I hope you all have a wonderful celebration of Christmas, replete with many graces and blessings for you and yours.
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About this blog…
“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- Chicagiensis_Indianapolitana on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “With the rather stark difference between +Bp. Schneider’s letter and +Card. Sarah’s letter, a few observations. Let us first leave…”
- Ave Maria on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “It is the enemy of souls that wants to suppress a valid Mass.”
- FRLBJ on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “Totally agree with Cri de Coeur. There is no subsitute for that old time religion. We must polititely express ourselves…”
- Ages on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “A minor thing, probably a setting change, but I liked that the desktop version home page previously showed the full…”
- WVC on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “@JonPatrick – I agree – it’s as bad as when they change the layout or swipe function on your smartphone…”
- WVC on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “@TonyO – at the rate we’re going, they’re going to start announcing automatic excommunication for anyone who says anything mean…”
- amenamen on Daily Rome Shot 1560: “Black must keep White King in check, lest White Queen threatens: Bf7+, Kh7 (or Kg7) Qg8# So, Black forces these…”
- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf on Daily Rome Shot 1560: “Black to move and mate in 4. [NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t…”
- revueltos67 on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “White to move and mate in 4 1) Rc8+ Rd8 forced 2) Qxf7+ Kh8 forced 3) Qg8+ Rxg8 forced 4)…”
- JonPatrick on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “I am glad you are not changing the blog’s design. There is nothing I hate more that going to a…”
- kelleyb on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “Father Z earns the GOLD star today!”
- TonyO on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “Monsignor Breis Pereira de Maceió, Archbishop of Maceió (Brazil), has declared excommunication for any priest who celebrates or any faithful…”
- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “Smarticus Pantsicus!”
- Longinus on “The bread was fresh and was good. The cheese was not and was excellent.”: “The dolce is heavenly, especially with a bit of Tuscan acacia honey on it.”
- The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clerics who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds.
St. John Eudes
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“Until the Lord be pleased to settle, through the instrumentality of the princes of the Church and the lawful ministers of His justice, the trouble aroused by the pride of a few and the ignorance of some others, let us with the help of God endeavor with calm and humble patience to render love for hatred, to avoid disputes with the silly, to keep to the truth and not fight with the weapons of falsehood, and to beg of God at all times that in all our thoughts and desires, in all our words and actions, He may hold the first place who calls Himself the origin of all things.”
- Prosper of Aquitaine (+c.455), De gratia Dei et libero arbitrio contra Collatorem 22.61
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“He [Satan] will set up a counter-Church which will be the ape of the Church because, he the devil, is the ape of God. It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content. It will be a mystical body of the anti-Christ that will in all externals resemble the mystical body of Christ. In desperate need for God, whom he nevertheless refuses to adore, modern man in his loneliness and frustration will hunger more and more for membership in a community that will give him enlargement of purpose, but at the cost of losing himself in some vague collectivity.”
“Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops.”- Fulton Sheen
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Fr John Zuhlsdorf
Tridentine Mass Society of Madison
733 Struck St.
PO BOX 44603
Madison, WI 53744-4603
For email HERE
- “The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender's inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for every one else the proper pleasure of ritual.”
- C.S. Lewis
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frz AT wdtprs DOT comAs for Latin…
"But if, in any layman who is indeed imbued with literature, ignorance of the Latin language, which we can truly call the 'catholic' language, indicates a certain sluggishness in his love toward the Church, how much more fitting it is that each and every cleric should be adequately practiced and skilled in that language!" - Pius XI
"Let us realize that this remark of Cicero (Brutus 37, 140) can be in a certain way referred to [young lay people]: 'It is not so much a matter of distinction to know Latin as it is disgraceful not to know it.'" - St. John Paul II
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Recent Posts
- Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday in/of Lent 2026
- Daily Rome Shot 1561
- “And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse…”
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 13: Monday in the 2nd Week in Lent – “Everything became clear to me.”
- A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland
- 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”
- Daily Rome Shot 1560
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 12: 2nd Sunday in Lent – Benedict XVI from Lent of sad 2013
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 11: Ember Saturday 1st Week in Lent – “Know Thyself!”
- On this Ember Friday we are 38 days out from Easter. What does the number 38 mean to St. Augustine?
- “The bread was fresh and was good. The cheese was not and was excellent.”
- Daily Rome Shot 1559
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 10: Ember Friday 1st Week in Lent – “Ego te absolvo” is your sure guarantee!
- Two items worthy of your precious time
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 09: Thursday 1st Week in Lent – Law and Order
- WDTPRS – Collect of Ember Wednesday of Lent (TLM & Novus)
- Daily Rome Shot 1558
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 08: Ember Wednesday 1st Week in Lent – The Four Preachers
- Daily Rome Shot 1557
- Brief summation of Bp. Schneider’s appeal to Pope Leo about the SSPX
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 07: Tuesday 1st Week in Lent – Against the wicked
- Daily Rome Shot 1556
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 06: Monday 1st Week in Lent – Bonds
- From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 26-02-18 – Ashes
- ASK FATHER: Why are Sunday “of Lent” in the Novus Ordo and “in Lent” in the TLM?
- Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday in/of Lent 2026
- Daily Rome Shot 1555
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 05: 1st Sunday of Lent – ANGELS!
- Daily Rome Shot 1554
- Card. Müller: a canonical solution for the SSPX
Let us pray…
Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
PLEASE RESPOND. Pretty pleeeease?
