ROME SHOT 889

Posted on 24 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please remember me when  CHRISTMAS  shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE  These links take you to a generic “catholic” search in Amazon. Amazon remembers that you used my link and I get the credit.  WHY?  This helps to pay for insurance (massively hiked for next year), utilities, groceries, all the necessities.  You get the items you need and, at no extra cost to you, you provide important help for which I am grateful.

Photo by The Great Roman™

WELCOME REGISTRANT

a*****@gmail.com (not a great idea to use email as “handle/nickname”)

News from my adoptive parish.  Oh how I wish I were there.

In a nutshell, the Archconfraternity members performed a corporal work of mercy in feeding the poor with a meal for 140 people for Christmas.

In chessy news, it seems that Alireza had enough of embarrassing himself and did not add games to his cobbled-up tournament.  He had assembled a few high rated but pretty-much retired players to “farm” some rating points so as to surpass Wesley So and grasp at a spot in the Candidates next year (to play for the World Championship).  At the end of 5 of the 6 games, which he had -surprise surprise – won, he was ahead of Wesley.  His 6th game was a draw, which dropped him down again.  I hope that was a choice and not a compulsion.  Anyway, the world is also abuzz about the girl in England, 8, who is cleaning clocks on the board.  Bodhana Sivanandan was the best woman player in the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Zagreb.

How nice it would be to sit with a nice glass of wine and review these games… or play your own!  Get a set and get some wine.

Use FATHERZ10 at checkout

Every home should have a chess set.  Teach your children.  It is the gift of a lifetime.

White to move and mate in 3.


1. Nf6+ gxf 2. Rxg3+ Kh8 3. Rxf8#
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

Remote Chess Academy (which helped y game) has a big sale going on beginning TOMORROW.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS

Posted on 23 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

PLEASE use the sharing buttons! Thanks!

This time of year, close to Christmas, is a time of joy. Not everyone, however, has joyful news.  Some experience serious challenges.

In your charity would you please take a moment look at the requests and to pray for the people about whom you read?

Continued from THESE.

Let’s remember all who are ill, who will die soon, who have died recently, who have lost their jobs, who are afraid.

I get many requests by email asking for prayers. Some are heart-achingly grave and urgent.

As long as my blog reaches so many readers in so many places, let’s give each other a hand. We should support each other in works of mercy.

If you have some prayer requests, feel free to post them below.

You have to be registered here to be able to post.

In your kindness continue prayers for my mother, who has been diagnosed with something grave and incurable.

Also, I received this this morning….

My wife has been a donor of yours for awhile and we have both read your blog. She passed away last week from leukemia. We found out she was sick and three days later she was dead. She received the last rights and the Apostolic Pardon from [a priest] of the SSPX who also said her requiem high Mass. I simply ask your prayers for my family. I am now the single father of 6, ages 18, 17, 13 (she has a severe form of trisomy x), 9, 8 (he has autism) and 5. I also have Asperger’s which was greatly alleviated by the company and assistance of my wife. I am begging God’s mercy and grace to have the strength to raise my children well and to accept God’s Holy will. My wife’s name is Andrea and we reside in ___. Thank you Father for your prayers.

How my heart aches for these good people.  Please stop and say a decade of the Rosary for this family.

Posted in Urgent Prayer Requests | Tagged
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Magnificent new altar of the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrier, of Chémeré-le-Roi, France, a traditional group of Dominicans.

Posted on 23 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

As Christmas approaches, it seems strange to write that we have need of some good news!

Good news has come, however, from the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrier, of Chémeré-le-Roi, France, a traditional group of Dominicans. They recently completed a new altar for their convent of St. Thomas Aquinas and it was solemnly consecrated.   A three-year project.

AMAZING craftsmanship born of great love and devotion went into the making of this altar.

They sent me a link to photo and to a video, which I share to cheer everyone up.

English text about the altar HERE

Photos of the Consecration HERE Terrific details of the altar. For example:

The altar is dedicated to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

Here you see her also with her protective mantle over the male and female Dominican family.  This was a common medieval depiction of Mary, which continued will into the baroque period.  I have in mind for example, the great version by Caravaggio in Naples.  The Germans called this a “Schutzmantelmadonna”.  The Italians call this theme “Madonna della Misericordia” and the French similarly, “Notre-Dame de la Merci”.   It is an image that I often invoke in my more earnest moments of writing and, indeed, every night as I go to bed.

