Brother Seelos Maria, Book-bearer. Bishop James D. Conley Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska  Brother Seelos Maria and Brother Peter Mary Book-bearer and Candle-bearer with seminarians and clergy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary Denton The Vespers Magnificat Antiphon: Hodie egressa est* This day a rod came forth out of the root of Jesse; This day Mary was conceived without any stain of sin; This day the head of the old serpent was crushed by Her, Alleluia!  V. Immaculata Conceptio est hodie sanctae Mariae Virginis. This day is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. R. Quae serpentis caput virgineo pede contrivit. With Her virginal foot She crushed the head of the serpent.  Thy Immaculate Conception O Virgin Mother of God. Has heralded joy to all the world.  Trahe nos Virgo immaculata, post te curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum.

Our Papa Stronsay Calendar for 2017 is now available for order here .

Brother Seelos Maria  vows unmarried chastity for life. August 15, 2016. His disciples say unto him:  If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry. Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given...  He that can take, let him take it. (Mt. 19) Here, according to the authorities,  Our Lord does not simply offer celibacy as an option  but rather He exhorts all who can,  to follow Him by living in unmarried chastity. This is the teaching of St John Chrysostom, Origen, Theophylact, Euthymius, St Jerome, St Augustine, St Ambrose, Tertullian and others: Jesus Christ and St Paul advise every believer to live in unmarried chastity. "Christ in this place, as well as St. Paul (1 Cor. 7:7),  gives the counsel of continence to every believer. For nothing is counselled except what is in man's power  and good pleasure with God's grace,  which truly he offers and pro...

Dear Friends, For the love of Jesus and Mary rejoice with us! We rejoice because of the Beatification today of  not now the Venerable, but the   Blessed Maria Celeste Crostarosa. Rejoice with us! Today is the 8th anniversary of our  reconciliation with the Holy See in 2008 thanks to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo . The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. (Ps. 88:2) On this anniversary of that great grace,  from which we have never looked back,  I publicly announce the joyful news that we have received yet another grace  for which we are most deeply grateful to God. On 18th May 2016,  His Lordship, the Bishop of Aberdeen,  Dom Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B.  signed the Decree of Approval  for the Constitution of our Congregation. May God reward him exceedingly! Deo gratias et Mariae! -  Thanks be to God and to Mary! Fr...

Celtic Cross on St Columba's island of Iona. St Duncan, Abbot of Iona, in Scotland. St Duncan's name in Irish is St Dunchadh. (It means Brown (Dun) Noble, Chief or Warrior. If the ancient  Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters are correct, today marks 1300 years since this holy man's soul took flight for heaven, leaving his exiled body in the monastery-island of Iona. It was 25 May, 716. Duncan was a rich young man; well connected.  His paternal grandfather was Moelcobh, King of Ireland.  But Duncan heard Our Lord in the Holy Gospels saying... "If thou wilt.... Si vis... If you will "  Duncan, if thou wilt be perfect go,  sell what thou hast and give to the poor,  and thou shalt have treasure in heaven,  and come follow me." Si vis.... If thou wilt... follow Jesus perfectly...  It would not be an easy choice.  The Gospel records another young man who being struck at those words went a...

On Sunday, 8 May, 2016,  the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Christchurch,  New Zealand, had the joy of once more  organising what would become the  fifth annual Maryfest and Grand Procession  in honour of Our Lady of Christchurch.  The first procession took place in 2011, after the terrible earthquake of 22 February that year,  when the image of Our Lady  which was standing in the (since collapsed) Cathedral tower  was seen to have turned to face out towards the torn city; reminiscent of the Salve Regina : "Turn then, Most Gracious Advocate,  thine eyes of mercy towards us." Much work of preparation bears fruit  in the rapid assembly of everything required  in the church hall of the  Christchurch parish of Our Lady of Victories. Our Lady's bellringers await the moment  when they will ring the glory or their Heavenly Queen. This year a very beautiful crown was  ...

Resurrexit sicut dixit!  The Blessing of the Fire and Procession with the Paschal Candle All the candles in the chapel are lit using the paschal fire Exsúltet iam Angélica turba coelórum exsúltent divína mystéria et pro tanti Regis victória tuba ínsonet salutáris! + Let the angelic choirs of Heaven now rejoice let the divine Mysteries rejoice and let the trumpet of salvation sound forth the victory of so great a King! During the Gloria the bells are triumphantly rung once again and the chapel is flooded with light as the Church joyfully proclaims the Glory of the Risen Lord. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.  Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.  Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.  Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia! The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer wish you a blessed Easter + Deo Gratias et Mariae +

Holy mother pierce me through In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour Crucified + Stations of the Cross on Papa Stronsay At the sacred hour of 3pm the Solemn Ceremony of Good Friday was held in our chapel on Papa Stronsay The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St John Adoration of the Cross + Ecce lignum Crucis, in quo salus mundi pependit + Venite, adoremus!  The body of Our Lord is then carried in solemn procession to the sepulchre Almighty and merciful God, who hast restored us by the Passion and Death of Thy Christ: preserve within us the work of Thy mercy; that by our entering into this mystery we may ever live devoutly. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Deo Gratias et Mariae +