Incline unto my aid, O God; O Lord, make haste to help me. Deus, in adjutorium meum intende; Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina. (Ps. 69:2)

Translation. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Rome and throughout the world! Christ is born for us! Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to the men and women whom he loves. May all people hear an echo of the message of Bethlehem which the Catholic Church repeats in every continent, beyond the confines of every nation, language and culture. The Son of the Virgin Mary is born for everyone; he is the Saviour of all. This is how Christ is invoked in an ancient liturgical antiphon: “O Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, hope and salvation of the peoples: come to save us, O Lord our God”. Veni ad salvandum nos! Come to save us! This is the cry raised by men and women in every age, who sense that by themselves they cannot prevail over difficulties and dangers. They need to put their hands in a greater and stronger hand, a hand which reaches out to them from on high. Dear brothers and sisters, this hand is Christ, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. He is the hand that God extends to hu...

We have been graced this year with a great storm over Christmas. While the wind raged outside, we were treated to a wonderful candlelight Midnight Mass. In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago. Heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshiped the beloved with a kiss. What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart. After Mass was over each of us venerated the baby Jesus. We wish you all a very happy and holy Christmas!

Lord, save our Queen Elizabeth, and graciously hear us in the day when we call upon Thee. Let us pray. Almighty God, we pray that Thy servant our Queen Elizabeth, who by Thy mercy has undertaken the government of this realm, may receive increase of all the virtues; so fittingly adorned, may she be enabled to avoid all foul temptations, (overcome her enemies), and with her prince consort and the Royal family, may she at the last be welcomed by Thee, who art the way, the truth, and the life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. DOMINE, SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM ELISABETH, ET EXAUDI NOS IN DIE, QUA INVOCAVERIMUS TE. OREMUS. QUAESUMUS, OMNIPOTENS DEUS, UT FAMULA TUA ELISABETH, REGINA NOSTRA, QUI TUA MISERATIONE SUSCEPIT REGNI GUBERNACULA, VIRTUTUM ETIAM OMNIUM PERCIPIAT INCREMENTA; QUIBUS DECENTE ORNATA, ET VITIORUM MONSTRA DEVITARE, (HOSTES SUPERARE) ET AD TE QUI VIA, VERITAS, ET VITA ES, CUM [PRINCIPE CONSORTE ET PROLE REGIA, GRATIOSA VALEAT PERVENIRE. PER CHRISTUM DOMINUM NOSTRUM. AMEN.

Reverend Mother Maria Angela Borsa, Prioress of the Venerable Monastery of the Most Holy Annunciation and Incarnation in Genoa, Italy, before the relics of the Holy Foundress, Bl. Maria Vittoria (behind the Infant Jesus). Below: A clearer view of the sacred incorrupt relics. During the 1990s our Congregation made a home in the former monastery of the Celestial Annunciades in Joinville , France (below). The holy order, founded by Blessed Maria Vittoria de Fornari Strata, seemed to have more or less dwindled and we were privileged to glean, from local memories and some remaining artefacts, a little of the history of the beautiful order which had once found a home within the same walls. Each day we devote a few moments to preparing the image of the saint for the next day for our top right sidebar. Having found that 15 December is the anniversary of Blessed Maria Vittoria’s death, and making the association with our former home, we went searching for a suitable image. W...

Today we read the Pastoral Letter of Bishop Hugh, O.S.B. It was a delight! I invite you to read it too! Dear Brothers and Sisters, We live in a noisy world. Our towns and cities are full of noise. There is noise in the skies and on the roads. There is noise in our homes, and even in our churches. And most of all there is noise in our minds and hearts. The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard once wrote: ‘The present state of the world and the whole of life is diseased. If I were a doctor and I were asked for my advice, I should reply: “Create silence! Bring people to silence!” The Word of God cannot be heard in the noisy world of today. And even if it were trumpeted forth with all the panoply of noise so that it could be heard in the midst of all the other noise, then it would no longer be the Word of God. Therefore, create silence!’ ‘Create silence!’ There’s a challenge here. Surely speaking is a good and healthy thing? Yes indeed. Surely there are bad kinds of silence? Yes ...

