Catholic Orkney

Singing the new translation

2011-10-30T15:30:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday (All Saints' Day) at 6 p.m., there will be a meeting at the parish church to learn some of the music of the new Missal (Mass will follow at 7 p.m.).

I've put up links to some of the music on my other blog.

Elaine Bullard

2011-10-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

I just came across this tribute to Elaine Bullard, a parishioner who died in August, on the blog The Orkney Book of Wildflowers. Elaine was an extraordinary woman in many ways; the pictures posted by Tim and Anne capture two of her most characteristic qualities - her unparalleled knowledge of Orcadian flora, and her love of young people.

The Bishop visits ~ and wonderful news!

2011-09-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

On Thursday evening our own Bishop Hugh arrived at Our Lady and Saint Joseph kirk and celebrated a votive mass with those of us that could make it out at 7pm. (We made sure and wear the kids out and give them a late nap so that they would not behave like wee monsters!)

We filled the night air with beautiful hymns and listened with delight to the scripture readings. Every mass is a new adventure now that I'm attempting to re-train my brain to say, "And with your spirit" ~ much more in line with the Latin but I think I need a bit more coffee some days...

Bishop Hugh gave a wonderful and quite thought-provoking homily from the old testament reading of Haggai. Meanwhile myself and Erlend did our best to manage three very energetic toddlers that were engaged in a variety of occupations such as: fighting (always a good one for church!!), engaging in discussion at the tops of wee lungs, and flinging toys in every direction. At one point while standing up for prayer Erlend was startled to find that Benji, usually so silent in his arms, had begun to tap dance on the back of the pew in front of them. Of course! What better way to welcome the Bishop? (I quickly pulled The Boy's shoes off and tossed them aside only to have wee Inga amuse herself by smacking them against the seat of our pew and laughing hysterically. It never ends. Half of the time I end up in a fit of laughter because of these kids, my howls of glee muffled by a stuffed toy crammed agasint my mouth...)

After mass ended the Bishop gave us a wonderful announcement that was music to our collective ears: our dear Father Peter Kelly has been appointed the parish priest of Orkney!! And so for however long now we will have a resident priest here with us in Orkney every single day of the week ~ during all of the holidays and the holy feast days and so forth and so on!! ("Dear God, please send us a resident priest" ~check!)

After a beautiful mass with Fr. Peter Kelly, the Bishop, and his Vicar General celebrating together up at the alter we gathered together in the back room of the kirk house for a buffet tea. People went all out and we found ourselves engaged in a feast! Me being me I had engaged in all manner of plans for what I would cook for the buffet and then at precisely 6:45pm realized that I had FORGOTTEN to do any of said cooking. And I'm not exactly sure how much of the muffins and cakes made it into the kids' stomachs considering that our section of the carpet was lovingly coated in a thick layer of crumbs??

We have met with Bishop Hugh down at Pluscarden Abbey and it was so different to see him in the garb of a bishop and no longer wearing his white wool Benedictine habit! He is a lovely man! But then again I haven't met a Bishop that wasn't lovely. God bless our clergy! :-)

As the buffet (feast?) dwindled to a close I stood by with the kirk vacuum while trying not to look conspicuous. I didn't want to fire that puppy up and inturrupt our new Bishop as he socialized with the final few visitors. And I certainly didn't want to rush anyone out of the door buuuuut the kids, now crashing from their sugar high, were starting to dig at their eyes and their little halos were beginning to droop as wee horns began to emerge: Benji was standing there, glazed eyed and drooling. Elspeth was running around the room in hysterical circles shrieking and laughing while Inga was engaged in the arch-back-and-wither-to-the-floor precursor to a nuclear meltdown. Seeing as how it was 9pm I wasn't exactly surprised but I bribed her into a peaceful draw by stuffing her with some more goodies. Humiliating disaster thwarted...

Finally I saw my chance and set about vacuuming the crumb-laden floor. I ended up chasing the poor Vicar General from place to place as he took refuge in the latest crumb spots while I cleaned those that he had just swiftly vacated. And so instead of a cheerful goodbye chat with our new Bishop (who had to navigate the baracade I created against the door when I piled chairs out of the way of the vacuum) I was busy waging war on the messy carpet and Erlend was busy changing diapers on squirming kids. But even still, it was a lovely evening and we headed home in high spirits!

Of course all three kids napped on the way home and woke up at the farm filled with renewed energy, ready to continue the party!

God love you!

The first Pastoral Letter from our Bishop Hugh Gilbert, OSB and more...

2011-09-05T02:09:00.000-07:00

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ In Christ, the Son of God takes on everything human, except sin, and transforms it. And in the Liturgy this mystery of the Incarnation – the Word becoming flesh –"

(Click on the above to read the rest at The Hermeneutic of the Continuity blog...)

