Catholic priests in England and Wales cry out against the legalisation of Gay Marriage planned for this month.

We Catholic priests and religious oppose Gay marriage.

In one of the biggest joint letters of its type ever written, they raise fears that their freedom to practise and speak about their faith will be “severely” limited and dismiss Government reassurances as "meaningless".

They even liken David Cameron’s moves to redefine marriage to those of Henry VIII, whose efforts to secure a divorce from Katherine of Aragon triggered centuries of bloody upheaval between church and state.

They claim that, taken in combination with equalities laws and other legal restraints, the Coalition's plans will prevent Catholics and other Christians who work in schools, charities and other public bodies speaking freely about their beliefs on the meaning of marriage.

Even the freedom to speak from the pulpit could be under threat, they claim.

And they fear that Christians who believe in the traditional meaning of marriage would effectively be excluded from some jobs – just as Catholics were barred from many professions from the Reformation until the 19th Century.

The comments are contained in a letter to The Daily Telegraph, signed by 1,054 priests as well as 13 bishops, abbots and other senior Catholic figures.

They account for almost a quarter of all Catholic priests in England and Wales.

Read more here : Source

Blessed José

Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Río was born on March 28, 1913, in Mexico. When the Cristero War broke out in 1926, his brothers joined the rebel forces, but his mother would not allow him to take part. The rebel general, Prudencio Mendoza, also refused his enlistment. The boy insisted that he wanted the chance to give his life for Christ and so come to Heaven easily.
The general finally relented and allowed José to become the flagbearer of the troop. The Cristeros nicknamed him Tarcisius, after the early Christian saint, martyred for protecting the Eucharist from desecration.

Capture

During heavy fighting on January 25, 1928, General Pedroza's horse was killed, and José gave his horse to him so that the battle could go on. Then he sought cover and fired at the enemy until he ran out of ammunition. The government troops captured the boy and imprisoned him in the sacristy of the local church. He was 14 years of age.

Martyrdom

José's death was witnessed by two childhood friends. It was later reported that José was "captured by government forces," who ordered him to "renounce his faith in Christ, under threat of death. He refused to accept apostasy".
To break his resolve, he was made to watch the hanging of another Cristero that they had in custody, but instead José encouraged the man, saying that they would soon meet again in Heaven. In prison, José prayed the rosary daily and wrote an emotional letter to his mother, saying that he was ready to fulfill the will of God. His father attempted to raise a ransom to save him, but was not able to appease the government in time.
On the evening of February 10, 1928, "they cut the bottom of his feet and obliged him to walk around the town toward the cemetery. They also at times cut him with a machete until he was bleeding from several wounds. He cried and moaned with pain, but he did not give in. At times they stopped him and said, 'If you shout, "Death to Christ the King" we will spare your life.' José would only shout, 'I will never give in. Viva Cristo Rey!'"
When they reached the place of execution, his captors stabbed him numerous times with bayonets. The commander was so furious that he pulled out his pistol and shot José. Moments before his death, the boy drew a cross in the dirt and kissed it.

Blessed José died on 10 February, 1928.

He was Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI, 20 November, 2005.

His feast is 10 February.

Blessed José, pray for us.

Unexpected photo from Pakistan.

Today Shamiel, our Catholic friend

sent us this photo to announce that

the Catholic and our Calendar has arrived

in his city of Pakistan.

Below: Shamiel and friends from the Catholic community

of his city.

Thanks be to God for the Internet in that it makes 

international Catholic friendships possible!

The Catholic Sun

In reference to the previous post regarding the blessing of wine, the following quotation form Hilaire Belloc seemed appropriate:

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,

There’s always laughter and good red wine.

At least I’ve always found it so.

Benedicamus Domino!”

We wish you all a happy and holy continuation of the Christmas Season.

The poisonous cup, the Sign of the Cross and the blessing of wine.

The Feast of St John,

27th December,

saw us bless wine in his honour.

This blessing is usually bestowed immediately after

the Last Gospel at Mass but it may also be  given

outside of the Mass.

We had it in the refectory before dinner.

In the Roman Ritual there are two blessings

for wine on the feast of St John.

