Category Archives: Priests and Priesthood

Recommended online reading at “These Stone Walls”

Please run, don’t walk, to These Stone Walls, the blog of Fr. Gordon MacCrae, unjustly jailed and innocent of crimes against minors. It’s a long read, and a lurid in many ways, but it reveals the slimy underside of the Accuse–a-Priest … Read More

Posted in Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged , ,
3 Comments

UPDATED: A great Father’s Day note from a reader

UPDATE 19 June: Today I have received notes from readers saying that they have spotted this Prayer For Vocations in a couple other places as well.  A comment in the combox, below, speaks of one of them. To wit: [T]he … Read More

Posted in Just Too Cool, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , ,
4 Comments

Sobering memory of a murdered priest and advice renewed

About three years ago, Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, was murdered in Phoenix and another priest badly injured by assault.  Pray for Fr. Walker.  RIP. At that time I posted the following, which seems no less urgent today than it did … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, GO TO CONFESSION, Linking Back, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged
9 Comments

The effect of lay participation on the souls of priests

Today during Mass I was struck hard with something, which reinforced an observation I read recently in an email.  In effect, the priestly writer said that priests, who are under constant and insidious attacks by the Devil, are therefore also constantly at … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM | Tagged , , ,
42 Comments

ASK FATHER: First Mass of a new priest – Requiem?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I have heard that there is an ancient tradition in which a newly ordained priest offers either his first Mass or one of the following Masses for the souls of the faithful departed, specifically for his … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged ,
7 Comments

ACTION ITEM! Birettas for Seminarians Project RENEWED!

YOU, dear readers, have supplied over 100 birettas to seminarians.  Kudos.  Some thank you notes from seminarians with spiffy new birettas HERE and HERE. Last night after the Pontifical Mass I was chatting with seminarians and learned to my horror that a … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged
4 Comments

ASK FATHER: Why do priests impose hands during ordinations?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I attended the sacerdotal ordination of 5 priests for my diocese last Saturday. After the bishop imposed hands, other priests participating in the Mass also imposed hands on the candidates. Since priests lack the fullness of … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged ,
13 Comments

‘Tis the season for ordinations

This is ordination season in many places.  I’ve been getting news about priestly ordinations and some of it is good. While my impression is that diocesan vocations are down in the last few years, some places there is growth. In … Read More

Posted in Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , ,
16 Comments

A young priest recounts his experience and aspirations

For decades priests have done all sorts of goofy things to Mass and bishops did little or nothing to safeguard our sacred worship. Almost a year ago Robert Card. Sarah called for priests to celebrate Mass ad orientem more often, where possible, … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Be The Maquis, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liberals, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged ,
16 Comments

ASK FATHER: Saturno tassel

From a cleric: I bought Saturno and a black tassel that goes with it. I was hoping that if you can teach us how to put the tassel on the saturno. Ahhh…. an important question.   Not like those frivolous … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged , ,
5 Comments