News:

"Bishop Hugh Gilbert: Christ will be my top priority"

"Congratulations to our new Bishop"

"Bishop Hugh Gilbert remains a professed Benedictine"

"Pluscarden elects new Abbot"

Opinion:

"More good news from Rome: Abbot Hugh Gilbert is appointed the new Bishop of Aberdeen"

And... Wikipedia?!?

We're going to have a new bishop!

2011-06-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Fr John Boyle has the news!

We have a priest!

2011-03-06T07:11:00.000-08:00

There is at last a priest in residence at the Kirkwall presbytery: Fr Peter Kelly, who is on loan from the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle for the next four months. It might take a while for regular Mass times &c. to settle down, but this is what is happening this week:
Mass at 12 noon from Monday to Saturday - there will be the blessing and imposition of ashes at the Mass on Ash Wednesday;
Stations of the Cross and Benediction at 7 p.m. on Friday;
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday morning from 11.30 a.m. until the Mass at noon;
Mass next Sunday at 11 a.m.
Fr Kelly will be hearing confessions on Monday, during the customary recitation of the rosary from 11.30 a.m.; and on Saturday, during Exposition.
Service times might change next week.
We welcome Fr Kelly, and look forward to getting to know him better!

Please pray for our parish here in Orkney

2010-12-26T01:07:00.000-08:00

While we had a lovely Christmas dinner here at our farm I'm sad to report that our parish, lacking a local resident priest, had to endure this most holy and sacred season without mass.

Due to bad weather we were not able to celebrate the last Sunday of Advent. We had no Vigil of the Nativity and we had no Christmas mass on Christmas day. This was a great cross to bear, for to remain home without the ability to meet with the Chist Child in the Blessed Sacrament, to not be able to kneel in our pews and worship together on this most holy of nights and days...

We will have mass today and also tomorrow afternoon. But as for the rest of the holy Octave of Christmas, nothing. We are once again on our own without access to the sacraments, without mass during this most holy and sacred week. Our parish priest is stretched so thin that we only have mass twice a week here in our parish.

Before anyone gets defensive: I am not criticizing. I am merely stating fact. Our beloved parish priest is doing his very best ~ he's only one person amongst several parishes, with a large body of water standing between us and him. The man can only do so much ~ and he is doing far too much as it is. Please, ask God to bless us with a resident priest so that we will have mass, confession, a priest to comfort us in our dark hours ~ and for our parish priest to get a well deserved rest from his constant travels to these islands.

I am asking for prayers because this is indeed a sorrowful situation. This Christmas was very difficult. It is difficult not having a resident priest, holidays or not: what would happen if one of us was going to die? We would not have access to the sacraments in our last hour. What do we do as we struggle with our daily lives? With our own private and also communal tradgedies and challenges? How do we observe the Catholic holy days, the feast days, basically the majority of the Liturgical year without mass?? We are very much cut off.

Please, Catholic men, if you hear God calling you to the priesthood... have courage and answer:
We need you.

God bless you and thank you, in the name of the Christ Child, our newborn King.

Merry Blessed Christmas to Everyone!

2010-12-26T01:06:00.000-08:00

See amid the winter's snow
Born for us on earth below
See the tender Lamb appears
Promised from eternal years

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem
Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Say ye holy shepherds, say
What your joyful news today?
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem
Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Sacred infant, all divine
What a tender love was thine
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this...

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem
Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Listen to the song here! Very beautifully sung.

A wonderful gift from our monks!

2010-12-22T11:15:00.001-08:00

The monks of Papa Stronsay have blessed our home with a wonderful gift: a gorgeous prie-dieux!

Wee Elspeth has a good look at our new arrival.

This is one gorgeous prie-dieux! Thick heavy wood that I'm guessing is oak? And the kneeler pad is wide and cushions so well that my bad knee doesn't ache. I love the shelf where I can store my prayer books and rosary.
Our family is going to grow up with this prie-dieux as a central part of our daily life! What a lovely Christmas gift!

Advent: dawn during the Winter Solstice

2010-12-21T10:02:00.001-08:00

This photo was taken at 7:20am this morning

as the moon hung over the stable.

The last time there was a total lunar eclipse on the Winter Solstice was 1638...

Beauty and the Beast

2010-12-17T08:26:00.000-08:00

Orkney has once again been covered in snow. The last batch had melted away nearly over night, revealing green fields and flooded ditches. Now the snow has returned and covered the countryside with a mix of beauty and hardship.

The unspoiled beauty of a snow-filled road that is devoid of tire tracks and footprints. A charming winter scene but please, while you admire also pray for those here in Orkney that are trapped in their homes because of these side roads that are filled with impassable drifts. Most of us are fine, having stocked up on provisions so that we could hunker down and wait for the roads to clear. But there are many here that are elderly, infirm, or otherwise struggling with being snowbound. That said, let us also pray for those that are merely frustrated, that they have patience with this situation and carefully discern what is necessity and what is merely impatience and boredom.

