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.

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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.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

August was another hectic period - who said retirement is more easy going and relaxing.  

My wife (aka "she who must be obeyed") and I stayed in our flat in Edinburgh 'doing' the Fringe last week.  Of the 1290 performances available during the festival we managed ten.  Some wonderful productions with Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'Ophelia' from Hamlet plus Alexander McCall Smith's 'The World According to Bertie' being very good indeed.  The clear winner for me was Ian Hardy's powerful, nay faultless, performance in 'The Trials of Galileo' written by Nic Young. 

On the liturgical front there was of course Bishop Gilbert's ordination in Aberdeen as one highlight (see previous post).  Also my participation in The St. Margaret Schola singing Vespers each Saturday evening and Compline by candlelight on Sunday night at St. Mary's Cathedral  Edinburgh throughout August.  Once again the format during Vespers was two choirs singing, one polyphonic and the other (us) Gregorian chant with congregational numbers of +/- 100. Each Compline comprised of chanting a different usage: Benedictine, Roman, Cistercian and Dominican.  Attendance was good at around 50 for Compline (at 9pm on wet and windy Sunday nights we adjudged those very good numbers).  The highlight of our contribution to the fringe this year was Couperin's Messe pour les Paroisses on Friday 26th.

Next month it is back to salmon fishing to "chill out" for a week or two.