Out of Darkness we have Light

Every year on the night of the 3rd of September,
the eve of the Feast of St Rose of Viterbo,
perhaps the biggest portable saint's shrine in the world
is carried through the ancient streets of
the Italian town of Viterbo.

It is around 30 metres tall and weighs around 5 tonnes.

The magnificent tower
is illuminated with hundreds of candles,
and now also electric light,
and crowned with the statue of St Rose.
Her Porters kneel to receive their blessing
before taking their places below the shrine.



The tower is lifted for the first time
as the band strikes up the
Porter's Confraternity hymn to St Rose.
The huge structure is very heavy
and as you can see it takes
some doing before they can set off.

Here the tower is carried through the streets
which are darkened for the occasion.
The porters group changes
and the tower has to be lifted by fresh members.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing about this procession
is the fact that this holy little girl of 17 or 18 years of age
was once refused admission
to the Poor Clare Monastery of the town
because she was too poor to gather a dowry.She died a recluse in her poor father's house
and predicted that the monastery
would admit her after her death.

Today the nuns posses her sacred incorrupt relics.

And now she is carried through the town
with perhaps more splendour
than any other saint in the world.

How wonderful are the judgements of God,
Who brings us light
out of what may appear to be
the greatest darknesses of our lives.

"We see now through
a glass in a dark manner;
but then face to face.
Now I know in part;
but then I shall know
even as I am known."
[1 Corinthians 13, 12]

Not Alone!

Child of Mary,
You are an exiled soul in this valley of tears.
You have to constantly struggle against the world, the flesh
and above all against the innumerable legions of infernal spirits who fly in the air,
with the rage of lions, seeking whom to devour.

Perhaps you sometimes believe yourself alone and abandoned.
Yet the Apostle says to you in the name of God:
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:3)
No, you are not alone.
The powerful and faithful Virgin,
Mother of God and your Mother,
constantly stands at your side.

Such is the explicit doctrine of the great St. Germain,
Patriarch of Constantinople (634-729),
who teaches that
by Her assistance,
Mary remains always present
in the midst of the faithful who invoke Her.
(First Homily on the Dormition P.G. T. XCVIII, col. 346.)

Thus because of Her perpetual readiness to assist us
She is called the Mother of Perpetual Succour.

We keep Her Novena every Saturday.

If you have need of Her assistance
write Her a letter
for inclusion in the
Novena devotions.
Petitions received are prayed for during the
course of nine weeks.

There is no Mother who longs for a letter from her child
as much as the Mother of Perpetual Succour
longs to read a letter from you.

Why not write to your Mother today.

Est enim urbanissima, curialissima Regina, gloriosa Virgo Maria.

Saint Bernard (1090-1153)

seeing Our Lady's statue
greeted Her with
"Salve Regina!" or "Ave Maria!"
to his surprise he heard Her reply
"Salve Bernarde!" or "Ave Bernarde!"

When a man devoutly salutes the Virgin
he is saluted by Her in return.
For amongst all Queens,
the Glorious Virgin Mary is
the most polite, the most courteous.

It is impossible to greet Her
without receiving a greeting in return.

That is why,
if throughout the day
you say devoutly "Ave Maria!" a thousand times
you will be saluted a thousand times
by the holy Virgin.

Quam homo devote salutat Virginem
resalutatur ab illa.

Est enim urbanissima,
curialissima Regina,
gloriosa Virgo Maria.

Nec postest salutari
sine resalutatione miranda.

Si mille Ave Maria dicis in die, devote,
millies a Virgine resalutaris.

(St. Bernadine of Sienna
1380-1444.)

At the hour of departure

This morning in Orkney
the votive Mass for the Sick Near to Death
was offered for
Mr. Duncan Simon
of
Christchurch, New Zealand.

Mr. Duncan Simon serving the first Holy Mass
offered in the Christchurch oratory, July 2007.

Collect.
Omnipotens et misericors Deus...
Almighty and merciful God,
Who hast conferred upon mankind
both the remedies of salvation
and the gifts of life everlasting:
look mercifully upon Thy servant
who is afflicted with sickness of the body,
and refresh the soul which Thou hast created,
so that at the hour of departure,
it may be found worthy to be taken home to Thee,
its Maker,
free from all stain of sin,
by the hands of holy Angels.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ ...

