A Visitation

Reading the Transalpine Redemptorists at Home blog site a couple of days ago I was very heartened indeed to read the following item:

Official Communiqué

Concerning the visit to Papa Stronsay

of His Lordship Bishop Hugh, OSB

and Very Reverend Stuart Chalmers

Vicar General

20 - 21 September 2011.

We have enjoyed the visit of the Bishop of Aberdeen and the Vicar General of the diocese, and have had positive discussions which will be taken further with the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei".

Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.
21 September, 2011.

===============================

Bishop Hugh has many issues to address in the diocese of Aberdeen yet, after only one month in office, that His Lordship took the opportunity to pay a visit to this holy, devout and loyal community who still do not, after over three years, have full canonical rights, can only be construed in a positive light.  Is this a sign of our Bishop's dynamic style, unafraid to grasp thorny issues; reaching out to all his brethren in his now very enlarged community, just like Papa Benedict?  Yes, I think so.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer have, I believe, five members of their community awaiting ordination to the priesthood.  Unfortunately until their status has been fully regularised these holy men may only wait and pray - as they are doing in all humility and obediently.

The world in which we live needs now more than ever before, holy priests to combat and become victorious over the machinations of the evil one whose minions are abroad in open daylight in this modern age. 

Thank you Bishop Hugh for placing the welfare of this community so highly on your very onerous schedule and duties.

Thank you Fr Michael Mary for bringing your community back to Rome.

Thank you Holy Father for your vision, wisdom and teaching.

Most of all Thank you Lord for being our Way, our Truth and our Light.

May Our Lady of Aberdeen watch over us all.

New Bishop of Aberdeen



H.E. Bishop Peter Moran

Abbot Hugh Gilbert  O.S.B.



PRESS RELEASE

At 12 noon today in Rome (11am GMT) it was announced, that Pope Benedict XVI had nominated Abbot Hugh Gilbert as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen.

He will succeed Bishop Peter Moran who has been Bishop since 2003. Reacting to his appointment, Abbot Hugh who is currently Abbot of Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin said;

“The Holy Father, Benedict XVI, has nominated me to succeed Bishop Peter Moran as Bishop of Aberdeen. As a Catholic Christian and Benedictine monk, I accept this as the call of Christ, and, trusting in the help of God and the saints, intend to give myself wholeheartedly, like my predecessors, to the lay people, religious, priests and deacons of this beautiful diocese.”

The Bishop-elect added;

“I have much to learn, and it will not be easy to leave my monastery after 37 years. But I do so knowing that I am not going among strangers. I commend myself to the kind hearts and prayers of all whom I am called to serve. Together in Christ may we shine with the light of his Resurrection!”

Responding to the news Bishop Peter Moran said:

“After my nine years at the helm of Aberdeen Diocese, seven of them as Bishop, I am happy that the Holy Father has named Abbot Hugh Gilbert to take over as my successor. He is, of course, well known in the diocese to clergy and laity alike. I welcome him most warmly.

During his nineteen years as Abbot, Pluscarden Abbey has continued to be the serene spiritual heart of this diocese. I am confident that his spiritual leadership as bishop will bring many graces to the members of the diocese, and to the wider community, in the years to come.”

Reacting to the announcement, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said;

“I am delighted to welcome Abbot Hugh Gilbert, Abbot of Pluscarden Abbey, as the new Bishop of Aberdeen - and, consequently, as a member of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. The name and the reputation of Abbot Hugh are well known outside the confines of his monastery. His spirituality and his writings, have inspired many throughout Scotland and indeed in other parts of the world. May God indeed bless him at this present time, as we say a very sincere thanks to his immediate predecessor, Bishop Peter Moran, who has fulfilled his apostolate as Bishop of Aberdeen and a member of our Bishops' Conference, in an exemplary manner.”

