A New House

During the summer we had a pair of geese come to live on Papa Stronsay.  They did not have a house to live in, but they did not mind because it was the summer and they were not troubled by bad weather.  As the autumn came on, however, they became increasingly worried about how they would get through the winter.  Seeing their plight, Br. Nicodemus Mary, F.SS.R. offered to build them a dwelling place:

The goose house was to be built using a spare ruin.  Br. Nicodemus is preparing to fill the gap in the wall.

 The structure is almost complete.

The beginnings of the wall.  Behind can be the small shed in which the monastery generator is housed.

All done!  In time a gate will go in the gateway, but the geese cannot fly so for now it is fine.

I hope they will be happy with their new home!

There's Nothing Quite Like Homemade!

I have only ever experienced pasta in its dried-out form, in a bag from the supermarket.  However, at Papa Stronsay we have recently been the recipients of a very kind gift: a pasta maker!  I was really taken by the whole process and thought that some of our readers might also fall into the same category as I do, of being ignorant of the process of making pasta, so I am posting some photos below of Br. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. and postulant Mr. Esteban showing us how it's done:

Beating eggs for the dough.

 Kneading the dough.

The dough is repeatedly put through this roller.  Each time the setting is changed so that it rolls the dough a little thinner.

As this happens, the rolled dough gets longer…

...and longer!

Once completed the very thin strip of dough is laid out and the process begins again on a new piece.

The pasta-maker has several attachments for making different types of pasta.  Here the tagliatelle attachment is fitted.

With all the sheets of pasta dough prepared, the process of cutting can begin.

As the strips of tagliatelle emerge, they are hung to dry.

It dries for up to an hour, but by this time, it is not as dry as it would be in a packet or dried pasta, but has just become a little firmer.

Into the pot!

The finished product!  It is really incredible just how much better homemade pasta is than the pasta bought in the supermarket!

A big thank you to the kind donor of this equipment!

Because only She can help you! - We had better believe it!

This clip released last 7th May
was filmed before thousands of supporters of the now
President of Egypt
Dr. Mohamed Morsi Isa El-Ayyat
who assumed his office on 30 June.
Dr. Morsi (Mursi) is also present
and can be seen on stage here.



The content of this video
should motivate us to
pray the Holy Rosary with intensity.
The message of Our Lady of Fatima is a message for today:

“I want you ... to continue to
 pray the Rosary every day 
in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, 
in order to obtain peace for the world 
and the end of the war, 
because only she can help you.”
(13 July, 1917).

Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

It is part of our monastery devotions to recite one of our Lady's dolours everyday after the afternoon recreation. The image above was put together by one of the brothers.

St Alphonsus in the glories of Mary says that it was revealed to St. Elizabeth, that at the request of Our Lady, Our Lord promised four principal graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows:

1. That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins;

2. That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and will protect them especially at the hour of death;

3. That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;

4. That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires.

In addition to these four graces there are also seven promises (revealed to St. Bridget) attached to the practice of daily praying seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on Our Lady’s Tears and Sorrows:

I will grant peace to their families.

They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.

I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.

I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.

I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.

I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.

I have obtained (This Grace) from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and sorrows, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

Rain at Last!

As many of you will know, this summer has been really harsh in the United States, with drought conditions over much of the country.  This site can help to give you some idea of the situation: http://www.lawrencevilleweather.com/drought.html

Having just arrived back at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton Nebraska for the start of a new year, I have been able to see first-hand just how dry it has been, and it has been very dry!  But today, Our Good Lord sent us a little present!

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

September 12th is the Feast day of the Most Holy Name of Mary. Countless graces have been obtained and victories been won over hell by the invocation of the Holy Name of Mary.  St. Alphonsus in the Glories of Mary tells us to listen to the beautiful advice from St. Bernard: "In danger of losing divine grace, in anguish, in doubtful things, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May the Name of Mary never disappear from your lips, nor ever disappear from your heart". Never separate the names of Jesus and Mary which are so sweet and powerful when invoked together, because these names will give us the strength and courage to never yield to temptations and to overcome them all. 

St. Bridget heard our Lord promise His Holy Mother three wonderful graces to those who have devotion to the Holy Name of Mary. Our Lord said: whoever invokes the name of Mary with confidence and intention of amendment, will receive these special graces:  first, that He would grant them perfect sorrow for their sins; secondly, that their crimes should be atoned for; and, thirdly, that He would give them strength to attain perfection, and at length the glory of paradise. Because, added the Our Holy Redeemer, your words are so dear and sweet to me, oh Mary, that I cannot deny whatever you request from me. 

Invocation: O Mary most pure!O Mary most Sweet! Let thy name henceforth be the breath of my life!

For Bishop Finn

Bishop Robert Finn

Bishop of Kansas City - St Joseph, 

Missouri, USA

Let us offer a Hail Mary now

and also

our rosary and prayers

for the successful outcome

of today's criminal trial.

+

Hail Mary, full of grace the LORD is with Thee.

Blessed art Thou amongst women 

and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

pray for us sinners now

and at the hour of our death. 

