Daily Rome Shots 1091

This is completely crazy! Take in Nepo’s expression as he watches Magnus have his … hat handed to him.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

The following have already made contributions using wavy flag in advance of my fundraiser for my time in Rome in October. “Mille grazie!” to

VF, JL, MR, DVDH, DC, LG, MMcM, MH, SB, PG, HL, MM, SAS, JL, EW

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Replacing the stained-glass window of Notre-Dame de Paris

At The Catholic Thing there is a thoughtful piece about the project and mindset to replace the windows of Note Dame in Paris with some 21st century … efforts.

The idea fills me with horror, as it does the writer, Brad Miner, who has good insights.

A couple snips:

I’m trying to recall who it is that Macron and Ulrich remind me of. Can’t put my finger on it – a real tip-of-the-tongue thing. Let’s see: authoritarian. . .bent on destroying something beautiful. . . opposed to a tradition others admire. . .also lives in Europe . . . Shoot, it just won’t come to me. Maybe later.

And…

France was a participant in the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (1964), the first sentence of which reads: “Imbued with a message from the past, the historic monuments of generations of people remain to the present day as living witnesses of their age-old traditions.” A lofty sentiment, in my opinion, but I suppose the charter only has moral force. And the denizens of Elysée Palace can and will do what they want, ignoring the principle of Com’era Dov’era (How was it / Where was it).

At the end there are striking visual images that speak over a thousand well-chosen and pointed words.

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(A few) bishops want an apology for the Parisian Blasphemy

Not enough. It’s a start. Please, more bishops?

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2 August until midnight: “Portiuncula” Plenary (or Partial) Indulgence

From midnight 1 August to midnight today, 2 August, you can gain the “Portinuncula” Indulgence.

This indulgence seems to have been granted directly by Christ Himself in an appearance to St. Francis.  The Lord them told Francis to go to Pope Honorius III, who, as Vicar of Christ, who wielded the keys, would decree it.

Catholic Encyclopedia

St. Francis, as you know, repaired three chapels. The third was popularly called the Portiuncula or the Little Portion, dedicated to St. Mary of the Angels. It is now enclosed in a sanctuary at Assisi.

The friars came to live at the Little Portion in early 1211. It became the “motherhouse” of the Franciscans. This is where St. Clare came to the friars to make her vows during the night following Palm Sunday in 1212 and where Sister Death came to Francis on 3 October 1226.

Because of the favors from God obtained at the Portiuncula, St. Francis requested the Pope to grant remission of sins to all who came there. The privilege extends beyond the Portiuncula to others churches, especially held by Franciscans, throughout the world.

A plenary indulgence is a mighty tool for works of mercy and weapon in our ongoing spiritual warfare. A plenary indulgence is the remission, through the merits of Christ and the saints, through the Church, of all temporal punishment due to sin already forgiven.

To obtain the Portiuncula plenary indulgence, a person must visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels at Assisi, or a Franciscan sanctuary, or one’s parish church, with the intention of honoring Our Lady of the Angels. Then perform the work of reciting the Creed and Our Father and pray for the Pope’s designated intentions.

You should be free, at least intentionally, of attachment to venial and mortal sin, and truly repentant. Make your sacramental confession 8 days before or after. Participate at assist at Mass and receive Holy Communion 8 days before or after.

BTW… the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence on a day of the year he designates (cf. Ench. Indul. 33 1.2.d). You might choose the anniversary of your baptism or of another sacrament or name day.

My friend the great Fr. Finigan, His Hermeueticalness, has some excellent points and suggestions in his post about the Porticuncula indulgence.  HERE

Also, HERE, Fr. Finigan wrote about the requirement that we not have any attachment to sin, even venial.  He offers quite a hopeful view of what sounds like a difficult prospect.  I warmly recommend it.

Regarding “the Pope’s intentions”, this means intentions designated by the Pope.  However, some people have wondered how strict this is, or what to do it the intention is… odd.   I wrote about this issue HERE.  Read that post.  However, here’s an excerpt:

Click

Because we are Unreconstructed Ossified Manualists, and we love our old dependable compendia of theology with its sober and thorough analyses, we can turn to the manual by Prümmer.