Commenting on the nomination Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow said;

"As native of Aberdeen diocese, where I spent 25 happy years as Bishop, I am delighted at the appointment of my second successor. The Abbot is well known to me. I had the joy of ordaining him priest almost 30 years ago and later of blessing him as Abbot of Pluscarden. If it can be said that Abbot Hugh's appointment is a loss to the Abbey, there is great gain for the diocese of Aberdeen and the wider Catholic community of Scotland in his being named Bishop. The news will be particularly welcomed in Aberdeen diocese, where Pluscarden has warm links with every part of the territory and is recognised as a thriving centre of spirituality, monastic practice and culture in the north of Scotland. Abbot Hugh has played a key role in the success story that is Pluscarden over the last few decades, a period which has seen it expand its influence far and wide.

I also wish to pay warm tribute to my friend and colleague Bishop Peter Moran whose resignation on age and health grounds has now been accepted. Bishop Peter's wise and warm leadership mean that Abbot Hugh will inherit a diocese in fine heart.

ENDS

Peter Kearney

Director
Catholic Media Office


This is joyous news indeed in two respects. 

First for Bishop Moran who has soldiered on through continuing ill health for some months and who deserves to have his remaining time without the burden of responsibility that the Episcopate brings.

Second for Abbot Hugh, whom I have known for many years, and, as an oblate, he is my "boss" as Abbot of Pluscarden.

Please pray for both men and the communities of Pluscarden, the diocesan clergy, religious and laity of the Diocese of Aberdeen.

Te Deum Laudamus ................

Our Lady of Aberdeen

Friday the 9th of July was our Patronal Feast Day in the Diocese of Aberdeen therefore a First Class Feast Day.  Unfortunately I was amazed to find out that in my local chapel there was not even a mention of this Feast never mind a Mass in Her Honour.

A Little history

Located in a side chapel in a Brussels church is one of Scotland's treasures, a statue of Our Lady and Child which was saved from destruction in Aberdeen during the Reformation.  For sixty-five years, it was hidden until it was shipped to safety in the Low Countries.  Despite her intention to keep the statue in the Royal Palace, the Infanta of Spain, the Archduchess Isabella, was persuaded to place it in the newly built Augustinian church in Brussels.  

The statue remained in this church until 1796, when it was again removed for protection into private hands, this time to escape the ravages of the French Revolution. An Englishman, John Morris, safely restored it to the Augustinians in 1805 and it remained in their care as an object of devotion until 1814 when it was removed to the neighbouring Church of Our Lady of Finisterre.  It is still venerated there as Our Lady of Good Success.

Since the Restoration of the Scottish Hierarchy in 1878, devotion to Our Blessed Lady in Aberdeen, throughout the diocese, and further afield, has focused on copies of this ancient statue including the statue (above) which stands in the Chapel of Our Lady at Saint Mary's Cathedral Aberdeen.  Why won't the Belgians give us back the original statue?

Here is the old version of the Hymn to Our Lady:

Our Lady of Good Succour,

In the city by the sea,

Where the Don flows down the valley

To greet the silver Dee,

The ashes of faith still smoulder

Where the fire of the faith has been:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good Succour,

In the country saints have trod,

While martyrs and brave confessors

Who gave their lives for God,

O hear the prayer of Columba,

Of Margaret, Saint and Queen:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good Succour,

The love of God grows cold

In a country that has forgotten

The saving truths of old;

But a brighter dawn is breaking

And a fairer hope is seen:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good succour,

In the happy days of old

Men deck'd thy gracious image

With silver and with gold;

Though darker days succeeded

Thou still art Scotland's Queen,

Come back, come back to Scotland,

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

As I said this is the old version.  Some years ago I sadly recall the then Bishop of Aberdeen, Bishop Conti, (currently Archbishop of Glasgow) commissioned new wording to make it more "ecumenical" so as not to upset the Protestants.  Phrases such as 'the old faith' were removed and replaced with PC wording.

Reflecting on this version I marvel that, whilst written approximately one hundred years ago by Mother Francis Forbes R.S.C.J., its currency remains as true today as when penned by this devout Scottish religious.

My local chapel may not have honoured Our Lady but I was very pleased to find at the FSSP chapel in Edinburgh today that this was chosen as the recessional hymn.  Also that wonderful community The Sons of The Most Holy Redeemer wrote a fine article on their blog.  Strange the only two places I visited which honoured this Feast day were Traditional communities!