Christmas comes but once a year, but in a Redemptorist monastery, you can enjoy the true spirit of Christmas 12 times a year! As part of our aim as Redemptorists, which is to imitate Christ's life, and also to honour the infant Jesus, we celebrate a 'little Christmas' on the 25th of every month of the year. On this day our morning meditation is on one of the virtues practiced by the infant Jesus, and a Redemptorist priest has the privilege of saying the Mass of Christmas day. Here at Papa Stronsay we also set out in the Church a manger with a statue of Our Lord inside and candles either side. We often sing Christmas Carols after Holy Mass, as well as at recreation seen below. In this way, we keep alive the true spirit of the birth of our Saviour throughout the year, and as a Redemptorist priest once said, we celebrate Christmas well 12 times a year, to make reparation for those who celebrate it badly once a year.
To order one or more of our recently printed Christmas book, 'Silent Night', as seen in use in the above photo, please write to:
The Desert Will Flower Press,
Golgotha Monastery Island,
Papa Stronsay,
Orkney,
KW17 2AR,
United Kingdom
When I was a student in the college seminary (1987-89) we continued the tradition of exposing the bambino in the manger on the Mother of Perpetual Help altar with candles and flowers on either side. Sadly, that was all that remained of "little Christmas." Now it is gone, and when rememberd, laughed at. Some few of us practice the devotion privately. How wonderful it is to know the rule and traditions of our holy Father Alphonsus are being kept alive somewhere.
ReplyDeleteMay Our Mother of Perpetual Help and her Divine Son bless you all.
R.P. Scott Bailey, C.Ss.R.