More than Human

ROTHERWAS CHAPEL MASS: Will take place on Wednesday, 19th August at 11.30am. Abbot Brendan will celebrate the Mass of the Assumption at Rotherwas Chapel (HR2 6LD). Seating will be provided and parking is available.

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Dear friends in Christ, 1 Next weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption, transferred from Saturday to Sunday. Please check out the two events taking place on Saturday here at Belmont in preparation for the Assumption: Mary through Artists’ Eyes: Journey through two thousand years of beautiful Christian art as Abbot Brendan explores how painters, sculptors and iconographers have portrayed Mary and the faith that inspired these works. Saturday, 15 August 10am-4pm at The Chapterhouse, Belmont. £12 per person for the day. Meals and Refreshments available. Star of the Sea: An Evening of Gregorian Chant and Organ Music at Belmont Abbey for the feast of the Assumption, Saturday, 15 August at 7.00pm in the Abbey Church. Tickets are £10 which include refreshments. All these events can be booked through the Abbey website: www.belmontabbey.org.uk/event-listings There will be a river pilgrimage to raise awareness and to call for action to stop pollution of the River Wye. A 4ft wooden sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Waters and the Wye) will be mounted on two canoes made into a canoe-catamaran and floated downstream from Hay to Bredwardine. This year the five-day pilgrimage will continue by car to Hoarwithy and will call at Weobley. The pilgrimage was the brainchild of the Anglican clergyman Richard Williams of St Mary’s Church at Hay on Wye and sculptor Philip Chatfield who has carved beautiful stone sculptures for Tintern Abbey and locally at St Mary’s Monmouth. The pilgrimage will start with a service at St Mary’s Hay followed by a procession through town to the launch point near Hay on Wye on Saturday 15th August. On Sunday, 16th August, the pilgrims and sculpture will come to St Thomas’s RC Church in Weobley for a service of Vespers at 3.30pm to be followed by tea and cake. To which all are welcome. Other stops include Gregorian Chant at Moccas Church with some of the monks of Belmont Abbey on Monday at 6.30pm and Evensong at Hereford Cathedral on Tuesday at 5.30pm. My prayers and best wishes,

ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO THE GRAVE OF ST JOHN KEMBLE � SUNDAY, 23RD AUGUST 2026 9.15am Mass at St Mary’s Church, Monmouth. 10.15am Pilgrims set off to walk to Welsh Newton - bring a packed lunch. 3.00pm Rosary, readings and prayers at St John Kemble’s Grave, Welsh Newton Churchyard.  4.15pm Benediction at St Mary’s Church, Monmouth. Everyone welcome.

Assisted Suicide Bill - Message from Archbishop Mark  There will be a Second Reading and vote in the House of Commons for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life Bill) on 11th September. As Catholics, we oppose this legislation since it attacks the innate dignity of every person. It is also very poorly written and gives no safeguards to healthcare staff, nursing homes, or hospices, all of whom will be pressured to implement the bill if the legislation is passed. I encourage all Catholics to write to their MP. The Bishops' Conference has information available on its website at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/opposing-assisted-suicide/. On the page, there are various resources, copies of statements and guidance on writing to your MP, and please, please do so, to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

CAFOD - DAY OF CREATION: On Tuesday, 1st September the season of creation commences. This is an ecumenical celebration uniting Christians in prayer for and in praise of God's glorious creation. The theme for this year is living waters. Please join us on this day for a meditative walk around the Abbey grounds pausing and re􀁊lecting at beautiful visual displays centred on the immersion of living waters-and then for a light lunch in the Parish Centre. Please see the CAFOD board in the porch for full details of the day. Please sign the book in front of the board if interested and take an invitation. P

OUR LADY'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL: Currently has places available in nearly all year groups. Families seeking a caring, nurturing environment with high expectations, excellent teaching, and a strong Catholic ethos are warmly invited to visit. Our recently published Ofsted report recognises that "A positive and inclusive culture is at the heart of Our Lady's RC Primary," re􀁆lecting a school where children are safe, valued, and supported to achieve their very best. If you are considering a place for your child, or would simply like to 􀁆ind out more about everything Our Lady's has to offer, please contact the school of􀁆ice on 01432 274814 or email: admin@our-ladys.hereford.sch.uk to arrange a personal tour of the school.

THE BIBLE: MYTH OR HISTORY?: A free illustrated lecture series in Biblical Archaeology with David Rohl. A free illustrated lecture series in Biblical Archaeology with David Rohl. Session 7 - In Search of Eden: The geography of Paradise and its fabled garden. Saturday, 12th September 2.00pm to 4.00pm, Belmont Abbey. Free parking, Free entry. Monthly lectures on the second Saturday of each month.

REQUEST FOR READERS: We are looking for additional readers to read at Holy Mass, both Sundays and weekdays especially at the 4pm Vigil Mass. If you would like to be involved in this ministry then please contact Fr Augustine or Michael Hall at mjhall1948@outlook.com.