Benefactors of Golgotha Monastery, Papa Stronsay

Financial assistance

We don’t usually ask for money in a serious way (with a couple of exceptions), and God has always come through for us.

But I think that our general silence on this front probably leads people to forget us and to assume that we are well-off and have all we need. The reality is that we do need financial support if, for the glory of God and building up of His Church on earth, we are to pursue the spiritual, moral and human formation of the now sixteen monks on Papa Stronsay — mostly young Novices. Feeding, clothing, and providing for the natural needs of these men who have fled the world to give themselves to God also requires means. The monastery-island and all that it entails demands continual upkeep and maintenance if the harsh elements are not very quickly to drag it down.

All this requires considerable financial input. Every bit of help, both temporal and especially spiritual, is very greatly appreciated. We thank you and recommend you several times daily to God in the Blessed Sacrament. But this plea is especially for anyone who is able and would like to make a substantial financial donation, but who perhaps was not aware that we are in need of it. Please may I humbly place our situation before you for your consideration, asking that, should you feel moved by grace, you would look favourably upon us as the grateful recipients of the generosity of your alms. If you are such a person blessed by God with financial ability and both willing and desirous of helping us (or you know someone who is), please find our bank details below.

May God bless all who assist us. Be assured of our prayers for you all. If God has not blessed you with significant financial means, but you would still like to offer us some assistance, please scroll down to see some of our other concrete needs.

Fr Martin Mary, F.SS.R.
Rector

Butter (stocks are low)

Butter is an item that we are constantly in need of, since with a large community on Papa Stronsay it is used quickly. A gift of butter is never superfluous. Thank you very much for your kindness.

Our original supplier now has butter back in stock, and while it is cheaper than the previous option, it is still more expensive than in the supermarket.

Salted butter available from Amazon here.
Or directly from the supplier here.

If you prefer, you could instead make a donation using the bank details below, indicating that its intention is for butter, and we will use is accordingly at the supermarket.

Prices of everything are rising; we greatly appreciate your holy alms at this time.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is needed in the monastery both for our food and for sacramental use. May we suggest “Lyrakis Family Olive Oil Extra Virgin Cold Pressed from Crete, 5 Litre tin here.

The Lyrakis Estates encompass various parts of the terrain of north-eastern Crete in Sissi and in Kera from whence the Mother of Perpetual Succour came to Rome in 1499. Hence, amazingly, this is in fact oil from Our Lady’s “back-yard”.

Thank you so much! Click on the links to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”

Thank you!

Fons Olei

Fons Olei - fount of oil - on Papa Stronsay

Mater Dei, Mater Mei, esto nobis Fons Olei!

On Saturdays and Feasts of Our Lady an oil lamp burns during the waking hours before Our Mother of Perpetual Succour at our oil container in the Monastery Refectory, that she will watch over all our olive oil and fuel needs: oil, paraffin, kerosene, diesel, candles and sanctuary lamps, petrol and electricity. The lamp also burns for the intention of those who have helped us with any of those needs and tanks.

It also burns for the Lyrakis family and their estates.

All the oil that we use is blessed when it is received. Our oil container draws its name from the miraculous fountain of oil that sprung forth at the site of the present Roman Basilica of S. Maria in Travestere, and is said by St Jerome to have been a foreshadowing of the birth of Our Lord: “At the Meritoria tavern in Trastevere oil gushed from the earth all day without interruption, signifying the grace of Christ that would come to the people”.

Coffee

Gimoka Coffee Beans 1000g from Amazon here.

Any other kind of coffee is appreciated!

Click on the links to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”

It is also possible, if you wish, to set up such products to deliver monthly.

Thank you!

Cheese

Cheese is a big part of a balanced diet at the monastery, especially when the monks are not eating meat, which is Wednesday, Friday and Saturday each week, as well as Advent, Lent, the vigils of the major Marian Feasts, and the novena of Pentecost.

5 KG block here. 2.5 KG block here.

Any other cheese is greatly appreciated. If you prefer instead to send a donation to be spent by us on cheese (since we can by it a little cheaper in the supermarket) please do so using the bank details below and indicating its intended use.

