Ordinations Make the News

The following article appeared  on the Catholic News Agency concerning our recent ordinations in Rome.

[Source]

Group celebrates first ordinations since reunion with Rome

Ordination at the Fraternity of St. Peter's Roman Parish, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome, Italy. June 22, 2013. Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA.

Rome, Italy, Jun 29, 2013 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For the first time since coming into clear union with the Pope, the religious institute the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer celebrated the priestly ordination of two of its members on June 22.

Father Magdala Maria and Father Yousef Marie were ordained alongside Fr. Massimo Botta of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter by Archbishop Guido Pozzo, head of the Office of Papal Charities, in Rome.

Both orders are dedicated to celebrating the liturgy in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite – as was done prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also called the Transalpine Redemptorists, were founded in 1987 and were associated with the Society of St. Pius X.

After Benedict XVI issued a document affirming the value of the extraordinary form, also called the traditional Latin Mass, the Transalpine Redemptorists responded by petitioning the Vatican to regularize their situation.

On June 26, 2008, their petition was granted and they were no longer associated with the schismatic Society of St. Pius X. The group now enjoys “undisputed and peaceful possession of Communion with the Holy See.”

Fr. Botta, who was ordained for the Fraternity of St. Peter, told CNA that “my vocation to the priesthood came pretty quickly.”

“I was doing grad school in economics, and I found that economics was taking me the complete opposite direction of what I felt truth should be.”

“During that time I just felt a strong calling to be a priest, and I didn’t even know about the Fraternity of St. Peter.”

He explained that his brother introduced him to the Fraternity, and it appealed to him. “I applied and was accepted and that was it; it was very quick, a question of six months.”

The newly ordained priest noted, “it seems like God had prepared me since I was young for this.”

Fr. Botta, who studied seven years at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska, has been sent back to the Fraternity's Immaculate Conception parish in Omaha for his first assignment.

His mother, who is Roman, told CNA that he has been looking forward to it, that he is happy, and that she is sure he will work hard.

Gabriella Botta said that of her four children, Massimo was the one she least expected would ever become a priest.

“He was the naughtiest, he had a band, and loved Metallica music,” said Botta. “And suddenly he said, ‘Mom, I want to join the seminary,’ so it was a real big surprise.”

She described him as a shy boy who loved life, his school friends, music and “all of the things any young person loves.”

“I think for a mother it’s actually the greatest event, because I think that somewhere in my life I must have really done something good to have the honor of our Lord calling our son to the priesthood.”

“I think he has changed,” she said. “He has become a man now and after seven years of seminary life, it was just two days ago that he said ‘Mom, I’m beginning to be scared.'”

Fr. John Brancich, pastor at Omaha's Immaculate Conception parish, emphasized that it was a “great grace” for Fr. Botto to be ordained in his home area.

“It’s also a great grace for the Fraternity, because this is the first time that we’ve had ordinations in Rome.”

“This is a very special day for us because the order is so connected with Rome and St. Peter, and the Chair of St. Peter and the Pope. This is a very happy moment for both of our societies.”

Fr. Brancich explained that the traditional Latin Mass has found a “great resurgence” among young people and young clergy, as well as older people “who have rediscovered it.”

“One thing that they consistently comment on is the sense of reverence, the sense of sacredness that they feel when they attend the Mass,” which strongly conveys the worship of God.

He underscored that the goal of being at Mass is to pray, and that the definition of prayer is to “lift your mind and heart to God.”

The ordination took place at Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims, the Fraternity's Roman parish, and reflected the universality of the Church.

The Transalpine Redemptorists are based in a monastery on an island in the north of Scotland and also have a monastery in New Zealand. Fr. Magdala Maria is a New Zealander, and Fr. Yousef Marie is from Lebanon.

The First solemn Mass of Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R.

Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. celebrated his first Solemn High Mass on Sunday 23rd June in the Church of the Fraternity of St Peter, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome.  We are most grateful to them for the use of their Church.  Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. was deacon and Br Jean Marie, F.SS.R. was subdeacon.  Fr Anthony Mary, F.SS.R. was assistant priest.

 

Vesting in the sacristy.

 

Father in his cope just before the start of Holy Mass.

 

The Asperges.

 

After the Asperges Father removes the cope and puts on the chasuble and the maniple.

 

The incensation.

 

During the Gloria.

 

Dominus vobiscum.

 

The deacon kneels to receive the blessing to chant the Gospel.

 

During the Gospel a beautiful shaft of light shone through the smoke of incense.

 

Offering the bread.

 

Hoc est enim corpus meum.

Fr Yousef Marie consecrates for the first time, changing the host into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Hic est enim calix sanguinis mei...

