the U.S. You have to wonder about a large percentage of the population that lives below the breadline, and the same goes for many other countries in the world. Peru should be one of the richest countries in Latin America, but misgovernment and corruption, as well as greed put an end to that hope. I realise that the situation in the U.K. is critical, so I won’t bore you with any more news of Peru. I hadn’t meant to write the above, but I worry for our Peruvian brethren, as you can imagine.

Our Gospel reading for today from Luke, (Lk 9: 51-56), marks that key moment in the life and ministry of Jesus when, “Jesus resolutely took the road to Jerusalem.” Luke comments that Jesus was thinking not of his Crucifixion or Resurrection at this stage, but of his Ascension. He sends disciples ahead of him to announce his coming to towns and villages on the way. Two enter a Samaritan village and are rejected because they are making their way to Jerusalem. When James and John ask Jesus whether they should invoke fire from heaven to punish and kill the inhabitants, Jesus rebukes them. No punishment, no revenge, Jesus orders them to move on. Two questions for our reflection. Do we resolutely take the road with Jesus every day of our lives? Do we harbour feelings of hatred or revenge in our hearts rather than follow the example of Jesus?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 27th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:20:04 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 26th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:18:35 GMT

Although it was Sunday, yesterday was a very busy day, what with a number of visits from friends and an oblate meeting in the morning as well as the usual Sunday Masses. It all sounds very much like Belmont, which to some extent it is. The afternoon was dedicated to Visitation interviews. The highlight for me was lunch, yes, I am a glutton! Today it was prepared by a young monk who hails from Cajamarca in the northern sierra of Peru. It was the second capital of the Inca Empire after Cusco.

A delicious chicken broth called “chochoca” made of maize and the livers, gizzards, feet and other interesting parts of the chicken, our own free range chickens fed on grains, but was originally made with bull’s hooves. This was followed by “seco de pollo”, a chicken stew with potatoes and vegetables, accompanied as always by the best rice in the world, and then a homemade flan with prunes, to die for. It was Sunday, after all, so pudding was included. Normally they begin with a salad or soup and then have the main dish. I’ll add some photographs.

Today we remember Saints Cosmas and Damian, patron saints of doctors, and so pray for all those in the medical profession, especially our GPs. They worked as a team and died together for their fidelity to Christ. In our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 9: 46-50), we hear Jesus teaching his disciples to be humble and not to complete and argue with each other over which of them is the greatest or most important. He calls a small child forward as a living parable, saying, “Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.” Such wonderfully profound words. He then goes on to say, when John tells him of a incident that took place when the disciples were casting out devils. They met someone who wasn’t one of their own group doing the same and so tried to stop him. Jesus replied, “Anyone who is not against you is for you.” These are words full of meaning for our lives today. How do you interpret them and put them into effect in your life?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 25th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:17:20 GMT

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of Our Lady, so I thought you might like to see one of the oldest statues of Our Lady we have in the monastery, one of La Candelaria, Our Lady of the Taper or Candles, celebrated on 2nd February, Candlemas. She stands above the grave of the two founders of this monastery, mother and daughter, both widows, Lucrecia de Sanzoles and Mencia de Vargas, in Lima in the year 1584. I think she’s my favourite. There are at east half a dozen others.

Yesterday we also began our Canonical Visitation in the Chapter Room after Terce with an encouraging conference given by Abbot Benito. This was followed by interviews from 9.30 to 1.15pm and again after None from 3.15 to 5.30pm, no tea or coffee breaks in Peru. It was hard work concentrating, but only good can come of it. The great thing is that I’ve overcome the intense tiredness I was feeling at Belmont in recent weeks and am quite reinvigorated. Please keep praying for us.

In our Sunday Gospel from Luke, (Lk 16: 19-31), Jesus tells the Pharisees a story as a parable. This might well have been a popular story at the time, which Jesus used as a parable to move them to repentance and conversion, having had little luck so far. It’s known as Dives and Lazarus, a rich man and the poor man at his gate, whose only friends were the dogs who came to lick his wounds, while the rich man banqueted daily and ignored Lazarus. But Lazarus dies and goes to heaven, carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. Not long after, so does the rich man, but he goes to hell, having enjoyed his heaven on earth. He catches a glimpse of Lazarus and begs for a nail full of water, but Abraham says no. Lazarus suffered on earth, when Dives did nothing to help him, so he is now paying for his sins. For Jesus, however, the crunch comes at the end. Abraham tells Dives that if he and his five brothers took no notice of Moses and the prophets, they are hardly going to listen to Lazarus, even if he were to return from the dead, a clear reference to Jesus and the Resurrection. It’s a parable more than relevant for today, a parable that not only invites us to a greater generosity and care for the poor, but also to believe in the Risen Christ with a deeper and more committed faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 24th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:15:58 GMT

Today we celebrate Our Lady of Walsingham and Our Lady of Ransom in England and in Peru the same feast of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. We ask Our Lady’s protection on our families, communities and countries, wherever we might be.

On Thursday evening, Abbot Benito of Las Condes, Santiago, Chile, arrived to accompany me in the Canonical Visitation of our monastery in Peru. The traffic was so bad, it took us three hours to cover the 25 or so miles to the airport. Yesterday, we spent the day organising ourselves for the Visitation with the help of Br Mario, our archivist, and we begin this morning, so we all ask for your prayers that it will be a grace-filled opportunity for our brethren to grow in number and in holiness in the next stage in the life of the community at Lurin. The next four or five days are going to be hard work, but undoubtedly worthwhile.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 43-45), in which Jesus warns is his disciples that he will be taken, will suffer and be put to death, thus fulfilling his work as Messiah and Christ. This was at a time when Jesus was the cause of admiration for all the good he was doing, so it is little wonder that they failed to grasp the meaning of his words. Not only was this hidden from them, but they were afraid to ask. May this encourage us never to be afraid of questioning Jesus and asking him to explain and make clear his teaching. Jesus didn’t come into the world to keep us in the dark, but to shed his light on our lives and help us grow in faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 23rd September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:14:11 GMT

Apologies for the brevity of this message. Yesterday was an extremely busy day, which included joining the brethren in their common work, this time chopping up coconut flesh ready for making a new recipe for panettone, visiting a clinic for a scan (they take aches and pains very seriously here - oh why did I complain?) and then driving to the airport to collect Abbot Benito of Las Condes Abbey, Santiago, Chile. The traffic was a nightmare and it was after 10pm when we got back to the monastery.

Today’s Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 18-22), with Jesus alone at prayer with his disciples. He asks them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They tell him more or less what Herod had to say on Tuesday, that he is John the Baptist, Elijah or another of the prophets of old come back to life. But then he asks them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answers in the name of all of them when he says, “The Christ of God.” This is a much shorter and less detailed version of the account we read in Matthew, that there took place at Caesarea Philippi. They are warned by Jesus to say nothing about this conversation. He also explains what is to come, his Passion , Death and Resurrection. Were Jesus to ask us today who we think he is, I wonder if our answers would be as clear and concise as Simon Peter’s

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 22nd September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:12:54 GMT

Yesterday was St Matthew’s day and so the feast day and birthday of our Br Mateo here in Peru. He was born the year following our arrival in Peru in 1981. We had a special lunch with his favourite foods (majado de yuca and ají de gallina) all washed down with fresh maracuya juice and pisco sour, a particular favourite of mine. I’m afraid you’ll have look those up, as I’ve no time to explain! Then this evening, after supper, there was the birthday cake, with a programme of songs and poems. Peruvians take birthdays very seriously, even in monasteries! These celebrations are great at bringing people together. I’ll add a few photos. The rest of the day was taken up with interviews, quite tiring, and a long class with the novices and postulants, great fun.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 7-9), in which Herod expresses his curiosity over the identity of Jesus. Who can he be? Luke tells us that he’s puzzled, when hearing about the wonderful things that Jesus is doing and wonders whether, in fact, this might be Elijah or one of the other prophets of old returned to life, or even John the Baptist. But then, Herod had had John beheaded, so who could Jesus be? Herod had heard so much about Jesus and was now curious to meet him. Sadly, curiosity doesn’t necessarily lead to faith and, in the case of Herod, it certainly didn’t. We pray that our curiosity about Jesus and our Christian faith will lead us to grow in our love of God and our commitment to the Gospel and to Jesus.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 21st September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:10:12 GMT

Today we celebrate the feast of the Apostle and Evangelist St Matthew and our Gospel reading comes from his Gospel, (Mt 9: 9-13), describing that precious moment in his life as a tax collector, when Jesus came into his life and invited him to become a disciple. Who would have guessed that Jesus would do this? Not Matthew, for sure. It happened out of the blue. “As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” The response is as radical as the call.

Later on, at dinner, a number of tax collectors and sinners are at table with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees complain to the disciples that he should allow this to happen, but Jesus replies, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.’ And indeed, I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” Jesus comes as a physician to heal the sick and to forgive sinners. These are the most consoling and encouraging words in the Scriptures, that the Father has sent his Son into our world to forgive us our sins and reconcile us with Himself. The truth is that if Matthew can become a disciple, then so can I. Thanks be to God.

Many have asked for photographs of our monastery and community in Peru. Well, last night recreation involved shelling peas and kidney beans. All our food is fresh and much of it produced by the monks. No tins, no packets and no frozen foods! Instead, a lot of hard work and a healthy diet. Delicious.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 20th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:08:08 GMT

I was overjoyed yesterday to be able to follow most of the service at Westminster Abbey between Vigils and Lauds, when the brethren were engaged in Lectio Divina. In fact, following that magnificent service was a wonderful form of lectio and I felt deeply blessed and rewarded. What an enormous privilege it was, even on the small screen of my mini iPad and wearing headphones! The picture and sound were as clear as a bell. I felt I was there in person. How I envied the young men carrying our beloved Queen’s coffin. Then after Mass, breakfast and Terce, and before the Baptism of an old friend’s grandson, I was privileged to join the procession arriving at Windsor and was able to be present at the burial service at St George’s. It was all profoundly moving and poignantly so, especially the returning of the symbols of regal office to God on the High Altar, from whom she had received them at her Coronation, and the snapping of the staff in two. I kept thinking of those words of Jesus from the Parable in Matthew’s Gospel, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.” Queen Elizabeth’s life and death have been a wonderful and outstanding lesson for us all.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 19th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:02:21 GMT

It’s a sad day for us all as we lay our Beloved Queen to rest today. We are sad for ourselves and for our world at this time of uncertainty and confusion, yet it’s a sadness that through faith is transformed into thanksgiving for the past, hope for the present and joy for the future, for we cannot help but believe that Queen Elizabeth is with God, gracing the courts of heaven. From heaven may she continue to guide and protect us and urge us on to live according to God’s will as she did as a faithful follower and disciple of Jesus. Yesterday, after a very busy morning and short siesta, I was grateful to have some quiet time to myself and, using my iPad, tune into the BBC to join the crowds filing past Her Majesty lying in state. I was moved by their reverence and respect and was able to join them for an hour or so in prayer and, to be honest, veneration of a saint of our age. Today, together with the whole world, we we be present in spirit at her funeral and burial. May she rest in peace. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 18th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:00:58 GMT

First of all, apologies for possibly confusing you by writing about the wrong Gospel passage yesterday. Blame it on jet lag, but it was entirely my fault. Yesterday after Terce, the short office that’s followed by a long morning’s work, we sorted out and priced for sale the many things I’d brought out for the shop here, paid for from their own funds: medals, crucifixes and statues of St Benedict of all shapes and sizes, and vast amounts of perfumed Greek and Ethiopian incense, which has become very popular in Peru. These will be added to the many items they sell, which are produced by the monks, panettone, bread, smoothies, jams, fruit vinegars, altar wine and even olive oil. I find their hard work and enterprise quite overwhelming. Our photographs show some of the things for sale in the monastery shop.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 16: 1-13), and is the Parable of the Cunning Steward. Some people might say he was wise, others dishonest; he was all three perhaps. Jesus calls him wasteful, and later on dishonest in his astuteness. Jesus wants his disciples to behave justly and honestly and to put God first rather than the wealth of this world, to store up treasure in heaven, as he says elsewhere. (Mt 6: 19-21). In fact, “no servant can be the slave of two masters, God and money,” and yet as money has to be used, let it be used for good and especially for the needs of the poor. There’s is, of course, another way of reading that parable, as essentially the parables are about Jesus and the coming of God’s reign among us. Jesus is that steward who readjusts our debts before the Father by his Death and Resurrection, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. And for that, let us give praise and thanksgiving. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 17th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:59:21 GMT

Dear friends,

Sitting at my desk at Belmont to write my daily message now seems a lifetime away. I am sitting in my room in the monastery in Peru, writing these few words on an iPad balanced on my knee, six hours behind Belmont, and although it’s 17C outside, it feels colder. At Lurin, just a ten minute walk from the Pacific Ocean and neighbours to a large factory and a shopping mall, strangely it is much quieter than Belmont, which suffers from the noise of excess traffic both on the A465 and Ruckhall Lane. I took yesterday as a day of rest and relaxation to recover from the long journey out on Thursday, 24 hours door to door. The flights were comfortable, although wearing a face mask on the flight to Lima wasn’t a pleasant experience, but there were angels at both ends of the journey to help me with my 100 kilos of luggage spread over five cases. I haven’t visited our monastery in Peru for almost three years, so there were many requests, especially for the shop here. Later in my trip I’ll take a few photographs to share with you. You’ll be amazed at what the brethren produce for sale and for the consumption of the house. Today’s photograph I took from my small balcony looking at the cloister garden. There is a community of twelve here, so with me that makes thirteen.

Our Gospel today comes from Luke, (Lk 6: 43-49), in which Jesus makes clear to his disciples how essential it is the listen to his voice and follow his teaching. Only that way will they be building on rock rather than on shifting sands. “Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them builds his house on rock.” Likewise, they are to transform their own hearts by the goodness that comes from obedience to the will of God, so that they too can “draw what is good from the store of goodness in their hearts.” Today we pray for that grace to be ours, as always on a Saturday through Our Lady’s prayers.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 15th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:57:30 GMT

Today I will be travelling down to Peru, leaving Belmont at 3am, and for the very first time I won’t be driving myself and all my luggage to Birmingham Airport, but being taken there by a kind parishioner. As it’s two and a half years since I last visited, there have been many requests from the monastery shop to take out things for sale that cannot be found locally, e.g. 25 kilos of Ethiopian and Greek incense and a vast collection of medals of St Benedict of all shapes and sizes and many other things besides. I hope and pray customs are kind in Lima and let me go through as they usually did before Covid. I doubt it will be possible to send a message tomorrow, so for the first day since mid-March 2020, there will be no message on Friday. We can both take a break.

Yesterday evening I was watching the Lying in State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and couldn’t help noticing the number of young people filing past, stopping for a moment and bowing in reverence. These past few days have been so poignantly moving that I find tears coming to my eyes whenever I think of her. She was far more than a queen, she was our mother and the linchpin that kept everything in place, the rock on which our lives were built.

Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a feast originally kept as a preparation for Holy Week on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The short Gospel passage is taken from John, (Jn 19: 25-27). “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” At this stage of his Passion, all his followers have run away in fear. Just three women remain, the three Marys, and standing near his mother he sees a young disciple who was particularly close to Jesus, traditionally believed to be John. Jesus commends his mother to his disciple and his disciple to his mother. The young man becomes the Virgin’s protector adopted son while she becomes his mother. Here that disciple also becomes a symbol of the whole Church of Christ. We pray that there will always be a place for Mary, the mother of the Lord, in our lives and in our homes. Amen.

Fr Paul

NPVS Visitation to Our Lady of the Angels, Cwmbran

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:55:43 GMT

The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima and the Relics of Saints Francisco & Jacinta

Visit Our Lady of the Angels, Cwmbran

24th September 2022 (Saturday) 9am to 4:30pm

"I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day. Our Lady to the shepherd children, 13 Oct 1917

9:20am - Procession and enthronement of Our Lady together with the relics of St Jacinta & St Francisco

9:30am - Holy Mass

10:30am - Recitation/Meditation on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

11:00am - Veneration of the Relics

1:00pm - Film on the Message of Fatima followed by a Talk

2:45pm - Enrolment & Investiture of the Brown scapular

3:00pm - Adoration then Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 14th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:50:49 GMT

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in thanksgiving for the gift of Redemption and Salvation won for us by Jesus Christ, Incarnate Son of God, on the wood of the Cross. At Belmont we have an important, historic relic of the True Cross, which will be on display for our veneration today, as it is on Good Friday.

The Gospel chosen for today comes from John, (Jn 3: 13-17), part of the discourse of Jesus to Nicodemus, a leading Jew, who came to him by night to ask what he should do to be saved. Jesus says:

“No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.”

Jesus describes himself as the Son of Man who has come down from heaven, and yet remains in heaven. He must be lifted up just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness in order that those who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life. God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that those who believe in him might not be lost but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world but to save it. God loves us and shows us the depth of his love in his beloved Son. Who would not give thanks today on this wonderful feast?

Today Fr Michael returns to Belmont to be Prior and Novice Master in succession to Fr Brendan, not exactly the retirement he was hoping for, while Fr Brendan goes down into Hereford to become Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier and Dean of Herefordshire. I know you will pray for them both, that the Lord will bless and accompany them in their new ministries, granting them courage, wisdom, patience, compassion, good humour and personal holiness.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 13th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:49:11 GMT

I’ll be brief today as I wasn’t feeling too good yesterday and tried to have an early night. This coming Thursday I’ll be travelling out to Peru, so I hope to be in good shape for that long journey. It’s almost three years since I was last there and this visit includes the Canonical Visitation of the monastery, which I’ll conduct with the help of an abbot from Chile.

Our Gospel reading today is that of the Raising of the Widow of Nain’s Son, in which Luke shows us vividly the compassion of Jesus both for the living and the dead, (Lk 7: 11-17). This is the only occasion that Nain is mentioned in the Bible. “Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her.” We don’t know why Jesus was there nor why such a large crowd of people was following him. Rather like the confluence of two vast rivers, these large crowds of Jesus’ followers and those accompanying the burial of the young man meet. We are told that the dead man was the only son of a widowed mother. Jesus himself was the only son both of God and of Mary and his mother might well have been a widow by now. This miracle is prophetic of the passion and death of Jesus.

“When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.” Not only is Jesus compassionate, but he can heal the sick and raise the dead. In raising the young man to life and restoring him to his mother, he is saving the woman from certain destitution, as the young man was the only one to care for his mother. On the cross, Jesus will commend his mother to the loving care of the Beloved Disciple.

Lord God, in Christ Jesus you have visited your people. Have compassion on us today, heal our infirmities and raise our fallen spirits. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 12th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:47:42 GMT

It was good to return to Tintern Abbey for the annual celebration of Vespers after a break of two years. This time we were unable to pray inside the church as there is some problem with loose stonework that is being repaired and made safe. We were able to hold our ecumenical service on the lawn below the great east window. The view was quite stunning. It struck me that monasteries often look better from the outside, leaving you to imagine and perhaps invent the perfect life of the community within. How I would love to return to Tintern in its heyday to see what the life of the monks was really like at that time.