Thank you!

DIESEL & KEROSENE (for boat, generator and heating)

Of all our concerns this is the greatest, as being completely off grid and off-shore, we rely on these two fuels for most everything. Our Mother of Perpetual Succour has a special oil lamp which burns on all feastdays for this intention and for your intentions who help us. We confide this to your kindness.

Prices for these two essential fuels continue to rise, and we recognise that times are difficult for everyone. If you are in a position to help us pay for this crucial element of our existence, please make a donation using the options below (click here), and mark the reference/intention as "fuel".

Thank you!

Flour (for baking our daily bread.)

Our flour supplies are now a little low. Thank you to all who have helped us in the past.

Please consider an alms of flour from which our brothers make the monastery's bread.

Strong bread flour can be purchased from Amazon here.

May God reward you!

Rice

We are almost out of this basic foodstuff.

Available from Amazon here.
Any other rice is appreciated.
It is also possible, if you wish, to set up such products to deliver monthly.
Thank you!

Table Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar 5 Litre may be purchased here.

Click on the links to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”

Thank you!

Washing-Up Liquid

Fairy Professional Original Washing Up Liquid may be purchased here.

In all this seems to be the best buy and the most economical.

The cheaper brands cost less but do less, so one needs more.

Thank you!

Yellow Rosa Rugosa Agnes

Rosa Rugosa Agnes Described as: "Full, double flowers in the old-fashioned style. The colour is yellow-amber, paling to cream. Pleasant scent. Upright, bushy habit. Flowers early with a small crop later."

Rosa Rugosa grows well and widely on the Holy Island of Papa Stronsay. We collect the hips each year and dry them, sew and propagate the next year. We are planting at present. We would like to introduce the yellow or golden variety, which is from 1906, and is quite a bit rarer than the standard white and pink/purple variety which already grow here. A rose is also a lovely offering for Our Mother in Heaven. Rosa Rugosa Agnes is quite costly if one buys a live plant, and the companies seem to sell out very quickly.
This company ships to us, but puts a surcharge because of our remote location. This is the biggest problem. If you would like to help here the rose would be planted for your intentions, and any form, seed, plant or bare root plant would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Each plant will also propagate many other plants as the hips will be collected and sewn in future years as a legacy.

15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil (for boat and generator)

E7 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil 20 litre — from Amazon here.
Any other kind of Oil for 15W-40 Diesel Engine is appreciated!
Click on the link to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
It is also possible, if you wish, to set up such products to deliver monthly.
Thank you!

Paint for ongoing maintenance.

Paint is something that is always needed, especially in this salt-laden climate, for the ongoing maintenance of our monastery. Please may we suggest the following to your consideration.

Red Oxide anti rust paint, needed to maintain many metal doors, sheds, machines and trailers: from Amazon here.

Masonry Paint for Statues, some pillars and a lot of small locations: from Amazon here.

Any Gloss or Marine Gloss Paint. "Oxford Blue" is the normal boat colour, also needing red and yellow. Hue to the taste of your kindness. Dark Green is the shed colour. White for upper boat.
This seems a good gloss
This seems a good Marine gloss, it is expensive

Leyland Trade 264606 High Gloss, Brilliant White, 5 litres from Amazon here:

A smaller tin, is about the same price per litre. Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint, Pure Brilliant White 2. 5 litres from Amazon here.

If you have a better and a more cost effective source that would be wonderful. The above are just suggestions, any paint would be appreciated. Thank you.

Garden Tools

We are in need of a Wheelbarrow. Thank you so much, this will make many a work-day easier!

Wheelbarrow from Amazon here:

Three Day Lights

These lights burn on the Altar of the Holy Archangel St Michael. At present our supplier has them on special at half price, so they are good value at 20 lamps for £12. If you would like to, and were so kind to make this offering, the lamps will be burned for your holy intentions. Thank you.

The best lamps for the alter are the clear ones, but not essential.

They are available from Hayes & Finch here.

