Thank you.

Thank you Father Anthony Mary, confrères and friends
for the kind messages that you have sent me.

I remember you all, your families and your intentions
at the altar of God.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is our greatest mainstay
during this earthly exile.
After Baptism and the Holy Mass
my greatest treasure is the monastic calling.

Of that calling, St Gregory of Nyssa said:

To find God is to seek him unceasingly.
The reward of the search is to go on seeking.
For to find God is never to have had your fill of desiring Him.

I ask the grace to ever seek after Him
and that He never gives up on me.
Thank you for your prayers.

Fr Michael Mary, F.SS.R.

Profession Day, 2 February, 1972, aged 18.
I am on the left with Br M. with whom I had been a novice
the previous 12 months.
Christchurch, New Zealand.

I like to pee on things

a 'little string of happy hearts' how~to...

i must admit to not being one for decorating for valentines, however i do like hearts and i do like little strings of happy for their ability to brighten the day, so why not i say...

before we begin, several things

several thing one: you could make this little string longer and larger if you so wish by using full sized book pages and more of them

several thing two: if you do that, you will probably have to use something more sturdy to string them altogether

several thing three: you do not need a trusty sewing machine, there are ways around this and i will pop them in brackets where relevant in the recipe below

several thing four: due to the nature of how i have stitched the pages together, it is a tres delicate little string so care is needed when handling the happy hearts

a 'little string of happy hearts' how~to

skill level:

easy peasy lemon squeezy

ingredients:

* old book pages

* happy coloured thread for trusty machine or hand embroidery thread

* scraps of decorative papers (wallpaper, scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper etc)

* handy dandy glue stick

* little paper label of sorts (more on that in recipe)

* spiffy paper scissors

* trusty sewing machine (optional)

* 15 minutes and a cup of tea

recipe:

* with 2 or 3 book pages held together, fold and tear in half, and then in half again, so you have 4 quarters when put together, make a whole page

* with trusty sewing machine and happy coloured thread stitch around your torn pages. this is for two reasons, one to keep the layers together and two, because its a jolly thing to do

(if not using a trusty sewing machine, just glue your layers together and set aside to dry. perhaps consider adding faux stitching with a coloured marker, could look mighty fine)

* cut out happy hearts from your scraps of paper, do not draw them on first, eyeball them so each one will have their own personality and charm

* with glue stick in hand, spend a few moments attaching each heart to its own little stitched book page, once again do not worry about the placement greatly.

* if you happen to have the 'little lucky bunny' postcard which came with my book, then cut out the tag saying 'please hold on to my heart', if not, do not fret nor weep at Tif using something which you do not own. you can hand write your little tag or indeed print one off like i did, if you have a handy dandy printer

* take your happy heart pages and with a trusty sewing machine stitch them in a happy line. be sure to leave plenty of thread either end of your happy heart pages so you have something to hang them up with. also leave a little gap when sewing them together so they dingle dangle nicely. don't forget at the end to stitch your tag on. i did and had to go back due to my forgetful ways.

(if you are not using a trusty sewing machine, take a needle with embroidery thread and carefully so as not to tear the book pages, hand-stitch running stitches along the top of your book pages)

* admire your little string of happy hearts

* hang your little string of happy hearts in a place most suited to maximize the happiness they give off and where others may too appreciate the sentiment behind your little string

Tif :)

40 Days and 40 Years

The Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
is 40 days after Christmas
(which was according to the Law of Moses).

The number 40 has an important significance
in the workings of God’s plan of salvation.
At the Flood the rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights.
The children of Israel ate Manna for 40 years in the desert.
Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights in the mountain with God
before he received the ten conmmandments.
David slew Goliath on the 40th day.
David reigned for 40 years.
Solomon reigned for 40 years.
Elias in the strength of the food given him by the angel
walked 40 days and 40 nights
unto the mount of God, Horeb.
And most importantly Our Lord fasted for
40 days and 40 nights in the desert
and tarried 40 days amongst us before His Ascension.

This year,
on 2 February,
Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
Fr Michael Mary celebrates the
40th anniversary
of his entry into Religion and the service of God.

Father Anthony Mary
and all the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer
join with all his family and friends
to wish Father a
Happy Anniversary,
a long life and a crown above.
We wish him many blessings
and assure him of our filial devotion and prayers.