Our Gospel passage from Luke today, (Lk 7: 1-10), sees Jesus back in Capernaum, which he had made his headquarters and centre of activity. He’s approached by some Jewish elders who come asking a favour for the local centurion, whose servant is gravely ill. They plead earnestly with Jesus. “He deserves this of you, because he is friendly towards our people; in fact, he is the one who built the synagogue.” A Roman citizen and a Gentile, but obviously a God-fearer well disposed towards the Jewish population. Jesus goes with them, but not far from the centurion’s house, messengers come with a message from the man himself, “Sir, do not put yourself to trouble; because I am not worthy to have you under my roof; and for this same reason I did not presume to come to you myself; but give the word and let my servant be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.” Jesus is astonished by the centurion’s faith and humility. In fact, so surprised is he, that he turns round and says to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found faith like this.” In Luke’s Gospel we often find Jesus saying similar things about other pagans. Indeed, he often contrasts the lack of faith among his co-religionists with the faith and devotion of foreigners, pagans or Samaritans, a group of people hated by the Jews of his day. The desired miracle originally asked for takes place, for “when the messengers got back to the house, they found the servant in perfect health.”

The reading teaches us not to judge the faith of others. Only God knows what is in each one of us and his way of judging the quality and depth of faith might well be very different to our own. Lord, help us to see the goodness in others and to rejoice in their faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 11th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:45:57 GMT

Twenty-one years’ ago today, the terrifying events of 9/11 took place, a veritable apocalypse. We remember in prayer those killed, injured, bereaved and traumatised for life. We continue to pray for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua and Nigeria and for the flood victims of Pakistan, and we pray urgently for an end to the war in Ukraine and for peace for the Ukrainian people. I found the ceremonies surrounding the proclamation of King Charles III yesterday deeply moving, but unreal. I kept expecting the Queen to appear at any moment!

Today’s Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 15: 1-32), the three parables that explain the goodness and mercy of God and the joy there is in forgiveness, especially for God who goes in search of sinners and wants only to embrace and forgive them and reconcile them to himself and to others. However, there are two phrases in the second reading from the first letter of Paul to Timothy, (1 Tim 1: 12-17), that I would like to stop and look at. He begins by saying, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service.” This is how Queen Elizabeth saw her vocation as monarch chosen by God to guide and protect the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and all those with whom she came into contact on her visits all over the world. I found President Macron’s tribute to Her Majesty and his message to the British people particularly moving and revealing. Then St Paul writes, “The grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.” For me, these words sum up our Queen and her vision of the monarchy and her own life in particular. Grace, faith and love filled her heart and overflowed to us in all she said and did. She was in deep communion with God and very much a disciple of Jesus and an apostle. She was touched by God and became a channel of his grace, love, mercy and peace. As we give thanks to God for her life and pray for her eternal rest, so too we ask that our new King be blessed in the same way and walk firmly in the footsteps of his mother as he begins to fulfil his royal duties.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 10th September

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:44:28 GMT

An official Condolence Book has now been placed in the Abbey Church. You will find it at the Memorial Altar, where you can sign it and leave a message. As you know, the Abbey is open each day from 6am to 9.30pm, so you are welcome at any time. We continue to pray for Her Majesty, that she may rest in God’s peace together with Prince Philip, and for King Charles and Queen Camilla and all the Royal Family. As many have mentioned in their tributes, we think of Queen Elizabeth with deep affection for all that she did for this country, the Commonwealth and the world. Today I have received condolences from friends and from monks and nuns in many countries, so great is the affection and respect in which she is held by countless millions throughout the world.

Looking at today’s Gospel from Luke (Lk 6: 43-49), Jesus gives us two images that speak eloquently of Queen Elizabeth. “A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart, for a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.”

Whenever Her Majesty spoke to us, in whatever circumstance, you knew that you could rely on her words and take them to heart, for they came from the store of goodness that filled her heart. Jesus also said, speaking with his disciples, “Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them, is like the man who, when he built his house, laid the foundations on rock.” It was clear to us all that here was a woman of faith, who listened to the teaching of Jesus, acted accordingly and became the rock on which each one of her subjects could build their lives. She showed us quietly but surely what it means to be a Christian with a living faith and trust in God. May she rest in peace and may our hearts overflow with gratitude for all she did throughout her life for each one of us.

Fr Paul

Queen Elizabeth II Requiescat in Pace

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 08:04:04 GMT

Buckingham Palace has announced that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, paid tribute to The Queen:

“On 21 April 1947, on her twenty-first birthday, Princess Elizabeth said, ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.’

“Now, seventy-five years later, we are heartbroken in our loss at her death, and so full of admiration for the unfailing way in which she fulfilled that declaration.

“Even in my sorrow, shared with so many around the world, I am filled with an immense sense of gratitude for the gift to the world that has been the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

“At this time, we pray for the repose of the soul of Her Majesty. We do so with confidence, because the Christian faith marked every day of her life and activity.

“In her Millennium Christmas message, she said, ‘To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.’

“This faith, so often and so eloquently proclaimed in her public messages, has been an inspiration to me, and I am sure to many. The wisdom, stability and service which she consistently embodied, often in circumstances of extreme difficulty, are a shining legacy and testament to her faith.

“Our prayer is that she is now received into the merciful presence of God, there to be reunited with her beloved Prince Philip. This is the promise of our faith, and our deep consolation.

“Queen Elizabeth II will remain, always, a shining light in our history. May she now rest in peace. We pray for His Majesty the King, as he assumes his new office even as he mourns his mother. God save the King.”

Prayers

For the happy repose of HM The Queen

Almighty God,
You are the author and sustainer of all human life;
grant that your servant, Elizabeth our Queen,
whom you granted a long and happy reign as Monarch of these lands
may be forgiven her sins and rewarded with that eternal life
promised to all those born again
in the water of baptism and power of your Spirit.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit God, forever and ever,
Amen.

Eternal rest, grant to her O Lord,
And let Perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace.
Amen.

May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen

Psalm 121 – A Song of Ascents

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil;
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming,
both now and forever.

Canticle of Simeon

(Luke 2:29-32)

At last, all-powerful Master,
you give leave to your servant
to go in peace, according to your promise.

For my eyes have seen your salvation
Which you have prepared for all nations,
The light to enlighten the Gentiles
And give glory to Israel, your people.

Prayer for the Royal Family

Almighty God, source of all consolation,
we pray for the members of the Royal Family who mourn the loss
of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
Uphold them in your love
and pour out on them the consolation of your healing Spirit.
Let them find in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ
comfort in their sadness,
certainty in their doubt
and courage to live through this hour.
We ask this through Christ our Lord
Amen.

Prayer for the King

O God, to whom every human power is subject,
Grant to your servant His Majesty the King
wisdom in the exercise of his high office,
so that, always revering to you and striving to please you,
he may constantly secure and preserve
for the people entrusted to his care
the freedom that comes from unity and peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit
God, forever and ever,
Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 9th September

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 08:00:34 GMT

Although we all knew it was bound to happen one day, the shock and sense of loss we all feel at the death of our beloved Queen is hard to describe. She was the Mother of the Nation and Commonwealth and a mother to us all. When she spoke, you sensed she was talking with you and when she smiled, you knew she was smiling at you. I was almost five when she became Queen and remember the joyful celebration of her Coronation. What a wonderful example she has been to us throughout her life. How we shall miss her, but she has left us so many lasting memories and so much to be thankful for. We pray that the good Lord, in whom she believed with such deep faith, will receive her into his kingdom and grant her the reward of her labours here on earth. We pray for our new King and for all the Royal Family at this time of parting and bereavement. May her great soul rest in peace. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 8th September

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:59:02 GMT

Today we keep the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, such a beautiful feast. Many ancient churches are dedicated to this important moment in the life of Our Lady. Near Belmont we have the magnificent medieval pilgrimage church at Madley, well worth visiting, as well as two former Cistercian abbeys at Tintern and Abbey Dore. I enjoy visiting historic churches, even if they’re in ruins now, and praying in them. This coming Sunday, for example, there will be Vespers at Tintern Abbey at 3pm, an ecumenical celebration, to which all are welcome. We pray for good weather. The Church only celebrates three birthdays, that of Our Lord, that of Our Lady and that of St John the Baptist. Saints’ days are usually those of their death, a tradition begun with the martyrs in the early Church, but known as their birthday, the day they were born into heaven.

The Gospel for today comes from Matthew, (Mt 1: 1-16, 18-23), the genealogy of Jesus and the annunciation to Joseph, a strange choice at first sight, but more obvious when we start reading. It begins, “A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham,” and then traces the ancestors of Jesus from Abraham, the father of Israel and our father in faith, right down to Joseph, the humble carpenter of Nazareth, who was betrothed to Mary. It’s an interesting genealogy as, unusually, it includes women, of whom Mary is the last and greatest, for “of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.” The Gospel then goes on to tell us how Jesus was conceived and the instructions given to Joseph, all to fulfil the prophesy of Isaiah, that Jesus, the Saviour, would be Emmanuel, God-is-with-us. “This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’”

Whereas Joseph is the “son of David,” Mary is the mother of Jesus, the Saviour, Emmanuel, God-with-us, “through the Holy Spirit.” Joseph is to take Mary to his home as his wife and name the child who is to be born of her Jesus, yet it is clear that he is not the father, only the “man of honour,” chosen by God to watch over the child and its mother. The Incarnation, which could not have taken place without the ‘Fiat” of Mary, will fulfil the words of the prophet and bring salvation to all those who become his people through faith and baptism. Mary is, indeed, Mother of God and Mother of the Church.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 7th September

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:57:31 GMT

After months of dry weather, often very hot as well, on Monday night the heavens finally opened and, with thunder and lightning, we had a night’s heavy rainfall. However, the ground was so dry, that yesterday morning the grass was dry underfoot once more as Toby and I took stock of Belmont by the first light of dawn.

Our Gospel passage for today presents us with Luke’s version of the Beatitudes, (Lk 6: 20-26). Strangely, considering that this is Luke, they are not as poetic as Matthew’s, which we find in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 1-12). Luke’s Beatitudes are raw and to the point, frightening and even threatening, I would say. This is what we read today:

“Fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said:

‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.

Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.

Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.

But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.

Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.

Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’”

Jesus stares hard at his disciples, fixing his gaze on them. They cannot hope to escape from what he is about to say. Those who are truly blessed are the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful and those who are hated, rejected and persecuted now, for the kingdom of God is theirs and they will be rewarded in such a way that they will rejoice and dance for joy in the age to come. Their sufferings are for the present age alone, for when the kingdom is fully inaugurated, it will be theirs for all eternity. On the other hand, those having a good time now, for whom everything is going well in every respect, had better beware and think twice, for this world is the only heaven they will enjoy and ahead for them lies what the blessed are going through now. The roles will be reversed. Jesus is not afraid to warn his disciples that catastrophe can lie ahead for those who seek the good life here on earth.

I must confess that it is this version of the Beatitudes that makes me think seriously about my life and how I live it, my goals and how I seek them. As St Benedict asks of his novices in the Holy Rule, “Are you truly seeking God?” I ask myself today, Am I truly seeking God?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 5th September

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:18:27 GMT

I was so pleased to be able to watch part of the Mass for the Beatification of Blessed John Paul I from St Peter’s Square in Rome yesterday morning. Although Pope for only 33 days, he was a pastor I deeply admired even before he became Patriarch of Venice and then Pope. I loved his writings and his homilies. He was a bishop in whom his teaching and his person were one, in fact one of the most transparently holy people I have ever known. I still enjoy reading that little book of his, Illustrissimi, conversations with famous people. May he soon go on to be declared a saint, for he is one of the candidates who truly deserves to be numbered among the saints of heaven.

Our Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 6: 6-11), which we read today sees Jesus in conflict yet again with the scribes and Pharisees. What was it that they hated most about Jesus? It was probably their own inability to do the wonderful things he did, those merciful acts of healing and forgiveness. They were envious of his ability to work miracles and jealous of the affection in which the crowds and his disciples held him. Why else would they be angry that Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, even if it was on the Sabbath. Jesus was right, and they knew it, when he said to them, “I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?” They knew the Law perfectly well and could not have been unaware that Jesus was right.

What does this teach us? Well, I’d say not to make excuses for not doing some good action, even on a Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Not to criticise others for doing well those things we would rather not do ourselves. To appreciate the good things that others do. Never to be envious or jealous of others. Above all, to realise that Jesus wants to heal us. We are that man with the withered hand. All we have to do is trust in Jesus and give ourselves to him. That hand, and all else, can be healed.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 4th September

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:17:07 GMT

Belmont celebrates the Solemnity of the Dedication of the Abbey Church on 4 ^th September, remembering that our church was consecrated on this day in the year 1860. Feasts of dedication or consecration are considered to be solemnities of Christ himself, for all churches are ultimately dedicated to Christ the Saviour, no matter which saint or saints they might also be dedicated to, in Belmont’s case St Michael and All Angels. So at Belmont today, the Liturgy will be that of the Dedication, but as our regular readers live all over the world, I’ll say just a few words about the Gospel of the day, Sunday of the 23 ^rd week in Ordinary Time, year C, which comes from Luke, (Lk 14: 25-33).

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus issues a general invitation to the crowds following him, men, women and children alike, with no distinction of race, sex or colour. “If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus isn’t asking us to hate our loved ones, but rather that we should love him first in order to love others in him and so love them with a divine and perfect love, to love them as Jesus loves them and as the Father loves them in Jesus. Our discipleship, our following of Jesus, should come first, carrying our cross with him, in him and for him. Jesus goes a step further, when he says, “None of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.” Again, this doesn’t mean having absolutely nothing at all, but rather putting Christ first and relying on him and on Divine Providence rather than on material things, especially our possessions, and not setting our hearts on material things. We are but pilgrims passing through this world, therefore we should not set our hearts on the things of this world, but keep our hearts and minds focused on the kingdom of heaven, the world that is to come and is eternal. Lord, help us to follow you as true disciple and to put nothing before our love of you. Amen.

Fr Paul

Copy of Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 3rd September

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:14:23 GMT

Today, the Roman Church keeps the feast of Pope St Gregory the Great, a feast originally kept on 12 ^th March. He was born around the year 540 and died on 12 ^th March 604. He is one of the most important and influential saints in the history of the Church, recognised as such by all the Churches. He was proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim shortly after his death. He was elected Bishop of Rome on this day in the year 590. Previously he had been Papal ambassador to the Imperial Court at Constantinople. Together with St Augustine of Canterbury, Gregory, who sent him to England, is regarded as the Apostle of the English People. For us Benedictines, he is important for the Life of St Benedict we find in the Second Book of the Dialogues. The Downside community live under his patronage and protection, so today we pray especially for Abbot Nicholas and the Community of St Gregory the Great.

The Gospel for the feast is taken from Matthew, (Mt 16: 13-19), Caesarea Philippi and that pivotal moment in the Gospel narrative which is Peter’s declaration of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This prompts Jesus to reply, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” Peter, of course, is speaking in the name of the Twelve and, through them, of their successors as well as his and, indeed, for the whole Church. Peter speaks for us all when he declares Jesus to be, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is the faith in which Gregory believed, the faith he taught and the faith he sent Augustine and his companions to preach in England. It was the faith he shared with the Church of Constantinople and that we share with the Orthodox and all Byzantine Christians today. We ask St Gregory to pray for us, that we might remain faithful to the legacy of faith he has given us and all Christians.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 2nd September

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 06:12:17 GMT

It’s already the second day of September and it strikes me that from tomorrow I shall have to wear my miner’s torch when taking Toby out first thing as I’ve been doing for the past ten days when going out in the evening. We take our evening stroll around nine o’clock and it lasts about half an hour. One of the great joys of early September are the blackberries, not so large this year for lack of rain, but with an intensity of flavour that makes grappling with the brambles well worth it.

We continue reading Luke, (Lk 5: 33-39), where Jesus has words with a group of scribes and Pharisees, who compare the behaviour of his disciples unfavourably with that of John the Baptist’s. “John’s disciples are always fasting and saying prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees too, but yours go on eating and drinking.” John had a particularly austere lifestyle and, no doubt, his followers did as well. Jesus, on the hand, did not. He spent a good deal of time in prayer and solitude, but was admired more for his preaching and his miracles than for any special penitential practices. He was an ordinary Jew, you could say, and so were his disciples. What was extraordinary was their faith and courage, not esoteric austerities and penances. The only fast his disciples will experience will be the absence of Jesus when he is taken prisoner, condemned and put to death, but even that fast will last no longer than three days.

All this teaches us that what Jesus asks of us is uncompromising faith, especially in the face of rejection and persecution, to be faithful in our discipleship and obedient to God’s commandments. May the Lord himself grant us this grace. Amen.

Fr Paul

Golden Valley Ukraine Welcome Group August Update

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:54:53 GMT

Update August 2022

A group of people in a number of churches in the Golden Valley have come together to act as a “hub” to welcome people fleeing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The hub, called the Golden Valley Ukraine Welcome Group, came out of a meeting in April at Belmont Abbey, and includes Belmont Abbey and Ewyas Harold Churches Together (including Eaton Bishop), and is coordinated by Belmont parishioner Austen Ivereigh with the support of a steering group.

The past several weeks have been a steep learning curve about the processes involved in receiving Ukrainians. Austen and the team have been liaising weekly with the Diocese of Hereford, which is in turn coordinating the various clusters across Herefordshire. The Diocese is given names of potential guests (Ukrainians who are interested in coming to the UK) by Citizens UK; the diocese then passes the names out to the clusters, which make contact with the guests. Some Ukrainians tell us they have already made arrangements, or don’t want to be in rural areas, or don’t reply at all.

What we have learned is that the kinds of people who want to resettle in the UK tend to be of the more professional, middle-class backgrounds: they have smartphones and possibly cars, although of course they are fleeing destruction and death just as much as the next person. For the less educated and poorer Ukrainians in the camps of Europe, the UK is too far away and too complicated to think about; they prefer to try their luck in Poland or Slovakia so they stay close to Ukraine.

We had hoped to rent a property for a larger family, but so far this has been too complicated and risky because there were too many uncertainties involved. To this end there is now a dedicated Ukrainian fund set up and managed by the Bursar of Belmont Abbey Charitable Trust and some donations have already been received and gift aided.

Meanwhile one local couple in our area are already independently hosting some Ukrainian guests, and they attended the Ukrainian service with tea/coffee afterwards at Belmont Abbey last Sunday (1 ^st Sunday of every month).

We have now learned that there are “Adverse Cases”, where the family have already obtained a visa but have subsequently been let down by their initial sponsor and are again waiting for accommodation. One such family will soon be moving into a property within the Belmont Abbey Grounds, the monks having chosen not to charge any rent for a year. We will use the above fund to support the family until they can become independent.

Also this week we were put in touch with a Christian couple in town who are happy to let their two bedroom property at a reduced rent specifically for a Ukrainian family, and are prepared to wait for payment until the guests arrive. Hence now we are looking to match up a family for this house and are raising funds to cover their rent and bills as well as supporting this family to settle in.

