Following on from the feast of our Holy Father, Saint Alphonsus, we would like to take this opportunity to announce the growth of our humble congregation, which now begins to spread its arms around the world. Indeed, we have chosen, a very northerly location for our Congregation, but this outpost of tradition on Papa Stronsay must now become a motherhouse, as we send our forces to the other side of the world, and south. For many years, since Rev. Fr Cummins, C.SS.R. stopped visiting, the South Island of New Zealand has been without the regular celebration of Holy Mass. In fact, until recently, the faithful there could receive the sacraments only once every two months. They now receive a visit from an SSPX priest once every month, but we must all agree that this is hardly satisfactory. It is for this reason that we would like to make known the new foundation of Transalpine Redemptorists in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The properties for the church and monastery are in the final stages of changing hands, and with a little work, will be ready to receive the first Transalpine Redemptorist missionary priest, and two brothers, to serve the faithful traditional Catholics of the South Island of New Zealand. We hope that this news will bring you as much joy as it has brought us, and that it will bring great glory to God, and to our Holy Father, Saint Alphonsus, whose rule and congregation we are trying to preserve unsullied until the consummation of the world.
Our Mother of Perpetual Succour, Our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus, and all the Saints of the Redemptorist Congregation, Pray for us.
Our Mother of Perpetual Succour, Our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus, and all the Saints of the Redemptorist Congregation, Pray for us.
The site of the new foundation. The building to be the new Chuch is on the left, and the house is on the right.
Rev. Fr Michael Mary, C.SS.R. enters bearing the statue of the Holy Infant of Prague.
The first Holy Mass is celebrated inside.
May God who has begun this work bring it to fruition!
ReplyDeleteI really must make the effort to get to Christchurch!
ReplyDeleteJARay
Its lovely to see the Good Lord bless our little congregation. Keep up with the good work.
ReplyDeleteThe 1962 Traditonal Latin Mass is celebrated in the Cathedral Church of the Diocese every Saturday evening at 5.30pm, and at 5.00pm on Easter Sunday. The application of the Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum" may see this extended further. How can it be truthful to say "for many years, the South Island of New Zealand has been without the regular celebration of Holy Mass.
ReplyDeleteYes, Anonymous you are quite right, the Indult Mass has been said at the Cathedral at those times for some years it is true; in that sense it is misleading to ignore the indult Mass which has served some traditional Catholics.
ReplyDeleteOther traditional Catholics have not been able to go to those indult Masses for a number of reasons of conscience and so have preferred to stay away until they could have Mass from exclusively traditional priests. These never go to the Indult Mass. It is to these people especially that the SSPX goes out to provide the sacraments. It is of these people that we are speaking in our statement about the irregularity of Mass in the South Island: the people who can’t go to the indult Mass and who will go only to priests who offer the traditional Mass exclusively. Not priests who offer both Masses as the indult priests at the Cathedral do.
You may wonder why there are people like this. Are they ‘Catholics of bad will’? No. They are the people of whom Pope Benedict wrote in his books as a Cardinal (Spirit of the Liturgy p. 416 ) “Anyone who nowadays advocates the continuing existence of this liturgy or who takes part in it is treated like a leper; all tolerance ends here. There has never been anything like this in history….” (Also see his book ‘This is our God’ p 291) –(And let us note that if a man, a Cardinal, writes the same thing in two different books, it is because he means ever word of it.)
These people are very special. They have felt driven out of their own Church by their pastors and brethren; the Pope recognises it.
Christchurch diocese has had a long and difficult history since Vatican II. As a result there are still very many Catholics out there who have lost faith in the Church. The Pope now calls for 'reconciliation within the Church'; but it will not be an overnight process. It will only happen when there are 'gentle pastors' who will go after the sheep that have been scattered by those unworthy hirelings who did most of the damage in the 1970's 1980's.....
But even now, unfortunately, some Catholics feel great repugnance to entering the very Cathedral itself because of the Stations of the Cross that they consider to be 'pornographic', not without reason, and to be desecrating the Holy Place.
Note also that for many, being offered a traditional Mass on a Saturday night is not their idea of the traditional fulfilment of the Sunday obligation. Nor would a traditional Mass on Easter Sunday night be their idea of celebrating Easter. So, …
…"For many years, since Rev. Fr Cummins, C.SS.R. stopped visiting, the South Island of New Zealand has been without the regular celebration of Holy Mass. In fact, until recently, the faithful there could receive the sacraments only once every two months. They now receive a visit from an SSPX priest once every month, but we must all agree that this is hardly satisfactory…”