Prümmer says that the intentions of the Holy Father for which we are to pray have a tradition of five basic categories which were fixed:

1. Exaltatio S. Matris Ecclesiae (Triumph/elevation/stability/growth of Holy Mother Church)
2. Extirpatio haeresum (Extirpation/rooting out of heresies),
3. Propagatio fidei (Propagation/expansion/spreading of the Faith)
4. Conversio peccatorum (Conversion of sinners),
5. Pax inter principes christianos (Peace between christian rulers).

These five categories were also listed in the older, 1917 Code of Canon Law, which is now superseded by the 1983 Code.

However, they remain good intentions all.

 

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A good piece at The Catholic Thing about the Parisian Blasphemy

I haven’t yet figured out Fr. Weinandy’s motives for the seemingly inexplicable and most odd attack on the Vetus Ordo some time ago.

That said, this is a good piece at The Catholic Thing that says things that need to be said:

The Parisian Blasphemy and the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap.

Many people, including Catholic bishops and numerous Christians throughout the world, have condemned the blasphemous event that took place during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

[…]

Amidst all the condemnations and claims of the display’s offensiveness, what has not been stated, even by Christians, is that those who planned, orchestrated, and perpetrated such a blasphemous portrayal, [NB] unless they repent, will not die a happy death. At the very moment of their death, they will be about to face the very one that they blasphemously mocked and demeaned. And contrary to the sentimentalized Christianity of many today, Scripture itself tells us that He will be their judge – the holy and risen Lord Jesus Christ.  [The Four Last Things, my friends.]

Moreover, God the Father will not allow His beloved incarnate Son, Jesus Christ, to be blasphemed. France, and particularly Paris, and maybe even the Olympic games themselves, will not go unpunished. Jesus declared to his disciples: “‘Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’ – for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’” (Mark 3:28-30)  [God the Father allows His Son to mocked constantly.  However, for God, a thousand years is as a day.  It is not going to go unpunished, eventually.  Meanwhile, the Lord’s Passion continues in the Church.]

Although all sins can be forgiven, even blasphemy against God, yet to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. [QUAERITUR…] What is this blasphemy against the Spirit and why can’t it be forgiven?

To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to deny that Jesus is the Spirit-filled Messiah. Unbelieving Jews declared that Jesus was possessed by an unclean spirit, the devil, and in so doing, they blasphemed the Holy Spirit who dwelt within Jesus in all of his fullness. To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to deny that Jesus is the Father’s beloved incarnate Son. Again, such blasphemy the Father will never tolerate, but eternally condemn.

[QUAERITUR…] Now, did those who made mockery of Jesus and his apostles not know that Jesus is the Spirit-filled Messiah? The answer to this question is “No.” [But we don’t buy that.  And neither does the writer…] If they did not know, what they did may be unseemly and tasteless, but they would not, because of their ignorance, be guilty of the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. However, it is precisely because they did know that Jesus is the Father’s incarnate Spirit-filled Son that they mocked him, and so blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Contempt was the whole point of their blasphemous portrayal.

Thus, the entire event was demonic. The devil desires nothing more than for Jesus to be blasphemed, for Jesus, through his saving death and glorious resurrection, destroyed Satan’s kingdom. Satan clearly knows who Jesus is and what he is about. “Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” (Luke 4:34)

Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God, destroyed Satan’s dominion of sin and death. To this day, Satan and his demonic thugs, demons and human beings alike, continue to seek revenge, and they do so by fermenting blasphemy against him. This demonic provocation was fully on display in Paris at the Olympic opening ceremony – a demonic liturgical rite.

Was it, then, by happenstance that the blasphemous display was the portrayal of the Last Supper? No! Satan not only wanted to blaspheme Jesus, but he also desired to blaspheme the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the making present of Jesus’ one saving sacrifice, a sacrifice which vanquished sin and death. In the Eucharist, the faithful receive the risen body and risen blood of Jesus, and so come into living communion with Him.

