Works

Here are some photos of some of the works we did a few days ago.

Br. Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. painting the statue of Saint Joseph.


We decided to put up another statue in the shrine on our pier. Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. brings the statue to the pier.


Br. Nicodemus Mary, F.SS.R. and Br. Martin Mary, F.SS.R. crack open the crate.


The statue is very heavy and difficult to move into place...




Fr. Anthony at the controls of the JCB.




With great care the strap is romoved and the statue pulled back into place.


May Christ the King ever reign on Papa Stronsay!

The Year for Priests

On this feast of St. Jean Marie Vianney, we think of the year for priests which was proclaimed By His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. In case there are any who have not already read it, we publish below the full text of the Decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary regarding the generous granted during this year.


The shrine to Saint Jean Marie Vianney on Papa Stronsay

Shortly the day will come on which will be commemorated the 150th anniversary of the pious departure to Heaven of St John Mary Vianney, the Curé d'Ars. This Saint was a wonderful model here on earth of a true Pastor at the service of Christ's flock.

Since his example is used to encourage the faithful, and especially priests, to imitate his virtues, the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI has established that for this occasion a special Year for Priests will be celebrated, from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010, in which all priests may be increasingly strengthened in fidelity to Christ with devout meditation, spiritual exercises and other appropriate actions.

This holy period will begin with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a day of priestly sanctification on which the Supreme Pontiff will celebrate Vespers in the presence of the holy relics of St John Mary Vianney, brought to Rome by the Bishop of Belley-Ars, France.

The Most Holy Father will likewise preside at the conclusion of the Year for Priests in St Peter's Square, in the presence of priests from across the world who will renew their fidelity to Christ and the bond of brotherhood.

May priests commit themselves, with prayer and good works, to obtaining from Christ the Eternal High Priest, the grace to shine with Faith, Hope, Charity and the other virtues, and show by their way of life, but also with their external conduct, that they are dedicated without reserve to the spiritual good of the people something that the Church has always had at heart.

The gift of Sacred Indulgences which the Apostolic Penitentiary, with this Decree issued in conformity with the wishes of the August Pontiff, graciously grants during the Year for Priests will be of great help in achieving the desired purpose in the best possible way.

A. Truly repentant priests who, on any day, devoutly recite at least morning Lauds or Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament, exposed for public adoration or replaced in the tabernacle, and who, after the example of St John Mary Vianney, offer themselves with a ready and generous heart for the celebration of the sacraments, especially Confession, are mercifully granted in God the Plenary Indulgence which they may also apply to their deceased brethren in suffrage, if, in conformity with the current norms, they receive sacramental confession and the Eucharistic banquet and pray for the Supreme Pontiff's intentions.

Furthermore the Partial Indulgence is granted to priests who may apply it to their deceased confreres every time that they devoutly recite the prayers duly approved to lead a holy life and to carry out in a holy manner the offices entrusted to them.

B. The Plenary Indulgence is granted to all the faithful who are truly repentant who, in church or in chapel, devoutly attend the divine Sacrifice of Mass and offer prayers to Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest, for the priests of the Church, and any other good work which they have done on that day, so that he may sanctify them and form them in accordance with His Heart, as long as they have made expiation for their sins through sacramental confession and prayed in accordance with the Supreme Pontiff's intentions: on the days in which the Year for Priests begins and ends, on the day of the 150th anniversary of the pious passing of St John Mary Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month or on any other day established by the local Ordinaries for the benefit of the faithful.

It will be most appropriate, in cathedral and parish churches, for the same priests who are in charge of pastoral care to publicly direct these exercises of devotion, to celebrate Holy Mass and to hear the confession of the faithful.

The Plenary Indulgence will likewise be granted to the elderly, the sick and all those who for any legitimate reason are confined to their homes who, with a mind detached from any sin and with the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual conditions, at home or wherever their impediment detains them, provided that on the above-mentioned days they recite prayers for the sanctification of priests and confidently offer the illnesses and hardships of their lives to God through Mary Queen of Apostles.

