The Basilica and Catacombs of Saint Sebastian

Once again we were able to start our day at Saint Peter’s Basilica. It was a great joy to be able to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice at the tomb of Saint Gregory the Great.


Later we visited the crypt, and were permitted to go to the various chapels.


What a surprise! As we were in the Vatican, who should we bump into, but one of the Theology professors from the Fraternity of Saint Peter Seminary in Denton NE, Br. Ansgar!


In the Afternoon we were able to visit the catacombs of Saint Sebastian. We took the bus, and walked the last part.


Descending into the Catacombs.


It was a wonderful experience to walk the same paths that so many Saints and Martyrs walked, and to see the places where their mortal remains, after their earthly trials, were finally laid to rest.




Often damage was done to the remains when the tombs were opened. Now, with advances in technology, the tombs are no longer opened. Instead a small hole is drilled in the tomb, and a tiny camera is inserted, so that photos can be taken and the remains examined, without damage to them.


Often the early Christians wrote out their prayers and petitions on pieces of terracotta and stone. Many pieces have been found, and looking closely, many instances of the names of Saints Peter and Paul can be seen.


We ended with a visit to the Basilica of Saint Sebastian.

More from Rome

Another busy day in Rome!

The day began wonderfully with the great privilege of offering the Holy Mass in Saint Peter's.




After morning Mass we were able to take a good look around the Basilica.


The relics of the great Pope Saint Pius X.


The high altar was beautifully illuminated by the morning sun coming through the windows.


We also had the good fortune to clime the dome right to the top. The view of the Vatican and of all Rome was fantastic!


On the top of Saint Peter's.


A visit to the church of Saint Andrew, patron of Scotland.




And then to the Gesu. The Paintings in this Church are really amazing.


The relics of Saint Ignatius Loyola...


...and the incorrupt arm of Saint Francis Xavier.

Visiting Holy Places

Today, the Angel of Orkney favoured us again with generous cloud cover, sufficient breeze and rain. After morning Low Mass we set out to spend the day visiting holy places.

(Click the images to see them clearly)

Solemn High Mass in the church of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

Then to the Basilica of St. John Lateran....
Dwarfed by the doors, columns....
... inscriptions ...

... and relics...

For example: Beneath this altar is kept the portable wooden altar used by St. Peter to celebrate Mass; it needed to be portable in case of persecution; it is there; we still have it! Above this altar are the holy relics of the skulls of St. Peter and St. Paul. A few yards to the right of this photo is the very table on which Our Divine Lord, on Holy Thursday, offered the first Mass; it is carefully treasured.

Beneath the statue of St. Paul with friends from Ireland.

The highlight of the day was our visit to the Scala Sancta.

Scala Sancta

These are Pilate's steps that Our Lord ascended and descended several times during His Passion. They are now covered with walnut. There were hundreds of people there today. We took our place in the perpetual line of pilgrims ascending the steps on our knees and meditating on the Passion of Our Saviour as we prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. It takes about half an hour to arrive at the top. It seemed that everybody was praying and one cannot but be touched by the devotion of the pilgrims. An old woman near us went up the steps with great difficulty on hands and knees; she was holding her beads and praying earnestly. God bless her and grant her humble petitions.

The Holy Face

At the top of the steps we arrived at this grill behind which is a chapel. An ancient sign reads: "No other place in the city is more holy than here." Through the grill can be seen the image of the Holy Face. St. Luke outlined the face, but angels finished it; therefore it is called "the image not painted by human hands."

St. Peter's Basilica
Tomorrow at 7.00 A.M. we are going to offer Holy Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

Sung Mass at Holy Mary in Transpontina

(Click images to seem them clearly)

Thanks to the Angel of Orkney, the weather for our second day in the Eternal City was humid with some light breezes and cloud cover.

This morning at 10 A.M. Holy Mass was chanted beneath the miraculous image, and at the altar of, Holy Mary in Transpontina.

The sacred image of Our Lady in this church was brought to Rome from Mount Carmel by the Order of hermits when they had to escape from the Moslems in the 13th Century. It is enshrined above the altar, and beneath the roof of a massive marble crown supported by angels; marble rays, as it were, go forth from the image.

We assure all who have asked for our prayers that they form part of the intentions of the Masses offered during this pilgrimage and that they are entrusted to Our Lady as we visit Her shrines here. Today we especially remembered our Carmelite friends: the Monks in Wyoming and the Nuns in Christchurch.

The Passing Shadow Beneath the Roman Sun

Yesterday, 18th June, the first anniversary of our Reconciliation with the Holy See, Father Michael Mary and the five seminarian Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer took Ryanair to Rome, to be present at today's Papal Vespers of the Sacred Heart, and the opening of the Year for the Priest.

We stood about two hours beneath the Roman Sun before gaining access to St. Peter's Basilica at 4.30 P.M. It was well worth the wait since we were able to be seated well up the front and to be about 4 feet from the Holy Father when he processed past us. The following photographs are taken from this evening's ceremony.

(Left click the photographs to see them clearly.)

Peter passes in the person of Pope Benedict XVI

There is a passage in Acts 5 that speaks of the healing power of Peter's shadow; in some mysterious and spiritual way, it continues on in his successor. There are graces to be received in that shadow for traditional Catholics. We recommend its sweetness.

Benediction was followed by silent adoration.
St. Peter's Basilica silent in adoration with Pope Benedict XVI

Our Shepherd the Holy Father passes "Full in the panting heart of Rome beneath th'apostles' crowning dome..." -Cardinal Wiseman

Una cum Petro ...

On Monday 15 June

His Lordship

the Right Reverend Peter Antony Moran,

Bishop of Aberdeen,

visited Papa Stronsay

and celebrated Mass for the community

according the the Missal of 1962.

... et te Pater...

