The Pronouncing of Vows

On the feast of the dedication of the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, 9th November, we had the great joy of witnessing Br Peter pronouncing his temporary vows.  This date is of special significance since it marks the 281st anniversary of Saint Alphonsus founding the Redemptorists.

Brother pronounced his vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience for a period of three years, taking the religious name: Brother Peter Mary of the Listening Heart of Jesus, F.SS.R.

Br Peter, a native of Montana, USA, kneels before the Altar during the beginning of the ceremony.

 Representing death to the world and the things of the world, Brother is covered with the funeral pall.

 Brother is questioned by the Rector Major:
What do you ask?

Reverend Father, having finished the time of my probation,

I desire to consecrate myself to Jesus Christ

and to enter this Congregation...

 Then, in the presence of his Saviour and Judge, Brother says the great words:

...Therefore, having spent several days of reflection and prayer, now, in the presence of Thy Divine Majesty, of Mary most Holy and Immaculate, my Mistress and Mother, of Saint Joseph, Saint Alphonsus and the whole Court of Heaven,, prostrate on my knees, I promise and vow for three years: OBEDIENCE CHASTITY and POVERTY...

Receiving the monastic pallium.

Brother Peter Mary signs the certificate of profession upon the altar, of great mystical symbolism as by his vows he begins the sacrifice of his life to Our Lord.

 Brother Peter Mary with some of his confrères.

Happily both brother's father and mother made it to Papa Stronsay all the way from America to be with him on his great day!

We wish for Brother every grace and happiness, but especially that grace of perseverance.

Sweet Mother Mary, pray for him and obtain him this grace,

for it is thy special charge to do so. 

Papa Stronsay makes the news

UPDATE:  The new international version of this video is now available below.

On the day of our most recent professions, STV (Scottish national television) were on Papa Stronsay to film the event.  The video can be seen here.

Very Rev. Fr Michael Mary, F.SS.R. being interviewed.

Professions

Yesterday, 14th September, we rejoiced as our religious family grew!  Br Gerardo Maria of the Hours, F.SS.R. made his perpetual vows of Religion (Poverty, Chastity and Obedience), consecrating himself to God completely and for the rest of his life.  Br Seelos Maria of the Sign of the Cross, F.SS.R. made his temporary vows of Religion for three years

Br Seelos and Br Gerardo kneel before the Rector Major during the ceremony of Religious profession while he questions them on their determination to enter the Religious life.

 The candidates prostrate themselves while the Veni Creator Spiritus is chanted.  They are covered with the funeral pall which represents death to the world.

 Br Seelos Maria, F.SS.R. pronounces the three vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience for three years before the Most Blessed Sacrament.

 Br Gerardo Maria, F.SS.R. pronounces his three vows for life, adding to them the vow and oath of Perseverance until death.  He Places he places his right hand upon the Holy Gospel as he does so.

 Brother's vows are received by the superior.

 Br Seelos Maria, F.SS.R. receives his Palium.

 After the ceremony both the newly professed sign their certificates of profession upon the altar, completing the sacrifice they have made of their lives to God.

 Br Gerardo with his parents and brother.

Br Seelos with his parents.

We thank Thee, God, for these two courageous young men, ready and willing to dedicate their lives to Thy service.  Do Thou, in Thy mercy, grant them perseverance to the end.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for them.

One year on

What a lot of anniversaries there have been during this month of August!  Today, the 15th August, Feast of Our Lady's Assumption into heaven, we celebrate our first anniversary as a canonically recognised Congregation within the Catholic Church.  The official decree can be seen below.

One year on we thank Bishop Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B. for his gracious act of receiving us into the church as an officialy recognised Religious Institute.  Thank you also to all those who have been a support to us over the last year, and indeed throughout the last 25 years.  May God bless you all!

Sweet Mother of Perseverance, obtain that we may all one day be with you in heaven!

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.