How we came to bless wine in honour of St John.

In his later years and while living at Ephesus, St. John preached the Gospel and “idol-worshippers stirred up a riot among the populace, and they dragged him to the temple of Diana and tried to force him to offer sacrifice to the goddess.
Then the saint proposed this alternative: if by invoking Diana they overturned the church of Christ, he would offer sacrifice to the idols; but if by invoking Christ he destroyed Diana’s temple, they would believe in Christ.
To this proposal the greater number of the people gave their consent. When all had gone out of the building, the apostle prayed, the temple collapsed to the ground, and the statue of Diana was reduced to dust.”

St John holding the poisoned chalice

associated 

with the blessing of wine.

In response, the high priest Aristodemus incited the people against the apostle.
He then challenged St. John, saying:
“If you want me to believe in your God, I will give you poison to drink. If it does you no harm, it will be clear that your master is the true God.”
St. John consented. But first Aristodemus had two condemned criminals released from prison and, in the presence of the crowd, gave them the poison to drink so that St. John would have to watch them die and it would fill him with a greater fear for his own life.

“Then the apostle took the cup, 

armed himself with the Sign of the Cross, drained the drink, 

and suffered no harm, and all present began to praise God” 

(Voragine, The Golden Legend. Vol. I., p. 53).

Christmas Night Mass. + Et lux in tenebris lucet... And the light shineth in darkness...

Dum medium silentium tenerent omnia,

et nox in suo cursu medium iter haberet...

While all things were in quiet silence,

and the night was in the midst of her course...

Omnipotens sermo tuus, Domine,

de coelis a regalibus sedibus venit. 

Thy Almighty Word, O Lord, leapt down from heaven

from Thy royal throne.

Silent night, holy night. 

The night continued to dominate us as Mass began,

our little candles bravely faced the darkness

until men with angels sang:

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

The continuous ringing of bells announced

the arrival of the Infant King of Heaven.

The chapel was lit up and the Collect thanked God:

 Who made this most holy night to shine forth

with the brightness of the true light.

 The grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men.

announces the Subdeacon as he chants the Epistle.

 I bring you tidings of great joy.

The Holy Gospel is always proclaimed facing the darkness of the North.

Bethlehem ~ House of Bread.

The priest offers the spotless host.

Et verbum caro factum est.

And the Word was made flesh ~ and that flesh is made Bread.

I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven.

If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever;

and the Bread that I shall give

is my flesh for the life of the world.

Amen, amen I say unto you:

Except you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood

you shall not have life in you.

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath life everlasting
and I will raise him up on the last day.
(Jn. 6: 51-55)

After Mass the image of the Infant was incensed
and the priest blessed each of us with the statue
of the baby Jesus.

Having received the blessing each person 
venerated the representation of the holy Child.

O Holy Night!  
O Holy Mass of Christ! ~ O Christmas!
O Holy House of Bread ~ Sweet Bethlehem so near us!
Sweet Jesus I love Thee, come into my heart!

On Christmas Eve

On December 19th stormy winds set in and dominated Orkney 

making it impossible to cross from Stronsay to Papa Stronsay.

Things looked bleak for Christmas.

Having our outdoor crib looked impossible;

 the wind was too strong.

But....

On the morning of Christmas Eve we awoke to find that 

the tempest had stilled 

("flat calm")

giving a fresh aspect to the Christmas Carol

"all is calm, all is bright!"

The opportunity is seized to erect the Christmas crib.

In last year's storm, the entire roof, although secured by ropes, 

was blown off the crib and over the nearby shed.

We can't have a repeat of last year!
Br Magdala Maria is assessing the shed roof

and calculating how many screws would be needed 

to keep their roof beams from being blown over it ?

A quick bite during work.
Baked Beans from the tin, fried eggs, toast....and salt

fed their bodies,

while the spirit of Christmas Eve 

(...finishing the crib and chapel, revising chant and rubrics) 

fed their souls. 

And so it was.

For the Glory of God the crib was erected.

Blessed little island of Stronsay lost in the North Sea!

