Friday 24 August 2012

Together in Christ - at last!

Public Profession of the Vows of Religion

 
Together in Christ, the Motto of the Diocese of Aberdeen, and, on Wednesday the 22nd August 2012, this came true for the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer when they were raised as a Clerical Institution of Diocesan Right by His Excellency Bishop Hugh Gilbert O.S.B., Bishop of Aberdeen.
 
Travelling across on the boat with the Community from the Monastery on Papa Stronsay to Stronsay where the ceremony was to take place in their chapel before the ceremony, Fr Anthony Mary remarked how this was the last time they would travel like this.  I thought to myself how prophetic; the vessel was heading west into the sunset as the day was ending on their time in the 'tween decks of the Church and on our return journey, after the acceptance of their vows, we would be sailing east into a new dawn.
 
By happenstance the Abbot of Ampleforth, Dom Cuthbert Madden O.S.B. was visiting Bishop Hugh and was a welcome presence during this wondrous occasion.  Also actively participating during the ceremony was Dom Benedict Hardy, Prior of Pluscarden Abbey.

The service commenced with three lessons and a Gospel.  Bishop Hugh's address was, as usual, of a high quality and he remarked how long a gestation period it had been for the Community.  (I think it was even longer that it takes for an elephant to gestate thrice times over!).  The Litany of Loreto was well chanted - very daunting for both cantors when you have a master such as Dom Benedict in choir.  Thereafter Father Michael Mary, as Rector Major, professed his vows to Bishop Hugh.  This was followed by the members of the Congregation of the F.SS.R. professing their vows into the hands of Fr. Michael Mary.

Benediction included the public recitation of the prayer to Jesus Exposed in the Blessed Sacrament by St Alphonsus and also included a robust rendering of Tantum Ergo to the tune of Das Lied der Deutschen.  The final hymn was to Our Lady of Aberdeen using the original words; not the watered down version heard today.  Superbos.

Please keep the Community in your prayers.  It is hoped that those brothers who have completed their time at seminary will receive thier sub-diaconal, diaconal and priestly ordinations in the not too distant future.

Here are a few photos I took.  You may view the whole set HERE

On the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer site you may view their video HERE



Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
Dom Hugh Gilbert O.S.B.
Bishop of Aberdeen
Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
Rev. Fr. Michael Mary F.SS.R.
Rector Major
Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Altar at Our Lady's Chapel, Stronsay

 
Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
His Lordship receives Fr. Michael Mary's Vows

 
Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

Monday 20 August 2012

THE Wedding

Call it a father's pride if you will but this post is slightly biased in that it concerns my daughter Fiona's wedding to Stephen on Saturday the 18th August.
 
 
The location was Haddo House, a property of the National Trust for Scotland.  We received permission for the Nuptial Mass to be offered in the house Chapel and Fr Emerson FSSP was the celebrant.

The photos were taken by Graeme, my youngest son.


Fiona & Stephen's Wedding

Fiona & Stephen's Wedding

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Full Canonical Erection for the Transalpine Redemptorists

It is with the greatest of joy and happiness and with thanks to Almighty God that I received an email earlier today from Br Martin Mary of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer informing me that they have received full Canonical erection from His Excellency Hugh Gilbert OSB, Bishop of the diocese of Aberdeen.

This long awaited recognition is made all the more sweeter in being announced today on The Feast of The Assumption - a truly Blessed day indeed.

Let us give all thanks and praise to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, St Alphonsus, Our Lady of Aberdeen that the community has received this grace today.

It has been said elswhere that under this great Vicar on Earth, Pope Benedict XVI, the Pope of Catholic Unity, that the Church will once more become united again, strengthened and renewed in this time of secularisation and apostacy.  Today we see another small step in that direction.  God Bless the Pope!

Please pay a visit to the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer website to view the letter of erection from Bishop Hugh OSB and please, pray for them, our Bishop and all the Church that we may continue to come together and be one in faith, love and charity.

The diocese of Aberdeen must be one of the very few diocese in the world which house two religious communities continuing to worship in Latin, one in the Novus Ordo and one in the Usus Antiquior.  We are truly most fortunate.