Wooly Ladies coated in a sugar-white blanket of snow. They look like cookie sheep! Yet just beyond this wintery pastoral image sits a ring feeder that is filled with silage. This is breeding season for many, and the rams are out with the sheep - but they won't breed if they're not able to get enough to eat. Please pray for the flocks of sheep in Orkney that suddenly find it nearly impossible to graze their fields.

Soft snow gently covers a stack of wrapped silage bales. Please pray for the farmers of Orkney who find themselves quite suddenly having to tap into their winter supply of silage in order to feed their snowbound sheep. These islands are not wholly prepared for this kind of freezing, snowy weather. It's not normal for this part of the world. And so the farmers must face the fear that they will soon struggle with feed shortages if this weather continues. If it does continue then the sheep, who normally graze the fields until late January to February, must be fed silage at a much earlier time then usual.

A startling yet beautiful scene: a deep and very large shelf of snow and ice hangs over one of the many small burns. This picture does it no justice! But please pray that the youth of Orkney are very careful in their explorations and that they respect such possible dangers as this. And please also pray that the water pipes supplying homes and barns do not freeze and/or burst ~ they are not insulated as they would be in locations where snow and freezing weather are common every winter. It is a severe hardship on the people and animals of the islands when the water supply becomes unavailable because everything is frozen solid. And then all of the burst pipes have to be repaired at any hour of the day or night...

These winter scenes are gorgeous and they lend much beauty and peace to the surrounding landscape. Perhaps this is going to become the norm for our islands. Please pray that wisdom prevails and the appropriate preparations are made so that the islands can manage such cold, snowy weather should it continue to arrive each year.

A stone wall is decorated by the latest snowfall. Although strong enough to hold back the feirce gale-force winds, these walls are almost defenceless against flooding water. And as soon as warmer weather arrives and the snow melts Orkney becomes a landscape of floods and instant ponds. Please pray for that our future thaws happen more slowly so that the islands, which lack any kind of rivers to handle the overflow, can deal with the resulting excess water. Either that or measures are taken to help divert the floods away from homes, roads, towns, and farmland.

May God bless Orkney and all of snow-lashed Britain with His protection so that we can take delight in the beautiful winter landscape without so much unexpected suffering because of the snow and freezing weather. If these types of winters are to become the norm please ask God to grant the people of Britain the necessary wisdom to make some very big, unfamiliar, and oftentimes terribly expensive changes that will ensure that the people will be capable of enduring and handling such challenging winter conditions. Please ask God to watch over and protect the Poor of this land, that they not be left behind to endure the harsh weather without help: inspire everyone to remember to think of their neighbor and of those who are vulnerable to unnecessary suffering because of the weather. Please God, also bless the motorists, those that must drive in these conditions, to be safe, to make wise choices whilst driving, and to swifly learn the art of handling a vehicle in ice and snow.

Amen. (Thank you for your prayers!)

Carols

2010-12-12T13:10:00.001-08:00

Our Advent carol service will take place TOMORROW (Monday 13 December) at 7 p.m. at the parish church (our Lady & St Joseph, Junction Road). All are welcome!

Advent is here!

2010-12-07T03:48:00.001-08:00

This is turning out to be a most surprising and beautiful winter! There is snow everywhere and it falls from the sky nearly every day in big soft fluffly flakes. (Ok, no need to throw things at me for singing the praises of the snow...) I love how it squeaks under my feet when I walk outside and all of these years of being homesick for Alaska has been soothed away during this Advent season!! I could just run around in one of the fields, kicking up the snow and throwing it about with my hands. But I'd probably end up commited to the local hospital for being a crazy American... So I'll carry out this childish fantasy under the cover of night muwahahaha....

I hope you are all having a lovely Advent even if driving in snow is a genuine pest. Snow has its redeeming qualities! Such as... uh... well... ok, I can't exactly think of any really wonderful things to say about such a cold frozen batch of slippery pesky stuff but EVEN STILL, snow is beautiful and works wonders on any drab winter landscape. :-)

Every winter, snow or no snow, Molly The Cat returns from wherever she goes during the summer. She then perches on the windowsill aboot tea time and patiently awaits a shower of food scraps to be tossed out of the window. But don't dare try and pet her ~ she'll take your arm off. So hello my furry Advent Window Puss!!
Advent greetings and Advent blessings to everyone!!

My interesting attempt at creating a home Advent wreath. (Complete with painted-over duct tape. Gotta love the duct tape.)

"Egg Carton Chic"??
It has been snowing and snowing, and snowing some more up here in Orkney! All goofy humour aside, while the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful people are struggling hard. Please, pray for everyone here that must drive in these unfamiliar winter conditions ~ and please also pray for those that struggle to pay for enough heating during the times of freezing temps. Orkney usually doesn't get below freezing very often in winter!
I hope and pray that people here on these islands will spend most of their time enjoying the beauty of the Advent snow!

