Sunday April 19th. 2009
Centenary of Blessed Mary’s death
August 8, 2009
It is planned to hold a celebration mass for the 100th
anniversary of Mary’s death in St. Mary’s, Fort William,
on Saturday, August 8th.
Fort William has been chosen because it is the most central
location for people in the Lochaber area who may wish to
attend the mass. Bishop Toal and all the clergy of the
neighbouring parishes will be present, and we hope a large
number will come from the surrounding area.
St. Mary’s is also very suitable because, according to local
historians, Mary’s mother, Flora MacDonald, was born in
what is now the Ben Nevis Hotel in the High Street,
opposite the Granite House. Sisters Therese and Audrey
have visited the hotel several times and spoken to the
manager and told him of the important part the hotel played
in the life of Blessed Mary. The sisters hope that they will
be allowed to put a plaque on the upper corridor where the
bedrooms are, and where Flora was probably born.
The late Ann MacDonnel was quite convinced that Flora
was born in this hotel, as Flora’s parents had moved from
Cranachan to Fort William to seek larger accommodation.
So the Ben Nevis Hotel may have a special importance for
us because of its link with Blessed Mary.
Bishop Toal has accepted my invitation to make a pastoral
visit to Roy Bridge, and will come here on Sunday, August
9th., and celebrate mass in Mary’s honour. We will look
forward to his visit. He always makes time to visit the
schools and the housebound.
The Jospehite Sisters, and millions who honour Blessed
Mary, will hope and pray that in this year of the centenary of
her death, an announcement may be made from Rome
regarding her canonisation. It would be wonderful news and
a climax to the celebrations in her honour.
In time, when the canonisation is announced , the ceremony
will probably take place in Rome. But it would be so special
if instead it were to take place in her own country for she
will be Australia’s first canonised saint. This would have
such a wonderful effect on the people.
We have only to think of the impression left by Pope Benedict on his
visit to Sydney last July. Anyway, we can always hope and pray that
perhaps our Holy Father might wish return to Australia for the
occasion, and that would be the fulfilment of all the wishes of the
Sisters of St. Joseph’s—and of ours also!
Back home for a break
Bishop Toal spent a few days last week relaxing at Inverroy after a very busy period between visiting parishes, attending the funeral
of young Simon MacMillan in South Uist, and the Holy Week Services in the Cathedral. He is spending next week making a pastoral
visit to Barra, visiting the hospital, the schools and the housebound. We hope he will be blessed with this continuing good weather,
and that he will find time to enjoy the peace, tranquillity and refreshment of the Barra air.
