Silver Jubilee of Our Foundation

Silver Jubilee

of the

Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

On the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, in a small, once Toc H, chapel duly decorated for the Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extra-ordinary form, five young men gathered around a young Redemptorist priest who was offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It was the Feast of Saint Alphonsus 1988. On this day then, began the foundation of a religious community that would follow the Rule written by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori and which would finally receive the blessing of the Church to become the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Today, twenty Five years later, a Sung Mass in honour of Saint Alphonsus was offered in thanksgiving to God and Our Blessed Lady for all the graces and blessings received. The ones we know about and the ones known only to God.

We share this joy with all of you, and wish to thank everyone that made our foundation a reality. Many have passed to their eternal rest, others still await the reward God has prepared for them - to one and all, we say thank you and may God ever bless you all.

Below are a few photos from the past which may bring back some happy memories.

Br Nicodemus as a young postulant clearing out the chicken coop.

Building works in progress to link the Sacristy to the Chapel.

On the right can be seen the door of the caravan

which served as sacristy for over three years.

Fr Michael Mary giving his blessing,

to Brother (now Fr) Anthony Mary and Brother Gerard Maria
 on their return from an outside trip.

This is taken at Guildford where we lived for a year.

Site of the Sacristy, Bell Tower and Annex rooms.

Mr Coates and his sons were the builders and friends of the Monastery

Father Anthony Mary as a novice hanging out the washing.

The future chapel can be seen behind the tree on the left.

Unpacking boxes in preparation for the foundation

Every monastery needs a cloister.

Here the brothers prepare the wood for the enclosure fence.

The refectory in the early days.

Oliver Cromwell stabled his horses here, once upon a time.

The ceiling beams were used from dismantled wooden ships.

Solemn High Mass for the Profession of one of the brothers.

In our first humble kitchen with a caravan gas oven,

Br Gerard Maria prepares breakfast.

New Life on Papa Stronsay

Just over a month ago our goose, Duchess, began sitting on a clutch of eggs.  Yesterday, on the First Saturday of the month, her eggs hatched.  The last of the little goslings to hatch was exiting its shell as these photos were taken.  Of the seventeen eggs that she sat on Duchess hatched thirteen goslings.  One of these died, and the remaining unhatched eggs were unfertilized.

 Duchess sitting on her nest with her little ones gathered under her wings.

This morning, the whole family was out to enjoy the sunshine!

 Duchess takes her little ones...

 ...to be introduced to the water.

Br. Seelos filling up the water.

Thank you Blessed Lady, Mary, for this wonderful First Saturday blessing!

Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. first Solemn Mass

One of the great graces that we received during our ordination-pilgrimage to Rome, was Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. celebrating his first Solemn Mass in the Borghese Chapel of St Mary Major basilica.  This chapel houses the icon of Our Lady titled Salus Populi Romani which holy tradition tells us was painted by St Luke himself.

 The altar with the image Salus Populi Romani enthroned above it.

 Fr Magdala's mother and father eagerly await for their son to ascend the altar steps.

 Crossing from the sacristy on the far side of the basilica, the procession enters the chapel.

 Holy Mass begins.

 We thank God for the grace of seeing two new priests in our Congregation.

 The deacon, Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. chants the gospel.

 Father elevates the host which, by the power so recently given him through the Mercy of God, has now become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 The elevation of the chalice.

 Preparing to distribute Holy Communion to the faithful.  Thank God for new and holy priests who are to minister to the spiritual needs of the Church.

 The beautiful cupula of the Borghese Chapel.

 Father gives the final blessing:

Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus. Amen

 At the end of Mass the hymn of thanksgiving, the Te Deum, was sung.

 The procession left the chapel as the tourists looked on.

Re-crossing the basilica and returning to the sacristy.

Ordinations Make the News

The following article appeared  on the Catholic News Agency concerning our recent ordinations in Rome.

[Source]

Group celebrates first ordinations since reunion with Rome

Ordination at the Fraternity of St. Peter's Roman Parish, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome, Italy. June 22, 2013. Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA.

Rome, Italy, Jun 29, 2013 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For the first time since coming into clear union with the Pope, the religious institute the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer celebrated the priestly ordination of two of its members on June 22.

Father Magdala Maria and Father Yousef Marie were ordained alongside Fr. Massimo Botta of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter by Archbishop Guido Pozzo, head of the Office of Papal Charities, in Rome.