If you would like to assist in any way, donate to our fund or wish to know more information, please contact

Jane Davies ( jf58davies@gmail.com ) or Gabrielle Stanley ( gabriellemarystanley@gmail.com )

Job oppertunity; County Ecumenical Officer, Churches Together in Herefordshire

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:51:19 GMT

New Paragraph

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 1st September

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:45:18 GMT

“Fear not; you will become fishers of men.” This must be one of the most famous sayings of Jesus found in the Gospels. The words were directed at Simon after that first miraculous catch of fish, when, following an unsuccessful night, Jesus suggested he put out into deep water and pay out his net for a catch. Alone with his fellow fishermen, they had caught nothing, but obeying the voice of Jesus, the catch was so great that their nets began to tear and it took two boats to haul the fish ashore. With Jesus, what appears impossible becomes possible both in the workplace and, more importantly, in the mission to which Jesus is inviting Simon and his companions. Today we are reading from Luke, (Lk 5: 1-11). As a result of that encounter with Jesus, we are told that, “they left everything and followed him.”

The episode began like this: “Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.” Luke’s description conjures up a wonderful picture, does it not? Jesus needing a pulpit from which to preach, steps onto one of the boats he sees near the shoreline. It happens to be Simon’s. Because of the acoustic provided by the water, he is able to sit in order to address the crowds, reminding us of the patriarch Moses, who sat to address the people of Israel. Jesus is the new Moses who teaches us the new Law, new because it now comes directly from the mouth of God. It is a teaching supported and sustained by the miraculous works that give proof of the preacher’s identity. In his words and in his works, the disciples recognised Jesus to be the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 31st August

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 06:35:16 GMT

Today, in England, we keep the feast of St Aidan, an Irish monk, who was invited by King Oswald in the year 633 to come over to Northumbria and set about converting his kingdom to the Christian faith. He was given the island of Lindisfarne to be the centre of his mission and of the bishopric that would be centred on his new monastic foundation. He was able to combine an austere Celtic form of monastic life with that of a travelling missionary and bishop, a rare gift indeed, the fruit of God’s grace and loving kindness.

We continue our reading of Luke’s Gospel, (Lk 4: 38-44), with Jesus’ healing Simon’s mother-in-law of a high fever and then, at sunset, healing those who were brought to him with various diseases or possessed by some evil spirit. These somehow recognised him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” This is an interesting phenomenon also recorded in the other Gospels, that evil spirits should recognise Jesus as the Son of God whereas his disciples and other folk could not. In fact, Jesus had to rebuke them “for they knew he was the Christ.”

He appears to have spent the night healing those brought to him by family and friends, but at daybreak he left the house, “and made his way to a lonely place.” It’s clear that he was hoping to spend some quality time, as we say today, in quiet solitude and prayer before moving on to another village. However, the inevitable happens. “The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him, they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.” The crowds, somewhat selfishly, try to stop Jesus leaving, but Jesus reminds them that the Good News of the kingdom of God is not only for them, it has to be preached in all the towns and villages. That is the Father’s will to which Jesus is obedient. Soon he will empower his disciples to share in his saving work, but as yet they are not prepared. We could ask ourselves what the Lord wants us to do today in order the let others know of the coming of the kingdom of God. This is something we should all ask the Lord in prayer. Lord, what do you want me to do to further God’s reign on earth and, more specifically, where I live?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 30th August

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 06:34:09 GMT

Today the Church in Herefordshire celebrates the feast of the martyr Blessed Roger Cadwallador, who suffered the most horrible death in Leominster on 27 ^th August 1610 for the sole crime of being a Catholic priest, who ministered to his poor flock throughout the county both in English and in Welsh, as he had been born into a Welsh Catholic family at Stretton Sugwas in 1568. He studied for the priesthood in France and Spain and was ordained a priest at Valladolid in 1593. In addition to being an exemplary pastor under persecution, he was also a brilliant linguist and an acknowledged Greek scholar. Tragically, he gave his life for Christ and his Church at the early age of 41. We pray that he may not be forgotten, but rather continue to serve as an example for all Christians as well as for Catholics. Among the many Reformation martyrs, I find him one of the most attractive.

Yesterday Toby and I were able to spend the day with my mother. From the small amount of traffic on the roads, you could hardly tell it was a bank holiday. My mother is amazingly back to preparing full meals again, so it was both lunch and supper for me, but just supper for Toby as he was exhausted by the journey down. We decided not to go to the beach on account of the crowds and the heat: in the sun it was very hot indeed. Toby preferred to sleep on the cool kitchen floor and take short walks in the garden. I was blessed in having a long siesta.

Our Gospel reading comes from Luke, (Lk 4: 31-37), and begins with a typical Lucan summary, one of the many skills of the author. “Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.” This will be a constant throughout the Gospel, that Jesus makes a deep impression on the people, who meet him and listen to his teaching or are present at his miracles, for what he does and says is brought about with an authority that no one else has. Luke immediately gives an example of what he is saying when Jesus casts out an unclean devil. “In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.” The crowd that sees the miracle is astounded. People are amazed at his teaching, which has power and authority that they have never seen before. This is also true for us today. We, too, have experienced the power and authority of Jesus in our lives. Let us share our faith with others, then, with joy and thanksgiving.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 29th August

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 10:49:59 GMT

Yesterday, together with our postulants Br Craig and Br Alvidas and a large number of pilgrims, it was an enormous joy and privilege to take part in the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of the Jesuit martyr St David Lewis at Usk in Monmouthshire. We began with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the beautiful Catholic church, followed by Sung Vespers and Benediction.Then we processed with a relic of the saint while reciting litanies and the Rosary to the place of his execution. Here prayers were said, then we processed through the town centre to the graveyard surrounding the Anglican parish church of St Mary, from the 11thcentury until the dissolution of the monasteries a Benedictine nunnery, for it is here that our saint lies buried. Here further prayers were said and the relic venerated by the pilgrims. The whole celebration lasted two hours, after which I took the relic into St Mary’s to pray for the conversion of England and Wales. We must keep up the prayers and continue the work that St David Lewis left us to complete. We were all rewarded by an excellent tea.

Today I shall be visiting my mother, hopefully with Toby, his first visit since last October. It is the feast of the Martyrdom or Beheading of St John the Baptist and, although we would normally be expecting to begin our daily reading from Luke, today’s Mass has a special Gospel reading from Mark, (Mk 6: 17-29), which describes in great detail the circumstances of his beheading. It’s a well-known, somewhat gruesome and sorry tale, in which we see our saint put to death because of the foolish promise of a proud and stupid man in his cups. It is like a parable in that this is a sad story that has repeated itself throughout history, rash decisions made whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, or enslaved to lust, anger and blind rage. Such decisions were frequently made at the time of the Reformation and go onunabated to this day. We pray for those nations still governed by tyrants, where people, especially Christians, live in fear of their lives. I think of the Church in Nicaragua at this moment and ask you to pray for the grave situation there.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 28th August

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 10:48:26 GMT

I am looking forward to taking part in the Pilgrimage for St David Lewis at Usk today. I last went in the late 1970s, not long before I went out to Peru. I wonder what it will be like, starting up again after the Pandemic. St David Lewis was put to death on 27th August 1679, just five days after his close relative St John Kemble, both victims of the priest hunt that took place as a result of the Titus Oates plot. They were sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered only for the crime of being Catholic priests who celebrated Mass for their congregations. It’s interesting to note that Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, together with the town of Brecon, had a sizeable Catholic population throughout penal times, a fact that is often forgotten or ignored. May our martyrs pray for us today, that we might bear witness to our faith in Christ and in the Church that brought the faith to these Isles and has nourished that faith to the present day.

Our Gospel reading today, being Sunday, comes from Luke, (Lk 14: 1, 7-14), an interesting passage, as we see Jesus invited to a meal at the house of one of the leading Pharisees. However, there would appear to be an ulterior motive for the invitation: “they watched him carefully.” Yet, it was Jesus who did the careful watching, “because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour,” as a result of which, “he then told the guests a parable.” Jesus elevates the gathering into a wedding feast and warns people not to go straight for the best places in case someone more important should arrive resulting in their being asked to go down the table to the lowest places. All this to emphasise the importance of humility, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” But why the importance of humility? Because God himself is humble, for he took upon himself the very human nature he created, that as a man, Jesus Christ, he could save his people from sin and death and reconcile them to himself in Christ. As St Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” I still enjoy reading John MacQuarrie’s excellent little book, The Humility of God , published in 1978. You should try it.

Jesus goes on to say more, no longer in the form of a parable, this time to his host, as he had seen the quality of the guests invited. “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.” This is sound advice and needs no commentary. As dear Abbot Jerome always used to say, “If only Christians would put into effect what Jesus taught, what a different world it would be.” Amen to that!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 27th August

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 06:54:25 GMT

It was a great joy to welcome to the Abbey for Mass and Vespers no less than forty pilgrims walking from Swansea to Hereford on the St Thomas Way with the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Ecumenical Walking Pilgrimages. They set out from Swansea on 13th August and end in Hereford today. All along the route they pray for the people they meet and the churches they visit and for families and friends at home. This pilgrimage was to have taken place two years’ ago to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the canonisation of St Thomas Cantilupe, St Thomas of Hereford. I’m always amazed how each day the Lord gifts us people to inspire and teach us, people we remember with thanksgiving.

Today we come to our last weekday reading from Matthewfor this year, (Mt 25: 14-30), with the Parable of the Talents. Incidentally, it’s also the feast of St Monica, the mother of St Augustine of Hippo. She was instrumental in his conversion to the Christian faith, through her prayer and example. Let us thank God for our own mothers and grandmothers, whose greatest gift to us, together with the gift of life itself, was the gift of faith.

We all know the Parable of the Talents like the back of our hand, so I won’t repeat it, but I would say that the very first words of Jesus sum it up. “The kingdom of Heaven is like a man….” Who is that man but Jesus, the Son and Word of God, through whom all that is came to be and in whom all things are reconciled to the Father and filled with the Holy Spirit. Where Jesus, the Risen Christ and Saviour is, there is the kingdom, which is not a place but a Person, God himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is in our Risen Lord and the power of his Spirit that we are united to our heavenly Father through faith and baptism. Even so, with all that has been gifted us by God, the talents, much is expected of us as we respond lovingly to God’s love and the gift of life and salvation. Let us pray today and always for the grace to respond fully to all that God has given us in Christ and to do so in the joy of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father and for the good of our neighbour and the world in which we live.

Fr Paul

A Reflection from the Bishops of England and Wales of the Synodal National Synthesis Document

jonathonnicholls@yahoo.co.uk (Jonathon Nicholls) — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 06:52:30 GMT

A Reflection from the Bishops of England and Wales following the compilation of the Synodal National Synthesis Document can be read here

Vespers at Tintern Abbey

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 06:45:54 GMT

SERVICE OF S U N G

V ES P E R S

Tintern Abbey

Sunday 11th September 2022, 3pm

An ecumenical celebration of Evening Prayer

Speaker: Fr. Barnabas Page

Catholic Parish Priest – Forest of Dean

Choir: Newport Cathedral (St Woolos’) Choir

Director Dr Emma Gibbins

Please bring a folding chair. The service will be held in the Abbey grounds due to safety issues. Entry is free for those attending the service.

Lunches & teas are available in the Village

Organised by Friends of Our Lady of Tintern With kind permission of CADW

Tel 01291 624017 (Secretary)

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 26th August

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 06:05:42 GMT

Late on Tuesday night I heard of the death of a dear friend of old, Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia, whose book The Orthodox Church, by Timothy Wear, as he was then and published in 1963, was my first introduction to Orthodoxy. It was one of the reasons why I read Modern Greek at university. He died peacefully in his home in Oxford early in the morning of 24 ^th August. He had received the sacraments of the Church and was supported by a faithful group of close friends, who have given him unstinting care during many months of illness. Bishop Kallistos was a true friend and a gracious spiritual guide to many people all over the world. His was a clear, sane and authoritative voice, rooted in diligent scholarship and very effective teaching. His influence as a theologian extended far beyond his own church and Christians everywhere are very much in his debt for his wisdom and unflinching preaching of the Gospel within the tradition of the Church. Perhaps his greatest achievement was to make Christianity intelligible, attractive and credible. Bishop Kallistos had a long friendship with the monks of Mount Athos and was devoted to upholding their spiritual life. I commend him to the Lord and to His Most Holy Mother, as well as to St Seraphim of Sarov, for whom he had deep affection, and to your prayers.

Our Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 25: 1-13), the Parable of the Ten Virgins or Bridesmaids is most apt as we ponder on the mystery of death. As I mentioned yesterday, with these apocalyptic parables, I tend to ask myself some very personal questions. Am I a wise virgin or a foolish one? Were the Lord to call me tonight, would I have oil ready to take with my lamp to the wedding feast? Am I ready and prepared to see the Bridegroom, knowing him to be Christ? More to the point, do I really want to meet him? Were we to meet, what would he say to me? “I do not know you?” perhaps? Thinking of these things, am I staying awake? Am I focussing my attention on the Lord, or not? Where does my heart belong, in heaven or on earth? What questions have come to your mind?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 25th August

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 06:04:41 GMT

On Saturday we will conclude our reading of Matthew’s Gospel on weekdays for this year. On Monday we move on to Luke. In today’s passage, (Mt 24: 42-51), Jesus warns his disciples to be prepared for his return in glory to judge the living and the dead and to recapitulate all things in himself. He says, “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” I’ve always read this and similar passages in a very personal way. Whilst in no way doubting the Second Coming of Our Lord, the Son of Man, at the end of time, I am very much aware that my own death is probably far more imminent than Christ’s return in glory. Hence, Jesus’ warning is very much for me, here and now. I must stay awake, for I do not know when the master, like a thief in the night, is coming to call me. It is I who must stand ready, for Jesus is coming at an hour that I do not expect.

When Jesus talks figuratively of masters and servants, it’s meant to be an example that ordinary people in his day would understand. We must never forget that at the Last Supper, according to John, Jesus called his disciples friends rather than servants, as he revealed to them all that was in his mind and all that was going to happen as regards his Passion, Death and Resurrection. Nevertheless, God is the creator and we are his creatures and he expects us to be faithful and wise in all we do in this life, so as to be suitably rewarded in the life to come. But, of course, we act with justice not for any heavenly reward but because we love him as he loves us and has shown us the depths of his love in Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Master. Jesus says, “Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment.” What is that employment if not the keeping of God’s commandments and the following of Jesus’ example, loving and forgiving others as he has loved and forgiven us?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 24th August

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 06:07:15 GMT

Today the Universal Church remembers St Rose of Lima, although in Latin America her feast is kept on 30 ^th August. Having spent the best years of my life in Peru, all twenty of them, I have many, many happy memories both of her feast day and of St Rose herself. Although paintings and statues depict her as a Dominican nun, she wasn’t a nun, but a lay associate. She lived at home with her parents and built herself a mud hut in the garden. The house was just opposite the house where St Martin of Porres was born and brought up. Her baptismal name was Isabel (Elizabeth), but she was such a beautiful baby that people said she looked like a rose and the name stuck. She must be one of the few saints known and canonised by her nickname. She was renowned for her charity and her chastity, for her spirit of penance and prayer and for the simplicity and beauty of her faith. Born on 20 ^th April 1586, she died on 24 ^th August 1617. She was beatified 50 years after her death and canonised just 4 years later, the first American to be declared a saint. She is the patron saint of the Americas and of the Philippines and is dearly loved.

In our Gospel passage today, we continue to read Matthew, (Mt 23: 23-26), the attack of Jesus against the scribes and Pharisees and, of course, their hypocrisy.

“Jesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, without neglecting the others. You blind guides! Straining out gnats and swallowing camels! Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.’” In what does this hypocrisy consist? Here Jesus mentions their obsessive addiction to meaningless minutiae and their neglect of “weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, good faith.” Essentially, they are trivialising the observance of the Law to the exclusion of what really lies at the heart of it, the very mind and heart of God, the rule of the kingdom. Their religion is made up of externals that have no interior spiritual value at all. But obviously, Jesus’ intention in uttering these words goes beyond their immediate context to the times in which we live and the dangers facing his Church in every age, We, too, and our leaders can behave as did the scribes and Pharisees and there have been moments in history when, as a Church, we have. Lord, help us always to focus on what is truly important and central to our faith. May all our thoughts, words and actions be a faithful reflexion of our faith, life of prayer and humble service. May we always follow the example of St Rose and of all the saints. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 23rd August

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 08:51:43 GMT

In our Gospel passage today, we continue to read Matthew, (Mt 23: 23-26), the attack of Jesus against the scribes and Pharisees and, of course, their hypocrisy.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 22nd August

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 06:08:29 GMT

Today the Universal Church keeps the feast of the Queenship of Our Lady, originally the Octave of the Assumption, but in Herefordshire, and so at Belmont, we keep the feast of our much-loved local martyr, St John Kemble, who was put to death on this day in 1679 at the age of eighty, after serving as a missionary priest in Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, where there were many recusant families. He was born at Sr Weonards and is buried at Welsh Newton. His cousin, St David Lewis, born at Abergavenny and a Jesuit, was put to death five days’ later and is buried at Usk. It is a tragic page in the history of our country that good, brave, holy and much-loved men should be put to death solely for being Catholic priests. We commend our nation and its peoples to their intercession today and pray for a portion of the faith that they shared and for which they were prepared to die.

In our Gospel passage today, we continue to read Matthew, (Mt 23: 13-22), where Jesus attacks the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He begins, “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.”

There is nothing that Jesus hates more than hypocrisy. He says that the scribes and Pharisees are “blind guides,” for they encourage people to swear oaths that are neither necessary nor part of the Law. People should simply be encouraged to tell the truth and to say what they really think and know. Jesus wants nothing to do with cluttered and complicated religion, made up of a thousand minor laws and regulations. He calls us, rather, to follow him in obedience and love, keeping our hearts and minds focussed on God and his will for us. Everything else is superfluous and to no avail. Let us pray today for the gift of loving and serving God in purity of heart after the example of our great martyrs, Saints John Kemble and David Lewis. Early next week, in Herefordshire, we will also be celebrating Blessed Roger Cadwallador. Why not look up your own local saints and martyrs? There is so much to be learned from their lives. They have left us an indelible example of Christian faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 21st August

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 06:07:03 GMT

There’s nothing worse than being ignored. It sometimes happens at a counter, when the assistant who should be serving you just keeps talking to another member of staff. Almost as bad is trying to get through to someone on the phone and being told that all the lines are busy and that you have been put into a queue. To add insult to injury, you are probably paying for the call. In the Gospels there are several parables and stories where the entrance has been locked and some unfortunate people are clamouring to get in and being told, “Go away. I don’t know who you are.” To be told by God, who knows us through and through, that he no longer knows us, is by far the bleakest place in which to be. We find one such case in today’s Gospel from Luke, (Lk 13: 22-30). But what is this all about?