The trusty Stronsay Pier Weather Vane. Beaufort Wind Scale Windspeed in MPH Description - Visible Condition MPH 0 Calm smoke rises vertically. 1 - 4 Light air direction of wind shown by smoke but not by wind vanes. 4 - 7 Light breeze wind felt on face; leaves rustle; ordinary wind vane moves. 8 - 12 Gentle breeze leaves and small twigs in constant motion. 13 - 18 Moderate breeze raises dust and loose paper. 19 - 24 Fresh breeze small trees in leaf begin to sway. 25 - 31 Strong breeze large branches in motion; telephone wires whistle. 32 - 38 Moderate gale whole trees in motion; inconvenience in walking against wind. 39 - 46 Fresh gale breaks twigs off trees; generally impedes progress. 47 - 54 Strong gale slight structural damage occurs; chimney pots and slates removed. 55 - 63 Whole gale trees uprooted; considerable structural damage occurs. 64 - 72 Storm very rarely experienced; accompanied by widespread damage. 73...

The Storm of the Immaculate Conception. Last night winds were recorded in Orkney at 138.5 m.p.h. Here is a brief clip taken from St. Magnus' kitchen at the head of the Steamer Pier, Stronsay. This morning the storm continued with lower wind speed. Br Nicodemus Mary checked the monastery boat. The boat "Charnetsky" was fine. View of Scoulters . The South End of Stronsay had been without electricity all night. We visited Brian and Margaret who live at Scoulters ... to "talk about the weather" which is always of interest in Orkney! Valery, Margaret and Brian with Hector Margaret informed us that there is an actual weather forecast especially for Papa Stronsay! That is exciting news for us! The link is here! Scoulters. What is Scoulters? - for Brian Scoulters - Christian house, Catholic home. Sturdy castle struck in stone. Tabernaculum. Exile lodgings, tent surpassed, Shelter built to face the blast. Caritas. Armoured fortress, love's rampart. Bone the body fl...

Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky Bishop and Martyr In 1957 having served eleven years in the Soviet GULAG system Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky, in danger of death, was returned to Lviv to avoid his dying in the GULAG and the consequent criticism that would come from his death there. He found a room in the home of a Greek Catholic married priest. He ordained priests there in secret for three years before his holy death on 2 April 1959. We were blessed by heaven to buy that house. It serves as a convent for a small group of Greek Catholic nuns. Last Summer the roof was repaired and additional accommodation was made in the attic. Sister Onufria, the superior of the convent was closely involved with the work. Sister Maria Onufria helping at the concrete mixer. The city government approved the additional height to the building to gain on accommodation. For some weeks the roof was plastic. The goal was to have tiles on before the winter. This has been achieved. Before the tiles the roof was tin. Du...

Sunday 27th November the occasion of a magnificent storm, with the wind turbines on mainland Orkney reportedly recording gusts of up to 130mph! These photos as well as the video at the bottom of the post were taken looking down the main street of Whitehall village, Stronsay, with the harbour on the right. Note the seaweed in the road, as well as in the video below, which was taken just outside our chapel.

Highlights from the Silver Jubilee of Religious Profession of Sister Maria Auxiliadora da Divina Providência, O.SS.R. Redemptoristine Nuns in the Apostolic Administration St. Jean Marie Vianney Campos, Brazil. Sister at the Choir enclosure. She renews her religious vows before The Apostolic Admistrator, His Lordship Bishop Rifan. She receives afresh the Religious Profession ring. Put me as a seal upon thy heart.. for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames ... She receives the silver jubilee crown of roses. The lamps thereof are fire and flame... Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing. (Canticles 6:8) Sister received the Papal Blessing. Ad multos annos Sister! Pray for us.

Yesterday during the storm we erected the Stations of the Cross in Our Lady's Chapel Stronsay. Br. Nicodemus Mary measuring the cord out for hanging each Station. They are beautiful old Stations. The last three, closest to the altar, are markedly darker than the others reflecting sorrow and the darkness that covered the earth. Br. Magdala Maria and Br Yousef Marie erecting the Tenth Station to its place. Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine in longitudine dierum. Holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, unto length of days. Psalms 92:5 Domine dilexi decorem domus tuae et locum habitationis gloriae tuae. I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house; and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Psalms 25:8

Our calendar for 2012 is now available from the Papa Stronsay Shop. Please click here to order.