Category Archives: Hard-Identity Catholicism

Vigil of Epiphany: Special Blessing of Water

Wonderful customs come with the Feast of the Epiphany.  Epiphany is 6 January, by the way. On Epiphany we can bless gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Bring all your spare, unblessed myrrh to your priest… and gold.  Bring lots of spare … Read More

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged ,
14 Comments

The Infant King’s great war cry!

It is still Christmas.  That is, we are in the Octave of Christmas.  Holy Church stops her counting of time for a bit so that we can rest with the mystery of the Incarnation and contemplate it from various angles. … Read More

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Hard-Identity Catholicism | Tagged ,
11 Comments

26 Dec: The Protomartyr, The Octave, and You

In addition to Boxing Day, and the day good King Wenceslaus went out, it is the feast of St Stephen. I hope all your snow is neat and crisp and even. St. Stephen’s feast has been celebrated this day since the … Read More

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Religious Liberty, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged , , ,
3 Comments

Card. Sarah, Bps. Slattery, Conley, Morlino on “ad orientem” worship

I hold with Klaus Gamber and others that the turning around of Mass, to celebrate versus populum was the single most damaging thing to our Catholic identity.  I hold with Joseph Ratzinger and others that we need to return to ad orientem worship. … Read More

Posted in Four Last Things, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , , , , ,
26 Comments

Altar girls and liturgy dominated by women: bad ideas

I’m Fr. Z.. and I endorse this essay by Rachel Lu at Crisis! My emphases and comments: In 1994, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued a letter officially specifying that it is licit for females to serve the altar in … Read More

Posted in Fr. Z KUDOS, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, POLLS, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged ,
61 Comments

ASK FATHER: Hindu service in my parish church! ANGRY!

From a priest… QUAERITUR: I’m a lowly parochial vicar at a parish whose pastor is people-pleaser. As I type this, there is a Hindu funeral ceremony going on in the nave of the church, at the foot of the altar. … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Mail from priests, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged
33 Comments

ASK FATHER: Sunday obligation and Saturday vigil Masses, revisited

From a priest… QUAERITUR: I was not at peace with the Sunday-obligation-Saturday-evening question and answer. HERE Imagine a penitent: Bless me Father, for I have sinned. Three weeks ago I was leaving on a anonruise, which was for fun, but … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Canon Law, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests | Tagged ,
29 Comments

ASK FATHER: During Year of Mercy can I go to SSPX Masses for my Sunday Obligation?

From a reader… May I attend a Mass by an SSPX priest during the Year of Mercy to fulfill my Sunday obligation? What is the current status of their Mass and is it affected by the Year of Mercy declaration … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Our Catholic Identity, SSPX | Tagged , ,
39 Comments

Strike your breasts in sorrow and hope

Imagine for a moment the sound made in church of hundreds of people simultaneously and with force striking their breasts with closed fists. St. Augustine, in his Enarrationes in psalmos 117, speaks of the thunder-like sound, strepitus, made in church by … Read More

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Patristiblogging | Tagged , ,
4 Comments

ASK FATHER: Does a chalice have to be consecrated before use?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: My family plans to give a priest a chalice (he is from Ireland and does not have one of his own here in the US) and I have the following questions:  [Usually I take one question … Read More

Posted in "But Father! But Father!", "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , ,
9 Comments