Lastly, the Partial Indulgence is granted to all the faithful every time they devoutly recite five Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glorias, or another expressly approved prayer, in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to obtain that priests be preserved in purity and holiness of life.

This Decree is valid for the entire duration of the Year for Priests. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

Given in Rome, at the Offices of the Apostolic Penitentiary on 25 April, the Feast of St Mark the Evangelist, in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 2009.

Cardinal James Francis Stafford
Major Penitentiary

+ Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv.
Titular Bishop of Meta, Regent

A Special Prayer Request

We would like to request prayers from all of our readers for the sister of one of our Brothers. Br. Gerardo Maria's sister is a nun with The Disciples of the Cenacle situated just outside Rome. She has a brain tumor and her condition is rapidly going down hill. We beg your prayers for her, for Br. Gerardo and all her family that God's Most Holy Will my be fulfilled in her and that if it be in conformity with this same Divine Will, she may regain her health and give many more years to His service.


Sister on the day of her profession

Our Lady, Health of the sick, pray for her. Amen.

Solemn High Mass on Stronsay

Yesterday, for the feast of Saint Alphonsus and our 21st anniversary of foundation, we were able to have a solemn high Mass. Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R. was celebrant, Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. was Deacon and Br. Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. was Sub Deacon. It was a fine morning and a very joyous occasion for us.


The procession to the chapel.


We hope that it will not be too long now before our two most senior brothers will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood and can return permanently to Papa Stronsay.




Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. sings the Holy Gospel.







We thank you for all your prayers and support, especialy over the last year. Please continue to remember us in your prayers and sacrifices. May God bless you all!

With Grateful Thanks

What a joy it has been to celebrate the great feast of our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus! Today is also the 21st anniversary of our foundation. We are truly grateful to our dear Father for all the protection he has given us from his place in heaven, and for all the prayers he has offered and the favours he has obtained for us. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts, and ask also that you, our readers, thank him for us and beg him to continue smiling upon us.



Our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus, Pray For Us!

Another Novena Parish

On their way home from the seminary, our students broke their trip with Fr. Francis Wadsworth in Saint Marie's parish in Bury, near Manchester. It fits in with a recent post regarding the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Succour, since Father also has the Novena in his parish, and they were privileged to be able to attend. Some photos are below.

Father was also able to offer them the Holy Mass in the Tridentine Rite every day while they were there. He often offers the Old Rite in his parish.

Thank you Father and may God bless you!

The Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer

A very happy feast of our Most Holy Redeemer to all the readers of our blog!



Thou hast redeemed us O Lord in Thy Blood and made of us a kingdom to our God.

A new choir

Home for the summer, the F.SS.R. students are not idle. Choir stalls which were salvaged from a closing convent church are being re-assembled in the Purgatorian chapel. It is slow work, but with the extra man power over the summer months things are looking up.

Br. Yousef Marie moves one of the stalls into place.


Br. Wolf Maria lends a hand.


Br. Jean Marie and Br. Magdala Maria. These back panels are very heavy.




Br. Ivan Maria joins the team.

The Holy Scapular

“On this day Mary took to Herself,

by means of the Holy Scapular,

sons of love.”
(Preface of the Mass of the Scapular feast,

Missale Carmelitarum -Rome, 1935)

On July 16th, 1251, the Queen of Angels, appearing to the General of the Carmelites spoke to him in these terms:

“Receive, my dear son, this scapular of thy Order; it is a mark of the privilege I have obtained for thee and thy brethren of Carmel.”

What privilege was this? Mary Herself told it saying:

“He that dies piously clothed in this habit, will be preserved from the eternal fires.”

O grace of graces! To be preserved from hell and receive heaven! The Blessed Virgin added:

“This scapular is a sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, the pledge of special peace and protection to the end of ages.”

Each of these words should be weighed and pondered.