God bless Orkney!

2010-10-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

The first snow in our part of Orkney.

The surgery went well and I'm finally back on my feet. Pope Benedict's visit to Britain was just the boost that I needed while feeling so low. I'vee have a rough three years ~ nothing like physical illness and limitation to break you down to nothing.

Now we are moving into late fall. I have to admit that there is something so very cozy about the dark evenings and dark mornings. It makes me want to hunker down with a cup of coffee while the aga roars in the kitchen and the cows bogle in the barns. Winters used to be so long and dreadful before I became a Catholic but now I live through the various seasons in step with the liturgical calendar. The entire year is blessed! When the darkness and chill of winter begins to fill the air my heart begins to fill with thoughts of Advent and Christmas!

Ah, the bleakness is no longer there and winter is now a season full of joy. God bless to all of you! A blessed fall! ("back end" as they say here.) May you welcome the coming winter months with open arms and open hearts and steaming cups of tea and coffee and cocoa and... and... well, the list could go on!

'It is not an easy life'

2010-10-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

There is an excellent article about the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in the current issue of the Catholic Herald. When the journalist says, 'It is not an easy life here,' he is referring primarily to the Orcadian climate; but the spiritual climate can also have long dark nights, and buffeting winds which (as the article shows) can come at you from unexpected quarters. Keep the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in your prayers.

The Tiber flows into the Clyde

2010-09-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI will be visiting Scotland, meeting the Queen, and celebrating Mass in honour of St Ninian in Glasgow. (Actually, you probably know this already!) Given the difficulties of transporting pilgrims from the further reaches of Scotland to the events in Edinburgh and Glasgow, where security is, perhaps necessarily, extremely strict, it was never likely that many folk from the Northern Isles would get to see the Holy Father. At least one Orkney parishioner will be going down to the Mass in Bellahouston Park, carrying with her the prayers of all our island community. So make sure you go here or here to watch the Mass at 5.15 p.m. on Thursday, & see if you can spot an Orcadian in the crowd!

As for the rest of us, especially those of us who were put off making the arduous journey with small children - how about a family pilgrimage to Rome one of these days?

Update (15/9/10): The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer will also be travelling to Glasgow. Orkney will be well represented!

Apologies for the lack of posts!

2010-07-31T03:34:00.001-07:00

I have been in very ill health. I see the surgeon on Thursday and so hopefully everything will be straightened out soon. :-)

Orkney, Thurso & Wick

2010-06-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

I just came across this interesting article from the Tablet that must be about three years old. It describes our neighbouring parishes in Wick and Thurso - separated from us by six miles of the most treacherous waters in the British Isles, mind you - and gives an account of a typical weekend's work for our parish priest, Fr John Allen. The routine in 2010 is pretty much as described here, and there is an interested potted history of the Catholic Church's presence in this part of the world over the last 150 years or so.

Our parish church in Kirkwall is dedicated to Our Lady & St Joseph; that in Wick, to St Joachim; & in Thurso, to St Anne. So we have the extended Holy Family pretty well covered between us!

Corpus Christi Procession

2010-06-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

Cheater post!! (I don't have time to re-post all of the pictures.) Click here to see my post with pics and then at the bottom is a link for more pictures! God bless!

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem

2010-04-12T09:07:00.001-07:00

Please pray for the shepherds of Orkney:

lambing season is on the go!

Easter Sunday

2010-04-06T02:37:00.001-07:00

A happy and blessed octave of Easter to you and yours!

The blessing of Good Friday

2010-04-03T01:05:00.001-07:00

Our dear parish priest wasn't able to make it to Orkney as he was "doon sooth" on the mainland ministering to two other flocks at two other parishes. But he left our parish in the capable hands of several lay "people" (men and women whose names I won't type as I don't have their permission) and our parish had a very lovely, solemn Good Friday communion service.
The windows in the kirk are decorated with deep green palms from Palm Sunday.
The empty tabernacle reminds us that "Christ is not here among the living" - He has died on the cross and saved our souls. Just the thought makes my eyes fill with tears!
This is the beautiful crucifix that each of us kissed, one by one. I did my best to move down the narrow, crowded isle with Inga in one arm and Elspeth bolting around while wearing a harness with reins - that were firmly grasped by my other hand. Being a mother is such a fantastic adventure and I look forward to the days when our children understand what is taking place and they too can kiss the crucifix. (Halfway through the service Inga, perched so cutely on my lap, opened the floodgates and gave me a good dousing. I found myself in the back room kneeling before a half-changed baby as the words, "and He bowed His head and gave up his spirit" reached my ears through the open door. I love this quote: "Motherhood is a vocation of inturruption." Even on Good Friday!)

Good Friday: it was a goregous sunny day outside which stood in stark contrast of what we were remembering that day.