We remember that in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that he is the door of the sheepfold. He also says that he is the doorkeeper, and that he is the way, the truth and the life. I have always found that John is the key to understanding the Synoptics. So when we read the first paragraph of today’s Gospel passage, we immediately begin to get the message. Here is the text. “Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” Jesus himself is the narrow door through which we enter the kingdom of heaven. To enter that door, we have to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour and surrender our lives to him through faith and baptism, and obedience to his commandments. It’s really as simple as that. We remember the parable of the Ten Virgins or Bridesmaids. The five foolish ones, who didn’t take oil along for their lamps, were unprepared, they hadn’t taken their relationship with Jesus seriously, but Jesus demands our all, albeit lovingly. No matter how merciful God is, he still asks us to do our part. Salvation, the kingdom of heaven, is a gift, the Father’s gift to us in Jesus through his Spirit, but it doesn’t come cheaply. The great Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who died a martyr in 1945 for his opposition to the Nazi government, wrote of the phenomenon of half-hearted Christians wanting ‘cheap grace’.

So Jesus warns us today against the temptation to go for ‘cheap grace’ without making our own contribution of self-giving in response to the self-emptying sacrifice of Christ. God loved us first, but his love demands the response of love freely given in joy and thanksgiving. In the specific context of this Gospel passage, Jesus is speaking of his countrymen and co-religionists who will not accept him as Messiah and refuse to walk the path of discipleship. Read in our own context, he would be referring to all those who do not put the reign of God first in their lives. In Matthew we read, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice (righteousness), and all these things will be added to you.” (Mt 6: 33). We must invite God to take possession of our lives, hand back to him the gift of life he has given us. This is why Jesus concludes by saying, “There are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.” Are you living the enigma of being a Christian? May God be merciful to both first and last.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 20th August

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 08:12:02 GMT

On Monday, 22nd August, in Herefordshire we will celebrate the feast of our local martyr Saint John Kemble and tomorrow,Sunday 21st, there will be the annual pilgrimage to his grave at Welsh Newton. If you are planning to go, make sure to arrive in plenty of time, (the graveside service begins at 3pm). If you’re not planning on going, why not reconsider and join the pilgrims? For the past two years, due to the pandemic, the pilgrimage had to be cancelled, but this Sunday seems to be the ideal day for a short walk in the countryside and a prayerful visit to our local saint.

Today we continue reading the Gospel of Matthew, (Mt 23: 1-12), where Jesus addresses his disciples and the people on the teaching and attitudes of the scribes and the Pharisees. He says, “The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.” Now among the scribes and Pharisees there must have been good men, who faithfully observed the law and were humble before God and their fellows, but it would appear that a fair number of them were more interested in their positions of authority in society and enforcing their own personal interpretation of the Law of Moses to the detriment of their followers and those who heard their teaching. Jesus isn’t too impressed with their personal behaviour or the way in which they observe the Law.

He then goes on to say, “You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” Under no circumstances should his disciples follow the example of the scribes and Pharisees. The hallmarks of a disciple of Jesus should be humility, modesty and obedience to the will of God. They are not to usurp the authority of God and of his Christ, choosing to serve rather than be served, humble service rather than exaltation. In other words, they should look to Jesus both for teaching and example. Help us, Lord, to become more like you each passing day and so bring others to salvation, as did St John Kemble, through our humility and patience. Amen.

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 19th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:01:24 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 19 ^th August 2022

My last visit to Latin America was in February 2020 and it was to our monastery in Peru. Little did we realise then that Covid-19 would shortly be taking over our lives and our world. Before Covid, I travelled regularly throughout the Andean republics, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean as a member of the International Team of AIM (Alliance for International Monasticism), leading workshops, teaching courses, giving retreats and checking up on the many projects we helped finance at monastic foundations. I’m not sure that I have the strength or the will to do this anymore. I’ll leave it to the Lord to work that one out. Nevertheless, I will be visiting our brethren at the monastery in Lurin, where their lives and that of their neighbours continues to be badly affected by the pandemic and chronic misgovernment. If you could help the brethren and their work with the poor and needy in any way, I’d be eternally grateful.

One of the countries I have visited many times, and dearly love, is Nicaragua, where the Church is being sorely tested and persecuted at this very moment by the government. I regularly visited and supported two communities, one Benedictine, the other Cistercian. I ask your prayers for their safety, particularly as they are communities of women. It’s best I say no more, but do look up news online of this beautiful but ruined country and pray for her poor and longsuffering people.

Our short Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 22: 24-40), shows us how at this stage of his ministry both Pharisees and Sadducees were out to get him. They longed to trap him and have him put to death. We read, “When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’” The Pharisees always try to trick Jesus into giving unorthodox or false teaching, but how could Jesus do that? It was the Pharisees themselves who taught a wrong interpretation of the Law of God, one that allowed them to dominate the hearts and minds of their hearers. The Father sent his Son into the world not to enslave us, but to set us free to enjoy the freedom of the children of God. Let us enjoy that freedom by remaining always faithful to Jesus and the truth of the Gospel.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 18th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:00:09 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 18 ^th August 2022

Yesterday morning Toby and I woke around 4am to the sound of heavy rain. I sleep with my window wide open, so it was a particularly refreshing sound and smell, of course, and there was even the suspicion of a gentle breeze. I thought Toby might not want to go for his usual walk because of the rain, but he loved it and wouldn’t miss a moment of it as he went along drinking from the many pools of rainwater and relishing the coolness of the raindrops. Although I needed an umbrella to keep dry, I must confess it was heavenly after the intense heat and lack of rain over the past months. When we were out around 6am, there were enormous pools of water everywhere. Three hours later, when we went out for our second walk, not a single pool was left. Every drop of water had been absorbed and the grass on the playing field was dry underfoot.

We are coming to the end of Matthew, (Mt 22: 1-14), and so we find ourselves reading those parables of the kingdom that are apocalyptic in style and content. They reflect a certain disappointment among the earlier followers of Jesus that there was such rejection of his person and message among those of his race and religion to whom he first came and preached. It was clear to the early Christians that their main mission should be to the Gentiles, and it was Jesus himself who led the way, especially in these parables of the kingdom. Today we appear to have two parables that have been joined together, that of the king’s wedding banquet for his son and that of a wedding guest who tries to enter the feast without a proper wedding garment, odd in view of the fact that those invited would not come to the feast, so in the end anyone who was free was invited, almost coerced to come into the feast, so that the hall would be full. The first parable is a potted history of Israel up to the coming of Jesus, a history that was often of rejection of God and his prophets, and now the rejection of his Son made man. “Come to the wedding,” is the invitation. For a multiplicity of reasons or on account of total indifference, a clear NO is the answer. In his just anger, God sends out his messengers, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” These are the faithful few, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, and the Gentiles, now called to salvation in Christ.

Here we find the second parable attached to the first. The wedding hall is full, but the king notices a guest improperly dressed. “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” Here the lesson is that no one can enter the kingdom unprepared, that lack of preparation symbolised by the lack of a wedding garment. There is the question of faith and baptism, of living the Gospel and keeping the commandments, which is why the Lord warns us that, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Let us pray and work hard to make sure that we are among the chosen.

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 17th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:58:37 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 17 ^th August 2022

I often mention how the stories and parables we read in the Gospels, and in the Old Testament too, remind me vividly of the years I spent in Peru. At times people would ask the way to a certain village and how long it would take them to get there. I’d answer, “Two hours on horseback, three hours by donkey, four hours on foot.” They’d sometimes ask, “And how far is it, father?” I would answer, “Two thousand years.” And so it was. Today’s parable from Matthew, (Mt 20: 1-12), of labourers being hired to work in a vineyard, is a perfect example. Every morning, except for Sundays, from 3 o’clock onwards, men would congregate in the town square or outside the market and wait to be hired for the day. In fact, they were known as ‘jornaleros’, men who are hired for the day. Some would come in from distant villages, so would have spent the night sleeping rough. From 4 o’clock onwards the landowners would arrive with their trucks and start contracting labourers and so it went on until about 6 o’clock. There were seasons when there was a lot of work available, but, depending on the rains, long periods when there was practically no work to be had and men had to go further afield searching for a day’s work to feed their families. Wages, of course, were minimal, not because the landowners were unjust, but because the price of their produce was too low to make a profit and there were no government subsidies. Have you ever wondered why fruit and vegetables from abroad, especially from Africa, Asia and Latin America, are so cheap? Families in these continents starve in order to provide us with cheap food. It’s criminal state of affairs, really.

We all know the parable well, so there’s no need to repeat it. It’s about God’s generosity in paying a full day’s wage even to those who were hired at the very last hour of the working day. Those who had worked all day felt they should be paid more, but, ultimately, this is about the kingdom of heaven, rather than about the vineyard of this life and the wages or rewards we receive for a day’s work. Those who work a lifetime will not enjoy more than those who only enter the fray at the last moment of their lives. Surely the former should rejoice at the absolute generosity of God at granting salvation and the gift of eternal life even to those who repent at the very last moment of their lives. As parables go, this is one of the best and one that really holds together, a good story with a clear message, and no exaggerations. God is good and wants the salvation of all his sons and daughters. Everyone will be given the very best of opportunities. Only those who do not accept God and his loving mercy will be excluded from the kingdom through their own will and lack of faith. But a warning to those who have always lived with faith and in obedience to God’s will. Don’t lose his gift of eternal life at the last moment because of your lack of generosity and good will towards those who come to faith at the last possible opportunity. As the Lord says, “Why be envious because I am generous?” Jesus reminds us all to beware, for, whether we like it or not, “the last will be first, and the first, last.”

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 16th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:56:48 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 16 ^th August 2022

Yesterday evening, with the help of our old friend and organist Stasio Sliwka, Br Peter, Fr Augustine and I gave a recital of Gregorian chants on honour of the Assumption of Our Lady at Moccas church, one of the most beautiful historic buildings in the Wye Valley. Stasio’s playing was breath-taking and our chanting lived up to the high standard he set us. The church was crammed full of people and there were many standing outside in the rain. As the 12 ^th century church is built of local grey tufa, the music could also be heard outside as it penetrated the walls. We singers were as enthralled as the audience by the occasion and especially by the arrival of the statue of Our Lady, that is being floated down the Wye from Hay to Monmouth as part of the Save the Wye project. Today she will arrive at Hereford Cathedral. The recital was followed by a delicious supper in the village hall. A truly enjoyable evening was had by everyone present.

Our Gospel passage today continues the discussion on wealth and salvation in Matthew, (Mt 19: 23-30), begun yesterday. “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’ When the disciples heard this, they were astonished. ‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said. Jesus gazed at them and said, ‘For men this is impossible; for God everything is possible.’” Jesus could be speaking about material wealth that makes a man self-sufficient, with no need for God, or of spiritual wealth or pride that makes a man believe that he can save himself by his own efforts alone. Either way, the disciples begin to despair and start to wonder aloud about their own salvation. “Who can be saved?” Jesus assures them that everything is possible for God, if they allow him to act in their lives. “What about us?” Peter asks Jesus. “We have left everything in order to follow you.” Jesus assures them of the Father’s love and understanding, for they will have eternal life. Jesus ends with one of his enigmatic proverbs. “Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” It gives them and us something to mull over as we ponder our own behaviour and attitudes. Where do I stand in this debate? What do I want to ask Jesus?

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 15th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:54:25 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 15 ^th August 2022

It was a great joy to celebrate Mass in honour of the Assumption of Our Lady at Rotherwas chapel yesterday afternoon and to concelebrate with Fr Simon. Due to Covid, we hadn’t been able to keep this annual date at Rotherwas for two years. The chapel was looking more resplendent than ever in the bright sunshine, yet it harboured a cool interior that invited us to prayer. This chapel, belonging to the Bodenham family, remained Catholic throughout penal times and Mass was always celebrated here until it was closed for worship. Fortunately, the chapel survived the demolition of the Bodenham Court, and was taken into the guardianship of the state in 1928. Today it is cared for by English Heritage and can be visited as indicated on the E.H. website.

As we celebrated the Assumption yesterday, today is simply a feria, so we return to reading Matthew’s Gospel, (Mt 19: 16-22). Jesus is asked a question that we have often put to him ourselves. “There was a man who came to Jesus and asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’” Perhaps our own questioning isn’t quite as forthright as this man’s. He mentions just one good deed and talks about possessing eternal life. Surely more than one is needed, and an attitude of conversion rather than a deed, and eternal life is not ours to possess: it is God’s gift, which he is free to give as he wills. We can’t negotiate with God nor can we blackmail him. Jesus questions why he should be asking and replies that he should keep the commandments. You can’t get more straightforward than that. Not content with what Jesus has to say, the man asks which of the commandments he should obey, as though some could be discarded. “He said, ‘Which?’ ‘These:’ Jesus replied ‘You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not bring false witness. Honour your father and mother, and: you must love your neighbour as yourself.’” Jesus mentions four of the ten, ones that relate to interpersonal and family relationships and concludes with the golden rule of loving our neighbour as ourself.

From appearing to be quite an arrogant gentleman, suddenly we are told that this is a young man and he begins to sound humbler before Jesus. I have done all this, he says. What more is there? “The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?’ Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But when the young man heard these words, he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.” To begin with, all we are told is that he is young. He is willing to do more to reach his desired goal, eternal life. Jesus, seeing how seriously he seeks eternal life, invites him to become a disciple, but that involves selling up what he possesses, burning bridges and giving up all things in order to follow Jesus. “Come, follow me.” Sadly, he walks away. This is too much to ask of him, and now we are told that he is rich. This could, of course, be figurative speech in that the young man was rich in self-earned virtue, but was not prepared to sacrifice what Jesus was asking him to in order to store up treasure in heaven. We are invited today to ask ourselves, what is it that we are hanging on to and are not prepared to give up in order to follow Jesus as he wants rather than as we want?

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 14th August

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:53:01 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 14 ^th August 2022

Today we are keeping the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, almost on the right day, but not quite. For centuries this feast of Our Lady, her most important one, has been known as Easter in Summer, not only because in many places it is the tradition to make ones Easter duty today, but because Mary was the first human being to benefit from and participate fully in the mystery of her Son’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead. This is what is so important about today’s feast. We celebrate the entry of the first human being, following on from Jesus, to enter the glory of heaven. There are three moments to this event, rather like the movements of a symphony: the falling asleep of the Virgin, her Assumption or going up into heaven and her crowning as Queen of heaven by her Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. At Belmont you can see these three moments in the Lady Chapel, beneath the mensa, on the reredos and in the stained-glass window above. Where Mary has led the way, we can follow through the Father’s loving mercy, the Son’s saving sacrifice and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel reading chosen for today’s feast is that of the Visitation in Luke, (Lk 1: 39-56), as it concludes with the song of Mary, the Magnificat.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.”

This wonderful song of praise and thanksgiving can enhance our understanding of any aspect of Our Lady’s life and mission in the History of Salvation. In every circumstance, Mary proclaims God’s greatness and love and his desire to save and give new life. Because of her humility, the Church in every generation proclaims her blest, and today blessed in her assumption into heaven and coronation as Queen of all creation. This is the greatest act of love and mercy that God has done for Mary, his lowly handmaid and it is an act of prophetic love and mercy, for in Mary, God opens up the way for all his children. What Mary is today, we will be at the end of time, when God raises up our mortal bodies to be like hers in glory. This demands an enormous act of faith on our part. Mary shows from the very first moment of the Annunciation what deep faith a human being can be capable of. Through her intercession, we, too, pray for that quality of faith.

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 13th August

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 07:46:12 GMT

I think my messages have been rather long of late, but then so have the Gospel readings and, quite frankly, the very hot weather slows my mind down and I stop thinking. Yesterday I was at Moccas church, checking on the organ and acoustic for a short recital of chant and medieval music a trio of monks will be offering in Monday evening. For Toby it’s far too hot to travel or venture outdoors for more than a minute or two during the heat of the day. He is no mad dog!

Today we have one of the loveliest Gospel episodes as recounted by Matthew, (Mt 19: 13-15), Jesus and the little children. “People brought little children to Jesus, for him to lay his hands on them and say a prayer. The disciples turned them away, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way.” This is something that must have happened in every village or hamlet he passed through. People would bring their children to him for a blessing and a prayer. We might ask why the disciples would send them away. Did they regard Jesus as too important, or feel that faith was an adult thing? There are people who think like that about faith today, but Jesus always remembered that he was once a child, who had been blessed by his parents and by the priests and rabbis, as we read in the Gospel. A good example is the Presentation in the Temple, when the infant Jesus was blessed by Simeon. Children are often mentioned in the Gospel, like the little boy who came forward with his five loaves of bread and two fish, with which Jesus fed the five thousand. Then there are several accounts of the healing of children. Jesus loved children and wanted what was best for them. In the Acts of the Apostles, we also read how children were baptised together with their parents and the whole family. A good example of this is Cornelius and his entire household, who were baptised by Peter. Today, when we baptise children, we continue to say with Jesus, “Suffer little children to come unto me.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 12th August

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 07:41:55 GMT

At Belmont we have about ten weddings a year, although the couple are rarely local and come from other parts of the country and even of the world. So it’s unusual for them to sign up to a local marriage preparation course. When I was parish priest of Tambogrande, Peru, in the 1980s, we’d have six or seven hundred weddings a year. Can you imagine the amount of paperwork, which was much more thorough than we have in this country, and the marriage preparation courses? We had two teams of five couples, who spent an evening or afternoon instructing the twice monthly groups of betrothed. We would also organise group marriages in the distant villages, where as many as fifty or more couples would get married at a communal celebration. It was another world, of course, but a world I dearly loved and still sorely miss. All this to introduce today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 19: 3-12), in which Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees on his ideas concerning marriage and divorce. Were they actually interested in what he had to say, or did they just want to catch him out? Matthew tells us that their main intention was to test him. “Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?” To this question, Jesus replied, “Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.”

Jesus does not depart from traditional Jewish teaching based on Scripture, his reply beginning with God’s intention on creating man and woman, that the two should become one for they have been united by God. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being even stricter than Moses, who did allow divorce in certain circumstances. Jesus gives as the reason for this that they were unteachable, “but it was not like this from the beginning.” This was not God’s intention when Man was created. For Jesus, divorce and remarriage was another form of adultery. This sounds harsh indeed, for, as we know all too well, marriages do go wrong, for any number of reasons, fall apart and collapse. This teaching of Jesus is why the Catholic Church has never sanctioned divorce, but then the word refers to the separation of a married couple united by God. What if this were not the case from the start? An important question, as most marriages that end in divorce were probably not really marriages from the theological and canonical (legal)point of view from the very start. I’ll explain the Church’s practice, though very briefly. Let’s go back to Peru.