About seventy years later Mary appeared to Pope John XXII., promising to deliver from purgatory the brethren of Carmel soon after their death, especially on Saturday.

The Carmelite scapular has also been approved by many Popes and confirmed by the testimony of numberless miracles. The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer especially treasure the scapular miracle discovered at the solemn exhumation of our Holy Father St. Alphonsus’s body, for here a most remarkable sight met the eyes of the examiners. For where the body and the Episcopal robes had decomposed, the Scapular lay Incorrupt.

Happy Feast Day

to all who wear

The Scapular!

Evviva Maria!

Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Succour

On Saturdays we have the Perpetual Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Succour. The Perpetual Novena was begun by the Redemptorists and it still exists in many countries. It is a great source of devotion and aid both to us, and to the faithful. For the Novena, people write petitions to Our Lady under the title of Perpetual Succour (or Perpetual Help in some countries), and place them at Her shrine. These petitions are then collected each week and are taken to the Novena. A selection are read out by the priest, and then all those present pray nine Hail Mary's and some prayers to Our Mother of Perpetual Succour for Her help in all the cases that have been confided to Her care in the petitions. There is a hymn and a short sermon, a blessing for all the sick, and it is usually concluded with Benediction. Below are some photos of Our Novena.


Father enters the Chapel and starts the hymn Come holy Ghost.


Next is the reading of a selection of petitions. We write them ourselves, but we also receive petitions from all over the world to be placed at the feet of Our Mother and for us to pray for their intentions. We even receive petitions from a number of prisoners too.


Then the nine Hail Marys are said by all. A hymn is sung and a short sermon preached on some aspect of Our Holy Mother. A Blessing is given to all the sick.


Next a hymn is sung to Our Mother of Perpetual Succour while the server prepares the candles for Benediction.


Father exposes the Blessed Sacrament.


Adoremus!




The final hymn: the solemn salve Regina.


Many great graces and helps are obtained from novenas to our Mother of Perpetual Succour. Read about it here.

Facts of Life -"wheat for paradise.... or chaff for hell...?"

St Alphonsus, Useful Doctor,

Tireless Preacher

This evening I received an email from a reader of The Alphonsianum who was struck to the quick by these words from our Saint:

This earth is the place for meriting, and therefore it is a place for suffering. Our true country, where God has prepared for us repose in everlasting joy, is paradise.

We have but a short time to stay in this world; but in this short time we have many labors to undergo: Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.

We must suffer, and all must suffer; be they just, or be they sinners, each one must carry his cross. He that carries it with patience is saved; he that carries it with impatience is lost.

St. Augustine says, the same miseries send some to paradise and some to hell: “One and the same blow lifts the good to glory, and reduces the bad to ashes.”

The same saint observes, that by the test of suffering the chaff in the Church of God is distinguished from the wheat: he that humbles himself under tribulations, and is resigned to the will of God, is wheat for paradise; he that grows haughty and is enraged, and so forsakes God, is chaff for hell.

Cut and Dry...almost

Br. Matthew Mary, F.SS.R. takes charge of the hay-making this year. The grass is first cut and then must be turned regularly until it is dry and can be bailed. We have had some perfect weather here in Orkney, but the Angels are helping us to grow in patience by introducing some rain. Please pray to the Holy Angels, that they might obtain good weather from Our Lord...just till the hay's in! Below are some photos of the process so far:


Cutting the grass.






Then turning it.

