Reconnected

As many of you may know, on Papa Stronsay we have been without internet access since before Christmas.  It is for this reason that our blog has been so silent.  However, thanks be to God, our internet is now restored thanks to a replacement Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge.

The Bridge transmits the internet from the neighbouring island of Stronsay, across the water of the Papay Sound and into Papa Stronsay.

 A station identical to this one is located on Stronsay and the two transmit and receive the signal back and forth.  We had previously used the same things, but there was some error with them and they had to be replaced.

As a result of our restored connection, you can expect a few updates in the coming days, so stay tuned!

This evening there have been some modest but none-the-less beautiful Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.  I post a few photos below. It is also rather windy, and I had some trouble holding the camera still, so they are a little blurry.

 The small red dots are the safety lights atop the wind turbines on the island of Sanday.

 The vast majority of out lights are a green/grey colour, but here we see a little spot of red.

Feast of the Chair of St Peter

On Saturday 22 February we had a beautiful sung Mass at the Carmel of Christ the King, Christchurch. The only photograph to be taken was the one below which particularly shows young James Green who served Holy Mass for the first time.

The altar servers after Holy Mass

Several members of the faithful were clothed in the Brown Scapular.

Saturday also marked the anniversary of the great earthquake in New Zealand and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for all those who suffered pain and loss. May God grant eternal rest to all those who died.

Candlemass at our Chapel in Christchurch

This is one of the three principal blessings observed by the Church during the year; the other two are the Blessing of the Ashes, and the Blessing of the Palms.

Saint Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury [Enarrations on St. Luke], speaking on the mystery, bids us consider three things in the blest Candle: the Wax, the Wick, and the Flame. The Wax, he says, which is the production of the virginal bee, is the Flesh of our Lord; the Wick, which is within, is his Soul; the Flame, which burns on the top, is his Divinity. 

The Candles in preparation for the blessing

The blessing before the Mass: “that as these candles, by their visible light, dispel the darkness of the night, so our hearts burning with invisible fire, and enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, may be delivered from all blindness of sin; that the eye of our soul being purified, we may discern those things that are pleasing to thee, and beneficial to our souls.”

Distribution of Candles . . .

. . . to all the faithful, young and old.

A short procession outside the chapel. . . 

. . . representing the Holy Family

There were seventeen children below the age of ten
(Correction to previous figures. Apologies.)

The real presence of Our Lord presented during the Mass
at the Elevation to the Most High God

"We must hold this as a principle of our spiritual life - that the Mysteries brought before us, feast after feast, are intended to work in us the destruction of the old, and the creation of the new, man." Dom Gueranger

New Year's Eve in Christchurch

 In keeping with tradition, the last hour of 2013 was spent in making a Holy Hour in front of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. The Chapel is lit only with candles for a few minutes and Our Lord is adored in silence.

 A Te Deum was sung in order to gain the plenary indulgence and to thank our Lord for all the graces, blessings and crosses received during the year.

 Singing hymns during the Holy Hour

 Fr Anthony Mary incenses the Blessed Sacrament ... 

...and blesses the faithful

After Benediction, the Veni Creator Spiritus was sung in order to gain the indulgence and usher in the New Year

Let the Sun shine!

It has been raining off and on for a while now here in Christchurch, but today, with a break in the weather a few brothers made the most of the opportunity to take a walk in the beautiful countryside. The walk is called "Kennedy's Bush" and is just south of the city centre.

 Br Paul in the distance and Br Xavier

 The view to the East

 Br Xavier hardly visible in the long bush

 View to the West

 Amongst the tall flax

 Br Paul enjoying the shade of forest path

 Explanatory notice about the Sign of the Bellbird

 Just over the other side of our destination,

Lyttleton seen on the left

 A Bellbird feeding on the flax on the path side

Young calves along the way

O Holy Night!

Our candle-light Christmas Midnight Mass on Stronsay.

Dominus dixit ad me: filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te.

The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. (Ps. 2:7)

Sursum corda!

...and falling down they adored Him. (Matt. 2:11)

Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. (Jn. 6:54) 

"BETHLEHEM" IN THE SOUTH ISLAND

This Christmas in New Zealand the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer celebrated the Word Made Flesh in a small beautiful wooden church outside of the city of Christchurch. A bus was hired to take a group of about thirty people to the church of St Brigid at Loburn. Others came from Rangiora and some from Loburn itself. We sang carols on the way to our 'Bethlehem' and again had carols before a Solemn High Mass, which was followed by refreshments and a fire works display. There were in all 73 faithful and 7 religious. It was a joyous and wonderful occasion and we share with you some of the photos.

 Carols by candlelight before the Solemn High Mass

The beautifully decorated altar. 

The Celebrant Father Anthony Mary incensing the Divine Infant

Gloria in Excelsis Deo! 

 Blessing of  the deacon before he sings the Gospel

 'Deacon' Father Yousef sings the Gospel of Midnight Mass

 "Et Verbum Caro Factum Est" during the Credo of the Mass

The Offertory 

Br Jean Marie holding the Paten with the Humeral Veil at the preface

 Elevation of the Sacred Host

 Elevation of the Precious Blood

"Ecce Agnus Dei"  Behold the Lamb of God

Blessing with Infant Jesus after Holy Mass

The Altar Servers with Sacred Ministers