Transalpine Redemptorists at home: Flower of Montana

Flower of Montana
Flos de Radice

Dear Friends,

Live Jesus our love and Mary our hope!

In the interests of clarity and concord, I have changed the name of the property we bought in Rosebud County, Montana.

It was called: “Montana Rosa Mystica”. I have changed it to “Flower of Montana.” The name is simpler in expression, but all is not lost.

In this case, “Flower” refers to Our Lord who is the Flower of the Root of Jesse. “…And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root…” (Is. 11:1)

Jesse is the root, Mary is the stem, Jesus is the Flower that buds from the Stem –
“… and Jesus is the Rosebud, the Babe of Bethlehem…”

With ‘Flower’ we think of ‘Rose’ and by it we intend to commemorate that our Order was planted in the soil of Montana on the feast of the Holy Rosary; that land was bought in the County of Rosebud.

As things worked out, by Providence, the purchase date, December 18 2020 was also Ember Friday before Christmas:

On that day of land purchase, the Gradual of the Holy Mass chanted “…Thou hast blessed Thy land….”

The Lesson of the Mass was the prophecy of the Flower of Jesse (Is.11:1) “… and a flower shall rise up out of his root…”;

The Gospel proclaimed that Mary went with haste into “Montana” the hill country.

It was also the Feast of the Expectation which commemorates Our Lady as the Expectant Mother with Her unborn Child: – Feast of the Virginal Stem and the Rosebud both together, of Most Holy Mary, the God-laden Stem, the Mystical Rose.

All these nuances we tried to capture in the title Montana Rosa Mystica. In changing the name of the land to Flower of Montana we at least intend to recall the same events with the mystical and sacred mysteries foretold by the Prophet Isaiah.

Monastery of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary
Refuge of Sinners

The monastery, when it is built, will have its own more important title and focus:
Monastery of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners.
Our Lady said at Fatima: “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”

Most Important will be the chapel or church. This will be named after the Infant Jesus, but its title is not yet finalised.

I thank Our Blessed Lord for the riches of His Providence in arranging for our religious Order to be planted in Montana on the feast of the Most Holy Rosary and that land was found in the hill country of the Rosebud County. As the Rose planted on the rivers, may the Flower of Montana be received as a fragrant offering to His Glory serving whatever purpose may please His Majesty; that it be a land of obedience and prayer, of humility, chastity and fraternal charity, a little Montana where He is loved above all, loved exceedingly, and loved through the Immaculate Heart His Most Sweet Mother Mary, and our Mother also.

Father Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

Holy Saturday, 2021