Grocery Items

FROZEN FOOD CENTRE, KIRKWALL

Thanks to the kindness of this excellent Company and its Staff, we now have a way of receiving

fresh groceries through this page

The FFC is an old fashioned store which provides grocery items such as milk (which we freeze) fruit, vegetables, frozen items, and a great deal more to locations in Orkney including us in the Northern Isles. These items are part of our daily bread.

This is how it can work. If you would like to help us with groceries, click here to open the FFC catalogue. The choice is open to your kindness, and we have uploaded the full catalogue, but we are most in need of basic items.

Then please contact Ilona at Telephone +44 [0] 1856 872756; Fax: +44 [0] 1856 872245

Email: frozenfoodorkney@gmail.com

She can take your order and receive payment over the phone or by BACS. They will put the order to the transport yard and our haulier who brings the supplies out to Stronsay. If you let us know it is on the way that would help for pickup, or if you would like to remain anonymous please tell Ilona this and she will let us know.
Thank you.

Vitamins

The Orkney Islands are somewhat dull, and also deficient in Magnesium and therefore we try to use some supplements:

100% natural Vitamin C — £15.30 from Amazon available here.

100% natural Vitamin D & K - £15.97 from Amazon available here.

100% natural Zinc - £8.90 from Amazon here.

100% natural Quercetin - £16.99 from Amazon here.

Magnesium, Pack of 240 - £25.99 from Amazon available here.

Super B-Complex - High Strength B Vitamins with folate, B6 & B12 Plus Vitamin C, 60 Tablets - £9.99 from Amazon available here.

Multivitamin tablets, pack of 365 - £19.99 from Amazon available here.

Click on the links to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”

Thank you!

Seeds (for a humble expansion of our permaculture project)

It can easily happen that one is left with older or unwanted garden seeds. If you have any such we would gladly take them. Vegetables, herbs or flowers. The best kinds of vegetable for Orkney are roots, carrots, swedes and such like. Likewise, flowers and herbs need to be low-lying. Recently somebody kindly advised us that using old seed is wasting our time, but it will not be as we have a large area and if seeds do not germinate there is nothing lost, if they do, everything is gained!

In the early days of Papa Stronsay a kind person sent us a packet of Californian Redwood seeds! Which was a lovely gesture at which we laughed heartily! (There are very few trees in Orkney.)

Will keep our kind benefactors posted on progress.

Both of these companies, Ben at realseeds.co.uk and Cherry at fibrex.co.uk, kindly donated some top quality seeds to us, thus we recommend them also to your attention.

Shoes and Gum Boots

These are a difficult purchase as they are usually expensive and of varying actual qualities. On the whole monks are in need of shoes, for a usual UK size range of 8 to 12.

This is a solid better daily shoe.

These are good for daily wear and also solid shoes (by experience).

Gum Boots are also a must for working on the island and are needed, also in a range of sizes UK 8 to 12.

These are a few pairs: Dunlop. Amblers. Half calves.

There are many other options, perhaps better in price or durability. We are grateful for anything, but always best in black.

Please enter our details in the delivery details (see bottom of page).
Thank you!

Bedding

Thankfully, we have a good supply of warm blankets. Our pillows and duvets for guests and monks are old and leaving quite a bit to be desired.

Online these seem to be good average options:

Two pillows, and another kind.

Warm, reasonable single duvet here.

Here seems to be a good pillow case, right colour, low price and simple.

The above are suggestions. You may have a much better supplier or idea and we are very grateful for anything. Please enter our details in the delivery details (see bottom of page).
Thank you!

Cement & Coal

There is an ongoing shortage of cement in the UK. It filters through very slowly. We purchase from

Orkney Aggregates Ltd (Sort code - 80-08-66, Account – 00120650)

As an indicator, they charge £440 per tonne of Colombian coal (which is a pallet),

but even one bag is much appreciated.

***

Any ordinary building cement in plastic bags is likewise most appreciated!

If you would like to help with this it is best to contact Hayley Hayley@orkagg.co.uk

Aggregates deliver to us via the local haulier, which they understand.

If possible please let us know at golgothamonastery@gmail.com
for us to pick up at the deliveries yard.

