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.

Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood

Thanks be to God, on Saturday 22nd June, Archbishop Pozzo ordained Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. and Fr. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. to the sacred priesthood in the Church of the Fraternity of St Peter, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome.  It was a wonderful day and we are truly thankful to God and His Holy Mother, and to all of our friends and benefactors as well as to the Fraternity of St Peter.

 Our deacons had the privilege of joining Massimo Botta, F.S.S.P. for ordination.

 The deacons lie prostrate during the singing of the Litany of the Saints.

 The imposition of hands.

 Once the ordaining bishop has imposed hands upon those to be ordained, all the priests who are present do so also.

 Receiving the chasuble which, for the moment, remains folded at the back.

 The anointing of the hands.

 The hands of the priests, once anointed, are bound together.  The manutergium (Linen band) is kept by the priest, and used to join the hands of his mother after death when she is buried.

 The tradition of the instruments.

The chasuble is unfolded fully.

 After the ceremony. Left to Right the priests are: Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R., Fr Massimo Botta, F.S.S.P., Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R.

 Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. gives his first blessing to his mother and Father who came all the way from Australia to be here for this great occasion.

 Father here gives his first blessing to Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R.

The new priests of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer give each other their first blessing.

The newly ordained priests with members of their families.

First Mass photos to come.

We adore Thee, O Christ!

I thought that perhaps some of our readers might like to hear this recording of our singing here at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary.  This rendition of Adoramus Te Christe, by G. P. da Palestrina, was sung during Mass this Palm Sunday, 24th March.

Adoramus te, Christe,
et benedicimus tibi,
quia per sanctam crucem tuam
redemisti mundum.

We adore Thee, O Christ,
And we bless Thee,
Who by Thy Holy Cross
hath redeemed the world.

The English-speaking seminary of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP).

Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Denton, NE, USA

Don't forget the Dead!

Br. Martin Mary, F.SS.R. offering prayers for the poor souls in Purgatory at the small cemetery in Denton, just a mile from the FSSP Seminary where he is studying. Prayers are offered there by the seminarians ever day of the month of November, which is dedicated to the holy souls.

Don't forget what we said in the last post about writing out the names of your dead and emailing them to us so that we can place them upon the altar and remember their souls during the Holy Sacrifice.  Make a list of those departed members of your family, or a list of your friends who have died, and even including your enemies, since Our Lord has told us to pray for them as well, and email it to us at:chapel@the-sons.org

“Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me.” (Job 19:21)

Rain at Last!

As many of you will know, this summer has been really harsh in the United States, with drought conditions over much of the country.  This site can help to give you some idea of the situation: http://www.lawrencevilleweather.com/drought.html

Having just arrived back at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton Nebraska for the start of a new year, I have been able to see first-hand just how dry it has been, and it has been very dry!  But today, Our Good Lord sent us a little present!

Seminary Lightning Storm

 On Wednesday night, we had a quite spectacular storm here in Denton, Nebraska, where Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary is located.  I was woken up by a loud thunder clap, and was unable to get back to sleep due to all the flashing and thunder.  So I went to my window to have a better look, and decided to get our camera out to take some photos and video.  There were rather a lot of photos, and you can see them all on our Facebook page, but I will put a few here as well.  This first photo was taken while there was no lightning - it was pitch-black.  All the pictures after that were taken during the same night, so the sun is not shining in any of them:

 The darkness of the night.  All the following photos were taken during the same dark night.

 

 For a fraction of a second everything is as bright as a summer day!

A faint shadow of God's almighty power can be seen in the nature He created!

Some video footage of the storm.  There were a lot of smaller flashes which the camera didn't pick up, but you can get the idea.