Fr. Z's Blog

The chapel of an old Roman family in the Palazzo Massimo. It has the status of a church. The Palazzo is open once a year on the anniversary of a miracle worked by St. Philip Neri: he raised the Prince’s son from the dead. Priests are able to celebrate Mass in the chapel on this day. I have done so many times, though not lately.

Photos from The World’s Best Sacristan™.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance, utilities, groceries, and now also my late mother’s place.  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.  

First, check this out…. the “Pachamama” demon garbage that infected the Vatican and St. Peter’s itself at the time of the Amazon “Walking Together” debacle is even worse than most of us knew.  We knew it was bad – yes, putting that demonic-idol bowl on the altar over the bones of Peter was a horrid sacrilege – but its really bad, as in human sacrifice bad.  HERE

Meanwhile, Holy Sepulcher is closed.

IL SANTO SEPOLCRO È CHIUSO.
IL LUOGO DELLA RESURREZIONE DI CRISTO. CHIUSO!
Dal 28 febbraio 2026.
Mai successo in 2000 anni di storia.
Non durante le Crociate.
Non durante le guerre mondiali.
Non durante la pandemia.
Oggi è chiuso.
La Settimana Santa si avvicina.
Il Golgota è…

— Paracleto4 (@paracleto4) March 16, 2026

And…

De ‘verboden Mis’ zoals kardinaal Eijk met een glimlach omschreef. Humor zat er ook de preek. En hartelijk was het samenzijn nadien in de tuin. Mij trof de stille stoet van moeders met kinderen die op het moment van de Communie door de koorgang naderde om de Heer te ontvangen. pic.twitter.com/60NFWgcPYo

— Harm Schilder (@PastoorSchilder) March 15, 2026

Black to move and mate in 4. HERE

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance, utilities, groceries, and now also my late mother’s place.  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.  

Happy PI DAY!

Did you know?

NASA only uses 15 digits of ? for calculating interplanetary travel.

At 40 digits, you could calculate the circumference of a circle the size of the visible universe with an accuracy that’d fall off by less than the diameter of a hydrogen atom.

? Day 2026 pic.twitter.com/NTH3eurif7

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) March 14, 2026

Old orders can go dormant and then be revived later by fresh blood!

In 1949, North Korean intelligence raided a Benedictine monastery and arrested 70 monks in a single night

The abbot died in prison
The monastery became an agricultural university
Yet… the Vatican never recognised the suppression

It still lists Tokwon as an active territorial… pic.twitter.com/F8UgfT1EbI

— Robbert Leusink (@robbertleusink) March 14, 2026

White to move and mate in 4. HERE

UPDATE 16 March:

Thanks (so far) to:

KK, OK, AC, JLS, DC, Fr. TE, TD, ER, WH, AC, TB, VF, AR, AR, AB, GH, PG, LD, HVR, Rev. MG, MH, CVS, AN, AC, SN, KEB, CRG, RP, LB, EFC, MF, Dcn TB, MF, HL, DM, MK, DJK, JH, NT, SN, ML, KB, GD, JS, MBC, JS, MH, AV, JS, CS, MH, DW, CH, WKE, RG, SB, JC, VS

I don’t have an email for a few of you (AC, JH, JS), alas, so I can’t write back with a thank you note.

ORIGINALLY POSTED 12 March.

Time for a fundraiser.  I’m starting a little late, however.

Long-time readers know that I try to get back to Rome in (March/April/May for Easter and my ordination anniversary. This year I will be there for Holy Week and beyond for most of the month of May.  Since Easter is really early this year, that means that I have more days to cover.

This is my way to keep my brain alive, identity strong and – having been significantly but not entirely cancelled (“under-utilized” against my will) – my liturgical batteries recharged. It keeps me fighting.

This fundraiser must cover three things: airfare, rent, groceries.

And of course there are additional expenses and nearly endless beggars.

I usually only eat out when invited out.  Because I stay in and cook for myself, I save quite a bit.  I’ll have to cover US phone use in Italy (I changed from ATT to T-Mobile).

My plan is, once again, to head to Brooklyn for a couple of days next week and then arrive in Rome before Palm Sunday begins, hopefully to get over jetlag before the heavy days start.

As always, I will record the names of all those who contribute for this.  I will celebrate Holy Mass for the intention of my benefactors as well as for other intentions which readers have requested through my form.  As I go about in Rome, I will remember you in my prayers at the tombs of saints.

Another benefit for all is some enhanced content here and the knowledge that I occasionally realize that I am smiling while I am going about my day.

My goal is to cover 66 days in Rome. Since my mom passed away I’m now freer to spend more time abroad.

The usual ways of donating are available.  Some of you know them already.

• Zelle, through your US bank, works best.  Drop me a note HERE   PLEASE use this if you can!  Add a note “Days in Rome” in the “memo” and your email.
• For international donations there is a service called WISE which is very good and has the lowest fees and best conversion rate I’ve seen and I can accept any currency with it, convert it, and either move it or withdraw it using an ATM in Rome.  Also, this is the service that I use to pay my rent in Rome. Try WISE. HERE
• There’s also waaavy flag (PayPal). Add a note “Days in Rome” and include your email if you want me to write back.
  

  CLICK

• Venmo is an option, also. Drop me a note HERE  Or use this QR code…
• PayPal takes a service fee percentage.  Therefore…
• For larger donations checks by snail mail would be better.  TIME IS SHORT and MAIL IS SLOW.  Contact me HERE about that.  There is a faster route than through the old P.O. Box.  This is the best way for any significant amount, and there were a few of you, last time, who were quite generous.