Amen.

+

Ne despicias...

Despise not, O almighty God,

Thy people who cry out in their affliction,

but for the glory of Thy name be appeased

and help those in trouble.

Through Christ Our Lord. 

Amen. 

Mother of Perpetual Succour, 

pray for him.

St. Joseph,

pray for him.

Annual Papa Stronsay Bonfire

 Saturday 25th August saw the long awaited annual Papa Stronsay bonfire and BBQ.  It had been planned for earlier in the year, but due to bad weather it had to be postponed.  Thanks be to God, the weather turned out fine on the evening of the 25th!  We were glad to welcome a good number of the Stronsay community to Papa Stronsay for the occasion.

Br. Seelos celebrated his 21st birthday on the 22nd August.  Therefore he was given the honour of lighting the fire.

Blessing the fire:

 Domine Deus, Pater omnipotens, lumen indeficiens, qui es conditur omnium luminum: novum humc ignem sanctifica, et praesta; ut ad te, qui es lumen indeficiens, puris mentibus, post hujus saeculi caliginem, pervenire valeamus.  Per Christum Dominum Nostrum. Amen.

Lord God, Almighty Father, Maker of all light, and the light that never fails; hallow  this new fire, and grant that after the darkness of this world we may come with pure hearts to Thee, our perpetual light; through Christ our Lord.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy!

Public Profession Video

The Public Profession of Vows

(video of the ceremony)

The sermon of his Lordship is at 00:32:15
The public profession of vows begins at 00:58:15
Litany of Loreto at 00:48:38
 Tantum Ergo at  01:27:19
 Divine Praises sung in English at 01:30:54
 Adoremus at 01:32:45
Hymn Our Lady of Good Succour to Our Lady of Aberdeen at 01:34:34

Our Public Religious Professions.

The Public Profession of Vows

of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

The long awaited day arrived on the 

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

22 August, 2012,

the day of

our individual incorporation into the 

canonically erected

Clerical Institute of Diocesan Right

under the title of the

Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

We were canonically erected by the Right Reverend

Dom Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B.

Here he is photographed in

Our Lady's Chapel, Stronsay,

during last night's public profession ceremony.

For this solemn occasion of
our union with the diocese and the Church

the episcopal throne was erected in the sanctuary.

Above the bishop is the Coat of Arms of the 

Diocese of Aberdeen

which can be seen in more detail  in the first image above.

May the monastic and missionary saints of our diocese
intercede for us.

In all, three Lessons from the Holy Scripture were chanted

followed by Tracts, 

then the Alleluia and Gospel of the Mass for 

the feast of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Brother Jean Marie chants the Second Lesson.

Following the chant of the Gospel the Bishop preached. 

Following the sermon the Litany of Loreto

completed the preparation for the public religious professions.

First Fr Michael Mary made public profession

into the hands of the Bishop.

This act was one of Ecclesial Communion through the Bishop 

to the Universal Church.

The vows are made to God

but the superior makes them through the Bishop to God.

Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. 
makes his public perpetual profession

into the hands of the appointed superior. 

The superior of the new religious order

having made his public profession into the hands of the Bishop

is then empowered to receive the public religious professions

of the members of the Congregation.

Br. Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. 
makes his public perpetual profession

into the hands of the Rector Major.

Br. Jean Marie, F.SS.R. 
makes his public perpetual profession of the 

vows of Poverty, Chastity, Obedience and Perseverance. 

Br. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. 

makes public profession of the vows of religion.

The vow of Perseverance is attested with an oath.

Having made the oath of Perseverance

Br. Martin Mary, F.SS.R. 
kisses the Gospel.

 Having kissed the Gospel

Br. Nicodemus Mary, F.SS.R. 
is received into the Congregation

bound by his vows and oath

according to the 

Rules of St. Alphonsus

(which were approved by 

Pope Benedict XIV in 1749)

and the

Constitutions of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

(which were approved by 

the Holy See in 2011).

Br. Gerardo Maria, F.SS.R.

makes temporary public profession for three years.

 The public professions were followed by

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

 The opening prayer of St. Alphonsus
in his Visits to the Blessed Sacrament,

the antiphon to Our Lady
and the 

Prayer for the Pope
all followed.
Then...

 The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
wass given by
Dom Hugh,
our Bishop of Aberdeen.

With full hearts and voices

the Divine Praises 

were chanted.

Blessed be God!

Blessed be His Holy Name!

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man!

Bishop Guimarães, C.SS.R. in Campos

As part of the celebrations of tenth anniversary of the Episcopal consecration of Bishop Rifan, Bishop Fernando José Monteiro Guimarães, C.SS.R. visited the Apostolic Administration of St John Mary Vianney.  Bishop  Guimarães, C.SS.R.  is the bishop of Garanhuns in Brazil.  While on his visit he celebrated the Traditional Mass at the Church of the traditional Redemptoristines in Sao Fidelis.

Preparing for Mass

The prayers at the foot of the altar. These photos are taken from behind the Nuns' grill. 

Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas

I will wash my hands among the innocent

 Holy Communion.