Coming in from another continent and practically from another Church, we couldn’t help but notice that most couples in Peru seemed to be on their second or even third marriage. It was our archbishop, Mons. Oscar Cantuarias, who said at a meeting of his mostly foreign clergy, “Fathers, remember that in Peru it’s usually the second or even third marriage that is the real one. We don’t have a system yet for granting annulments, but if we could, then most of these couples would be validly married in the eyes of the Church.” Archbishop Oscar was no liberal, but he was a realist and explained that most first marriages were not really valid as the couples had been forced into the marriage by their parents or the customs of society, many did not understand the vows they were taking, as they had received inadequate catechesis, whereas some had simply lied about their intentions or freedom to marry. I realise now, after being back in this country twenty two years, that the situation is no different. Marriages that were not marriages to start with can be annulled and that is what the Church can do for her children. Now, I’m not expecting a run on annulments, as often a couple will stay together for the sake of the children or from a growing realisation that God’s grace is causing their love for each other to grow and take root in their hearts. Each one of us is a mystery that God loves and respects. We, too, must learn to love and respect one another.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 11th August

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 08:58:57 GMT

Today we remember St Clare of Assisi, close friend and collaborator of St Francis. She loved and admired Francis and very much wanted to follow the friars’ mendicant way of life, but that was impossible for a woman at the time. So, she and her companions had no alternative but to take the only model of religious life available for women in 13 ^th century Italy, that of Benedictine and Cistercian nuns, yet to make a special charism of poverty and to take Franciscan rather than monastic vows. Nevertheless, the life of the Poor Clares was enclosed and highly regulated by men. However, they observed an inner freedom within the confines of the enclosure and prayed earnestly for the mission of their Franciscan brothers. Clare wrote the Rule of Life for her Order, the first such document to have been written by a woman. She died on this day 1253. The Poor Clares have always remained faithful to their vocation although the austerity of their rule has been somewhat mitigated. In Herefordshire, we have our own community of Poor Clares, at Much Birch, formerly at Lower Bullingham, and Belmont monks have celebrated Mass for them and heard their confessions unfailingly since 1880. Let us pray especially for them today.

Our Gospel reading today comes from Matthew, (Mt 18:21 – 19:1), and presents us with the answer of Jesus to a question put to him by Peter, who “went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus had often spoken about the centrality of forgiveness in their lives, but now the disciples want to know more. They are probably surprised by his answer. Jesus is not only asking his disciples to be perfect in God’s eyes and to reflect his goodness, but to go way beyond perfection and become disposed to forgive always and from the depths of their hearts, with absolutely no reservations or conditions. To illustrate what he is saying, Jesus tells them a parable, that of the Wicked Servant, who was happy enough to have his own enormous debt cancelled, but refused to cancel that of a lesser servant, who owed him a small amount of money. Jesus tells his disciples that his heavenly Father will treat them as the king in the parable treated the wicked servant when he found out what he had done. “And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.” This is what Jesus is trying to get across to us today, forgiveness from the heart, true forgiveness. Anything less is a sham.

We ask St Clare to pray for us today and always, that we might be able to fulfil the teaching of Jesus in every aspect of our lives, but especially to forgive from the heart all those who sin against us or offend us in any way.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 10th August

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 08:57:48 GMT

The hot weather is back with a vengeance, at least in Herefordshire. Although I have often lived in hot climates, I am finding this particularly difficult to cope with and most uncomfortable. Of course, our homes were not built for hot weather, but for long, damp Winters. Yesterday I took Toby to his groomer to have his undercoat removed, as it grows so quickly with the heat. He now looks sleek and handsome and a good deal happier. I’ll make sure to attach a photograph.

Today we celebrate the feast of St Lawrence, deacon and martyr, one of the seven deacons of Rome, who together with Pope St Sixtus II, were martyred under the Emperor Valerian between 7 ^th and 10 ^th August in the year 258. Lawrence was only 32 years’ old and was the Archdeacon, charged with the care of the treasury and alms of the Church of Rome. Even then the Church was truly international, the Pope being Greek and Lawrence coming from Spain. After the death of Sixtus, the Prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church. Lawrence asked for three days to gather the wealth. He worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the indigent as possible, so as to prevent it being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect, and when ordered to deliver the treasures of the Church he presented the indigent, the crippled, the blind, and the suffering, and declared that these were the true treasures of the Church.

Our Gospel reading for today comes from John, (Jn 12: 24-25), words spoken by Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper.

“I tell you, most solemnly,

unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,

it remains only a single grain;

but if it dies,

it yields a rich harvest.

Anyone who loves his life loses it;

anyone who hates his life in this world

will keep it for the eternal life.

If a man serves me, he must follow me,

wherever I am, my servant will be there too.

If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.”

If ever the words of Jesus summed up the life of a saint, then this short passage perfectly describe the life, faith, ministry and martyrdom of St Lawrence. We think of the saying of Tertullian, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The martyrdom of St Lawrence and his companions certainly brought new life to the Church in the middle of the 3 ^rd century. They “yielded a rich harvest,” and continue to do so. Lawrence, in particular, became a popular saint throughout the world and in the Middle Ages there were a number of churches dedicated to him in Herefordshire alone, one just down the road from Belmont at Preston on Wye. Lawrence was faithful to Christ, especially in his love of the poor and the sick, to his dying breath and followed Jesus through passion and death to the glory of the kingdom of heaven. May he pray for us today, that we might follow his example and so walk in the footsteps of our Lord.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 9th August

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:14:16 GMT

It’s a great joy to have a friend of mine come and stay a few days at Belmont. Sr Mary Kavanagh SND and worked together with me for twenty years in Peru. There’s a lot of news to share and many people to be remembered, both in conversation and in prayer. On 6th August 1981, Fr Luke, Fr David and I arrived in Lima from Cochabamba, Bolivia, where we had spent months perfecting our Spanish at the Maryknoll Institute of Languages. It was not until 20th that we arrived in Tambogrande, where we were to set up our first monastic home, due to all the paperwork that had to be completed before we could settle down as residents in the country. The Sisters of Notre Dame were a great example to us in the thoroughly professional way they set about their missionary, educational and catechetical work and we learned a great deal from them.

Today we keep the feast of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), the virgin martyr who lost her life together with her sister Rosa on this day in 1942 at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Although born into a Jewish family, she became an agnostic in her teens and dedicated her life to the study of philosophy. Reading the works of St Teresa of Avila and throughthe power of the Cross of Jesus, she was drawn towards the Catholic faith. Once she became a Catholic, she entered a Carmelite monastery and became a nun, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. All her writings are well worth reading. You might well have read, for example, The Science of the Cross. She is one of the patron saints of Europe and, hopefully, one day will be declared a Doctor of the Church.

The Gospel reading for the feast is taken from Matthew, (Mt 25: 1-13), the famous parable of the Ten Virgins or Bridesmaids, a parable we know well. It’s a memorable tale with a clear message, that to enter the kingdom of heaven we must be awake and prepared. The saddest words in the Bible are those of the bridegroom when the five foolish bridesmaids return to the wedding hall late and crying out, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us.” His reply from within the locked door is, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” Jesus warns us to “stay awake,” or we too will hear the voice of the Lord say the same words to us. The choice is ours. It really is up to us to be ready for the Lord’s coming and the inauguration of his kingdom. We know that St Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa made the right decision and are counted among the wise virgins, but will we be, that’s the question for us today?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 8th August

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 06:08:24 GMT

Thinking it to be a day of rest, people often ask me what I do on a Sunday, imagining that after the particular Mass they see me at, I can just put up my feet and have an easy day. From time to time, I wish it were like that, but let me give you a summary of yesterday as an example. Having woken up about 4.30am, I prayed for a while before my morning ablutions and then checked emails and other messages that might have come in overnight. I then went out with Toby and, like him, took in the early morning scene as the seasons change. We said the Angelus and the Rosary together, he listening devoutly, I saying the words and fingering the beads. Then came the offices of Vigils and Lauds, celebrated in choir with the community, followed by our daily Chapter and preparations for the 8.30 Mass. After a quick breakfast and some reading, there was the first Parish Mass, quiet, simple and prayerful. Then I took a break from duties and accompanied Toby with his football on the playing fields, which concluded by feeding our ravenous fish, the only fish I know that can swim out of the water, balancing on their tails, as they eagerly wait for their breakfast. Then came Toby’s breakfast, lovingly prepared by his faithful servant. After a quiet time and some reading, I went down to church to prepare for the 11 o’clock Mass, which is live streamed. After clearing everything away and taking a brisk walk with Toby, I caught up with emails or did some serious reading. Then came Midday Office, lunch and recreation with the brethren. This was followed by a Baptism. The parents and godparents and most of the guests were Lithuanian, so I asked Br Alvidas to accompany me and read the two scripture passages in Lithuanian. They were such lovely people. Just as we were finishing, our Ukrainian friends arrived from Gloucester to celebrate the Ukrainian Liturgy, which they do on the first Sunday of each month. There is a growing Ukrainian community in Herefordshire, which will increase as time goes on, especially as the war shows no sign of abating and I doubt Mr Putin will want to give back what he has taken and destroyed. There followed a sick communion, Toby’s supper, Vespers and Benediction, a light supper, Compline and then sitting down to write this message. The day will be rounded off by a long walk with Toby in the cool of the evening, a reminder of the story of Creation and God walking with Adam in the Garden of Eden. And I have yet to put my feet up!

Today we celebrate the feast of St Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. We pray for his intercession for the mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel to all creatures. Our Gospel reading comes from Matthew, (Mt 17: 22-27), and begins with Jesus reminding his disciples yet again of the Passion he must undergo. “One day when they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men; they will put him to death, and on the third day he will be raised to life again.’ And a great sadness came over them.” We can’t help but notice that they do not follow what he is saying about rising from the dead to new life on the third day. It’s as though Jesus had ended his words with, “they will put him to death.” This teaches us to listen carefully to what Jesus has to say, to listen to every word and at no time to switch off, as often we do, and not only with Jesus, but among ourselves as well. Jesus teaches us the art of listening. We have much to learn.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 7th August

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:16:32 GMT

I find it really sad that the Transfiguration isn’t kept as a major feast or solemnity by the Western Church. Today is an enormous feast in the Eastern Churches and especially in monasteries. I remember my student days in Greece, spending the feast on Mount Athos with the Greek monks, the steep climb to the top of the Holy Mountain, the all-night vigil, the dawn Liturgy and the picnic of bread and olives, peaches and cherries that followed, all washed down with the resinated wine I love so much. Such happy memories of a deep living faith have kept me going ever since. I occasionally buy a bottle of retsina. Not only does it help me digest my food, but it also helps me to pray better. When he became Pope, St Gregory the Great had it imported from Constantinople as an aid to his digestion.

Our Gospel this year comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 28-36). Here it is.

“Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ – He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.”

Luke is always keen to show Jesus at prayer and we are told specifically that Jesus took Peter, James and John with him up the mountain to pray. While at prayer, the appearance of his face and even of his clothes changes dramatically. He becomes “brilliant as lightening.” Not only that, but Moses and Elijah appear on either side of him, talking of what is soon to happen in Jerusalem. Although heavy with sleep, the disciples “see his glory.” You can’t but think of the Prologue to John’s Gospel. It is the glory that Jesus shares with his heavenly Father. Peter unthinkingly ventures to say that he would like to set up three tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, yet his reaction is spot on. “Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here.” These words often come to me at Mass and at Adoration. How wonderful it is to live in the presence of Jesus. They then enter into a thick cloud and can see nothing. The disciples begin to be afraid, but a voice comes from the cloud. They can hear the Father but not see him. The Father declares and confirms that Jesus is his Son, his Chosen One, and that they are to listen to him. When the voice stops speaking and the cloud evaporates, they can see only Jesus. They know for certain that he is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Saviour, and this leads them into a respectful silence. Even Peter, for the moment, is struck dumb.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 6th August

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 06:42:24 GMT

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am, at how quickly the days and weeks disappear. It seems just a few weeks’ ago that we were looking forward to the light mornings and long evenings. Now in the morning I often go out with Toby in the half-light, while in the evening it’s always dark by the time we get back from our last stroll of the day. Although we are enjoying the warmth of Summer, there’s something about the air that already smells of Autumn. Before we know it, we’ll be saying goodbye to Christmas and welcoming in another New Year.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells his disciples what the conditions are to become a true follower. We know the words well, but that doesn’t make it any easier to obey them. We are reading Matthew, (Mt 16: 24-28). “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?” When Jesus called his disciples, the key word was always, “Follow me.” And he meant that they should follow him in every way. Here he spells it out, but not before reminding us that the choice is ours, we are free to accept or reject his call, there is no obligation. It is not slavery or servitude he is inviting us to, but the free acceptance of his call to follow him. However, in order to follow him, we have to renounce our own wills, our very selves, take up our own cross, the cross of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and then walk with him wherever he leads, for he will show us where to go and how get there. He will always be with us, to help and support us in every way. We lose our old life in order to gain a new life and that is what Jesus promises his disciples, new life with him in the Spirit to the glory of God the Father.

He goes on to say, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. I tell you solemnly, there are some of these standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.” If we accept his invitation to renounce ourselves, take up our own cross and follow him, then we will join Jesus in the glory of the Father and we will be rewarded for what we have done in the school of discipleship. What might appear difficult, negative even, at the outset will gradually get easier, for we will be walking in the company of Jesus, as the disciples on the road to Emmaus. What a different place the world would be if all Christians took up the challenge set out by Jesus in today’s Gospel. Think of it.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 5th August

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 06:10:04 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 4th August

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 06:12:37 GMT

What with England’s ladies winning the European Football Cup and the Commonwealth Games taking place in Birmingham, not to mention the chaos going on at some British airports and at Dover, you could be forgiven for not realising that there’s still a horrific war being waged in Ukraine with no sign of it coming to an end. We pray for peace in Ukraine, but that mustn’t mean appeasement, and for a just end to the war, and that does not mean ceding territory or expecting the West alone to rebuild all that has been destroyed. Whatever became of the promises made to Ukraine on giving up its nuclear arsenal at independence to protect its people and its borders and where are the nations who were the guarantors of that national independence and integrity? Forgive me mentioning this, but I fear that bread and circuses are taking our minds off the horrors that people very close to us are going through at this very moment.

Our Gospel today comes at the very heart of Matthew, (Mt 16: 13-23), Peter’s declaration of faith at Caesarea Philippi, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It is here that Jesus put that important question to the disciples. First of all, “Who do others say that I am?” When they have given him the usual standard answers, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets, he asks them for a personal take on the answer, “What about you? Who do you say that I am?” When Peter answers for the Twelve, Jesus replies, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So, I now say to you: You are Peter and, on this rock, I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” The Church, the mystical Body of Christ, the community of those whose faith has been confirmed by Baptism, is built on the basis of the rock of Peter’s faith, the declaration that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, the Christ. That is our faith, that is what we believe, that is what gives meaning to our lives.

However, this episode doesn’t end there, for Jesus then makes clear to the disciples what being the Christ really means, and they find it hard to accept, in particular Peter. “From that time Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord;’ he said ‘this must not happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’” What a sudden change! From being the rock on which the Church is built, Peter quickly becomes an obstacle in the path of God’s plan to redeem all who would become this Church. He no longer thinks like Jesus; he has placed his own thoughts before God’s. This is a real warning to us all, for we often put our own thoughts, plans and ideas before God’s, those revealed in Scripture and those in the magisterial teaching of the Church. May Heaven preserve us from thinking and acting in that way!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 3rd August

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 06:04:32 GMT

Today I hope to visit my mother to have lunch together and a good chat. I would rather take her out, so as to give her no work, but since the consultant signed her off with the good news that she can do anything she wants, I have no say in the matter and she insists on preparing a full-blown meal. No doubt it will be delicious, but I worry that she is doing too much too soon. I hope she will allow me to do a few odd jobs for her, but I can see her refusing, as her opinion of my practical abilities is minimal. Not to worry, at least I’ll enjoy a short siesta before driving back to Belmont!

Our Gospel reading today finds Jesus in the region of Tyre and Sidon, some distance from Gennesaret, and here he meets a Canaanite woman. We are in Matthew, (Mt 15: 21-28). “Out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.” It’s a moving story. The poor woman is so worried for her daughter that she screams and shouts, embarrassing the disciples, while Jesus just ignores her. Yet she calls him, “Lord, Son of David,” and asks for mercy and compassion, even though she is not a Jew. Here Jesus will extend his ministry to non-Jews, to both pagans and Samaritans, due in no small part to this woman’s intervention. She kneels at his feet, thereby recognising his lordship and manifesting her need. When Jesus compares her to a house-dog, she replies by saying that even these can eat from the scraps that fall from the table of their masters. Jesus is moved by her faith. “You have great faith,” he says, an important statement both for his disciples and for us today. Her daughter is healed at that very moment. Icons in particular present a graphic visual account of the healing.

Why is that final statement of Jesus so important? It recognises that even non-Christians or Christians whom we regard as having a defective or incomplete faith might well have that “great faith” that Jesus speaks of here. We should be careful of prejudging people and leave it to the Lord to decide who has faith and who has not and how deep that faith is. Lord, forgive us if we have judged others wrongly. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 2nd August

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 06:12:28 GMT

It was a great joy to welcome Cardinal Vincent Nichols to Belmont yesterday. He came to visit his old friend, Bishop Mark, and joined the community for midday prayer, lunch and recreation. It was also a real pleasure to meet Sr Carmel, who came with him. Welcoming guests is an important part of the monastic tradition, as we read in the Rule of St Benedict, and Belmont is renowned for the warm, friendly welcome we give to all those who come to visit or stay with us.

Our reading from Matthew today, (Mt 14: 22-36), recounts the episode of Jesus walking on the water, which takes place following on from the feeding of the five thousand. “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” At last, Jesus has some time to himself in quiet, with not even his disciples to interrupt him. Moments of solitude and silent reflection are good for all of us. Jesus shows us how necessary they are. Life cannot be all activity and noise. Jesus had this predilection for going up into the hills. While he was at prayer, not all was well with the disciples. “When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind.” Although no more than a large lake, nevertheless the water can get very rough on the Sea of Tiberius. “In the fourth watch of the night, he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear.” The fourth was the last watch of the night, from 3am onwards, and the most frightening. It was believed that demons were abroad, returning to their homes after a night’s activities. This explains the fear of the disciples on seeing Jesus come towards them, walking on the sea, and crying out, believing him to be a ghost. Even today we talk about the darkest hour being just before dawn. If I’m not mistaken, it was at the fourth hour that the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea at the Exodus.

Once the voice of Jesus is heard, fear evaporates, but then the strangest thing happens, something quite unexpected. “But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus.” Peter was prone to speaking without thinking and often came out with the strangest occurrences. Why did he want to walk on the water? To be more like his master? To be truly sure that this was Jesus? To put Jesus to the test, or to test his own faith? Either way, Jesus invites him to step forward. “Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’”

While he fixed his gaze on Jesus, Peter waked tranquilly on the water, but once he began to think about himself and his own safety, he began to sink and screamed out for help. To be a person of “little faith” we have only to stop looking to Jesus and start looking instead to our own strength and ability. Yet there are times when we think more of ourselves than we do of Jesus, and that’s when things begin to go wrong. “And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’” What Jesus has done causes the men in the boat, both disciples and crew, to recognise that Jesus is “truly the Son of God.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 1st August

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 06:24:13 GMT

Even when using parables to get his message across, Jesus is inevitably blunt and direct in telling people what he thinks and in giving them an answer to the questions they ask. Think of the man in the crowd in today’s Gospel, who asks Jesus, “Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.” Not the sort of question to ask Jesus, though the poor man could have been fighting for his rights in a family feud. Jesus replies, “My friend, who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?” In fact, his quarrel has nothing to do with Jesus. However, our Lord uses that situation to teach the crowd some important truths about avarice and the love of material things. We are reading Luke’s Gospel, (Lk 12: 13-21). He begins by saying, “Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.” Jesus talks about avarice of any kind, for there are, indeed, many kinds of avarice, including spiritual avarice, when we keep for ourselves the good things that God has given or taught us to share with others.

