Archive

June 2023 

Photographs from The Centenary Mass, 3rd June 2023

June 2023

Transcript of Archbishop Mark O' Toole's Reflection from the end of the Centenary Mass:

"Just before the final blessing can I just offer a word of thanks. Thanks to all of you for being here this afternoon. Richard is right that I did make that comment in Lourdes at an HCPT mass about being a home grown, one of the first home grown, bishop. And when I came back to this country, one of my brother bishops phoned me up to tell me that he was the first home grown, that was Bishop Terry Drainey. Who is I understand the first home grown, but maybe I can say today legitimately I'm the first home grown Archbishop of HCPT. So it's a great joy and delight for me to be here. I have the great privilege of being the Bishop, the Archbishop of Cardiff, and also the Bishop of Menevia. And it's in the Diocese of Menevia that we have the lovely Caldey Island and the Cistercian community there where Brother Michael lived so much of his life.

And then, of course, the very last years of his life, when he was frail, he lived at Nazareth House in Cardiff and that's where he died. And I have a great privilege because the cause for the canonisation cannot formally start according to the church's process until after the fifth anniversary of the death. And it starts in the diocese where the person has died.

So I have a great privilege of being both connected now to Menevia and to Cardiff. I wonder if Brother Michael has kind of manoeuvred me to be in this place in order to be able to assist. But it's a great delight for me to face that prospect. But come December, twelve months, we can officially start the process from the church's point of view.

But I do want to echo those thanks, especially to Father Jan, for that very, very beautiful reflection on Brother Michael's life, his witness, and especially his kind of dedication, a life of prayer and a life of service to looking in those two ways he always spoke about to look towards neighbour, to love the neighbour in self-giving and sacrifice, and to look towards God, to love God, to seek God's will, to live under the umbrella of God and particularly the inspiration of our Blessed Lady. For this, we most of all give thanks to God for being able to experience something of that in Brother Michael's life. And we pray, you know, it's his birthday, his earthly birthday, 100 years. But really, we are celebrating the birthday of his entry into the life of God.

And we know that he can do greater works for the church and for the world from where he is now. And we pray to be inspired by that in our own lives."

June 2023

Transcript of Father Jan Rossey's homily from the Centenary Mass on 3rd June 2023 at Westminster Cathedral. Father Jan is the Superior of Caldey Abbey where Brother Michael was an oblate of the community.

Dear brothers and sisters, Brother Michael did not talk much about his medical training, but he once mentioned that he had a professor of surgery who said “it is better to look and see than to wait and see”. Of course, the man was a surgeon who preferred to open up the patient and see what the matter was and act accordingly rather than wait and see how the illness or problem would evolve and only then take action.

I would say it is better to be here and look at Brother Michael and see that he is a holy man than to wait for his canonization and see then what we already know. It is better to look now than to wait; it might be a long wait. The process of canonization is a long process, and it has not even started yet.

And things move slowly in that department. We will need a lot of patience, persistence, and perseverance. Luckily, Brother Michael gave us a good example. It is better to look. And who are you looking for? A very good friend of Brother Michael's, John Wolff, has written a wonderful book with this title: “Who are you looking for? An introduction to the Life and Spirituality of Brother Michael”. I can't thank John enough for his work. It is a delightful book. So beautiful, so full of insight, so full of faith and hope, of charity and friendship, so full of inspiration. And I am sure that John will not be angry if I make a bit of publicity for his book.

If you don't already have it, you must buy it, read it and reread it, and pray it. It is a book of prayer, full of prayer, and you have to absorb it and try to live it. And you must also buy several copies of it to give away, because it is a perfect present for people who are open to the message of Brother Michael's life.

And the best thing I could do now is read you the whole book. But I think the Bishop will agree that we do not have the time for that. But allow me to share a few thoughts. If you have your answer to the question, who are you looking for? Who are you looking for? If your answer is Brother Michael, then we have a little problem because Brother Michael will say there is nothing to see here.

Look for Jesus. Look for Mary. Look for Bernadette. Look at the Saints. Look at HCPT. Look at the children, the carers, the nurses, the chaplains, and the staff. They are the ones that are important. Look at them. They are a great example of holiness and goodness, of generosity, and dedication. Don't look for me, you will say. 

And today the church celebrates Charles Lwanga and his 21 companions. That's why we are dressed in red. They were martyrs. They were mostly young people. The oldest one was only 13 years old. They were stubbornly persevering in their faith, ready to give their lives for God. They were martyrs, witnesses to God's love—a love that is stronger than death. They chose an upright and pure life. And because of this and their faith, they died a violent death.

Brother Michael did not die young or violently. He died peacefully at an old age. Yet it was only an old body that died. He himself was still young, almost childlike, anyway. And like children, he was totally absorbed in whatever he was doing, whether caring for children, organizing pilgrimages, leading a trust, or being a monk without self-consciousness or self-importance, totally focused on the work and the person in front of him.

And like children, he relied totally on his father and mother, the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Mother Mary. And like the young mothers of Uganda, he gave his life totally to God in prayer and in service to the little ones in need, passing on to them the great love of God for each one of them. 

In the Gospel, Jesus was asked, what authority do you have to act like this? Jesus answered, the baptism of John. Did it come from heaven or from man? This question was always on Brother Michael's mind. What do I do? Is it from heaven? Is it God's will? Is it under God's authority? Or is it my will, my own frail and limited human will, that I am doing? Let thy will be done, not mine.

What is prayer for? Brother Michael was a man of prayer. As former abbot, Daniel, said during his memorial service that prayer ran through his veins. 

In the first reading, we heard a very beautiful prayer. It was as if Brother Michael himself was praying for it. It is totally his to use before and during each journey and task. He prayed for wisdom and insight from his youth at the finishing post.

His prayer was a prayer of thanksgiving, praise, and blessing for God's love and goodness. And because of his faithful prayer he has been able to pursue a straight path since his youth. He built his ear to God's wisdom and found delight in her. Brothers and sisters, so much can be said about Brother Michael, but there's much to do for today.

Who are you looking for? That was the most important question in his life. And his whole life was centred around this answer. It is you, Jesus, that I am looking for. It is you, Jesus, that I am looking for. And it is your mother, Mary, who brought me to you. And it is your Holy Spirit that has guided me all my life. It is in the hands of your Father that I have found my rest. 

And with Brother Michael, we pray. One of his favourite prayers is "Lord, fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit. To free us from our selfishness. And make us reach and love for you and one another." Amen.

Summer 2023

This is the order of Service from the Mass celebrated on the Centenary of Brother Michael's birth.

Summer 2008, Brother Michael's interview 

Brother Michael was interviewed by John Wolff in the Abbey Garden on Caldey, to record a message for an International Conference on disability, which took place in Lourdes and was titled "Called by Name". 

January 2020,  Brother Michael's body is laid to rest on Caldey Island

Surrounded by his fellow monks, Brother Michael was buried in the cemetery of Caldey Abbey. Fr Daniel, Abbott of Caldey gave the following panegyric.

Late 1950s,  Photos of Brother Michael during the early years of HCPT

Some photographs of the earliest HCPT pilgrimages to Lourdes, Brother Michael and his helpers revolutionised the way children could experience a trip to Lourdes, having fun, making friends and staying in hotels rather than being confined to the Hospital.