Back home on the farm I picked some daffodils and placed them in front of our triptych of the Holy Family in the kitchen window. We had prayed to God to please help us make it to the Good Friday service - it is not easy getting off of the farm in early spring. Having three children further complicates our escape attempts!!

On a slightly lighter note: even as we spent the day in rememberence of Christ's sacrifice we were also blessed with this massive carrot!

The Holy Father knows we're here!

2010-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Every quarter, the Ogilvie Centre at Aberdeen produces a glossy magazine called 'The Light of the North', full of interesting historical articles and spiritual reflections. It's free, and with the last two issues demand has outstripped supply at our parish church, which gives a good indication of what an excellent publication this is.

In the Spring issue, our Bishop Peter Moran writes of his recent visit to Rome, where he was received in private audience by Pope Benedict XVI. Bishop Moran writes:

Pope Benedict spoke English with me. He had an atlas on his desk and when I pointed out Orkney and Shetland he asked how many Catholics there were "in the islands". (About 500 in Shetland and 200 in Orkney, in fact.)

Sadly, His Holiness did not take the opportunity to announce a stop-off at Kirkwall on his way to Edinburgh in September, but I am sure that some of the 700 Catholics "in the islands" will be hoping to attend his Mass in Glasgow. Please watch the official Papal visit website for details of that.

Benjamin and Ingebjorg on the Stronsay ferry...

2010-02-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

Future visits to the monks of Papa Stronsay will get more and more interesting as these two become mobile... For now it's easy to just haul them aroond in their car seats!

A lovely visit to Stronsay

2010-02-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

If you ever get a chance to visit the monks of Golgatha Monastery I say: go for it! The island of Stronsay itself is a bonnie isle and worth a tour. The monks might not be "bonnie" but they sure are very friendly! We showed up on the noon-ish ferry only to find that the local hotel was not serving a meal that day (cook had gone to Kirkwall!) and so we six folk (three adults, three small children) were left wondering what we would eat? Hopefully the shop was open??? Ah, but the brother that so kindly met us at the dock also just as kindly invited us into the nearby monks' hoose and whipped us up some sausages, chips, peas, and onion gravy.

A feast!!

We also drank coffee from bowls that had come from France. Apparently this is customary? We had a great visit with brother and then we were shown to their lovely guesthoose. The next morning we attended mass in the monks' chapel on Stronsay and then later that day several of the monks came by for a visit at the guesthoose where I was given fantastic advice about bottle feeding. From a group of celebate men.

But they are Catholic and come from large Catholic families where they helped to raise younger siblings!! So it actually makes perfect sense. In typical Catholic fashion haha!

I was unable to make it to mass the next morning as poor Ingebjorg had tummy troubles and kept me up allll niiiight lonnnng. I was so tired I was almost physically ill and so Erlend had me stay in bed while he went to mass. It had been blowing quite a gale all night! It sounded like ORKNEY out there! The monks' guesthouse is lovely too as it is situated right on the water and you can see Papa Stronsay right there across the way. And it's a lovely half mile walk to the chapel.

It was quite an adventure hauling a toddler and newborn twins off and on the ferry! But with our 7-seater van-car-thing and the help of our dear friend who has been staying with us, we not only managed to pack and unpack but we also hauled the kids around with aplomb! Then we returned home to unpack (the car) and un-unpack. (the luggage and such.) Now we're back to our usual routine. If you really ever have a "routine" with three kids under two and still in diapers...

We're hoping to go back out to Stronsay again, maybe in June? That's the best time really because of all of the daylight. Hopefully we can go back longer then just a few days.

When we went out last June I was juuust pregnant with the twins. So this is the *second* time that the twins have been out to see the monks!!

I'll see if we have any good photos that I can post! Until then, cheers and God bless!

Brought the twins to mass tonight...

2010-02-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

And they didn't scream their heads off! Bliss.

We're to have the baptism March 8th. Hopefully myself and Ben will come up with some posts before then. But we'll deffinately post pictures of the baptism here on this blog!

Uh oh... Ingebjorg is grunting for a feed. My kingdom for an extra pair of arms!!!!!!

God bless! Gotta run.

Happy News!

2010-01-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Coffee Catholic has given birth to twins: a girl & a boy. Mother & babies are both well.

Thank God we do have a parish priest...

2010-01-10T14:19:00.001-08:00

Our dear late Father Ronnie was not our parish priest, something he made certain that everyone knew and understood. He was a "retired" priest (is there such a thing??) who so very kindly came here to Orkney so that he could give our parish priest a helping hand ~ and save Father Allen a lot of time and energy literally ferrying himself back and forth, back and forth, between Orkney and Caithness. (Which is the very north of Scotland.)
As is typical of priests, our dear Father Allen is an "unsung hero" as he goes about doing, what I'm sure he'd claim, is "just" his duty: caring for those parishes that have been assigned to him. The only thing is... one of those parishes happens to be located across a rough body of water and on an island...

