Happy Easter!

A very happy Easter to everyone who looks at our blog.  May our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, grant you very many blessings during this holy season.

Below are some photos of the Paschal liturgy at the Monastery:

Rev. Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. was the deacon for the Easter vigil ceremonies.  Here, facing the Paschal candle but recently lighted, he chants the Exultet.

Rev. Fr Michael Mary, F.SS.R. during the blessing of the Paschal Water.

The Holy Oils are mixed with the newly created Paschal Water as Baptismal Water is blessed.

Rev. Fr Yousef Marie chanting the Gospel.

Sung Mass was celebrated on Easter morning on Stronsay by Rev. Fr Yousef.  Here he prays the Confiteor at the beginning of Mass.

Chanting the Gospel.

On Easter morning, Rev Fr Michael Mary performs the blessing of "First Fruits", which is a Paschal custom.

Feast of the Chair of St Peter

On Saturday 22 February we had a beautiful sung Mass at the Carmel of Christ the King, Christchurch. The only photograph to be taken was the one below which particularly shows young James Green who served Holy Mass for the first time.

The altar servers after Holy Mass

Several members of the faithful were clothed in the Brown Scapular.

Saturday also marked the anniversary of the great earthquake in New Zealand and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for all those who suffered pain and loss. May God grant eternal rest to all those who died.

Candlemass at our Chapel in Christchurch

This is one of the three principal blessings observed by the Church during the year; the other two are the Blessing of the Ashes, and the Blessing of the Palms.

Saint Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury [Enarrations on St. Luke], speaking on the mystery, bids us consider three things in the blest Candle: the Wax, the Wick, and the Flame. The Wax, he says, which is the production of the virginal bee, is the Flesh of our Lord; the Wick, which is within, is his Soul; the Flame, which burns on the top, is his Divinity. 

The Candles in preparation for the blessing

The blessing before the Mass: “that as these candles, by their visible light, dispel the darkness of the night, so our hearts burning with invisible fire, and enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, may be delivered from all blindness of sin; that the eye of our soul being purified, we may discern those things that are pleasing to thee, and beneficial to our souls.”

Distribution of Candles . . .

. . . to all the faithful, young and old.

A short procession outside the chapel. . . 

. . . representing the Holy Family

There were seventeen children below the age of ten
(Correction to previous figures. Apologies.)

The real presence of Our Lord presented during the Mass
at the Elevation to the Most High God

"We must hold this as a principle of our spiritual life - that the Mysteries brought before us, feast after feast, are intended to work in us the destruction of the old, and the creation of the new, man." Dom Gueranger

O Holy Night!

Our candle-light Christmas Midnight Mass on Stronsay.

Dominus dixit ad me: filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te.

The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. (Ps. 2:7)

Sursum corda!

...and falling down they adored Him. (Matt. 2:11)

Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. (Jn. 6:54) 

Rejoice!

Gaudate Sunday falls on the third Sunday of Advent.  It takes its name from the first word of the Introit.

"Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum." Phil. 4:4-6

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.  Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh.  Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God."

Gaudete Sunday is the counterpart to Lætare Sunday in Lent.  Falling as it does at the half-way-point of Advent, the penitential season of expectation leading up to Christmas, Gaudate Sunday provides a moment of relief from the austerities of the fast, thus the liturgical colour of rose replaces the penitential violet.

Rorate Coeli Desuper et Nubes Pluant Justum

The Rorate Mass is a special Advent devotion in honour of Our Blessed Lady and is especially traditional in Germany and Poland.  The title of this devotion is taken from the first word of the Introit for the Mass of Our Lady during Advent which is itself taken from the words of Isaiah the Prophet (see below).

 The Rorate Mass is traditionally celebrated by candlelight. Today, the Saturday of the second week of Advent, we celebrated a Rorate Mass on Stronsay.

Before Holy Mass.

 Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum; aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.  Isa. 45:8

Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a saviour.

 "For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth." Phil. 2:10

Aberdeen Mass time Correction

Just a quick post to correct the previously announced time for the upcoming Mass in Aberdeen.  The Date is in fact the SATURDAY 16th NOVEMBER, at 11:00 am.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Traditional Mass Celebrated in Aberdeen

On Saturday 19th of October, we had the pleasure of celebrating the first official Traditional Mass on the Aberdeen diocese mainland in recent years.  The Mass was celebrated by Very Rev Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R. in the chapel of Blairs College (St Mary's College) in Aberdeen.  The college was a junior seminary from 1829 to 1986.  The college chapel is very beautiful and provides a wonderful venue for the Traditional Mass.

Preaching on the Three Hail Marys.

Fr Yousef Marie in Sydney

Last Sunday Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. celebrated Holy Mass in the Church of the Fraternity of Saint Peter in Lewisham, Sydney Australia.

The choir at Maternal Heart of Mary church are really rather good.  Here is an example of them singing the Corsican version of the Tantum Ergo sung during Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

New Personal Parish

On the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (F.S.S.P.) had their church of the Maternal Heart of Mary, in Sydney Australia, constituted a personal parish by George Cardinal Pell, archbishop of Sydney.  Fr Duncan Wong, F.S.S.P. was appointed as the parish priest.  Being a personal parish of the F.S.S.P. it is dedicated exclusively to the celebration of the Traditional Mass.

The first Solemn High Mass to be celebrated in the newly erected parish was celebrated by the parish priest, Fr Wong.  Fr Damonn Sypher F.S.S.P. was Deacon, and Mr Daniel Mould F.S.S.P. acted as Subdeacon.

First Communion

Once a month, on the third Friday, one of the priests of our Congregation travels to Timaru, New Zealand, which is in the south of Christchurch diocese.  There he celebrates Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the altar of St. Joseph.

View Larger Map

 This month Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. made the journey of approximately 100 miles.  Father had the joy of administering First Holy Communion to a young man, Ethan Marshall.

 Ethan kneeling in anticipation...

...of that great moment when the King of kings, and Lord of lords deigns to make His Infinite Self Ethan's food!

 May Our Blessed Lady obtain for him the grace of perseverance in grace until the end.

St Joseph, pray for him!

The Feast of the Assumption — Christchurch New Zealand

Assumpta est Maria in Cælum!

The feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother, Mary, as celebrated by our confreres in Our Mother of Perpetual Succour Monastery, Christchurch New Zealand.

The priests of our Congregation provide Holy Mass in several Churches in Christchurch including our own Monastery oratory.  

 At St Teresa of Lisieux church in Riccarton, the altar is prepared for the celebration of Mass.

For the edification of the faithful, a beautiful shrine in honour of our Queen assumed into heaven has been erected in front of the sanctuary.

Before Holy Mass in the oratory of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour Monastery.  Here also a shrine was erected to honour Our Lady, Mary.

Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. celebrated the sung Mass.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

Deo Gratias et Mariæ!

35th Anniversary of Ordination of Very Rev. Fr Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

Today Very Rev. Fr Michael Mary, F.SS.R. celebrates 35 years as a priest of God. We thank him for those many years of service to the Church, to souls and especially to us, the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Father celebrated Holy Mass this morning in the chapel in Papa Stronsay.

 35 years ago today this young Deacon knelt before his bishop to receive the the Holy priesthood from his hands, in an unbroken line back to St. Peter himself!  Thank you Father for this courageous sacrifice of yourself to and for the Church.

 May God bless you Father and grant you many more years for the exercise of your sacred ministry.  Thank you on behalf of all those whose souls you have helped towards their eternal salvation!