Postcommunion.
Quaesumus clementiam tuam...
We beseech Thy clemency, O almighty God,
that by the virtue of this Sacrament
Thou wouldst vouchsafe
to strengthen Thy servant with Thy grace:
so that at the hour of his death
the enemy may not prevail against him,
but he may deserve to pass to life
accompanied by Thine Angels.

As Mass for the Sick Near Death,
the Litany of St Joseph
and
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament closed
at
8.30 a.m. here in Scotland,
Mr. Simon entered his eternity;
it was
7.30 p.m. in Christchurch.

Requiem aeternam dona ei Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat ei.
Requiescat in pace.

Eternal rest grant to him O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.

Congratulations to our new Bishop!

Congratulations to our new Bishop of Aberdeen, His Lordship Bishop Hugh Gilbert, OSB, who was consecrated bishop yesterday, the feast of the Assumption. His Lordship has taken as his motto:

Omnia in Ipso constant Col: 1.17

Meaning:

By Him all things consist.

Ad Multos Annos!

A Consuming Fire

Yesterday we held our annual bonfire and barbeque. The weather wasn’t too good, but we were still happy to be able to welcome many of Stronsay’s residents who didn’t mind braving the wind and rain, as well as some who came out from Kirkwall for the occasion.

This year it was Br. Seelos's father who stepped up to the mark and lit the fire.

Due to the wind which was slowly picking up, it took two attempts to get the fire going, but the flames finally took hold!

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R. blesses the fire

Oremus
Domine Deus, Pater omnipotens, lumen indeficiens, qui es conditor omnium luminum:
novum hunc ignem sanctifica + , et praesta: ut ad te, qui es lumen indeficiens,
puris mentibus post hujus saeculi caliginem pervenire valeamus.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Let us pray.
Lord God, almighty Father, the Light that never fails and the source of all light,
sanctify + this new fire, and grant that after the darkness of this life
we may come unsullied to Thee Who art light eternal;
through Christ our Lord. Amen


The brothers prepare the barbeque. These were homemade burgers from our own beef.

Luckily we are able to use the end of this shed when the weather is not so pleasant.

With the fire having died down to a bearable size, folk can't resist going to stand about it despite the wet!

As the evening wore on, Br. Seelos set himself to entertaining everyone, and it was very well done.

Feast of St Alphonsus

Today, the Feast of our Holy Father Saint Alphonsus, was a very special day for us since we also had a final profession, temporary profession and two clothings!


The four candidates present themselves before the superior.


With Our Lord enthroned within the tabernacle and the doors open, Br. Xavier Maria, F.SS.R. kneels before His Divine Majesty and pronounces his final vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience together with a vow and oath of perseverance.


Br. Xavier binds himself with his hand upon the Holy Gospel.


Br. Alfonso, also kneeling before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament pronounces his temporary vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience for three years. He received his complete religious name: Br. Alfonso Maria of the Star of the Sea, F.SS.R. Brother had spent some years as a sailor before he joined the Transalpine Redemptorists.


At the time of first profession, brother receives his pallium, or, mantle.


Our two postulants preparing to be clothed in the habit of the congregation. On the left Mr Tyler Lunsford and on the right Mr Arden Mills, both from the United States.


Exuat te Dominus veterem hominem cum actibus eius,
et induat te novum, qui secundum Deum creatus est
in justitia et sanctitate veritatis.

May the Lord strip thee of the old man with all his acts and
clothe thee in the new, who is created by God in justice
and in the holiness of truth.


The new Brothers receive their habits.


Indue, Filii Dominum Jesum Chrisum, semper
mortificationem ejus in corpore tuo circumferens.

Son, put on Our Lord Jesus Christ, always surrounding
thy body with His mortification.


Accipe, Fili, imaginem Crucifixi, Magistri et Redemptoris tui,
qui passus est pro te, et tradidit Semetipsum pro te. Pone Illum
ut signaculum super cor tuum, ut signaculum super brachium
tuum.

Receive, my Son, the image of the crucifix,
image of thy Master and Redeemer, who suffered for thee and
offered Himself for thee. Place it as a seal upon thy heart, as a
seal upon thy arm


The first step towards leaving the world! Today we have seen all three:
These young men leave the secular life and enter the novitiate.
Br. Alfonso completes his novitiate and makes his temporary vows.
Br. Xavier, after three years of temporary vows takes the final step and gives himself to religious life until his death.