Both orders are dedicated to celebrating the liturgy in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite – as was done prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also called the Transalpine Redemptorists, were founded in 1987 and were associated with the Society of St. Pius X.

After Benedict XVI issued a document affirming the value of the extraordinary form, also called the traditional Latin Mass, the Transalpine Redemptorists responded by petitioning the Vatican to regularize their situation.

On June 26, 2008, their petition was granted and they were no longer associated with the schismatic Society of St. Pius X. The group now enjoys “undisputed and peaceful possession of Communion with the Holy See.”

Fr. Botta, who was ordained for the Fraternity of St. Peter, told CNA that “my vocation to the priesthood came pretty quickly.”

“I was doing grad school in economics, and I found that economics was taking me the complete opposite direction of what I felt truth should be.”

“During that time I just felt a strong calling to be a priest, and I didn’t even know about the Fraternity of St. Peter.”

He explained that his brother introduced him to the Fraternity, and it appealed to him. “I applied and was accepted and that was it; it was very quick, a question of six months.”

The newly ordained priest noted, “it seems like God had prepared me since I was young for this.”

Fr. Botta, who studied seven years at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska, has been sent back to the Fraternity's Immaculate Conception parish in Omaha for his first assignment.

His mother, who is Roman, told CNA that he has been looking forward to it, that he is happy, and that she is sure he will work hard.

Gabriella Botta said that of her four children, Massimo was the one she least expected would ever become a priest.

“He was the naughtiest, he had a band, and loved Metallica music,” said Botta. “And suddenly he said, ‘Mom, I want to join the seminary,’ so it was a real big surprise.”

She described him as a shy boy who loved life, his school friends, music and “all of the things any young person loves.”

“I think for a mother it’s actually the greatest event, because I think that somewhere in my life I must have really done something good to have the honor of our Lord calling our son to the priesthood.”

“I think he has changed,” she said. “He has become a man now and after seven years of seminary life, it was just two days ago that he said ‘Mom, I’m beginning to be scared.'”

Fr. John Brancich, pastor at Omaha's Immaculate Conception parish, emphasized that it was a “great grace” for Fr. Botto to be ordained in his home area.

“It’s also a great grace for the Fraternity, because this is the first time that we’ve had ordinations in Rome.”

“This is a very special day for us because the order is so connected with Rome and St. Peter, and the Chair of St. Peter and the Pope. This is a very happy moment for both of our societies.”

Fr. Brancich explained that the traditional Latin Mass has found a “great resurgence” among young people and young clergy, as well as older people “who have rediscovered it.”

“One thing that they consistently comment on is the sense of reverence, the sense of sacredness that they feel when they attend the Mass,” which strongly conveys the worship of God.

He underscored that the goal of being at Mass is to pray, and that the definition of prayer is to “lift your mind and heart to God.”

The ordination took place at Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims, the Fraternity's Roman parish, and reflected the universality of the Church.

The Transalpine Redemptorists are based in a monastery on an island in the north of Scotland and also have a monastery in New Zealand. Fr. Magdala Maria is a New Zealander, and Fr. Yousef Marie is from Lebanon.

The First solemn Mass of Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R.

Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. celebrated his first Solemn High Mass on Sunday 23rd June in the Church of the Fraternity of St Peter, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome.  We are most grateful to them for the use of their Church.  Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. was deacon and Br Jean Marie, F.SS.R. was subdeacon.  Fr Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. was assistant priest.

 

Vesting in the sacristy.

 

Father in his cope just before the start of Holy Mass.

 

The Asperges.

 

After the Asperges Father removes the cope and puts on the chasuble and the maniple.

 

The incensation.

 

During the Gloria.

 

Dominus vobiscum.

 

The deacon kneels to receive the blessing to chant the Gospel.

 

During the Gospel a beautiful shaft of light shone through the smoke of incense.

 

Offering the bread.

 

Hoc est enim corpus meum.

Fr Yousef Marie consecrates for the first time, changing the host into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei...

The consecration of the wine.

 

O Sacrament Most Holy,

O Sacrament Divine;

All praise and all thanksgiving,

Be every moment Thine!

 

Father consumes the Precious Blood.

 

Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi...

Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sin of the world...

 

Father Yousef Marie gives Holy Communion to his mother...

 

...and to two of his brothers who were able to be present.

 

The last blessing.

 

Thanks be to God for the ordination of a new priest.  May he be God's instrument for the conversion and salvation of many souls!

 

In the sacristy after Mass.