The Mass is the ultimate exactment of Satan’s kingdom being ever destroyed, and the definitive expression of God’s kingdom being ever made present. For all times, the Mass sacramentally signifies Satan’s demise and Jesus’ triumph. It is an ever-present visible outrage to Satan and an insult that he cannot endure – but he is helpless.

On Montmartre, …

[…]

If there ever was a time when, before the Blessed Sacrament, reparation needs to be made to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this is such a time. Jesus’s heart was pierced out of love for all. From His heart flows out an abundance of mercy and forgiveness. All Christians need to call upon Jesus, as the Sacred Heart, to cast out all demons from Paris and the Olympics. All Christian groups need to pray that Jesus would fill everyone, especially the athletes, with the love of his Holy Spirit.

The Olympics, as an international athletic event, symbolize the entire world, and it is not only France and Paris that need Jesus but the whole of humankind.

Well put in many respects.

Back to the other thing.

Here’s a strong refutation of the puzzling pieces by Cavadini, Healy, and Weinandy, who ought to have known better than to wade into this topic unprepared:

Illusions of Reform – Responses to Cavadini, Healy, and Weinandy: In defense of the Traditional Mass and the Faithful who attend it

US HERE – UK HERE

 

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Your reactions to this video about young Franciscan friars

Here a video from a youngster Franciscan, deeply impressed that he was invited to come to a meeting of youngster Franciscans in Italy.   I’ve seen this fellow’s face pop up now and again on YouTube between my videos about chess opening and guys who clean up abandoned houses. I think he and another friar did commentary on The Chosen.

I invite you to watch this, maybe at 1.5x speed if you are one of those people who like others to get to the point. Some of the statements made by the youngster Franciscans stopped me in my tracks, to listen carefully. For example, the fellow who mentioned the language of the worship for all these friars coming from different countries. In that moment, I tried to imagine what they might be like, with their youth and zeal if they were connected more deeply with each other in a common heritage and Church-view formed by tradition. “Gosh! young fella from country X, thrown together with guys from all over the place, if only there were a common language of worship and that your superiors cared for you enough to make sure you knew it!”

Mind you, there is the old adage, certain alive in the Jesuits, corruptio optimi pessima. Some of the weirdest Catholics, strangest priests I’ve every met are Franciscan. They seemed to think that because Francis (the original) was a kind of renegade, they were licensed to do whatever they wanted under the mask of being “prophetic” or some such bovine leavings. To this day, I can’t see the letters TOR without remember the pure evil handed to me in my US seminary by one of these sons of Francis. God help him in his judgement.

Still, this video is instructive. I also shows what huge potential there could be were these young men to integrate the Church’s Tradition into their apostolates. I think it could be electrifying. I think they are not brainwashed by the idea of the halcyon days of the 60’s.

What do you notice?

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

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Daily Rome Shots 1090

HEY!  v*********@stonyhurst.ac.uk!  My email note to you was kicked back.  New email?

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

White to move and mate in 3.

Nice people! Great service!

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

In chessy news, … not much.  The British champs are going on.  Something is happening in Budapest, a place I would like to visit.  The World Rapid Chess and Blitz Team Championship will begin in Astana (recognize that name?) on Friday. Big names in it. The format in Düsseldorf was fun. 39 teams. The rather disagreeable Neimann named his team after himself, which speaks for itself. The WR Chess Team has an absurd amount of firepower: Magnus, Nepo, Duda, Nodirbek Hou Yifen, Pragg, Keymer… really? However, on a given day, any player on these teams can beat another. Except maybe for one guy on the all Chinese team (with Ding and Wei Yi), that is, Bo Pang whose rating is listed as “0”, which make him a bit of a mystery, at least to me.