The opening of the altar…

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

This is how we do it, in case you were wondering.  This is how we resist.

In more modern, pop, terms, what does one say?

It is the way.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity, Save The Liturgy - Save The World | Tagged
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From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-12-22: Christmas Party

Posted on 23 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

December 22nd, 2023

Dear Diary,

I had to drive by myself to the chancery’s Christmas party last night at Razzo’s Steak House because Fr. Tommy said he didn’t want to go. We were on the phone: “What do you mean you don’t want to go? It’s Christmas! Everyone loves the Christmas party — the staff talk about it all year!” Tommy said it’s Amber Friday and he is not going. I was thinking….what? Is that a kind of beer?  Amber?  Razzo’s’ll have it.  Some gal?  Relative?  So I go all the way down the hall to his office and peek in. He’s working on his computer. No fun lights, no Santas, no tree, no nothing. Gloomy. He’s only got an Advent wreath and nuns chanting on the stereo. AGAIN.  I asked him why he doesn’t want to go. “Foot still hurt?” He didn’t say much other than something about Advent being penitential… Friday… all that stuff.  I offered to give him a dispensation ’cause I know I can do that ’cause he told me I could a while ago for days like this.  He smiled and said he had some correspondence work to finish for me before we shut the place down for Christmas and I let him be.  He’s really not into the season. Me? I love it. I start putting the Christmas decorations up right after Thanksgiving – another fave! – but NOT like the crazy stores that put Christmas stuff up in October! That’s TOO early.  Gotta have some selfcontrol. This year there’s been less of a festive mood at the chancery overall. Sure, people are sad about Fr. Rogers but God is merciful, right? I mean, there’s nothing we can do about that now. It’s a season of hope and we should all be together and be happy. I’ve been wearing my Santa hat and my holiday socks. People really like the socks.  We’ve even got a xmas sweater for Chester and some raindeer horns but we all agreed to wait for Fr. Gilbert to try to put them on him.  He’s been away for a while.  We all miss the regular lumpia from his mom.  But not last night! Razzo’s great filet minyon and the house’s famous angelhair pasta and then that swirly chocolate mint whipped cream desert thing. I love Christmas!

Posted in Diary of Bp. McButterpants | Tagged
7 Comments

ROME SHOT 889

Posted on 22 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please remember me when  CHRISTMAS  shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE  These links take you to a generic “catholic” search in Amazon. Amazon remembers that you used my link and I get the credit.  WHY?  This helps to pay for insurance (massively hiked for next year), utilities, groceries, all the necessities.  You get the items you need and, at no extra cost to you, you provide important help for which I am grateful.

Send Christmas cards!

Meanwhile, the facade of Ss. Trinità dei Pelegrini is getting a facade lift.  They’ve taken down some protective screen to do color checks.   What really make this is the scarecrow on the scaffolding.

Meanwhile, black to move and mate in …


1. … Ne2+ 2. Kh1 Nxf2+ 3. Rxf2 Qc1+ 4. Ne1 Qxe1+ 5. Rf1 Qxf1#
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

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

In chessy news, the cobbled-up tournament with some lower-rated “once weres” in Chartres, for the sole purpose of gaining Alireza Firouza some rating points so as to bump Wesley So out of the Candidates is being looked at by FIDE which might not accredit the event! FIDE said that they were concerned that perhaps the tournament – named “Alireza’s Race To Candidates” – might be for the purpose of getting Alireza a way to the Candidates.  No, really…

Pretty high level observation, there, FIDE! The US Chess Fed said not to approve it. Top players are not happy. In one game, Alireza’s opponent suddenly resigned, even though there was an even position. To be clear, the Chartres event is technically within the rules of FIDE. But it, in my opinion, is dodgy and unsporting. In the meantime, in a huge tournament in India, with many top players, Gukesh Dommaraju prevailed and surpassed Anish Giri in the hunt for a Candidates slot. There remains the World Rapid and Blitz 2023, 26-30 December in Samarkand, Uzbekistan… Magnus, Fabi, Nepo, Anish, Prag, Vidit, Gukesh, Jan-Krzysztof, Nodirbek… I doubt that Wesley So will go.