And that would be us! Our Lady and Saint Joseph parish in Kirkwall, Orkney. Yes indeed, Father Allen has the lifestyle of what we would call back in Alaska a "bush priest." Bush priests are those that have multiple parishes in rural (or spread-out) areas that often require an impressive bit of travel. That about sums up each Sunday for our parish priest here in Orkney! So if any of you good readers could include Father Allen's health and well being in your prayers we would be most greatful! Because we are deffinately greatful for his dedication to a rather small population of Catholics over here on our islands.

Our parish of Our Lady and Saint Joseph here in Kirkwall is not actually in dire straights after the passing of our dear Father Ronnie. That's because, as I stated above, we have a dedicated parish priest that is absolutely determined to come up here to Orkney from Caithness every Sunday so that we will have the holy sacrifice of Mass. The only reason we keep praying, and asking for prayers, "for another priest" is because we don't want to run our dear Father Allen into the ground! It's not that Father Allen is incapable of coming here each Sunday, it's just that it would be nice if he could be given a break ~ even if that was only one Sunday each month. It can't be easy for anyone to say Mass at two different parishes "doon sooth" in Caithness and then hop on a ferry to Orkeny to say Mass again. And let's not forget that priests have a zillion other duties as well!

Personally, I'm selfish. I like Father Allen as much as I liked Father Ronnie and I would be perfectly content to have Father Allen here every Sunday. Buuuuuut Christian charity causes me to pray for another priest to help chip in and save our parish priest some time. Also, it's SUCH a blessing to have daily Mass in Kirkwall and a local priest to help guide Father Allen's flock when he is away doon sooth.

I'd like to end this post first by thanking God for providing us with a wonderful parish priest that is willing to hop on that ferry every Sunday and come here to Orkney and give us the luxury of weekly Mass. After living in Alaska I know exactly what it's like to only have Mass when a priest is available so weekly Mass is a luxury ~ and daily Mass even more so!

Secondly, I'd like to appeal to you readers to pray for us that even if there is not a another priest available "full time" for Orkney that maybe God can still find someone that will be able to give Father Allen some help for however much time they can spare each month. Especially with daily Mass and helping to visit and encourage Orcadian Catholics.

Thank you and God bless you! I'm away to bed ~ these twins are due any time and all that I seem to do these days is SLEEP.

Requiem for Fr Walls

2010-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

A Requiem Mass for Fr Ronald Walls will be celebrated in St Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall, on Friday 8 January at 2 p.m. His body will then be taken to Edinburgh, where he will be laid to rest alongside his wife.

Please pass this on to any one who may like to attend the Mass in Kirkwall.

R.I.P. Father Ronald Walls

2010-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

Rev. Fr Ronald Walls, 1920-2010

Great-grandfather - Scholar - Musician

Priest of God

In the early hours of this morning, the Orkney parish lost its priest-in-residence, Fr Ronald Walls, who died after a short illness. Ronald Walls at one time considered a career in the Opera, but chose instead the Presbyterian ministry. Challenged by a parishioner to cite the authority for his preaching, he thought long and hard about the question of theological authority. Like many others who have been forced to confront the question, he concluded that the Catholic Church alone could claim to be the voice of God on earth. The young minister and his wife entered that Church as layfolk in 1948; only after his wife's tragic death did Ronald seek ordination to the priesthood. He trained at the Beda College in Rome.
When he was already in his mid 80s, and still carrying an injury from the car crash that had killed his wife thirty years before, Fr Walls - known to us all as Father Ronnie - volunteered to live out what remained of his retirement in Orkney, where some of his ancestors had come from. Some 'retirement'! Orkney is not a populous parish, but it includes a dozen or so inhabited islands, many of them with a Catholic presence, and until his final months Father Ronnie was zealous in visiting Rousay, Sanday and Stronsay to celebrate Mass. He kept up his daily public Masses until the day before he went into hospital; almost every day he would preach, sharing some insight from his wide knowledge and profound understanding of Holy Scripture. During his time in Orkney, he dealt with a church that was flooded out and required major refurbishment as a result. He leaves a parish bursting with young life (was it eight or nine infant baptisms last year?); two boys made their debut as altar servers at the last major Mass that Father Ronnie offered - on Christmas Day.

Much more could be said about this extraordinary priest. We already miss him.

'Grant, Lord, that your servant the priest Ronald, whom you honoured with sacred office in this world, may be happy for ever in an honoured place in heaven.' - from the Requiem Mass.

As noted in an earlier post, there will be a service with Holy Communion tomorrow at 11 a.m. Fr John Allan will celebrate Mass at the parish church on Monday 4 January at 12 noon. It is hoped that a date will soon be announced for Father Ronnie's funeral.

Uh... our parish priest just died????