I recently had lunch with Karen Hall the author of a book about a wonderful Jesuit, the late and lamented Fr. Paul Mankowski, whom I knew.  He was treated horribly by his confreres.   One of their most brilliant lights, and they snuffed him out.  There are a couple books about him.  Here is Karen’s:

The Sound of Silence: The Life and Cancelling of a Heroic Jesuit Priest

US HERE – UK HERE

Also available…

Jesuit at Large: Essays and Reviews by Paul Mankowski, SJ edited by George Weigel

and

Diogenes Unveiled: A Paul Mankowski SJ Collection edited by Phil Lawler

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Daily Rome Shots 1089 – demon party tricks

Welcome registrant:

Sulpicia

The Babylon Bee is funny. However, this is a real thing. Demons can exercise extension control over electronics. If they can manipulate a human body in a superhuman way, think of what they can do with a machine? Exorcist friends have told me stories of how demons have manipulated electronics, including printers and mobile phones. One demon was sending an exorcist friend of mine nasty texts. I am pretty sure that, right now, something is interfering with some streaming tech I use. Oh yes… electronics are a piece of cake for them.

Here’s the funny part.  As soon as I read that, and prepared to post this with that tweet, above, I then switched to print notes I would need for the live stream.  I got this when I tried to print:

I solved the problem with few minutes to spare, but I thought, “Yup, trying to keep me off-balance and distracted with their party tricks.”

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

White to move and mate in five.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Hey Fathers!  How about a clerical Guayabera shirt for the hot summer days?  Please don’t get  powder blue?

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Do any of you read the site 1 PETER 5? Not only that…. Archdiocese for Military Services.

Do any you read 1 Peter 5?  It is a tradition leaning site that had an original founder, who went off the rails, and was taken over by a sensible fellow who right away got a good editorial board together to keep things on track.

For a couple of years now, I have written a weekly column on the TLM readings for Sundays.  My latest is HERE.

They are having a fund drive right now and it needs a boost.  HERE

A lot of people have their hands out or their guitar cases open to you and are rattling a cup.  I am one of them.  It is a humiliating, frankly. Given my situation, given the whole situation of the Church today, it can’t be helped.  We need you.

If you are looking for a way to follow the “precept of the Church” to provide for the Church’s material benefit, and you don’t know some good options … I think we know the bad or inadequate ones all too well by now… consider a donation.  They pay me to write, so you are also helping me.

CLICK

ALSO… I have intended to tag this onto posts for a few days…

The Archdiocese for the Military Services is fundraising as well.   This means military chaplains.  This is a worthy cause if ever there was one.  Tell them Fr. Z sent you.

CLICK!

Also, you might stop now and ask Mary to extend her protecting mantle over both of these. Perhaps use the Memorare.

Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria,
a saeculo non esse auditum, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia,
tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia,
esse derelictum.
Ego tali animatus confidentia,
ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro,
ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto.
Noli, Mater Verbi,
verba mea despicere;
sed audi propitia et exaudi.
Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy, hear and answer me.
Amen.

UPDATE:

It happened again. Just like when I tried to post about the Olympic blasphemy, my post window ground to a halt and wouldn’t let me save the draft. I had to copy and paste the html into a new post and try again. Coincidence?

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29 July 1954: Fellowship of the Ring is published. The ‘Lord of the Rings’ changed my life.

The Lord of the Rings changed my life.

I read it in 7th grade. It coalesced several factors, including foreign languages (by this time German and Russian), playing and listening to Classical instrumental music and opera, chess, etc. (not sure I can include hockey), into a fledgling receptive world view which would, with elements to come later (Latin and Greek and a car that wouldn’t start) lead me into the Catholic Church.

I resent enormously the gratuitous and even malicious changes made by the Peter Jackson crowd in the movies.  While some of the production elements and action were great, some were explicable only because they must have hated the characters and what they stood for.

I feel genuine pity people who saw the movies first, before reading the books, thus spoiling their first impressions… their first “printing”.    I was talking to a young fellow not long ago, who really had no idea of what Tolkien created, knowing only some things through the movieses and video gameses, precious.  He didn’t think it all that important to read the books.    How sad.

I warmly recommend getting a set of the books and, if you have children, reading them aloud before you go anywhere near the movies.

US HERE – UK HERE

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