packing for a spot of beavering...

tomorrow, myself and Miss Ethel are leaving the shed for a visit with my adopted auntie. Miss Ethel is particularly tres delighted as she has not left the shed for a spin since last September. i am packing up lots of vintage fabrics and lace, where upon arriving at my adopted auntie's lovely old grey cottage by a babbling brook, we will spend many quality hours beavering away together making apron wraps. we are being most disciplined and will not spend our time chin wagging as we are apt to do, only to find several hours later we have achieved nothing for our time spent together other than putting the world to rights.

my adopted auntie has done a cracking job at rustling up some more lovely high hope flags to hang in the shop window. we have been most happy with how well they have sold and i in turn have been most happy with the results of cutting up all the leftovers she kindly saved for me.

little itty bitty high hope strings, all doing rather a lovely job of making it look like Spring has Sprung in my studio. which of course it has not and i do believe as tomorrow is the first of June it is likely to not Spring at all this year and now i am just hoping Summer does us the pleasure of his company before we go 'a little spare' in these parts.

the itty bitty strings are to travel the seas with me to England in three weeks time. along with the large high hope flags, they are destined to bring a certain dottie angelness to a lovely cottage by the sea. if indeed you are thinking you may like to visit this cottage by the sea and spend some quality time learning the way i 'patch and a piece' secondhand fabrics together then it would be lovely to have you join us. we still have a few places left, so if you are sitting on the fence pondering if this is something you may like to do then please do get in contact with either myself or Angela so we may help you get down off your fence and pack up your vintage stash and head to Suffolk in July. did i mention before that Our #1 will also be joining us, yes indeedy she will be my right hand man (or girl as the case maybe) and i am thinking, i could not ask for a better assistant, yes grand stuff indeed

she has packed a suitcase, just in case she is tempted to stay a while with her adopted auntie ~ Tif

Gangway for the Queen!

Today, the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we held a procession on the neighbouring island of Stronsay. The procession went from Our Lady's Chapel, through Whitehall village and down each of the two piers of Stronsay harbour.
The feast of the Queenship this year also marks the 12th anniversary of our taking ownership of Papa Stronsay.

The captions under the photos are the hymn Stabat Mater Speciosa. It is sung to the same melody as the Stabat Mater Dolorosa.

Beginning in the Chapel, Marilyn Friel crowns our statue of Our Lady of Fatima with a crown of flowers.

Stabat Mater speciosa
iuxta faenum gaudiosa,
dum iacebat parvulus.

By, the crib wherein reposing,
with His eyes in slumber closing,
lay serene her Infant-boy.

Cuius animam gaudentem
laetabundam et ferventem
pertransivit iubilus.

Stood the beauteous Mother feeling
bliss that could not bear concealing,
so her face o'erflowed with joy.

Br. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. and Br. Nicodemus Mary, F.SS.R. bear Our Lady through the village.

O quam laeta et beata
fuit illa immaculata,
mater Unigeniti!

Oh, the rapture naught could smother
of that most Immaculate Mother
of the sole-begotten One;

Quae gaudebat et ridebat,
exultabat, cum videbat
nati partum inclyti.

When with laughing heart exulting,
she beheld her hopes resulting
In the great birth of her Son.

Praying the rosary.

Quisquam est, qui non gauderet,
Christi matrem si videret
in tanto solatio?

Who would not with gratulation
see the happy consolation
of Christ's Mother undefiled?

Quis non posset collaetari,
Christi Matrem contemplari
ludentem cum Filio?

Who would not be glad surveying
Christ's dear Mother bending, praying,
playing with her heavenly Child?

Pro peccatis suae gentis
Christum vidit cum iumentis
et algori subditum.

For a sinful world's salvation,
Christ her Son's humiliation
She beheld and brooded o'er;

Vidit suum dulcem Natum
vagientem, adoratum,
vili deversorio.

Saw Him weak, a child, a stranger,
yet before Him in the manger
kings lie prostrate and adore.

Nato, Christo in praesepe
caeli cives canunt laete
cum immenso gaudio.

O'er that lowly manger winging,
joyful hosts from heaven were singing
canticles of holy praise;

Stabat, senex cum puella
non cum verbo nec loquela
stupescentes cordibus.

While the old man and the maiden,
speaking naught, with hearts o'erladen,
pondered on God's wondrous ways.

Eia, Mater, fons amoris
me sentire vim ardoris
fac, ut tecum sentiam.

Fount of love, forever flowing,
with a burning ardor glowing,
make me, Mother, feel like thee;

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
in amatum Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam.

Let my heart, with graces gifted
all on fire, to Christ be lifted,
and by Him accepted be.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
prone introducas plagas
cordi fixas valide.

