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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Our Festive Thanksgiving.

Our Festive Day.

 Fr. Anthony Mary and Fr. Michael Mary
Feast of the Assumption, 2012.
Dear Friends and Families,
The words that spring immediately to my mind in writing a response to yesterday's Canonical Recognition of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, are words that the priest prays every day at Mass, from Psalm 115:
"Quid retribuam Domino 
pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi?" 
"What return shall I make to the Lord 
for all He hath given to me?"
This is the question that we ask when we realise that what we have received from Our Lord through His Church is far beyond what we merit; His Mercies can never be repaid. On one hand we cannot survive without these Mercies, on the other hand, we do not deserve them nor have the means of repaying them ever at all. Caught between the necessity of the having a canonical recognition and our own indigence and unworthiness of which we are very conscious, what can we do except repeat the prayer from the psalm and cast ourselves before Him while awaiting the moment of rescue from our plight. Only prayer can save us!

And praying, I said: O Lord God, destroy not thy people, and thy inheritance, which thou hast redeemed in thy greatness, whom thou hast brought out of Egypt with a strong hand.  Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: look not on the stubbornness of this people, nor on their wickedness and sin: Lest perhaps the inhabitants of the land, out of which thou hast brought us, say: The Lord could not bring them into the land that he promised them, and he hated them: therefore he brought them out, that he might kill them in the wilderness, Who are thy people and thy inheritance, whom thou hast brought out by thy great strength, and in thy stretched out arm. (Deut. 9: 26-29) The application of this text to our history is appropriate; but we did not have to wander for forty years, and we did not die in the wilderness: in any case, in monastic life, the wilderness is our chosen place of abode.

We are profoundly grateful to the many friends who have supported us over these last years; thank you! We have been mightily supported by our families and friends; holy prelates, priests and nuns.

On a personal note, I thank my own parents and family: For over twenty years they took the neighbourhood, clerical and other brunt of my commitment to the old Mass; and they lived through the 'wilderness of doubt' of the last five years. It  has all turned out fine in the end! But thank you Dad and Mum for bearing things that would have hurt you deeply. In the end all has been part of God's permissive Will. It has led to the canonical establishment of a Congregation of priests and monks, officially recognised by the Church to continue permanently offering the old Mass and to serve souls. You taught me that it is a good thing to have something to put up with and to offer to Our Lord and Our Lady! Quite right!   

We are equally grateful to the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, to Bishop Hugh of Aberdeen and Bishop Barry of Christchurch for their mercy and kindness towards us. The graces we needed flowed abundantly through them; they are our Fathers in God and each of them have had the right words and acts of solicitude for us. We come into Full Communion with the Church having a Pope who deeply cares for traditionalists and having been directed to two dioceses of choice by God's 'great strength and His stretched out arm'.

In fine, could we but rejoice? Of course not; and we do. Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore beatae Mariae Virginis: Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festival day in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary!   

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

 
The Most Small Congregation
"Out of the Wilderness".
Gathered together about Our Lady's Funeral Couch
Feast of the Assumption, 2012.
(Absent are: Br. Paul Mary, Br. Dominic Mary, Br. Xavier Maria all in Christchurch
and Br. Alfonso Maria in the Philippines)

11 comments:

Michael said...

I am so happy for all of you! This is all wonderful news. Now, if I may, I have a quick question: What impact (if any) will this regularization have on your members in Christchurch? Since you will be a society of Diocesan right, does that mean you will have to leave NZ, and/or prevent your order from expanding outside of your current location(s)? Congrats again, and best of luck as you move forward with your new status!

David said...

The joyful shout of this festive day, which swells imperceptibly in the sacred silence of the Roman Canon, arrives in gentle tides on the farthest shores of the Traditionalist diaspora. The liberation of the exiles is at hand.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Father for this very beautiful letter, my words will add nothing to it but it is very moving to read.

Anonymous said...

Dear Fathers and Brothers!
What a beautiful gift from Our Lady for you. May Our Lady protect you and bless you all on Papa Stronsay.

Deo gratias et Mariae!!!

Marcin Góral(Berlin) Germany

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a day for cherry pie and lemonade!

Ad multos annos, amici!

An Irish Priest

Anonymous said...

Dear Fathers and Brothers,

I am so grateful to God for the wonderful gift to the Church of your witness and life of prayer. Ad multos annos.

Fr. Philip

Mick said...

Dear Reverend Fathers and Brothers, What a joy. I have just heard your wonderful news, Deo Gratias, having recently returned from a Pilgrimage for the feast of the Assumption.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Anne B said...

Dear Fathers and Brothers, Loving congratulations to you all, and thanks be to God and His holy Mother. (Could we have "inset photos" of the five?)

Holly Hall said...

Your group picture is very nice; is there a way to tag yourselves in it (or maybe put a description in) as to who is who so we know the names of everyone and can put the right face with the names we know? God bless!

Barb in NY said...

I echo what Anne B and Holly Hall have said-you should have listed the names of everyone in the group photo (I didn't know that you had so many in your community), as well as 'inset' pictures of the absent ones overseas!

I'm so glad that you are now a fully-fledged religious Congregation in the Church! Blessings be to the FSSRs of Stronsay! As well as to our Holy Papa Benedict XVI and to Bishop Hugh of Aberdeen!

Barb in NY

Anonymous said...

Chers Pères et Frères, God bless you. Merci de donner l'occasion à ceux qui ont cheminé un temps avec vous, d'avoir de vos nouvelles. Je ne vous oublie pas et ne m'oubliez pas aussi dans vos prières et sacrifices.
Christine (France)


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