Homilies

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Funeral of Fr. Peter Kelly RIP

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Fr. Peter Kelly had been a very good friend of our community for over 40 years.

On his diaconal Ordination retreat in 1982, he served as Mitre-bearer to Bishop Mario Conti, as he was ordaining our Frs. Hugh and Anselm to the sacred Priesthood. His fellow Crozier-bearer for that occasion was a youthful Peter de Klerk, staying in the monastery to enquire about vocational prospects. That crozier-bearer entered the monastery soon afterwards, and remains now as our Br. Michael.

Fr. Simon's Triduum Homilies

Maundy Thursday 2025

Exodus 12:1-8,11-14 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-15

Rabbi Jacob Yitzhak was one of the most famous early Hassidic masters. They called him the Seer of Lublin. He was quite a character, eccentric and charismatic, hugely popular among the Jews of the early 19th century Poland.

Palm Sunday 2025, Year C Luke 19:28-40    Isaiah 50:4-7    Philippians 2:6-11    Luke 22:14-23:56

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet. … Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes” (Gen 49:10-11).

Homily for the 5th Sunday in Lent Year “C”, 6 April 2025: Isaiah 43:16-21

Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it? (Is 43:19)

In today’s first reading we heard a brief passage from Isaiah, Chapter 43. Isaiah here speaks in the language of poetry. His words are evocative, musical, stirring: to be savoured and pondered slowly. Clearly they point beyond themselves. We take them very seriously, because we hold them also to be true, and from God.

Homily for the 5th Sunday in Lent Year “C”, 6 April 2025: Isaiah 43:16-21

Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it? (Is 43:19)

In today’s first reading we heard a brief passage from Isaiah, Chapter 43. Isaiah here speaks in the language of poetry. His words are evocative, musical, stirring: to be savoured and pondered slowly. Clearly they point beyond themselves. We take them very seriously, because we hold them also to be true, and from God.

Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Jeremiah 17:5-8 1 Corinthians 15:12,16-20 Luke 6:17,20-26

Jesus “lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: Blessed are you”!

He formally and publicly declared his disciples blessed, that is, righteous before God – over against the self-appointed judges of righteousness, usually represented in the Gospel by the Scribes and the Pharisees.

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Day for the Religious of our Diocese

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Pope St. John Paul II designated Candlemas, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 2 February as a special World Day for the Consecrated Life. This year 2 February fell on a Sunday, making a special gathering on that day less convenient. So our Bishop Hugh decided to gather the Religious of his Diocese together, here at Pluscarden, on the Monday following.

Homily for the Feast of the Presentation, Candlemas, Sunday 2 February 2025

Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40

40 days after Christmas, the Lord comes to his Temple. In this way he fulfils the prophecy of Malachi, which we had in our first reading today. All lovers of Handle’s Messiah will instantly recognise these words: The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple... Who shall stand on the Day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire… And he shall purify the sons of Levi...