You have an outside crib celebrating the Saviour's birth

with shepherds and sheep,

three kings and three camels!

And Christmas comes once more!

The day is done..... or just begun.

At 11.00 p.m. we began the popular vigil devotions

as we awaited the midnight dawning 

of the Daystar from on High.

Veni veni, Emmanuel!
Veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

The Holy Father's Christmas Blessing

Completion of the Way of Bethlehem

Christmas Eve

IV Sunday of Advent

Ember Saturday, III Week of Advent

The Holy Infant of Great Sorrow

Friday, III Week of Advent

Some Winter Heat?

We may live in Orkney and it may be winter, 

but Papa Stronsay is feeling the heat at present.

Our Br Jean Marie, F.SS.R.

has been trying chilli's and peppers in the greenhouse this year

and the December harvest has just come in.

One may almost imagine one was in the fair climes of 

the great Indian sub-continent!

And what a joy that would be for all of us

 as we recall the privilege some of us enjoyed 

of visiting some years ago

the tomb of the Holy Apostle St Thomas,

whose feast it is today,

situated much like that of the confession of St Peter

below the magnificent Cathedral of Chennai-Madras.

 We wish all our Indian readers a happy and holy Feastday today.

Thursday, III Week of Advent

Holy Infant of the Four-Winds

Wednesday, III Week of Advent

The Infant Nazarene of Petition of Guatemala

Rose of Stronsay in the Garden of the Church

Today in 2002, ten years ago

on the Feast of the 
Expectation of Our Blessed Lady,

work commenced on the transforming of
 an old building on the Stronsay Pier Head

into 

Our Lady's Chapel

for Christmas of that year

when the 

first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

would be celebrated within its walls.

2002

and 2012.

Exterior in 2002

the same in 2012.

18 December, 2002, Sr M. Onufria, OSBM, 

giving the chapel a much needed whitewash.

Professions on 2 February, 2003.

The first altar and sanctuary platform has been built

 and the walls whitewashed.

The hidden friend of Our Lady

Mr John Friel, friend, parishoner, expert joiner

and Stronsay Scouser

who has quietly worked on 

the chapel for many years.

Passiontide, 2009.

The walls have been plaster-boarded, 

the new marble altar installed,

 the first altar rails built,

and new pews in place.

August, 2009, new altar rails with gates ready to be installed.

Christmas, 2009.

April, 2011. The roof is decorated with celestial blue and golden stars.

Mr Paul Williams, master plasterer, 

with Brs Xavier Maria, F.SS.R. and Br Magdala Maria, F.SS.R.

 give the chapel its four bells in September, 2011.

 In November, 2011, the large Stations of the Cross are hung.

Thanks be to God and Our Lady

 for ten years of daily Mass

in Our Lady's Chapel

for the Holy Sacraments of 

Confession, Baptism and Confirmation received there,

for the religious professions made there.

Thanks be to God for its Union with

the Holy See of St Peter

that grace which makes our little chapel

the 

Chapel of Our Lady

in honour of the Perpetual Virginity of

Most Holy Mary

and of her title of "Mother of God"

defined by the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, AD 431.

which blossoms forth like

a Rose of Stronsay

in the Garden of the Church.

Surpassing Expectations

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

remember in their prayers today

and wish a very happy feastday to all

the many 

Mothers, Expectant Mothers and Hopeful Mothers-to-Be

who have requested relics of St Gerard and prayers 

during this last year. 

(Relics may be obtained here.)

If you are that soul who 

like Holy Anna, Sarah, Rebecca and Elizabeth

longs to bear yourself 

that long desired little infant,

take heart on this

beautiful feast of the Church 

when we remember that on the eighth day from hence

Most Holy Mary Immaculate

will bring forth into the world a Saviour, 

"now" still hidden in her spotless womb.

Ask of her that long sought for blessing.

She will surely

surpass all your expectations!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

 that never was it known that anyone

 who fled to thy protection,

 implored thy help, or sought thine intercession

 was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence,

I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother;

 to thee do I come, before thee I stand,

 sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate,

 despise not my petitions,

 but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

Tuesday, III Week of Advent

Monday, III Week of Advent