"Let us do the experiment of tradition"

Amid the many blogs that have now appeared on the blogroll is one that perhaps requires and explanatory note: Transalpine Redemptorists at home. The Transalpine Redemptorists have purchased an island in the Orkneys which is called Papa Stronsay and is now the home of the Golgotha Monastery. As you can see from the map, it is a fair walk/swim from Blackfen!


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The Transalpine Redemptorists have worked closely with the Society of St Pius X but are also informally pursuing avenues of discussion with Rome. Fr Michael Mary CSSR and Fr Anthony Mary CSSR have this week published a "Declaration on Relations with Rome" (headed Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!)

There will doubtless be considerable controversy about this declaration within traditionalist circles but I have to say that I found it a moving expression of sincere desire to be in a regular canonical situation. They speak of the problems that have plagued the Church since Vatican II and then say (referring to Summorum Pontificum)
But now we must ask ourselves if a glimmer of light has not begun to show through the clouds of confusion that for many years have darkened the sky of eternal Rome. For we now have a Pontiff, a successor of Peter, ready to allow us to adhere fully to this timeless tradition of the Church and its complete expression in Catholic life without apparent compromise. He seems ready to "let us do the experiment of Tradition" as Archbishop Lefebvre asked so many years ago.
Their blog is not all about relations with Rome - there is much about daily life in the Community at Papa Stronsay. There can be some fairly severe weather up there and one pastime is to go storm walking:

There is also an account of the funeral of Brother Michael Alban FMS, a Marist brother who had moved to Orkney. His requiem Mass was at Stronsay and he was buried on Papa Stronsay. The hearse was drawn the mile or so from the pier by a donkey:

Well I decided to put the blog on the blogroll (cf. also the "Disclaimer (of sorts)" on the sidebar.) I encourage you to pray that there will be a good outcome to their prudent and charitable deliberations without causing any unnecessary division among traditionalists. Besides, I'm just delighted to see that there are traditional Redemptorists following in the footsteps of one of my favourite saints. The picture of St Alphonsus at the top of this post is one that I took from their blog - it is not one I have seen before.

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