The "sign of peace" during Mass in the Ordinary Form...
- I dread it as it approaches and think of ways to avoid it. (36%, 9,555 Votes)
- I tolerate it. (35%, 9,195 Votes)
- I hate it so much I won't go to Mass where it is done. (12%, 3,205 Votes)
- I like it and am happy to do it. (11%, 2,955 Votes)
- I don't care one way or another. (6%, 1,696 Votes)
Total Voters: 26,606
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Should the Bishops of the USA have us return to obligatory meatless Fridays during the whole year and not just during Lent?
- Yes, and I think this is very important. (81%, 15,546 Votes)
- Yes, I guess so. (9%, 1,716 Votes)
- No, I hesitate about such a move. (5%, 900 Votes)
- No, this would be a really bad idea. (3%, 511 Votes)
- I don't care. (2%, 431 Votes)
- What's penance? (1%, 152 Votes)
Total Voters: 19,255
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Thank you, Father. Wishing you a beautiful and very Merry Christmas.
God richly bless you, Father, and may the miracle of the Virgin Birth be for you, and for us, an example and encouragement to become more fully who HE wants us to be in the coming year.
Joyeaux Noel!
Merry Christmas Father Z. Your blog has been enriching my faith since I heard you preach at Holy Innocents near the end of 2011 (I think). I can’t thank you enough. I have learned so much from you. May G-d bless you abundantly.
Merry Christmas, Fr. Z. I will remember you and your intention at Mass tonight and tomorrow.
May God bless us, every one.
A Holy and happy Christmas to Father Z and all his virtual parishioners.
Father, a very Merry and Blessed Christmas to you and a most grateful thank you for the care you have for our eternal souls. To all readers and commentators here, may God Bless you and your families with a joyful celebration of the Birth of Our Savior. +JMJ+
Merry Christmas! And here is an uplifting story:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/57191091-80/evangelicals-francis-church-family.html.csp
Thank you Father Z, for giving yourself to the priesthood and for this great blog that teaches me so much and has introduced me to Mystic Monk Coffee and dialogue of the multus of orthodox Catholics who still love the Latin Mass. Merry Christmas.
igualmente, padre z., … same to you, Father Zuhlsdorf, and thanks for your hard work and sacrifices, which will be recompensed a hundred fold and more. Of course and without a doubt.
Merry Christmas to you too, Fr. Z. and to all – peace, joy and love.
What a beautiful picture. Merry Christmas to you, Father, and God bless you.
And thank you to all the commenters here who I enjoy learning from and interacting with. I hope you all enjoy the holiday.
Merry Christmas, Father! Many thanks for the always interesting blog-posts and views of this wonderful adventure of Faith we are on. Prayers for you and all your readers! May Our Lady protect beneath her mantle all souls, especially those lonely and poor and suffering who do not see the miracle of the manger with the eyes of Faith.
Happy Christmas, Father Z. May God bless all your ministries in 2014.
Merry Christmas Father Z! Thank you for becoming a priest and thank you for your blog. May God Bless you always.
Merry Christmas to you Fr. Z. and to all of your readers.
Merry Christmas….everyone.
J.M.J.D.
For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.
Merry Christmas Father Z and all who come here to this blog. God bless you all.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Merry Christmas, Fr. Z, and to all who come here with good will.
Thank you, Father Z. Wishing you, and all my fellow readers, a Happy and Holy Christmas!
Puer natus est nobis
Merry Christmas Father, commentators, and readers!
Merry Christmas Father and to all the readers and commentators!
Happy Christmas, Father, to you and to all!
Christmas blessings, Father, to you and to all who come here to grow in faith. Thank you for all you do! May the Lord and His Precious Mother help us abundantly in the New Year to come, and provide strength and many graces for us.
Thank you, Father! And you!
Christ is born! Let us glorify Him! +
Merry Christmas, Father, to you and all your readers! Thank you for loyalty to Holy Mother Church.
Merry Christmas to you Father Z and all of your readers. Thank you for your blog. May God bless you.
A joy-filled, happy Christmas to you, too, Father and all fellow bloggers here.
May the Christ Child reign in our hearts today and all year-round.
Merry Christmas to you Father Z and all who read this blog. Thanks for all the times you have talked some of us down from the ledge.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Fr. Z! And the same to all of us readers and combox pundits!
Thank you, Father! I wish you and all a Holy and Joyful Christmas(tide)!
Merry Christmas, Father and all Father Z’s readers. The number of times I’ve been on the verge of despairing that the entire world was upside down, only to come here and see that at least a few sane people still live…thank you all, especially Father Z. for being such a wonderful and informative host. God bless us, everyone!
Jolly Christmas, Father Z.
BIG QUESTION for you and for anybody in a position to answer: by the grace of God, a priest friend wishes to learn the EF! He lives about 20 miles from Philadelphia: could I have suggestions as to where he might learn to celebrate the Mass of the Saints?
Merry Christmas, Fr. Z. Thanks for all that you do for us!
Often, when I say, “I wish you a Merry Christmas,” I am tempted to say, “I wish you Mary’s Christmas,” – Christ was conceived in Mary’s heart long before He was ever conceived in her womb. May Christ be born in your heart this day that you may bear Him into the world on all other days.
There is a lovely Christmas poem by Madeline L’engle:
Now is the irrational season.
When love blooms bright and wild.
If Mary had been full of reason.
There’d have been no room for the Child.
The Chicken