Jesus then tells them a parable about a rich man, who keeps storing his grain and all his goods and hording so much that he has to build bigger and better barns and storerooms, but then, suddenly, he dies and has to leave it all behind. In fact, on the night he dies, God appears to him and says, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” Now the rich man isn’t criticised for being rich or for setting aside some of his harvest for a rainy day, but because he wasn’t practising prudence and stewardship, rather he was steeped in avarice, greed and selfishness. What a sad picture the man paints. Instead of doing good, he becomes obsessed with the possession of material things. Frankly, we could compare this with President Putin and the war on Ukraine. Russia is a vast country, laden with natural resources and immense power, culture and wealth, including its rich tapestry of peoples. Did he really need to take over Crimea and now invade vast tracts of Eastern, Central and Southern Ukraine? He is just like that man in the parable. He, too, will die and face judgement. Political and nationalistic avarice and greed are grave sins, let alone causing the death of tens of thousands of soldiers, both Ukrainian and Russian. Mothers on both sides weep the loss of their sons and wives the loss of their husbands. Children no longer have fathers. And for what?

Jesus ends by saying, “So it is, when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.” Jesus wants his disciples and all those who listen to his teaching to grow in virtue and holiness. All wealth, all possessions will come to an end, great empires ultimately fall and cultures disappear, but an act of generosity and kindness, of forgiveness and reconciliation will be written in the book of life and not forgotten for all eternity. Let us pray for the grace to store up treasure in the sight of God and to follow the teaching and example of Jesus in all things. Lord, free us from avarice of all kinds. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 31st July

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 06:20:44 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 30th July

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 06:19:21 GMT

Friendship and hospitality are two of the most important and rewarding aspects of our God-given human life and lie at the very heart of the Christian faith. The angel Gabriel offered the hand of God’s friendship to Mary at the Incarnation, when she gave the hospitality of her womb to the incarnate Son of God, the Word made flesh, Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Jesus healed the sick and forgave sinners as a sign of God’s friendship towards us and, at the Last Supper, called his disciples friends. If we are truly his disciples, then we are also friends of Jesus. I always remember my Welsh grandmother singing, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” It was one of her favourites hymns and still is one of mine, a hymn that brings tears to my eyes. Although a Presbyterian, like St Benedict, she always spoke of receiving Christ in all those who came to her door. That is why she always had the kettle on the hob, ready to make a fresh pot of tea for anyone coming to visit. More importantly perhaps, she and my grandfather fed all the children in their street during the Great Depression in the 1930s. It was a great sacrifice, but they saw it as their Christian duty and they did it for the love of God and neighbour. They extended their friendship and hospitality to all those in need. It made a powerful impression on my father and his brothers. Today we keep the feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, friends of Jesus from Bethany, two sisters and a brother, whose house became a second home for Jesus.

Our Gospel passage comes from John, (Jn 11: 19-27), and is part of the account of the Raising of Lazarus. Here it is:

“Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come, she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’”

This part of the account focusses on the faith of Martha, a faith that is mirrored in Mary, and the promise of Jesus that their brother Lazarus will rise from the dead. When Martha says that she believes that he will rise at the resurrection on the last day, Jesus replies that he is the resurrection and the life, meaning that he has power to raise Lazarus from the dead even now, for “whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Mary, like Peter at Caesarea Philippi, confesses her faith in Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.” We show our friendship of Jesus by inviting him into our homes, that are the symbol of our lives, and by giving him hospitality in our hearts and souls. May we also learn to see Jesus in others and to love and serve him in them.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 29th July

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 06:46:11 GMT

Our Gospel passage comes from John, (Jn 11: 19-27), and is part of the account of the Raising of Lazarus. Here it is:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 28th July

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 06:42:41 GMT

Reading today’s Gospel of the Parable of the Dragnet always reminds me of one of the beaches I used to swim at when I lived in northern Peru. Occasionally, when visiting the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ransom at Paita, rather than return towards Colán, where you can find the first church built by the Spanish conquistadores, which is dedicated to St Luke, I’d drive in the opposite direction and go down to the fishing village of Yacila, which was safer for swimming, Colan being plagued at the time by stingrays. However, if the fishing boats were in the bay, it was better not to swim at Yacila as the water would be full of discarded fish, those thrown away as being of no use in the market. That’s the problem with dragnets, so much is wasted, unless the fish and crustaceans are treated with care. But, firstly, let’s read the passage from Matthew, (Mt 13: 47-53).

“Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’”

In itself, the parable is an accurate description of what happens when this sort of net is used, but then Jesus goes on to apply it to the kingdom and the last judgement, when good and bad will be separated by the angels. The fishermen sit down to the business of sorting the fish into the “good” and the “bad.” The fish worth keeping are gathered into containers, but the rest tossed away. This parable is similar to that of the Wheat and Tares (Mt 13: 24-43). Both parables concern an end-times sorting, aided by angels, when believers will be separated from unbelievers once and for all, and it’s more subtle even than that, for some believers are bad and some unbelievers are good, so the interpretation isn’t quite as simple or as straightforward as the parable. Just as the net is cast into the sea drawing many fish, the gospel message is spread into the world, drawing many people to it. Just as the net gathers all types of fish, regardless of their value, so the gospel attracts many people who neither repent nor desire to follow Christ. Just as the fish could not be sorted until the net was pulled ashore, so false believers masquerading as true Christians will not be made known until the end of time. The sobering main point of the parable can be stated thus: A day of reckoning will come in which God will separate the true believers from mere pretenders, and those found to be false will be cast into hell. We might have difficulty believing in hell today, yet we live in a world where evil is prevalent, but for Jesus and his disciples hell was very real. This parable gives us a lot to think about. Lord, have mercy.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 27th July

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 06:38:12 GMT

Although I like warm weather, I’m glad the extremely hot weather has decided to take a rest for the time being, Britain just isn’t set up for that sort of thing and our buildings can so easily turn into personal ovens. As for our dogs with their thick, heavy coats, a definite no. Even our pond fish have a hard time when it gets hot. They thrive better under ice than they do in sunlight. I know that other parts of the country have had heavy rain, but not Herefordshire, unfortunately. Everything is so dry, yet there are no rain clouds on the horizon.

Our Gospel passage comes from Matthew, (Mt 13: 44-46), once more short sayings of Jesus, in this case two pithy mini-parables, If I can call them that.

“Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’”

These are very short parables of the kingdom in answer to the question that Jesus must have been asked frequently, ‘What is the kingdom of heaven like? How can we begin to understand it?’ So, the kingdom, the reign of God, is like hidden treasure. Someone discovers it covered over in a field and, filled of joy, sells what he has in order to buy the whole field so as to make the treasure his. God’s reign is so precious that nothing is of more value. It’s worth giving up everything to be with God, to know him and love him, and live in his presence. Such is our desire for God that we should do the same, for nothing is more important, desirable or precious. The second parable speaks of a merchant dealing in pearls, in precious goods. On his travels he comes across a particularly valuable one, so sells all the others in order to acquire this one. Now the first man came across treasure he might not have been looking for, whereas this merchant knew what he was looking for and had a trained eye. Nevertheless, essentially, it’s a very similar story. The pearl of great value is worth all the rest put together. God and the reign of God are worth more than everything else that exists and nothing, absolutely nothing is of greater value.

The explanation is clear. The kingdom of God is the reign of God. It is the saving reign of God. It is the saving reign of God that is partly present and partly future. And it is the present and future saving reign of God and of Christ. That is why it is so valuable and worth every sacrifice to become part of it. It begins when we discover our faith in Christ and surrender our lives to him and to the Gospel. It grows beyond sickness and death into the splendour of eternal life and the beatific vision. The essence of the kingdom is joy, the joy of knowing and loving God and, in him, all who live and love in him.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 26th July

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 06:35:59 GMT

On both websites you can read a full report on the official reopening of the Abbey Bookshop, admirably organised by Fr James, that took place yesterday afternoon. The children’s author, Madeleine Carroll, was the guest of honour and she was accompanied by her husband Connor and delightful six children. We congratulate Fr James and our shop volunteers for the admirable work they are doing to help those searching for books, cards and a vast selection of objects of piety, that will help them and others grow in faith. You can also purchase some of these items online.

Today is the feast of the grandparents of Jesus and parents of Our Lady, St Joachim and St Anne. It’s also my mother’s name’s day as she is called Anna Maria, still a very popular name in Italy even today. They won’t be found in the Gospels, but rather in the Apocryphal Gospel of James. Devotion to both these saints is early in the East as in the West, bur grew in the Middle Ages, especially when interest in the historic Jesus and Mary increased with Franciscan spirituality. Children in all cultures adore their grandparents; how could Jesus not love his own, and Mary her parents? The Gospel passage for the feast is brief indeed, just one of the sayings of Jesus, as found in Matthew, (Mt 13: 16-17), which Jesus addresses to his disciples.

“Blessed 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.” We address these words to Joachim and Anne, who were blessed indeed to see and hear what the prophets had longed to see and hear. By extension, we are blessed like them, for though faith we believe that we see Jesus in the Eucharist and in all the sacraments, and in the love that Christians have for one another. We believe that we hear his voice in the scriptures and in the teaching of the Church, as well as in prayer, where Jesus speaks to us in the silence of our hearts.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 25th July

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 06:49:19 GMT

Readers have been asking for news of my mother. Thank you for your kindness and prayers, that have surely helped work miracles. On Thursday last she visited her consultant, a month after the operation. He was amazed at her recovery and told her that she could now do anything she felt able to. Needless to say, she has been increasing her daily exercise and has gone back into the garden, at least for small jobs that need doing. Her gardener should take her on as his assistant! What she really wants is a visit from Toby, which will have to be arranged very soon.

Today we keep the feast of St James, one of the sons of Zebedee and the brother of John, all of them fishermen from Galilee. In the Middle Ages the pilgrimage to his tomb at Compostela replaced in importance and popularity that to the Holy Land, made impossible by the invasion and presence of the Saracens. Even today, the Camino de Santiago, a spiritual exercise in itself, is as popular as ever. I have walked many parts of the route with a Spanish friend over the years and enjoyed every minute of it. Our Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 20: 20-28), which recounts a rather embarrassing episode in the lives of the Zebedee brothers. “The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’” It was their mother who made the request and we can’t imagine them putting her up to this. It was just a mother wanting what she thought best for her sons. Jesus replies in no uncertain terms: “‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’” The question he asks is not directed to the mother but to the apostles. Can they suffer the death he is going to suffer? He can promise them suffering and death, but not particular seats in the kingdom. That is for his Father alone to decide. We note that their answer is affirmative. They are prepared and willing to drink the chalice that he too has to drink, the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of the world. For this he came and for this he has called them.

The others soon become aware of what has happened. Matthew says they heard the whole conversation. Their reaction is understandable, but probably coloured with a certain tinge of guilt. It could easily have been any one of them asking the same favour. “When the other ten heard this, they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Just as Jesus has come not to be served but to serve, they likewise have been called to serve and give their lives for the salvation of others. Their life is one of sacrifice and not of privilege. We ask St James to pray for us today, that we too might live lives of service and of sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom and for the salvation of others.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 24th July

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 06:47:31 GMT

What a busy weekend this is turning out to be with so much to do and in such difficult climatic circumstances. Herefordshire suffers from the misfortune of being a large bowl crisscrossed by rivers and surrounded by hills, which we tend to call mountains. The humidity is high, so the atmosphere is muggy and debilitating, especially if you have a lot to do and you’re racing against the clock to get it all done. It all feels particularly heavy, having just returned from Buckfast Abbey and the more agreeable Devon climate. What I miss most of all this the delicious breeze that made even the hottest days agreeable. At least we humans don’t have to cope with a thick woolly coat like Toby and his friends. He tells me he needs another visit to his groomer. I’d better do what he says.

Today we keep the feast of St Bridget of Sweden, one of the many patron saints of Europe. It’s interesting to note that one of the communities of Benedictine nuns that came into the English Congregation at General Chapter was Mariavall in Sweden, a truly delightful and observant community. Bridget born in 1303, was married to Ulf, a nobleman with whom she had eight children. In 1330, she was invited to the royal court to be lady-in-waiting to the Queen, but had no stomach for the indecent life of the royal court. On a pilgrimage to St James at Compostela, she and Ulf decided that they would both spend the rest of the lives in prayer and contemplation in a monastery. He died in 1344, but Bridget lived on for another thirty years and founded many monasteries that came to form the Order that took her name, Bridgettine. Often these were double monasteries. In 1350 she travelled to Rome for the Holy Year, and spent the rest of her life there caring for the poor and the sick, denouncing the excesses of the aristocracy, and, like St Catherine of Siena, robustly telling the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon. She had many mystical visions, which alarmed her because she feared that they might be the work of the Devil; but a learned Cistercian monk reassured her, and she subsequently dictated and published the revelations she received, which were partially devotional and partly prophetic. These can still be read to our spiritual advantage today. Exhausted by her labours and the toll taken on her by her visions, she died in the year 1373. May she pray for us today.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 23rd July

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 06:58:00 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 22nd July

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 06:29:55 GMT

Today is the final day of General Chapter and I hope to return to Belmont in time for Vespers. It’s been a good, positive time for all those taking part and it was a joy to welcome three communities of nuns into our Congregation. It was good to meet with such a fine body of monks and nuns and I was rather amused to find myself the oldest participant but one! Today I’ll attach a few photographs of Exeter Cathedral, which I also visited on Sunday. What a marvellous day out that was!

Our Gospel reading comes from Matthew, (Mt 13: 10-17), which involves a short discussion between Jesus and his disciples on the use of parables. They ask Jesus, “Why do to talk to them in parables?” referring to the crowds. Jesus replies, “Because the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but not to them….. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding.” He then quotes the prophet Isaiah. It seems to me that these words of Jesus speak to us as much of the times in which we live as to when Jesus walked this earth. People, in general, have such little knowledge of the Christian faith, that we have to speak with them in parables. We talk glibly about evangelisation, but how do you even begin to speak of Jesus, the Gospel and the faith, unless it is by taking a leaf out of Jesus’ own book?

Nevertheless, he says to his disciples, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! Many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.” We should count ourselves as truly blessed by God for what we see, hear and understand. Truly blessed and truly grateful.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 21st July

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 06:28:24 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 20th July

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:13:31 GMT

Yesterday it was back to work with a vengeance. We worked solidly from nine till five with just a break for Mass and lunch and two short coffee and tea breaks at eleven and four and no air conditioning. Still, my room is cool and, unlike at Belmont, here I sleep like a log! Today, as promised, I’ll be accompanying my brief message with photographs of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Torbryan, a must if you’re in Devon. But first, today’s Gospel, which comes from Matthew, (Mt 12: 46-50).

Jesus is speaking with the crowds, when his mother arrives to see him with other family members, whom Matthew calls his brothers. They are standing outside the house where Jesus is. A man goes to inform Jesus, but Jesus replies, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then, stretching his hand towards his disciples, he says, “Here are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus might seem somewhat offhanded with his mother and family, but he uses their visit as an opportunity to teach the crowds this new relationship that he is building up among his followers and the meaning of what his Church is going to be, a fellowship, a brotherhood, a community, God’s family. There is no indication here of rejection on the part of Jesus or that he did not go ahead and meet with them. We also know that Mary was the first to hear the word of the Father and do God’s will. The question for us is whether we are prepared to do God’s will or not.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 19th July

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:11:20 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 18th July

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 07:20:48 GMT

Yesterday was a free day as far as Chapter is concerned, so I literally took the day off my agenda. After a cooked breakfast, useful as I wasn’t planning on having lunch, and Mass with the small congregation at nearby Ashburton, a beautiful town now on my list for a future visit next time I’m here, I set off with one of the other participants at Chapter on a church crawl, planning to end up at Exeter Cathedral. First of all, we made for the church of St Paul de Leon at Staverton, a large church with a magnificent rood screen and loft, dedicated to this strange Welsh saint and disciple of St Illtud. We then made for the village of Torbryan, not at all easy to find, and the magnificent church, now closed for worship, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity. It is exceptionally well cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust and has a collection of fascination visual aids to assist visitors enhance their experience. Sadly, there were very few names in the visitors book. The rood screen is spectacular with the most exquisite painted panels depicting saints, including the Coronation of Our Lady. We then moved on to the small town of Ipplepen and the affluent and well-kept church of St Andrew, which also possesses a fine rood screen, loft and pulpit. From there we drove on to Exeter and its famous cathedral, that I had never previously visited. At first sight, it looks like a miniature Metz or Milan, but one you step inside and pay your £7.50 entrance fee, you suddenly realise how vast and light it is and very beautiful. Although I love these churches, I must confess to feeling a deep sadness that they are no longer Catholic and regret the causes and effects of the English Reformation. So as not to confuse you, each day I will post a few photographs of just one church, starting with Staverton today.

Our Gospel reading comes from Matthew, (Mt 12: 38-42), when the scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign. “Master, we should like to see a sign from you.” They call him Master or Rabbi, so show a certain respect and recognition of his learning and ability to teach. Jesus, however, doesn’t take kindly to their request. He replies, “It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign.” Although he says he will only give them one sign, that of Jonah, in fact he also gives them a second, that of the Queen of Sheba. Jonah preached repentance at Nineveh and everyone, even the beasts, repented. The Queen came from Sheba to witness the wisdom of Solomon and she did not return home disappointed. Surely Jesus is greater than Jonah, and is he not also greater than Solomon too? The question is, do we rate the teachers and leaders of this age as more important and greater than Jesus? I wonder!

Fr Paul

Official opening of Belmont Abbey Bookshop 25th July 2022, 3pm

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 07:15:50 GMT

Official opening of the Abbey Bookshop by Madeline Carroll

Isaiah Books was started by Madeleine Carroll who loves writing, walking and reading to her children. Her enjoyment in creating interesting characters and story-lines began when she was very young, and has been greatly influenced by her Catholic Faith. This family-based mission has also recently branched out to include other authors’ works; and you can find out more information about all of the titles at:

www.isaiahbooks.co.uk

Madeleine, who is the author of, The Bethlehem Shepherds, The Joyful Meeting, Ephraim’s Gladness, The Donkeys Journey, The Creator’s Love Story and The Carpenter and the Cross, will be opening the bookshop at Belmont Abbey on the 25th of July at 3pm.

Signed copies of her books will be available.

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 17th July

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 06:22:57 GMT

For us at General Chapter yesterday was a half day and today a free day, so I’m hoping to visit some ancient country churches as well as Exeter Cathedral, one of the many medieval cathedrals of England I have not seen. Yesterday I dedicated an hour in the afternoon to a little retail therapy at the abbey shops. They have an excellent bookstore and shops that sell products from other monasteries, especially in France. Because of the good weather, I particularly enjoy eating breakfast and supper in the open air: it’s great fun and so relaxing. The work is serious and can be hard, but I can’t help feeling that I’m on holiday! It must be one of the effects of Lockdown!

Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus and friends of Jesus from Bethany, are two of the most well-known characters in the Bible. We meet them in the Gospels of John and of Luke, (Lk 10: 38-42), and it is Luke whom we read today. Martha appears to be the elder of the two, for it is she who welcomes Jesus to her house. Whereas Martha is busy preparing a meal for their guest, “Mary sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking.” This upset Martha, who was expecting Mary to help her. We should remember that Jesus could not have been travelling alone and would not have been alone in the company of a woman. There must have been a whole retinue of disciples and followers to attend to. Martha says to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.” I wonder if they had servants or other family members to help. Anyway, Jesus replies, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” Let’s be clear: this is not a reprimand or a failure to recognise the important work that Martha is doing, but Jesus is saying to Martha, “Look, I have come to see you, not just to eat in your house. I want to see you and speak with you, just as I am with your sister Mary. The food can wait. The perfect host stays with her guests.” In other words, first things first, and in the case of Jesus, he wants our time, our attention, our hearts, our very selves, our lives. His material needs are few, but his desire for our hearts and minds is great indeed. Let us never forget that, while not forgetting lesser things too. The same goes for other relationships too.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 16th July

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 06:30:57 GMT

Yesterday was another busy day at Chapter, where we discussed monastic formation, the way we train newcomers to the monastic life and how the rest of us keep on our toes and up to date. I won’t bore you with the details, but the discussions were fruitful and , I believe, will give excellent results. I attach a few photographs of the abbey church and one of myself with the abbot, who looks as though he were my son!

Our Gospel passage for today begins a new section of Matthew, (Mt 12: 1-8), an episode I’ve always found a breath of fresh air and most encouraging. It begins, “Jesus took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields.” Jesus invites each one of us to walk with him today through the cornfields, to walk each day of our lives with him. “His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them.” I’m not sure what the Pharisees we’re doing there in the cornfields to see this, unless they were spying on Jesus, which is possible. They complain to Jesus that his disciples are doing something forbidden on the sabbath. Jesus replies with two examples from the Old Testament, firstly of how King David and his men also broke the Law by eating of the loaves of offering in the Temple on the sabbath because they were hungry. Then there’s the case of the priests of the Temple who regularly break the Law on the sabbath and no one blames them. Jesus reminds them that, “there is something greater than the Temple here.”

Jesus tells the Pharisees that they have forgotten the true purpose of the Law and forgotten the meaning of God’s words in the Prophet, “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.” Charity is above the Law and Jesus, Son of God, is the only true interpreter of the Law. The disciples were hungry, so they had every right to eat. There is no virtue in going hungry just to keep the pharisaic interpretation of the Law. Those who are hungry have the right to eat: they do not break the Law in doing so.

Today’s Gospel is a timely reminder to help those who are going hungry in our world, especially in our own country. It also reminds us of the freedom we have as disciples of Jesus always to act with charity, walking with him through the cornfields of life.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 15th July

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:27:27 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 14th July

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 06:51:06 GMT

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 14th July 2022

Another excellent day’s discussion and learning at General Chapter yesterday with experienced professionals in the field of Safeguarding to guide us. The days are passing by quickly and it will soon be the weekend. So far there has been no free time, even to see the abbey grounds or pay a visit to the abbey shops. On Sunday I am hoping to visit Exeter Cathedral, which I have never seen.

Our Gospel passage today is very short. Again it’s from Matthew, (Mt 11: 28-30) and is one of Jesus’ most famous sayings. Chapter 11 of Matthew does read rather like a collection of sayings pronounced by Jesus at various times and simply put together for convenience and in order not to lose them. Here it is: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yolk and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

Jesus came to befriend us, forgive us our sins, reconcile us with our heavenly Father and give us new life. He invites us to hand over our burdens to him and, in exchange, to shoulder his yoke and learn from him how to be truly gentle and humble of heart, peace-loving and the servant of all. Lord, transform our lives, we pray, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, that we might always walk with Jesus. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 13th July

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 06:49:03 GMT

Yesterday was such a busy day at General Chapter that I was still doing some homework for today, when getting on for 10.30, I realised that I hadn’t written my message for today. It’s turning out to be an interesting Chapter, with a lot of fascinating conversations going on in between sessions. It was good to sing Vespers with Abbot Nicholas and the Downside community at their temporary home in Southgate. It was so peaceful and prayerful. Thinking of our Belmont organist, Jonathon Nicholls, I took some photographs of the famous new Buckfast organ, that I share with you. An unexpected effect of my coming to Devon has been the disappearance of my hay fever together with the painfully burning eyes and constant headaches. I suppose it must be the different vegetation and the proximity of the sea.

Our Gospel passage today continues our daily reading of Matthew, (Mt 11: 25-27). It consists of a short prayer of Jesus directed to his heavenly Father in the hearing of those around him. “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do.” Jesus is referring to those who are humble and not proud, those with no pretensions to wisdom or religious knowledge, such as the scribes and Pharisees have. In other words, he is speaking of his disciples and followers. He goes on to say, “Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Jesus speaks of his divine Sonship, for his disciples to know of it and experience it. Jesus is making the Father known to them, Jesus who is the incarnate Son of the Father, who makes the Father known by divine revelation. Today, we are these disciples of Jesus, who makes his Father known to us.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 12th July

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:08:33 GMT

My message for today will be shorter than usual, as I am at Buckfast Abbey in Devon for the General Chapter of the English Congregation. There must be about 45 people, monks and nuns, at this meeting, which will last until 21st July. Apart from Sunday, which will truly be a rest day, we will be busy working every morning, noon and night. There are compensations, of course, such as beautiful gardens, a lovely church to pray in, excellent company, stimulating conversation, good food and a variety of monastic shops to browse through. I miss Toby, but he’s on retreat at Cosy Toes, which he really loves. Belmont monks at the Chapter are Fr Richard from Whitehaven, the Belmont Delegate, Fr Brendan, Secretary to Chapter, Fr Jonathan, his Assistant, and Fr Luke, who is the Canonical Assessor. Nor must we forget Abbot Nicholas of Downside. It’s good to see younger monks taking over, as we older folk look forward to retirement. I promise more about, Chapter, Buckfast and places nearby in the days ahead.

Our Gospel reading today comes from Matthew, (Mt 11: 20-24), in which “Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.” He says that had he worked the same miracles in pagan towns, such as Tyre and Sidon, then they would have repented. We must never forget that what Jesus wants most of all of us is repentance, which is a sign of gratitude to God for all that he has done for us. So today it would be good to pray for the gift of true repentance, so that Christ may live in our hearts through faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 11th July

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:07:30 GMT

Today we keep the feast of St Benedict, remembering that he was the first saint to be proclaimed Patron of Europe by Pope St Paul VI in 1964. Although I was only a teenager at the time, I remember it well, as it evoked the vital role of Benedictines and Cistercians in the building of a Christian Europe. It’s a feast of hope that not only gives thanks for the past, but looks ahead to what we monks and nuns can still contribute to the re-evangelisation of our Old Continent and the rest of the world. Today, I ask you to pray for us, that we might be courageous and enthusiastic in living the Rule of St Benedict and following the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Our brief Gospel reading for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 19: 27-29).

“Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘What about us?’ he said. ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.’”

I must confess, I find this a rather brazen request on the part of Peter, knowing, of course, that he is also speaking for the others. “What do we get out of this? All the sacrifices we are making – what will be our reward?” Was it not enough simply to have the privilege of following Jesus? Surely, to be in the presence and company of Jesus was more than enough? Even so, Jesus understands their frail humanity and the innocence in their request. They will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. I wouldn’t fancy that job, even though it would be a great honour. The important thing is that they will work with God and for God in the kingdom of heaven. Most important of all, they will be granted eternal life. St Benedict reminds us in the Rule that from the day we become monks, nothing is ours, not even our bodies, all has been given to God. We can do that because he has given himself entirely to us. St Benedict, pray for us all, especially our oblates, parishioners and friends.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 10th July

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 06:53:14 GMT

I was so grateful to be able to visit my mother yesterday, albeit for a few hours. She was in good form and delighted to see me in the flesh rather than on a small screen. We enjoyed a nourishing lunch together and talked about many things. I was also able to help her do a few small jobs. One of the highlights of the day was taking a wrong turning on the Heads of the Valleys road, at a roundabout that is in the course of being rebuilt, and so taking a rather longer alternative country road, but without traffic and an abundance of almost ripe blackberries and what appeared to be wild raspberries, which I collected for my mother and tucked into straight from the bush as well. It was such a happy day that I was cured of the spirit of dejection that overwhelmed me yesterday.

Our Gospel passage today is the continuation of Jesus’ instructions to the twelve Apostles, as found in Matthew, (Mt 10: 24-33). Jesus warns them that they will be treated just as he has been treated and be called names, such as ‘sons of the devil.’ I can confess to having been called many things during my 47 years as a priest, but I’ve yet to be called that. Jesus says, “The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. It is enough for the disciple that he should grow to be like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, what will they not say of his household?” But what an honour and a privilege to be called and to be a disciple of Jesus and to learn from him and work along with him!

Twice he tells his apostles not to be afraid, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” He reminds them of how much they mean to his heavenly Father, who looks on them as his children and loves them. If God loves all he has created, even small, insignificant sparrows, will he not love each one of us who are so precious to him? Jesus assures his apostles that he will always be with them, to protect and strengthen them. We, too, can rejoice, for our heavenly Father is with us always, so we need never be afraid.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 9th July

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 07:53:29 GMT

It was a very busy day again yesterday. I didn’t feel at all well after a hospital appointment and the afternoon heat just knocked me out. Fortunately, I recovered somewhat for an evening meeting to look back at the Summer Fete, an enormous success, which was followed soon afterwards by a wedding practice. Herefordshire can be quite oppressive in the heat and Toby does his best to avoid it. Tomorrow, I hope to visit my mother. It seems such a long time since I saw her, other than on a screen, and I feel really bad about not doing enough to help her, especially since she underwent surgery. Next week and the week after it will be impossible because of General Chapter at Buckfast Abbey, when the monasteries belonging to the English Congregation meet for eleven days, far too long if you ask me! Nor will I be able to accompany her to hospital for her check-up and meeting with the consultant. I feel really bad about that. I often ponder now on the fact that there is a commandment to honour your father and mother, but no commandment to accept some of the restrictions imposed by the monastic life.

Our Gospel passage today is the continuation of Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve Apostles as they set out on their mission, sent by Jesus, (Mt 10: 16-23). He warns them, “Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans.” Whatever they have to face in their ministry, they are to remain honest and faithful, truthful and loving, as lambs among wolves, as Jesus himself, the Lamb of God. They are not to worry about how to defend themselves, but rather rely on the Holy Spirit who will teach them what to say and how to say it. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.” The situation Jesus describes is not simply a warning or a prophecy, but a description of what was already happening at the time the Gospel was being written. It was what Matthew’s hearers were already suffering. They would listen to the words of the Gospel and say, “That’s my life, those are my sufferings.” Yet, Jesus assures them that he will return very soon. We might will be waiting still, but we know that he will come, of that we can be sure.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 8th July

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 07:06:06 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 7th July

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 06:34:04 GMT

This is not the place to comment on the political situation this country is going through at present. As citizens, who expect and deserve a high standard of moral integrity and truthfulness from our leaders, whom we have elected to serve our country to the very best of their ability, it saddens us deeply to see what has become of our hopes and our rights. I worry about the impact this will have on our young people, who surely deserve a better example from those who govern the country. The United Kingdom, that was renowned and respected for its democratic traditions and institutions, has become the laughing stock of the whole world. As women and men of faith, the most important thing we can do right now is pray that trust may be restored in our political system and institutions and that people of true integrity, as many already are, may be called to highest office.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 7-15), the instruction that Jesus gave to the Twelve as he sent them out to proclaim the truth of the Gospel and the coming of Jesus as Saviour. He said to them, “As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge. Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.

If you remember last Sunday’s Gospel from Luke, there he sent our seventy-two disciples with similar words to these. Here Jesus is sending out the Twelve to share in his mission of proclaiming not simply the coming of the kingdom but that “the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” The kingdom, of course, is Jesus himself and where Jesus is, there is the kingdom. He asks the Twelve to focus on what is really important, which is the message, the proclamation of salvation in the Gospel of Jesus, and not their own needs and interests. It would be good for politicians, who are called and elected to serve the people, were to remember the words of Jesus to his Apostles: think of why you are here and not of yourself and your own interests. We, too, should always be aware of the teaching of Jesus and keep it in our daily lives.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 6th July

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 21:38:12 GMT

I usually help my mother to do her big online shop at a well-known supermarket once a fortnight and I can’t help but notice how the price of most things is rising steeply, sometimes by enormous increments. We can see inflation happening before our eyes: there’s no way you can camouflage the current situation. I am reminded of the galloping inflation we experienced in Peru in the late ‘80s. The government changed the name of the currency and was forced to chop off three noughts at a time on a regular basis. Thank God we had the support of Belmont parishioners and benefactors to keep soup kitchens going in over a hundred villages as drought added to our problems. One year we bought a new Toyota truck and by the following year we could only buy a new tyre for the same amount of money. Looking back, the fact that we and our people survived was a miracle, a veritable feeding of the five thousand. I have such happy memories.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 7: 1-7), the calling of the Twelve Apostles. “Jesus summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.” We are simply told that those called by Jesus were his twelve disciples, although we know that he had many more, both men and women. He shares his authority over unclean spirits with them and the power to cast them out, thus healing the sick and possessed. We are then told the names of the twelve apostles, a name that means ‘sent out on a mission’. “These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him.” This appears to be just a list of twelve names, beginning with Simon also called Peter and ending with Judas Iscariot, who was to betray Jesus. At times a family relationship is alluded to, occasionally a nickname, in the case of Matthew his work as a tax collector. Some become major protagonists in the early Church, others we hardly hear of again. We can see why they are called apostles: in the following verses we are told that they were sent out by Jesus. “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’” They are the first to be given a specific mission: they are to go to the lost sheep of Israel and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Although we say that bishops are the successors of the apostles, under their guidance and authority, we have all been sent out by Jesus to proclaim the Good News. A good exercise for us all is to ask ourselves each morning, as we begin our day: How am I going to proclaim today that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand? Where, how, and to whom? We could begin by just asking ourselves!

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 5th July

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 06:29:37 GMT

Although the days are gradually getting shorter, it’s beginning to feel more like Summer as they also get warmer. It’s certainly very hot when the sun comes out and we get a cloudless hour or two. Toby doesn’t like the sun or the heat that goes with it. He has a really thick, luxurious coat, so prefers cool weather and doesn’t much care even if it’s raining heavily. He loves the beach, as you know, but not if it’s sunny. I hope that soon I can take him down to my mother’s again, so that we can take a walk on the beach. She is really looking forward to seeing him again, as soon as she’s back to normal after surgery. She continues to make excellent progress. We are both deeply grateful for your prayers.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 9: 32-37), which interestingly concludes with the words we heard Jesus say in Luke on Sunday to the seventy-two disciples he sent out ahead of him, a somewhat different context, you will agree. ”The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” However, the passage begins with a miracle, the healing of a dumb man, also known as a demoniac, as it was thought that his dumbness was caused by the presence of an evil spirit or devil. Whereas the people reacted in amazement, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel,” the Pharisees reacted by saying, “It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.” On this occasion, Jesus does not reply or contradict them, he simply continues on his mission. Matthew writes, “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.” This is how Jesus conducted his mission and the Church has continued the work of Jesus ever since he handed it on to his disciples, giving them the gift of the Spirit.

Matthew comments that Jesus had compassion on the crowds he met with wherever he went. “They were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’” Jesus knew that he had come to be the Shepherd of Israel and of all those who, like the lost sheep of the parable, would allow themselves to be found by him. I know, we all know that the harvest is rich but the labourers are few, nevertheless there are times when I wonder if the shepherds care enough for the sheep they should be looking after. I am also convinced that you don’t have to be an ordained minister, whether bishop, priest or deacon, to be a true shepherd of the sheep. Let us think seriously on the words of Jesus and ask him what he would like us to do about it.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 4th July

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 06:46:04 GMT

First of all, today, an apology, for in yesterday’s message I wrote that the Gospel passage for Sunday came from Matthew. In fact, as you all know, it came from Luke. I’m so used to writing about Matthew at the moment that I wrote without thinking it was a Sunday. It was good to have our Ukrainian friends back for the Divine Liturgy yesterday afternoon and to see the congregation grow and welcome newcomers. We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine and an end to the war.

Today’s Gospel passage really does come from Matthew, (Mt 9: 18-26), an interesting account of two miracles in one story, the raising from the dead of an official’s daughter and the healing of a woman who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years. Jesus always has time for those in need. He says yes where others might say no. This is how Matthew tells the story:

“While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.

When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.”

Jesus does not object to the audacity of the official who comes up and interrupts him while he is speaking, for he makes a deep bow of respect and recognition that Jesus is more important than himself. The request is urgent; his daughter is dead; only Jesus can raise her to life. Jesus rises immediately to go with the man and takes his disciples with him. Just at that moment, the poor woman comes up behind him and touches the hem of his garment, convinced that even this minimal contact with Jesus will heal her, reflecting the faith of the official who believes that Jesus can raise his daughter from death to life. Jesus is kindness itself with the lady now healed of her unpleasant ailment: he calls her his daughter and encourages her to start a new life. Just as her faith has healed her, so now the faith of the official will be instrumental in bringing back his daughter to life. Arriving at the official’s house, the scene resembles so many deaths I witnessed in rural Peru. When Jesus says the little girl is just sleeping, albeit the sleep of death, he is laughed at, and yet he knows, and the official believes, that he has God’s power to raise the girl from the dead and give her new life. This act of healing is a prophecy of his own resurrection.

Lord, strengthen our faith that we too may rise to new life in you. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 3rd July

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 06:40:26 GMT

Today we welcome back to Belmont our Ukrainian guests who come for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at 3pm, followed by a social gathering in the Parish Centre. When the war began almost six months’ ago and the first refugees started fleeing their homeland as the enemy advanced and destroyed all they could see, we talked blithely of these refugees being able to return to their homes in a matter of months. Sadly, tragically, it no longer looks like that. The war drags on, ever more towns and villages are destroyed and innocent people killed. If things carry on like this, there will be very little of Ukraine left. It’s a horrific situation and one that makes me ashamed. The West has failed to protect the Ukrainian people, who only want to live in peace with their neighbours. Let’s keep praying and never losing hope that their dream might yet be possible.

Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 3-12, 17-20), in which Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples to go ahead and prepare people for his coming, for “the kingdom of God is very near you.” He sends them out saying, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.” A whole series of other instructions follow. Essentially, these disciples are to rely on Divine Providence and the generosity of those who welcome them to their homes. Their greeting is always to be one of peace and their behaviour is to reflect that greeting. They are to announce that, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” Thus, they are to prepare their hearers for the coming of Jesus who heralds in the kingdom of God. On their return, it’s clear that these disciples are encouraged by their success and become overconfident, proud even, so Jesus warns them, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.” They should not be congratulating themselves for their apparent success, rather, they should be giving thanks to God for using them as his instruments.