The example of religious life.

Christchurch, New Zealand. 

The Sacred Triduum this year is taking place

in the small chapel of a University Hall of residence.

It is a difficult location.

This causes us to pull out all stops to try to make it a success.

The Monastery Garage

Preparations for the Sacred Triduum. 

The Brothers are renovating an old altar

which they will transport by trailer to the little chapel 

tomorrow morning, Holy Thursday. 

Brother Clemens painting the old altar.

 There are also matching altar rails thanks to white paint.

 Brother has prepared the mensa or altar-top 

and is about to lower the altar stone into its place. 

 Brother Nicodemus Mary is painting with gold obtained

for him by our friend, 

the local artist and statue repairer, 

Mr. Damian Walker. 

 Deacon Brother Magdala Maria is 

directing Brother Xavier Maria who is inside the altar

lining up the new wooden support.

One of the great consolations of the religious life

is to see Brethren who pray together and

also work together in great peace and mutual co-operation;

"just getting the job done"

working to late at night

to do something worthwhile for Our Lord and for souls.

May God bless their work

and the Holy Triduum.

The Public Religious Profession of Brother Alfonso Maria, F.SS.R.

Having been absent from the monastery

on 22 August 2012

Brother Alfonso Maria, F.SS.R.

made his Public Religious Profession yesterday,

shortly after his return from the Philippines.

Our Lady's Chapel, Stronsay,

after the Missa Cantata.

The Public Profession of Vows

Most loving Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Who art deserving of the highest love, I, Brother Alfonso Maria Star of the Sea, joined, even though unworthy, to the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, inflamed with the desire of consecrating myself entirely to Thy Holy Love, bind myself to serve Thee for the future with all my strength, by imitating the holy life of Jesus Christ Thy Son, and Our Divine Redeemer, which is the only way of pleasing Thee, and to labour for the salvation of the most abandoned souls, especially of those who live in the country, according to the principal end of this Congregation. Therefore, now, in the presence of Thy Divine Majesty, of Mary Most Holy and Immaculate, my Mistress and Mother, of St Joseph and St Alphonsus, and of the whole Court of Heaven, prostrate on my knees, I promise and vow for three years:  OBEDIENCE, CHASTITY, and POVERTY, and I declare myself bound by these vows, in the manner expressed in the Rules of St Alphonsus and the Constitutions of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer. Amen.

Thanksgiving Antiphon to Our Lady.

Ave Regina Caelorum.

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.

Вечная память! Vechnaya Pamyat! Eternal memory!

Today a Good Shepherd passed into eternity.

Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn, C.SS.R., R.I.P.

In a blessed falling asleep,

grant, O Lord, eternal rest
unto Thy departed servant
Bishop Michael

and make his memory to be eternal!

Вечная память! Вечная память! Вечная память!

Vechnaya Pamyat! Vechnaya Pamyat! Vechnaya Pamyat!

Memory eternal! Memory eternal! Memory eternal!

Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy saints:

where sorrow and pain are no more;

neither sighing but life everlasting.

Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man:

and we are mortal formed from the dust of the earth,

and unto earth shall we return:

for so Thou didst ordain,

when Thou created me saying:

“Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.”

All we go down to the dust;

and weeping o’er the grave we make our song:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn, C.SS.R.

Born 18 February, 1929.

Ordained Priest 

25 May, 1952.

Josyf Cardinal Slipyj.

Bishop Michael was consecrated Bishop 

by Josyf Cardinal Slipyj, 30 January, 1983.

He was appointed Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in France 

27 November, 1982 - 21 July 2012.

and Apostolic Exarch of Great Britain 

29 sept 1987 - 24 June 1989.

He was Postulator for the Cause for the Beatification of

the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrei Szeptychy; 

and

Advisor to the Congregation of Oriental Churches.

+

He was a spiritual father and faithful friend for over 30 years.

Requiescat in Pace.

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.