Fr Provincial CSsR writes...

1st May, 2016

Dear confreres and friends,

Each year as we enter the month of May, I usually remind us all of the Marian flavour of our vocation. Last year I quoted Pope Francis and in previous years, Saint Alphonsus, Cardinal Newman and others. This year, being a very special year for us, Father General wrote a letter on the role of Mary in our lives and I trust that each community has a copy. He concludes his letter by quoting Constitution 32, and I would like to begin my letter by restating the Constitution:

"Let them take the Blessed Virgin Mary as their model and helper. For she went on her pilgrim way in faith, and embraced with her whole heart the saving will of God. She dedicated herself completely as a handmaid of the Lord to the person of her Son and to his work, and thus served the mystery of redemption. Indeed she still serves it, as the perpetual help of God's people in Christ. Therefore, let them relate to her as a mother with all the love and veneration they owe her as sons.”

When I am teaching a course on the Constitutions I like to highlight the fact that it was Father Bernard Haring who managed to get the words 'perpetual help' inserted into the text.

We have just completed a very blessed pilgrimage to the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in our church in Rome. Indeed our Province Mass was celebrated on the very day of the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX giving us the picture and the mandate to make her known. We were also blessed to be able to attend the procession from St Mary Major's basilica and the Mass celebrated in Italian by Cardinal Nichols whose titular church is The Most Holy Redeemer and Saint Alphonsus. We are very grateful for his kindness and warmth towards us.

We had confreres and pilgrims from Scotland, Sunderland, Liverpool, Birmingham, London and other parts, including our own-Bishop Ralph, and I wish to record my deep gratitude to all who were involved in the planning of this great occasion. 

I take this opportunity of reminding you that besides the Novenas which will be celebrated in all our parishes before the feast on 27 June, there will also be a Province celebration in' Clapham on 2nd July at 2.00pm. The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Ralph,and both Cardinal Nichols and Archbishop Mennini, the Papal Nuncio, will be in the sanctuary. I encourage you to share the invitation to participate in this event with your families, friends and those to whom we minister.

On June 11th Br Charles Randall will profess his perpetual vows in our church in Clapham and the following day will be ordained deacon. Please keep Charles in your thoughts and prayers.

Fr. Kevin Callaghan is now settled in Bishop Eton, and Fr. Maurice O'Mahony has commenced his sabbatical time with a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. Meanwhile the two Michaels (Brother and Father) continue to hold the fort at Hawkstone as we await further developments in the proposed sale of the property. I continue to be very grateful to all who have been associated with Hawkstone in these days. 

The date for the completion of the refurbishment of Kinnoull has been pushed back by two or three weeks, and as soon as I have a final date I will communicate it to you.

In the meantime, the OPC has proposed a gathering in Kinnoull which will serve a twofold purpose. It is a short gathering of two days, intended to give each confrere the opportunity to see the newly refurbished monastery but also with the opportunity to participate in a gentle seminar on Missions in collaboration with the laity. To this end I have invited Fr. Rui Santiago from the Province of Lisbon whose full-time occupation is empowering lay people to give Missions with us. Fr. Rui has had a most interesting journey in a country like ours that is struggling with secularism and a huge diminishment in vocations, and his ministry makes me realise what is possible. If you are able to come to Kinnoull I think you will benefit and enjoy it enormously.

The dates are: arrive Monday evening September 19th the gathering and input on Tuesday and Wednesday and depart on Thursday morning, 22nd.

I wrote to the communities when I heard from someone in Perth that Fr. Alistair MacKay had died. I also tried to communicate with Ian his brother, and eventually managed to get a message to him when he was at the funeral in USA and passed on the condolences of the province. Ian informs me that the requiem Mass was a wonderful celebration of Alistair's life. May he rest in peace. 

Birthdays this month: 7th Fr Denis McBride, 8th Fr Victor Bushu and Oscar Madzonganyika.

In Christ the Redeemer, 

Ronald J. McAinsh, C.Ss.R.

Provincial Superior