Accipe, Filii, Rosarium beatæ Virginis Mariæ, quæ tibi sit semper murus ad protegendum, mater ad nutriendum, stella ad dirgendum, portus ad salvandum. Tu autem stude diligenter Mariam diligere et imitari, ac ejus saluberrimam devotionem ubique propagare. In periculis, in angustiis, in rebus dubiis, Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca. Dulce nomen illius non
recedat ab ore, non recedat a corde.

Receive, Son, the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may She always be a wall to protect thee, a mother to nourish thee, a star to guide thee and the door to thy salvation do Thou, however, learnest diligently to love and imitate Mary, and to propagate Her most salutary devotion everywhere. In dangers, in anguishes, in doubtful things, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May Her sweet name not disappear from thy lips, nor disappear from thy heart.


Accipe hunc habitum benedictum precans sanctissimam
Virginem, ut eius meritis illum perferas sine macula, et te ab
omni adversitate defendat, atque ad vitam perducat æternum.

Receive this blessed Scapular and beseech the Blessed Virgin
that through Her merits, you may wear it without stain. May
it defend you against all adversity and accompany you to
eternal life.


With the reception of the skull cap comes the new name:
Mr Tyler Lunsford is now Br Seelos after Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.SS.R.
Mr Arden Mills is now Br Peter after St. Peter the apostle.


Congratulations to Br Peter and Br Seelos!

And to Br Xavier Maria and Br Alfonso Maria!




Br Seelos with his mother and father and three brothers.


And Br Peter with his father.


Mr de Jarving, a friend of Br Alfonso, entered as a postulant today.


Br. Xavier Maria and Br. Magdala Maria, both from the Pacific Islands.

Homecoming

It was slightly touch-and go with the weather, but yesterday evening Br. Paul Mary, F.SS.R. and Br. Xavier Maria, F.SS.R. arrived home to Papa Stronsay from Christchurch New Zealand. They are staying on Papa Stronsay for two months.

The brothers were picked-up from Glasgow airport and are seen here driving off the Stronsay ferry.

Welcome home!

A joyous homecoming after a long journey from the other side of the world!

On the way home, they collected the next issue of Catholic. Here it's being loaded onto the boat.

Br. Xavier Maria with Papa Stronsay in the background.

And Br. Paul Mary

First step back onto Papa Stronsay ground.

We flew the New Zealand flag for their return!

Coppersmith priests rev up for more disobedience - Zum zum zum!

This evil iniative began last month.
We pray for the Holy Father

and
the Church in Austria.

About 300 of Austria’s 4,200 priests
(a minority of 7.1%,
no doubt they are mostly old liberals from the 1960's era)
have pledged to take part in
Aufruf zum -zum zum!- Ungehorsam
(Call to Disobedience),
an initiative launched in June.
The Call to Disobedience manifesto cites
“the Roman refusal of a long-overdue Church reform
and the inaction of bishops.”
Dissenters who support the document pledge:

- to pray for Church reform at every liturgy, since “in the presence of God there is freedom of speech”
- not to deny the Holy Eucharist to “believers of good will,” including non-Catholic Christians and those who have remarried outside the Church
- to avoid offering Mass more than once on Sundays and holy days and to avoid making use of visiting priests--instead holding a “self-designed” Liturgy of the Word
- to describe such a Liturgy of the Word with the distribution of Holy Communion as a “priestless Eucharistic celebration”; “thus we fulfill the Sunday obligation in a time of priest shortage”
- to “ignore” canonical norms that restrict the preaching of the homily to clergy
- to oppose parish mergers, insisting instead that each parish have its own individual leader, “whether man or woman”
- to “use every opportunity to speak out openly in favor of the admission of the married and of women to the priesthood” ...

All so much foolish talk endangering the salvation of souls.

Our Lord said:
I came down from heaven,
not to do my own will,
but the will of him that sent me.
(Jn. 6:38)

Time on Earth is running out.
Eternity approaches.
Soon death will come,
judgment will follow
and then
Heaven or Hell for ever.

Alexander the coppersmith
hath done me much evil:
the Lord will reward him according to his works:
(2 Timothy 4:14)

Snow to sea level in New Zealand. Flights cancelled.

Snow down to sea level in Christchurch.
Br. Paul Mary, F.SS.R. and Br. Xavier Maria, F.SS.R.
were to have left Christchurch today
to return to Papa Stronsay for two months.
With flights cancelled
they will now come home a day or so later!

When they arrive back they may not be missing too much.

The great advantage of our Orkney climate
is that we can often have winter conditions even in the summer!

Today's is the worst snow since 1997.

Akaroa harbour near Christchurch.

Sheep in Lumsden, South Island.