Domine, dilexi decorem domus tuae, ...
I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of Thy house,
and the place where Thy glory dwelleth... (Ps. xxv)
HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM
FOR THIS IS MY BODY
... et quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech...
...and that which Thy High Priest Melchisedech offered to Thee...
Fr. Michael Mary receives Holy Communion
...una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro Benedicto et Antistite nostro Petro et omnibus orthodoxis atque catholicae, et apostolicae fidei cultoribus.
...together with Thy servant Benedict our Pope, Peter our Bishop, and all true believers and professors of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith.
18 June 2008- 363 days later -15 June 2009
All reconciliations take time and patience.
Many had predicted that the hierarchy of the Church would destroy us.
Far from it!
The Pope has provided for us in the Motu proprio.
The Bishop comes among us as our father.
Oremus et pro Antistite nostro Petro.
Stet et pascat in fortitudine tua, Domine,
in sublimitate nominis tui.
Thank you for offering the Holy Mass for us!
Haste ye back!

Possible Good News ?

Last year our reconciliation with the Holy See (June 18th 2008) was bitterly criticised by supporters of the SSPX. Now, within days of our first anniversary, Bishop Fellay reports that the Society too is not adverse to taking a similar position of reconciliation with the Holy See before the clarification of doctrine.

If this is true then all bitterness should cease since we did only what the Society is itself contemplating. We are happy to hear this and can assure all SSPX supporters that our experience is that the Church has given "us enough guarantee, so to say, of survival..."....... and more, much more.

The society is planning to proceed with the ordinations, despite Bishop Fellay’s concern that new excommunications could "jeopardize everything" and derail the society’s discussions with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Central to those talks will be the society's unambiguous condemnations of the Second Vatican Council, particularly in reference to the council’s affirmations of religious liberty, ecumenism and the separation of Church and state.

While the Swiss-born superior general prefers to resolve these doctrinal issues before he accepts canonical status in the Church, he insists that he is open to reaching a provisional compromise position with the Vatican.

"If Rome gives us enough guarantee, so to say, of survival, I think probably we would certainly consider it," he said.

"We have no problem with the Church recognizing us, of course." Here

+ Corpus Christi procession +

There had been rain during a good part of the morning and there was quite strong wind however when the arranged time of 4.00 P.M. arrived the rain had stopped. At times the sun came out to give us a beautiful, prayerful procession in honour of the Sacred Body of Christ, Corpus Christi. We processed from Our Lady's chapel, Stronsay to the Station pier and across to Papa Stronsay on the St. Alphonsus. From thence to the shrine of St. Michael and from thence to the monastery chapel of the Holy Face.

(click on the photos to see them clearly)

Lauda Sion... Praise thou Sion,

praise thy Prince with all thy fervour

Anthems to thy Shepherd sing.

All thou canst, do thou endeavour,

Yet thy praise can equal never

Such as merits thy great King.

Same the bread that Christ in leaving

To the Twelve each one receiving,

Gave, no one doubt can raise.

+

Mem'ry of that feast we render

Keeping rites in solemn splendour,

When Christ did first Himself impart.

This new Feast, the old repealing,

Newer King and pasch revealing,

Usher in a newer rite.

+

What is new to age succeedeth:

Place to truth the Shadow cedeth:

Radiance puts the gloom to flight.

Dogma datur Christianis

quod in carnem transit panis

et vinum in sanguinem.

Christian truth uncontroverted

Is that bread and wine converted

Sacred Flesh and Blood become.

+

Mind and eye whilst unperceiving

What's beyond their own conceiving

Strenuous faith to them brings home.

Sumit unus, sumunt mille:

quantum isti tantum ille:

nec sumptus consumitur.

Come there one, come there many,

Each partakes as much as any,

Nor the less for other leaves.

+

Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:

sorte tamen inaequali,

vitae vel interitus.

Good and bad this banquet sharing

Are an unlike lot preparing,

Life or death to either falls.

+

Mors est malis, vita bonis:

vide paris sumptionis

quam sit dispar exitus.

Life to those, to these perdition,

Though to both the same fruition,

How unlike the fate that calls.

Fracto demum sacramento,

ne vacilles, sed memento,

tantum esse sub fragmento,

quantum toto tegitur.

When thou the host in pieces breakest

if thou waver, thou mistakest,

for each fragment thou partakest

Holds no less than does the whole.

+

Nulla rei fit scissura:

signi tantum fit fractura,

qua nec status, nec statura

signati minuitur.

Of the substance no division,

Sings alone admit partition,

Whence unlessened the condition

Of the symboled Body and Soul.

Ecce Panis Angelorum

factus cibus viatorum:

vere panis filiorum,

non mittendus canibus.

Lo! Angelic Bread reviving

Pilgrims worn to heaven striving,

Children from It strength deriving

Sacred Bread to dogs denied.
+

In figuris praesignatur,

cum Isaac immolatur:

Angnus Pascuae deputatur:

datur manna patribus.

This the ancient types saluted,

Isaac victim constituted,

And the lamb for pasch deputed,

Manna to our sins supplied.

Bone pastor, panis vere,

Jesu, nostri miserere:

tu nos pasce, nos tuere:

tu nos bona fac videre

in terra viventium.

Jesu, Bread of life, protect us!

Shepherd kind do not reject us!

In Thy happy fold collect us,

And partakers of the bliss elect us

Which shall never see an end.

+

Tu qui cuncta scis et vales:

qui nos pascis hic mortales:

tuos ibi commensales,

Coheredes et sodales,

fac sanctorum civium. Amen, Alleluia!

Thou the Wisest and the Mightiest,

Who us here with food delightest,

Seat us at Thy banquet brightest,

With the Blessed Thou invitest,

An eternal feast to spend. Amen, Alleluia!