2010-01-02T07:49:00.000-08:00

I'm still trying to get my head around this. I'll admit it: I'm totally shocked! So is Erlend. Father Ronnie never once struck us as being near death!! We were both at the hospital the day Father Ronnie came in with an infection but we thought we'd be polite and give him some space to get settled in so we went home without visiting him. I sure hope that wasn't the wrong thing to do ~ we were by no means trying to ignore him!

Father Ronnie came here about what, three years ago? And he's been such a wonderful presense in our lives!! I've learned so much from him through his bible studies and his sermons and his catechism discussions after mass. And that's not forgetting the fact that Father Ronnie was an absolute hoot ~ a true, witty Scotsman with a hilarious personal story to share from his deep well of adventures. I think Father was leaning more towards the age of 90? So he deffinately lived a long and interesting life! He even wrote a book: "Love Greater then Death" (Father lived a hard life too and so he understood human suffering and struggle from first hand experience!)

He helped me and Erlend deal with our seeming infertility and said to us that, "I want to live long enough to baptise at least one of your children." Imagine our delight when he got his wish last December with Elspeth's baptism. Praise God for that blessing.

I have no idea what to say. Obviously I'm more sad for myself then Father Ronnie. I can't imagine that Father is anywhere but in heaven so I have great peace in my heart. But I'm sad for myself as I'll surely miss dear Father Ronnie! Please, pray for our parish. We are deffinately mourning the passing of Father but we are also now in a bind: no local Priest living here in our rectory. We have a fine parish priest but he has to travel by ferry from the mainland in order to have Sunday mass. Which is not easy for him!

Please pray for us that we move through our loss with joy in our hearts for Father's long, good life ~ and please pray for us that God helps us find a priest. I feel sorry for whoever that priest might be because he's going to have some very big shoes to fill!!!!!

Meanwhile I'm going to continue to try and get my mind around the fact that Father Ronnie has passed away. It's just such a shock.

(Perhaps Ben can write something about Father Ronnie that's a lot better then what I tried here??)

Christmas at Golgatha Monastery, Papa Stronsay, Orkney

2009-12-29T15:04:00.000-08:00

Here are just two photos from the monks' website ~ I encourage you to go and have a look and a read of their wonderful post about Christmas at Golgatha Monastery here in Orkney!

What a lovely scene! Just looking at this picture makes my heart swell. I'm so glad that the monks share such fantastic photos. If we didn't have 300 head of cattle and 100 head of sheep we'd have hopped on the ferry and attended at least ONE Mass in Stronsay!
Look what the monks do in their refectory (the place where they eat their meals) ~ strae on the floor with the baby Jesus! What a fantastic way to smell, feel, and see the manger in Bethlehem here and now in the present! ("Strae" is "straw" in the Orcadian language.)

Thank you, Fathers and Brothers, for sharing your monastic lives with the rest of us! May God bless you with an abundance of young, persevering vocations ~ and may your prayers bring the Faith back to these blessed isles!!!

Please pray for our priest

2009-12-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Please pray for Fr Ronald Walls, our tireless and devoted priest-in-residence. At the age of eighty-nine, he continues to serve God and this parish without sparing himself. There was no Mass on Mainland Orkney today, as he was persuaded, much against his will, to go to the Balfour Hospital where he was kept in for tests. [Update (Dec 29): Fr Walls is still being treated in hospital. There will be no Mass at the parish church on Sunday (though as Frances points out in the comments box, there will be a service, with Holy Communion from the tabernacle, at 11 a.m.); Fr Allan will be in Kirkwall on Monday Jan 4 to celebrate Mass.]

If you can, please remember Father in your prayers before the crib this week. Pray also for Peter Moran, Bishop of Aberdeen, who has been unwell. And, of course, for Pope Benedict XVI as he recovers from the attack in St Peter's Basilica.

The crib at Our Lady's, Kirkwall

"Standing before the crèche, we will be able to taste Christian joy, contemplating in the new-born Jesus the face of God who out of love made himself close to us." - Pope Benedict XVI

The Orkney Schola (Gregorian Chant Choir)

2009-12-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

The Orkney Schola is a choir dedicated to singing Gregorian chant in its liturgical context. The Schola is open to men and women.

We sing music for the Mass, for the Divine Office, and for other church services. We have sung at St Magnus’ Cathedral, the Catholic parish church of Our Lady & St Joseph, Kirkwall, and St Magnus’ Kirk, Birsay.

An intermediate-level course will be taught by Ben Whitworth at Appies Tea Rooms, Sandwick, on Thursday mornings (9.45 a.m. to 11.45 a.m.) for six weeks, beginning on Thursday 21 January 2010. To book, please call Pam Farmer on 841562. The course will suit anyone who has completed one of the beginners’ courses at Appies, or who has some experience of choral singing.

