On Monday the 19th of May the Pluscarden Community will offer a special Mass for our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, the day after the solemn inauguration of his ministry in St. Peter's Rome.
Homily for the 8 o’clock Mass, Sunday 11 May 2025: Easter 4C, John 10:27-30
John 10:27-30
Introduction to the Mass:
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. A good day to celebrate our new Pope! And a day especially to pray for vocations. May the Lord send us shepherds who will truly and worthily speak of him, teach in his name, draw people to him, imitate him, mediate him, feed us with him.
Visit of Br. Guy Consolmagno S.J.
The Pluscarden community was pleased to have the honour of welcoming Br. Guy Consolmagno S.J. recently. Br. Guy is a prolific writer, and the famous Director of the Vatican Observatory. Some years ago we read in the refectory his book (published 2000) "Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist."
VE Day at Pluscarden
As everyone knows, Thursday 8 May 2025 was the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Churches around the land were encouraged to ring their bells for the event, at 6.30 p.m. Since this is just the time we normally come out of Church after our Vespers and silent prayer time, we were more than happy to add our small contribuition to this National celebration.
Conclave of Cardinals
Homily for Easter 3C, 4 May 2025: Acts 5:27b-32, 40b-41
Just before the scene of today’s reading from Acts, St. Luke narrates how the Apostles were miraculously freed from prison, and went straight back to the Temple to carry on preaching. There is definitely a comic side to this, as the solemn and self-righteous religious authorities are so thoroughly wrong-footed by this bunch of despised Galileans.
Funeral of Fr. Peter Kelly RIP
Fr. Peter Kelly had been a very good friend of our community for over 40 years.
On his diaconal Ordination retreat in 1982, he served as Mitre-bearer to Bishop Mario Conti, as he was ordaining our Frs. Hugh and Anselm to the sacred Priesthood. His fellow Crozier-bearer for that occasion was a youthful Peter de Klerk, staying in the monastery to enquire about vocational prospects. That crozier-bearer entered the monastery soon afterwards, and remains now as our Br. Michael.