Ecclesiae Unitatem

APOSTOLIC LETTER

ECCLESIAE UNITATEM

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

BENEDICT XVI

GIVEN MOTU PROPRIO

1.The goal of guarding THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH, with the solicitousness of offering to all the aid for responding in an opportune manner to this vocation and divine grace, belongs in a particular way to the Successor of the Apostle Peter, who is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of the unity both of Bishops and of the faithful. The supreme and fundamental priority of the Church, in every age, of leading men towards an encounter with God must be favored through the effort of promoting the common witness of faith of all Christians.
2. In faithfulness to this mandate, following the act with which Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, on June 30, 1988, illicitly conferred the episcopal ordination on four priests, Pope John Paul II, of venerable memory, instituted, on July 2, 1988, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei "whose task of collaborating with the bishops, with the Departments of the Roman Curia and with the circles concerned, for the purpose of facilitating full ecclesial communion of priests, seminarians, religious communities or individuals until now linked in various ways to the Fraternity founded by Mons. Lefebvre, who may wish to remain united to the Successor Peter in the Catholic Church, while preserving their spiritual and liturgical traditions, in the light of the Protocol signed on 5 May last by Cardinal Ratzinger and Mons. Lefebvre".
3. In this way faithfully adhering to the same purpose of serving the universal communion of the Church also in her visible manifestation and making every effort so that to all those who truly desire unity it is made possible to remain in it or to find it anew, We have desired to widen and renew, with the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, the general indications already contained in the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei regarding the possibility of using the Missale Romanum of 1962, through more precise and detailed rules.
4. In the same spirit, and with the same commitment of favoring the overcoming of each fracture and division in the Church and to heal a wound felt in an always more painful way in the ecclesial tissue, We desired to remit the excommunication of the four Bishops illicitly ordained by Mons. Lefebvre. With such a decision, We intended to remove an obstacle which could prevent the opening of a door to dialogue, and thus invite the Bishops and the "Fraternity of Saint Pius X" to find anew the path towards full communion with the Church. As We explained in the Letter to the Catholic Bishops of past March 10, the remission of the excommunication was a decision in the area of ecclesiastical discipline which could liberate the weight of conscience represented by the gravest ecclesiastical censure. The doctrinal questions, however, obviously remain, and, until they are not clarified, the Fraternity does not have a canonical status within the Church, and its ministers cannot exercise any ministry legitimately.
5. Since the questions which must be dealt with the Fraternity are of an essentially doctrinal nature, We have decided - twenty-one years after the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei, and as We had planned to do - to restructure the Commission Ecclesia Dei, linking it more directly with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
6. Therefore, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei will be constituted thus:
a) The President of the Commission is the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
b) The Commission has its own structure, including a Secretary and Officials.
c) It belongs to the President, aided by the Secretary, to present the main events and questions of a doctrinal nature to the study and deliberation of the ordinary instances of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as well as to submit the conclusions to the superior judgment of the Supreme Pontiff.
7. With this decision, We have desired, in particular, to display our fatherly solicitude to the "Fraternity of Saint Pius X" so that in the end it may come to full communion with the Church.
We earnestly invite all to pray to the Lord incessantly, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "ut unum sint".

Given in Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on July 2 of the year 2009, the fifth of Our Pontificate.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Lights out

A few days ago it was reported that the lighthouse on Papa Stronsay was out. So yesterday, two technicians were dispatched to try and fix the problem.

They arrived in the morning on a chartered boat from Kirkwall.


The Papa Stronsay Light.


Repairing the lighthouse.






Such a lot of light can be produced from such a small bulb!


Mission accomplished! The light sensor had been damaged and had to be replaced.

Sing me a happy song!

One day within thy courts...

Today I was informed that we must now wait until after the Summer Holidays (October, December ...) before anything more is able to be done for us. We are grateful for what has been done.

For some of our SSPX friends, this is the kind of hitch that makes them believe that they cannot trust the Church, especially the hierarchy and the Holy See; and that we, Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, were wrong to make our reconciliation in the first place.

That is foolish nonsense.

For the Church is the Body of Christ

and we

(all of us, and especially priests)

must submit to the Church

and trust Her to the end...

As Job said for us all:

"Although He should kill me

yet will I trust in Him"

(Job 13:15).

And as the Holy Ghost puts on our lips to pray:

"... For better is one day in Thy courts

above thousands.

I have chosen to be

an abject in the house of my God..."

(Ps.83:11).

Jesus, I trust in Thee!

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

Rome