The Advent Wreath

2009-12-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

Today was 'Gaudete' Sunday: the third Sunday of Advent. 'Gaudete' means 'rejoice', and it is the opening word of the Mass for this day. Traditionally, the austerity of Advent is somewhat relaxed today: the organ can be played at Mass, the altar may be decorated with flowers, and the clergy wear rose-coloured vestments. This is only a day's respite, however: the season of Advent, for Catholics, is not the secular 'run-up to Christmas' that involves boozing, mince pies and Christmas songs all the way through December. The celebration of Christ's birth begins on the evening of the twenty-fourth, and we enjoy it all the more because we have been preparing ourselves through prayer, abstinence and acts of charity. The great Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton was right: you don't know how to feast until you know how to fast. (If this sounds a bit smug I should admit that my own self-denial this Advent leaves a lot to be desired - but it's not too late to make an effort, even for me!)

So Advent is a journey through the twilight, lit by the Star. There are other lights to guide us on our way, such as the candles we light on the Advent Wreath. The picture shows our Advent candles here at Our Lady & St Joseph's Church in Kirkwall. The children light them, adding a new one each Sunday. Today's candle is the pink one - which my two-year-old daughter lit with great pride this morning! The white candle is lit when Christmas arrives.

Our Christmas services at Our Lady's this year are as follows:

Advent Carol Service, Thursday 17 December, 7 p.m.

The First Mass of Christmas, Thursday 24 December, 8 p.m.

Christmas Day Mass, Friday 25 December, 11 a.m.

Adding another author to this blog...

2009-12-03T01:58:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! Yes, this blog has been dormant for a long time now but I promise, it's not always going to be like this. :-) Pregnancy just wipes me out.

I've invited a friend to join me as an author on this blog ~ he has far more extensive knowledge about Catholic Orkney and I hope we can tap into that richness and learn much here!

My goal is to get around Orkney taking photos and writing about the practically countless Catholic holy places here on these ancient islands! Hopefully my mystery "fellow author" can help with that as he's a fantastic photographer and writer. I'll do my best to help him.

Cheerio for now! And may you all have a blessed first week of Advent!

Golgatha Monastery, Papa Stronsay Island

2009-06-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

Orkney is blessed to have its very own monastery right here in the isles! I hope you enjoy looking at some photos of Golgatha Monastery.
All photos are being used with the kind permission of the monastery.
This is a photo of Papa Stronsay, so named because it used to be a monastic island in the pre-reformation days of Orkney. And now it has returned to being a monastery island.

Coming soon... posts about:

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Golgatha Monastery

and

Our Lady and St. Joseph's Kirk

My prayers for Orkney

2009-05-18T01:49:00.000-07:00

Every day I pray that verse from Luke 10:2, "The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. Pray, ye, the Lord of the harvest that he send workers into the harvest..." (I have a beautiful Icon of the Pastor Bonus with that verse written on the back.)

I beg God every day to bring the Faith roaring to life here in Orkney, to fill the empty churches, to fill the hearts of everyone here with love for Christ, to harvest a ripe harvest that is just lying there in the fields untouched.

I see in my heart a re-awakening of the Faith all through Christendom!! (but at the moment I'm forcing myself to focus on Orkney hehehehe) The way I see it, if we can get the Orkney Islands on fire with the love of Christ then that fire will radiate outwards and consume *all* of Britain and Europe!

I'm also praying and hoping that each and every one of us Catholics here in Orkney will connect and bring our hearts and minds together in praying for Orkney. I love this place. It is beautiful, the people - both Orcadians and "incomers" like myself - are beautiful. Wouldn't it be even more beautiful for everyone here to know and love God!!!!!

When I first thought about how love for God could be re-ignited in *all* of the hearts here, I felt totally overwhelmed. I'm a housewife. I can't drive due to an injured leg. I'm not a native Orcadian so anything that I do can be easily misunderstood as an intrusion... there are so many reasons to wimp out, tuck tail, and run away.

But then I remembered my dear patron saint, Saint Therese, and how she - a cloistered Carmelite nun!! - is co-patroness of missions!! So I guess a housewife can be a missionary as well!

Please, dear readers, pray with me also that our parish will be blessed with Decons and Altar boys and that (a real miracle is needed here...) another Priest (or seminarian??) will be sent to assist our own dear Priest. Please also pray with me that more women will adopt modest dress and, amongst Catholic women, the mantilla/head square/hat at Mass.

Please pray that the Eucharist ends up in a chapel on every inhabited island here in Orkney! That devotion to the Rosary spreads like wildfire through these beautiful isles! That Eucharistic adoration becomes the norm!!

Please ask God to help me find every way possible to break the ice and bring together all of us Catholics here in Orkney. And to set these islands on fire with love for Christ!!!! I'm not a Priest. I'm not a Deacon. I'm a housewife ~ I'm going to need all of the help that I can get!!

Yours, dear reader, in Our Lady and the risen Christ,

Coffee Catholic

P.S. Everyone else is invited to pray for Orkney as well!!! And hey, if any fellow Catholics are looking for a great place to live... hehehehe! There's plenty of room in ORKNEY!