And To The Emerald Isle…
After completing a first retreat in Pantasaph, Wales, with Fr John and Br Basil, Fr Prior is now in Ireland holding a second retreat at Ards Friary, Creeslough, Donegal. On the way there the three monks made a stopover at Silverstream Priory, Stamullen, County Meath. Fr Prior was blessed to meet Dom Mark Kirby shortly […]
Treasure, Fountain, Harp, Thurible And Altar
In the preface for the feast of the Sacred Heart, we are told that the Heart of Our Lord was opened in order to become a place of rest for the pious and a refuge for sinners: “ut piis esset requies and paenitentibus pateret salutis refugium“. A place of rest and a refuge: two beautiful […]
Wine Springing Forth Virgins
Today is the traditional octave of Corpus Christi and I would like to share some thoughts on the Blessed Sacrament and its importance for the preservation and increase of virtue. Perhaps what sparked these reflections is an invocation in the Litany of the Precious Blood which reads: “Most Precious Blood of Jesus, wine springing for […]
Back To The “Old World”
Last Friday, Father Prior flew to Europe for a three week tour during which he will hold three retreats in the UK and Ireland in company with Fr Jean de Britto and Br Basil from the abbey of Flavigny. His first stop upon arrival in England was at St Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough to which […]
Gratias Tibi, Trinitas
The feast of the Most Holy Trinity, dear the hearts of all Catholics, comes as the crowning achievement of the ineffable mysteries that we have been contemplating since the beginning of Advent. That God would send someone to save us was enough. But He came in person and taught us that God is not alone, […]
The Sacred Heart And The Holy Ghost
June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but it is as well the month of the Holy Spirit, as the octave of Pentecost often falls therein. This year, the First Friday of June fell immediately before the vigil of Pentecost, and I was reminded of the fact that St John tells us […]
“Ante Omnia…” The Only Sign
On this Sunday after the Ascension, the last before Pentecost, Holy Mother Church puts before our eyes two power images to incite us to renewed fervour in preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit. There is first of all that of Our Blessed Lord in the glory of His Father, beckoning to us to […]
Auxilium Christianorum, Ora Pro Nobis
Today is the feast of Mary Help of Christians. The title was inserted in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin by Pope St Pius V after the naval victory of Lepanto which saved Europe from the Turkish invasion in 1571. But it was especially Pope Pius VII, one of the great Benedictine Popes, who after […]
A New Step In The Service Of The Lord
Today, feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, was an important one for Notre Dame Priory. This afternoon, just before First Vespers of the Ascension, Father Prior welcomed officially as postulants Tomas Cannavo (Adelaide), Alec Hobbs (Brisbane), David McMahon (Sydney) and Graham Leach (Brisbane). The four men have just completed three months of aspirancy and […]