Holy Mother, deign to bless me,
with His sacred Wounds impress me,
let them in my heart abide;

Tui Nati caelo lapsi,
iam dignati faeno nasci,
poenas mecum divide.

Since He came, thy Son, the Holy,
to a birth-place, ah, so lowly,
all His pains with me divide.

Fac me vere congaudere,
Iesulino cohaerere,
donec ego vixero.

Make me with true joy delighted,
to Child-Jesus be united
while my days of life endure;
In me sistat ardor tui,
puerino fac me frui
dum sum in exilio.

While an exile here sojourning,
make my heart like thine be burning
with a love divine and pure.

Papa Stronsay is seen across the water.
Spotless Maid and sinless Woman,
make us feel a fire in common,
make my heart's long longing sure.

Virgo virginum praeclara,
mihi iam non sis amara,
fac me parvum rapere.

Virgin of all virgins highest,
prayer to thee thou ne'er denyest,
let me bear thy sweet Child too.

The Orkney flag flies on the monastery boat Charnetski.

Fac, ut pulchrum infantem portem,
qui nascendo vicit mortem,
volens vitam tradere.

Let me bear Him in my bosom,
Lord of life, and never lose Him,
since His birth doth death subdue.

Returning to the chapel.

Fac me tecum satiari,
Nato me inebriari,
stantem in tripudio.

Let me show forth how immense is
the effect on all my senses
of an union so divine.

Hail Holy Queen! Our Lady's crown and rosary were carried before her on a red cushion.

All who in the crib revere Him,
like the shepherds watching near Him,
will attend Him through the night,

Inflammatus et accensus,
obstupescit omnis sensus
tali me commercio.

By thy powerful prayers protected,
grant, O Queen, that His elected
may behold heaven's moving light.


Fac, me Nato custodiri,
verbo Dei praemuniri
conservari gratia.

Make me by His birth be guarded,
by God's holy word be warded,
by His grace till all is done;

Quando corpus morietur,
fac, ut animae donetur
tui nati gloria. Amen.

When my body lies obstructed,
make my soul to be conducted,
to the vision of thy Son. Amen.

The Collect from today's Mass:
Concede nobis, quaesumus, Domine: ut, qui solemnitatem beatae Maria; Virginis Reginae nostrae celebramus; ejus muniti praesidio, pacem in present et gloriam in futuro consequi mereamur.

Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, to those who are celebrating this solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary our Queen: that safe in her protection we may deserve to enjoy present peace and future glory.

O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May!
O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May!

O Mary, Rendering unto Thee our homage and fielty, as our Lady and Queen,
we beg of Thee the grace of perseverance untill the end. Amen

The ancient Gang-days.

For a thousand years and more
we Catholics
in the true belief of all tribes and tongues and nations,
from pole to pole,
from the rising to the setting sun
-a worldwide people-
still sing
the notes of that sublime
and heart-awakening Litany of the Saints
in our services.
(C.f. Rock, The Church of our Fathers, Vol. 3, p. 181.)

Beginning from the earliest periods
of Anglo-Saxon Church history,
we find that the Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday
in Ascension week,
were called gang-days,
through the custom of
ganging or walking in religious processions;
now they are known as the Rogation days.

A writer in Queen Mary's reign
-1553- 1558-
tells us how
"in gaune wyke callyd Rogasyon weke
"in gang week called Rogation week
they whent a prosessyon with baners in dyvers plases...
they went (in) a procession with banners in diverse places...
and they had good chere after."
and they had good cheer afterwards."

All that is growing in
Our Lady's Garden
is blessed during the Rogation prayers.

This year for the first time
the Kiwifruit have flowered!
They may continue to encumber the land!

Holy water is sprinkled to the
four points of the compass.

The Litany of the Saints continues on
during the procession back to the altar.

The Holy Sacrifice is celebrated

with chant and incense
that go back through the mists of time
... even to the liturgy offered in
the Temple of Jerusalem.

(Rock, The Church of our Fathers)

Photos of Our Lady of Christchurch procession

Thanks to Lenore Hayes for sending us photos of the great procession held in Christchurch, New Zealand, in honour of Mary Immaculate. There was a terrific turnout of 400 - 500 people.

The statue of Our Lady of Christchurch carried here in procession, turned 180 degrees during the earthquake which rocked the city, to face directly out of the cathedral window and look out over the city.

The statue was damaged while being rescued from the ruins of the cathedral, and was marvellously restored by the Carmelite nuns Christchurch.
From left to right: Br. Paul Mary, F.SS.R. Fr. Rizzo. F.S.S.P. and Br. Xavier Maria, F.SS.R. walk the statue.

His Lordship Bishop Barry Jones consecrates the city of Christchurch to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The crowned Queen!

Sweet Mary, our Lady and Queen, Pray for us!