Now we often think of this passage of the Gospel as referring to priests or other ordained ministers and missionaries, which is fine, but not the whole story. The mission of evangelisation, of proclaiming the Gospel is not reserved to the clergy, it is the vocation that all baptised Christians share. Just think how, at the end of each Mass, we are all sent forth to proclaim the Gospel by the way we live our lives. Very often the witness and testimony of lay people is far more effective than that of the clergy. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, Christ is with us and we proclaim his death and resurrection and his love for all people simply by being who we are. Filled with the Holy Spirit and sent by Jesus, our names are written in heaven and so, even without knowing it, we are proclaiming to those around us, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 2nd July

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 06:06:44 GMT

What a busy week this has been and an exhausting one too! I wish I could say that I was looking forward to a quiet and restful weekend, but that’s rarely the case and certainly not this weekend. I thank you for your prayers for our Conventual Chapter, which was a wonderful occasion for bringing the monastic community together and for strengthening the bond of unity and fraternal charity in Christ which is the goal of the monastic life. Your support and your prayers make this possible and, above all, your example.

Our Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 9: 14-17), begins with a discussion on fasting, a sign of sorrow for sin and repentance. It’s the disciples of John the Baptist who ask Jesus the question: “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” Jesus’ reply is unexpected, but referring to himself as the bridegroom and to his disciples as his attendants, he says: “Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Now there are various ways in which we can think about the bridegroom’s absence. For example, we ourselves can remove Jesus from our lives by turning away from him, when only the fast of repentance will bring him back, if we once more open our hearts to him and allow him to become part of our lives again. Only we and no one else can lock him out from our lives by our own personal rejection of him. Persecution and persecutors can have no power over us, if we welcome Christ to remain with us in the secret of our hearts. When Christ is with us, we rejoice, but when we are conscious of having turned our backs on him, we are sad and dejected and begin to fall to pieces.

Lord, be with us always, as you have promised, and never allow us to turn away from you for whatever reason, for we know that you came to call sinners and that you died for our salvation.

Fr Paul

Copy of Message from Fr Paul for Friday 1st July

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:23:29 GMT

I will be brief today, as yesterday was a busy day and it’s late as I write these few words. Today we also begin our annual Conventual Chapter, a sort of monastic AGM, when the solemnly professed monks, who form the Monastic Chapter, gather together to examine each area of our life and work, both as a community audit and to see how we can make improvements in every area of our life. I ask for your prayers. Indeed, I am very grateful for your prayers, as I know that all the readers of this message pray for us every day. Thank you and may God reward you.

Our Gospel passage for today comes from Matthew, (Mt 9: 1-8), the healing and forgiving of a paralytic and the debate with the scribes, who accuse Jesus of blasphemy. It’s a beautifully moving account.

The passage shows us clearly that Jesus has power to heal and to forgive and that this power comes from God. It’s good to see his friends, neighbours and family bringing the paralytic out into the presence of Jesus. They know that Jesus has the power to help this man and bring him healing. It is their faith that Jesus sees. When Jesus says to the man, “Your sins are forgiven,“ we know at once that there will be trouble. The scribes accuse him of blasphemy, because God alone can forgive. He knows what they are saying to each other, so to test them, Jesus asks them which is it easier to do, to forgive or to heal? To show them that the Son of Man has power to forgive on earth, he orders the man to stand up, pick up his sleeping mat and walk, which the man does. He is no longer a paralytic, either of body or of soul. Jesus has power to forgive us too, for we are often like paralytics, spiritually at least. We too can be filled with awe, as was that crowd, if we allow Jesus to heal our souls and forgive our sins.

Fr Paul

National Synthesis Document

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 07:17:01 GMT

On behalf of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales the National Sunthesis Document is available to read here

Canon Chris Thomas says:

"Thank you for your participation and very thoughtful comments at the Synod day in Southwark on 1 ^st June. The National Synthesis Team has been working on the document since then and I am very pleased to be able to send this to you today. We reviewed all of the comments that were made on the Synod Day and have best incorporated them where appropriate.

The next stage in this work will be for our bishops, who will gather next Tuesday to review their reflections and discernment of the material in the national synthesis. That document which they are writing, along with the synthesis presented today, will then form our submission to the Synod Office in Rome. This will be considered, along with the other national synthesis documents from around the world, and from these, the Synod Office will produce the Instrumentum Laboris 1 for the work at the European (Regional) Phase. And so, the journey of becoming a Synodal Church continues, moving forward to the Regional Phase but also continuing the reflections and work here in England and Wales at the local and diocesan level."

A Reflection from the Bishops of England and Wales following the compilation of the Synodal National Synthesis Document can be read here

If you wish to comment to us, you can do so at

madeleine.walters@rcadc.org

Thank you to all of you who supported the synodal process in your parish.

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 30th June

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 07:05:58 GMT

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, a good day to pray for the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and especially for his good health, and to pray for the unity of the Church around Peter and the Apostles. Often the Patriarch of Constantinople visits Rome for this great feast to greet and accompany his brother, the Bishop of Rome, in Saint Peter’s. These signs of unity are as moving as they are important. The sad divisions in the Church do nothing to bear witness to Christ and the truth of the Gospel. As time is short and duties are numerous, I hope you will forgive me if today I just share with you my homily for the Mass. It comes from the heart as do my short daily messages. I would like to thank those who have already written to wish me a happy feast day. God bless and keep you.

“I have kept the faith,” wrote St Paul. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replied on behalf of the Twelve, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” On the road to Damascus, Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” It was the Christ, the Son of the living God, who replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Both Peter and Paul came to believe, not through human inspiration but divine revelation, that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. That discovery of faith brought with it the realization that they had also been chosen and called by him to be his apostles, and this in spite of their human weaknesses, idiosyncrasies and sinfulness. “My grace is enough for you.” Through grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter and Paul became passionate lovers of Jesus Christ and lived their lives for him alone. “It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

Beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” That affirming of love, which cannot be separated from his earlier declaration of belief, led Peter to over thirty years of fruitful ministry, above all in the Jewish community. Paul, whose mission of over thirty years was to the Gentiles, wrote to the Corinthians, “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all the mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Love separated from faith can become a dangerous emotion, while faith separated from love can become sterile and sectarian. Faith has to be lived in love, while love can only be truly experienced in a life of faith and service. We live in difficult times to be men and women of faith. The forces of evil, often camouflaged as good, are ranged on every side against us, but persecution strengthens the Church.

The example and teaching of Peter and Paul encourage us not to give in but to persevere, and to do so with joy and confidence. Always remember Peter’s miraculous escape from prison: he thought he was seeing a vision. “Now I know it is all true. The Lord really did send his angel and has freed me.” There can be no faith without love, nor faith without martyrdom or love without suffering. Paul wrote to Timothy, “The Lord stood by me and gave me power. The Lord will rescue me from evil and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.”

This then is what it means to keep the faith: to live a life firmly rooted in Christ and grounded in his love, so that everything we believe, do and say, are one and the same. We become the person God created us to be. At the last supper, Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Just as in Jesus we see the Father and come to know him, so in Peter and Paul we see Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Today we pray that we may come to see and know Jesus in ourselves and in one another. Only then we will be able to say with Peter and Paul, “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness.” I have kept the faith.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday 29th June

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:13:32 GMT

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday 28th June

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 20:21:08 GMT

The grave situation facing our Ukrainian brothers and sisters continues to escalate, causing ever more damage and destruction, the flattening of whole cities and the death of military on both sides as well as of innocent civilians. Is there no one with the ability and courage to put an end to this criminal activity, which serves no purpose for anyone save the inflated pride of certain individuals? What really upsets me at the moment is that we seem to have lost interest, to a large extent, in what is going on so close to home. It’s as though we have grown tired of hearing about the atrocities taking place in Ukraine and have turned to more interesting news elsewhere: chaos for holidaymakers at airports, rising prices, tennis and cricket, the antics of politicians, just to mention a few. Don’t get me wrong, all news has its importance, but it seems that we’ve grown tired of Ukraine and would rather not think about it. Added to which, those helping refugees in Poland, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine report that donations are down by a large percentage mark over previous months, making it very difficult to carry on.

We continue our reading of Matthew today, (Mt 8: 23-27), with the account of Jesus calming the storm. This is what he writes:

“Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’”

Matthew’s account is short and succinct compared even to Mark. As we all know from experience, storms often break without warning and, at sea in particular or when travelling by air, and can be frightening. The boat that Jesus and his disciples were in would have been quite small. We can think of migrants crossing the English Channel or, worse still, the Mediterranean from Africa to Sicily. Jesus is asleep and the disciples are frightened. We can read the rest. Jesus calls them, “men of little faith.” Do they have no faith in him? Although he was asleep, as God often appears to be when we pray to him, did they think the boat would go down? When the going goes hard, we need more faith, not less, more trust in God, not less, and more love for one another, not less. Jesus doesn’t need to be awake for us to say, “Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.”

Thinking of Ukraine and the many other problems affecting our world today calls for more faith, more prayer and, indeed, more generosity on our part..

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Monday 27th June

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 07:06:52 GMT

It’s always a great joy to meet with people, known and unknown, who read my daily message or to receive letters, cards and emails. It’s encouraging to know that together we form a community of Jesus’ disciples, striving to live according to his word and guided by his Holy Spirit. It strengthens our experience of Church, the Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s good to know that we all pray for one another, remembering especially those who are sick or in sorrow for whatever reason. Life, at times, can be very difficult, but we know that, in whatever dilemma we find ourselves, the Lord is with us and he will never abandon us. Let us continue to pray for one another, even though many of us are strangers to each other, but remember that, in Christ, there are no strangers only sisters and brothers, all children of our heavenly Father.

It’s fascinating to see how the words and sayings of Jesus appear and are interpreted in the four Gospels. Today the task is easy and straightforward, as parts of yesterday’s Gospel from Luke reappear in today’s passage from Matthew, (Mt 8: 18-22). It’s also clear that Jesus must have used the same parables and sayings more than once and in different circumstances. Today we read:

“When Jesus saw the great crowds all about him, he gave orders to leave for the other side. One of the scribes then came up and said to him, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’

Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, ‘Sir, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’”

Here Jesus is still in Galilee and it’s one of the scribes, who comes up to Jesus with the promise to follow him wherever he goes. What I find interesting is that one of those, who usually appear as enemies of Jesus, wants to be his disciple. The warning of Jesus on the difficulties of discipleship remains the same. Then it’s one of his disciples who asks to go off and bury his father before continuing his journey with Jesus. The answer here appears even more bleak than in Luke, yet the message is the same and it’s for all of us. There is nothing more important for a Christian than to follow Jesus and, in the words of St Benedict, “to prefer nothing whatever to Christ.” It is in putting God first and loving God before all others that we will love others better and as God wants us to love them that is best for them, Lord, help us to be faithful each day in following your teaching and example. Amen.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday 26th June

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 06:58:51 GMT

Perhaps it was the long wait since 2019 for another Summer Fete to take place, but yesterday’s was the most enjoyable, happiest and best run I can ever remember and I go back a long time, to the legendary days of Fr Denis. The weather was unpredictable with heavy rain overnight, then more heavy rain around 1.15pm and a dramatic thunderstorm about 3pm, bang in the middle of events. No one was deterred, least of all our volunteers, and there was abundant shelter. Our deepest thanks and warmest congratulations go out to Louise Wright and her magnificent team. Everyone I spoke with kept saying, “What a fantastic fete this is. We’re loving it.” The theme this year was TOGETHER AGAIN and it was certainly that. What a joy it was to meet up and chat with people we hadn’t seen for three years. It was also the answer to a lot of prayer, collaboration and dedication.

It’s good to go back to celebrating an Ordinary Sunday again after a divine glut of feasts and solemnities, but we mustn’t forget that the days have begun to shorten and we’re now less than six months’ away from Christmas day. Our Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 51-62), who reminds us that Jesus’ time to return to the Father is approaching. He writes, “As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But he turned and rebuked them, and they went off to another village.” This is the point in the Gospel story when we realise along with Jesus and his disciples that there’s no turning back. What lies ahead: arrest, trial, condemnation, death, resurrection and ascension must be faced and accomplished resolutely because this is the Father’s will and the reason why Christ is with us. Everything now points to what will happen in Jerusalem. On the way, in Samaria, there is the experience of rejection. The disciples sent into a Samaritan village are not made welcome, but Jesus wants no punishment, no retribution.

There then follow three encounters between Jesus and men who would follow him, even declare their longing and intention to do so, but have important matters to deal with before they fulfil their wish and follow Jesus.

“As they travelled along, they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’

Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’

Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

To the first Jesus gives a salutary warning that it is easy to express one’s desire to follow Jesus, but difficult to fulfil it. To the second, a criticism, for there can be nothing more important for a disciple than to follow Christ and join him in proclaiming the Good News. To the third, a similar criticism, that once a disciple has chosen to follow Christ, there can be no turning back or delay.

These words of Jesus might sound somewhat harsh to us. Can being a Christian and a disciple of Jesus be so hard? But look, Jesus “resolutely took the road for Jerusalem” and our following of Jesus must be with that same spirit of resolve. Today’s Gospel passage and the first reading from the First Book of Kings, that charming account of the call of Elisha by Elijah, are an invitation to us all to consider the fidelity, quality and intensity of our own resolve to follow Jesus as his disciples, called and chosen. Could we do better?

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday 25th June

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 07:00:07 GMT

Today is Belmont Summer Fête Day: I ask you to pray for good weather and an enjoyable afternoon for all our guests. I am deeply grateful to our organisers and to all those to have worked so hard for months to prepare for this wonderful event. I am amazed at their enterprise, dedication and ability, not to mention their physical strength and spirit of perseverance and faith. It is one of the many ways in which we can show our love for God and our neighbour. It’s all done thinking of others. May the good Lord reward you all.

On the Saturday after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we keep the Memoria of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, quite an ancient devotion dating back to the days of St Anselm of Canterbury and St Bernard of Clairvaux, then practised by St Mechtilde, St Gertrude the Great and St Bridget of Sweden. It is based on the Infancy Narratives of Luke (chapters 1 & 2) and John’s description of Mary at the foot of the Cross, (Jn 19: 25-27). St Augustine of Hippo wrote that Mary was not merely passive at the foot of the cross; "she cooperated through charity in the work of our redemption." Pope St Leo the Great wrote that, “through faith and love she conceived her son spiritually, even before receiving him into her womb.” This is a feast with a sound scriptural basis and a long history of profound theological reflection.

Our Gospel reading today is proper to the commemoration and comes from Luke, (Lk 2: 41-51). It recounts the episode recorded of the Holy Family, when Jesus was twelve years’ old and they went down to Jerusalem on pilgrimage. It’s an account that focusses on many points, among them Mary questioning Jesus on why he had remained in Jerusalem when the pilgrims from Nazareth packed up and started going north for home. She tells him of Joseph and herself being worried when they discovered that Jesus wasn’t with them in the caravan and how they had been looking for him everywhere. She scolds him, “Why have to done this to us?” This episode reveals them to be a very normal family, yet it goes deeper and shows us Mary’s care for the prophetic utterances she had heard at his conception and birth. Luke comments: “Jesus then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart.” At his birth, at his presentation in the temple and now we hear three times this phrase that Mary pondered and stored up these things in her heart, which is why the symbol of the Immaculate Heart is a heart pierced with the sword of sorrow, suffering and love. May Our Lady accompany us in our sorrows and our sufferings as well as in our joys and may she bring us all to God by her maternal intercession.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Friday 24th June

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 11:05:27 GMT

First of all, may I remind you that tomorrow, Saturday, 25 ^th June, we will be holding our Parish Summer Fête for the first time in three years. Everyone is welcome and the entrance is free. It’s marvellously organised by the ladies of the parish and you and your family can be assured of a great time. There will be something for everyone. We begin at 2pm and usually end around 4pm. In fact, you could go straight to the Vigil Mass for Sunday at 4pm in the abbey church.

Today, the Friday after Corpus Christi, we keep the feast of the Sacred Heart, a feast that highlights the love and mercy of God made manifest through the Heart of Jesus, a heart that overflows with the perfect goodness, generosity, love and mercy of God. Let’s focus on the Gospel story, where we read, learn and meditate on the love of the Saviour, who died for our sins and rose from the dead so that the Holy Spirit might overflow into our hearts and recreate them to be perfect mirrors of the perfect love of God.

Our Gospel reading for today is taken from Luke, (Lk 15: 3-7), where Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees the delightful Parable of the Lost Sheep. “What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? ‘Rejoice with me,’ he would say ‘I have found my sheep that was lost.’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.” Whose heart doesn’t glow within them when they hear this parable? As in all parables, the story itself is somewhat exaggerated. It’s hardly likely that a shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep alone and go in search on the one that has gone astray and is lost. I don’t know if shepherds in the Holy Land had sheepdogs at the time of Jesus. No mention is ever made of them. He might possibly carry it back to the fold, relieved if not exactly rejoicing, but it’s unlikely that he’d call together his friends and neighbours to tell them all about it and share his joy. However, this is what God does, which is why Jesus mixes with sinners, eats and drinks with them, befriends them; so that he can bring them to repentance and new life. He reminds his hearers that the good and the virtuous have no need of repentance, but sinners do and that is why he has come among them. Now, what Jesus proposes is not easy, but he promises us the help we need to follow his example. In fact, we have been given the Holy Spirit, in whom we are reconciled and united with Christ and our heavenly Father.

Fr Paul

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday 23rd June

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 10:30:15 GMT

Because Friday is the feast of the Sacred Heart, that of the Nativity of St John the Baptist has been transferred from 24 ^th to 23 ^rd June. I find the transferring of feast days difficult to cope with, yet in the light of eternity it hardly matters. St John was conceived and born six months ahead of Jesus. Their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary, were kinswomen, second cousins perhaps, as Elizabeth was a good deal older than Mary. We can read all about their close relationship in the account of the Visitation, (Lk 1: 39-56), the passage previous to the one chosen for today’s feast. Throughout the ancient Christian world there are many traditions and customs associated with the birth of St John. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite feasts and mirrors the Nativity of Jesus, which we will celebrate in six months’ time.

Our Gospel comes from Luke, (Lk 1: 57-66, 80), who recounts all the details associated with John’s conception and birth. He tells us, “The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy.” In this short sentence alone, we find two of the major themes of Luke’s Gospel, the loving kindness of God and the joy of knowing the love that God has for each and every one of us. The friends and relations of Elizabeth share in her joy at the birth of a son. But what will this child be called? Will he be Zechariah like his father? That is what he would normally have been called, but his parents knew him to be a special gift from God and so would have a special name to mark that giftedness. “Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished.” The name John means ‘graced by God’ or ‘God has been gracious.’

Elizabeth and Zechariah were, indeed, graced by God in the conception of John and God has continued to show his graciousness in the safe birth of the infant.

The story continues, “At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.” Here we meet another characteristic of John and that is praise, which is closely linked with the awesomeness of God, which in turn is connected to the treasuring of God’s deeds in our hearts. Wonder and amazement are also linked to praise. We can see where the idea that God is a God of surprises originates. It’s here before our eyes. Just as Jesus has a hidden life until he is baptised by John in the Jordan, so too John has a hidden life in the wilderness until be begins to preach repentance openly and to baptise, at the same time preparing the way of the Lord, prophesying the coming of the Messiah.

Fr Paul