Printer Ink

Cartridges for printing formation materials, letters, booklets and other documents in the monastery. Either the Standard Yield or the High Yield cartridge would be very much appreciated (yield simply refers to the number of pages that can be printed).

Altar Wine

Thanks to Whitebridge Wines Ltd, we also now have a way of receiving Altar Wine through your kindness.

If you would like to help us with Altar Wine, click here to open the purchase page.
Use the option: “Poterion Fair Trade Communion Wine” “PALE”

Our delivery details:
Your Name: Rev. Br Minister Name of Church: Golgotha Monastery Island Delivery Address: Papa Stronsay, Orkney Islands, KW17 2AR, United Kingdom Telephone: 01857 616210 Email: golgothamonastery@gmail.com

Enter your Invoice Details separately. A kind lady from the company will be in contact with you about payment. The company charges (as do their colleagues) an extra shipping fare to the Scottish Islands. An example would be two boxes of wine (24 bottles) cost £156 and to that is added £40.20 of VAT and £45 of delivery cost. This shipping cost seems to be added to every purchase so less can be more in effect.

Curtains

Most of our cells use metal blinds and not curtains, but some rooms (mostly for visitors) have curtains which are sometimes no longer in a good state.

It is difficult to find quite the right thing online, but these seem a good option. They are basic but also have a thermal layer which would be most helpful in some rooms.

They are available on Amazon here.

The windows would take 90x90 inch curtains in green, brown or blue.

Thank you so much.

Vacuum Packer Bags

With your help we have been able to purchase a good chamber vacuum packer. With this new machine we can quickly process vegetables and freeze them, excellent economy and clean. In the past we have processed boxes of waning cauliflowers, parsnips, mushrooms, onions, pears, carrots, mint, sweet-potatoes, garlic, peppers and leeks.

We would be very grateful if you would like to help us purchase bags for this machine. We can accept any sizes you would like to buy, but 400x400 is the largest our machine can manage. Our usual bag weight is 65 micron (mu). Bags can be ordered from The Vacuum Pouch Company.

Thank you!

Sanctuary Lamps

At present five lamps burn here day and night. We purchase those lights (£47.98 for a box of 20 Nine Day Lamps) through Hayes and Finch here.

If you would like to order these for the monastery, the intention they burn for as they are used will be yours.

Please enter our details in the delivery details (see bottom of page).
Thank you, and a big thank you to all those who have helped us with lamps during the year

Preserving Jars (for wintering fruit and vegetables that we grow)

Kilner Round Clip Top Glass Jar, 1 L - £4.99 per jar from Amazon.
available from here.

Click on the link to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
Thank you!

Butter Dishes (for the refectory)

Arcoroc Helper butter dish cow 17cm with lid, 1 Piece - £2.99 from Amazon.
available from here.
Click on the link to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
It is also possible, if you wish, to set up such products to deliver monthly.
Thank you!

Tea (that British staple)

TYPHOO TEA 1100 Teabags - £11.59 from Amazon.
available from here.
Any other kind of tea is appreciated!
Click on the link to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
It is also possible, if you wish, to set up such products to deliver monthly.
Thank you!

Storage Boxes (for food and linen)

“6 X 80 Litre Heavy Duty Food Grade Clear plastic Storage Box With Lid” - £47.32 from Amazon seems to be a good deal and are available from here.

“Really Useful Box 84 Litre Plastic Storage Box Clear” - £20 from Amazon are in fact “Heavy Duty” and are available from here.

Any plastic storage boxes of any size are good, we have a few (of the above so can vouch for quality) but would benefit greatly from more. They are ideal for preserving food, sacristy supplies, and storing linen in our climate. They keep out damp, pests and dust. In this they are an economical way to maintain poverty and get the full life out of what is stored.

Click on the links to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
Thank you!

Chick Peas and Barley

Aksoy Green Whole Lentils 5KG - £15.99 from Amazon available here.

Aksoy Premium Quality Dry Chickpeas 5KG - £16.99 from Amazon available here.

Aksoy Wholefoods Pearl Barley 5KG - £15.99 from Amazon available here.

Click on the link to purchase and enter our address “Golgotha Monastery Island, etc”
Thank you!