The consecration of the wine.

 

O Sacrament Most Holy,

O Sacrament Divine;

All praise and all thanksgiving,

Be every moment Thine!

 

Father consumes the Precious Blood.

 

Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi...

Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sin of the world...

 

Father Yousef Marie gives Holy Communion to his mother...

 

...and to two of his brothers who were able to be present.

 

The last blessing.

 

Thanks be to God for the ordination of a new priest.  May he be God's instrument for the conversion and salvation of many souls!

 

In the sacristy after Mass.

Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood

Thanks be to God, on Saturday 22nd June, Archbishop Pozzo ordained Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R. and Fr. Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. to the sacred priesthood in the Church of the Fraternity of St Peter, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini in Rome.  It was a wonderful day and we are truly thankful to God and His Holy Mother, and to all of our friends and benefactors as well as to the Fraternity of St Peter.

 Our deacons had the privilege of joining Massimo Botta, F.S.S.P. for ordination.

 The deacons lie prostrate during the singing of the Litany of the Saints.

 The imposition of hands.

 Once the ordaining bishop has imposed hands upon those to be ordained, all the priests who are present do so also.

 Receiving the chasuble which, for the moment, remains folded at the back.

 The anointing of the hands.

 The hands of the priests, once anointed, are bound together.  The manutergium (Linen band) is kept by the priest, and used to join the hands of his mother after death when she is buried.

 The tradition of the instruments.

The chasuble is unfolded fully.

 After the ceremony. Left to Right the priests are: Fr Yousef Marie, F.SS.R., Fr Massimo Botta, F.S.S.P., Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R.

 Fr Magdala Maria, F.SS.R. gives his first blessing to his mother and Father who came all the way from Australia to be here for this great occasion.

 Father here gives his first blessing to Fr. Anthony Mary, F.SS.R.

The new priests of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer give each other their first blessing.

The newly ordained priests with members of their families.

First Mass photos to come.

Gloria Patri!

Dear friends and families
This morning in Rome we are preparing to leave for the ordination to the holy priesthood of the soon to be Father Yousef Marie and Father Magdala Maria. What a wonderful grace for our Congregation to receive these two brothers as priests. It is also a grace for this "most small institute" to have its first two priests ordained by the Pope's Almoner, Archbishop Pozzo whom we knew so well when he was Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. I invite you to join us in thanking the Blessed Trinity for these graces by offering, in the custom of St Alphonsus, three Glory be's...

GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Devotedly
Fr. Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

a 'staycation of the utmost kind'...

i am particularly giddy, 

for we are starting our staycation tomorrow...

Ma has arrived from across the pond,

the lads are out of school for the summer

and it seemed the most perfectly perfect time

to have a staycation

i have never ever had a staycation before

our summers are usually spent in old blighty

and upon our return,

we sit in a heap

and then when the time comes

muster energies for school beginning again

but not this year!

ah ha! no sirree!

this is the first year in near on 13

that we will not be travelling to our homeland.

we will be staying put

and staycationing!

doesn't it just have such a jolly exotic sound about it!

"oh yes, we staycationed and it was most delightful, how about you?"

our staycation is a whole 2 weeks long

i have yet to plot and plan the whole thing

but i hope it involves the rain buggering off

and Mr Sun shining down on us...

*i am thinking strawberry picking beyond our own backyard

(so we can each have more than one)

*i am thinking mini bird nests in my hair each and everyday

(cos its darn thrilling to be able to tie up the old locks again)

*i am thinking lazy picnics by the rivers

(and afternoons drifting on inner tubes merrily)

*i am thinking days of wearing my new saltwater sandals

(feeling like i am 7 again)

*i am thinking endless days of wearing sunshiney frocks

(perfectly suited to a staycation me thinks)

*i am thinking days up north visiting interesting little towns

(full of quirky odd stores and forsaken souls to rescue)

*i am thinking thrifting on cloudy days

(Ma is keen to find some vintage floral bedsheets

thus, we have a mission and i do so like a thrifty mission)

*i am thinking baking cakes with the right sort of flour in them

(otherwise it quickly becomes a shortbread/cake)

*i am thinking afternoon naps with my constant canine companions

(cos they are the best sort to take naps with,

because they are experts at it)

and 

*i am thinking it will be the bees knees

whatever we end up doing...

yes, it will be

a 'staycation of the utmost kind'

i have no doubt

normal service will resume on monday 8th July

till then, wishing each and every dearest dearie reader

'a peachy one'

Tif x

footynote: to those in old blighty, be prepared, this may well be the year a heatwave hits due to us not being there, sort of guaranteed :)