UPDATE 13:00 EST

I had tuned into watch the last game of the Alireza Show and noticed that, though both players were nearly out of time, there was a 30 second increment!  However, the position – despite the eval bar waaaay in black, the opponent’s favor (-3.1) it looked to my inexpert eyes like a draw. Sure enough, it ended in a DRAW.  Alireza’s opponent was over 200 points lower 2763 v 2546.  If I am right, and I have little comprehension of the rating formulae, I think Alireza with this draw drops below Wesley.  YAY!   I looked again at the ending position and revised my opinion.  Black had two passed pawns and potential to force them slowly forward.  It would be a WWI style inch by inch battle.  But that does not change the outcome.  Alireza did not win his must-win game.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
2 Comments

21 December: Feast of “doubting” St. Thomas and the beating, living, healing, Heart of Love.

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The nice folks at One Peter Five invited me to post a weekly column for Sundays. I’ve happily obliged. In 2022 this…. Some tastes.

By me at One Peter Five:

[…]

Christ showed [the Apostles in the locked room] His hands and feet and side, to demonstrate that He had a real body and that it was also is His Body. He didn’t pick up some unwounded, perfect Body that He was now inhabiting. We are our bodies, as we are our rites. The fact that the wounds remained in His Body’s hands, feet and side provided continuity with His Body before and during His Passion. He isn’t a mere shade of the Lord. Nor has he exchanged Himself for an unwounded version. In this way Christ began to show them the traits of the risen Body, traits which we, too, will share in the Resurrection: clarity (reflecting God’s glory), impassibility (incapable of suffering), agility (ease and speed of movement), subtlety (unhindered by barriers).

[…]

We don’t know why Thomas wasn’t with the other ten Apostles in the room for that first appearance of the Lord. I like to imagine that it was his turn to get the “take out” for the rest of them.

Thomas, who had doubted, put his trust in the Lord at this point. In fact, he literally handed his trust to Him where the point of the lance had left its mark on the Lord’s glorious Risen Body, a wound from a Roman lance large enough to insert his hand. The Lord told Thomas to “thrust” (Greek bále) his hand “eis ten pleurán… into (His) side”. If we want to be picky, we might note that the Greek word “cheír”, insofar as our anatomy is concerned, can mean “hand”, but it can also mean “finger” or “hand and arm”, the later so much so that in some contexts additional words are added to denote “hand” as distinct from the arm (cf. Liddell-Scott-Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon aka LSJ – “χείρ , ἡ”).

This is significant for depictions in art, as in the famous painting by Caravaggio, wherein Thomas puts his finger into Christ’s side and peers into it, which smacks of the spirituality of St. Bonaventure who wrote about how Thomas the Apostle looked through the Lord’s visible wounds and saw His invisible wound of love. It also affects depictions of the crucifixion of the Lord and of His risen Body, with the holes of the nails in the hands. Some maintain that Christ would have been crucified with nails through the wrists so that the ulna and radius bones would sustain His Body’s weight rather than tearing through the flesh of His hands.

Christ tells Thomas to explore with his finger (dáktylos) the spike holes of His “hands/wrists”, which would be more or less the size of a large finger. However, he tells Thomas to use his hand for the wound in His side. The Greek suggests to me that the Lord instructed Thomas to push, thrust His hand into the wound channel left by the Roman lance, which had gone so far as to lacerate the Lord’s Sacred Heart.

We don’t have in the Gospel account of this stunning moment, to which John was eyewitness, a precise statement by John that Thomas physically did it. All it says is that Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!” Christ responded with a “beatitude” (v. 29): “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Was Thomas so overwhelmed that He could not touch the Lord in that way? All He could utter was that amazing witness to belief in the divinity of Christ? The clearest and most exultant of any in the Gospels?

Christ refers to Thomas seeing Him, but He did not say, “because you have touched me”. Nevertheless, it seems to me that if the Risen Christ tells you to do something, you do it. Furthermore, John immediately concludes this chapter with something so definitive that it feels like the end of the whole work (vv. 30-31):

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

There follows chapter 21 and the account of the reconciliation of Peter at the Sea of Galilee. We moderns count that as chapter 21. Remember, the Gospels were not written with chapters and verses and not even word breaks. Those were imposed centuries later. Yet, one has the sense that what happened between Christ and Thomas was so amazing that John penned something like a conclusion to his Gospel after Thomas’s cry of faith, arguably the climax of John’s account.

Given the various meanings of “hand” in Greek, and that word “thrust”, and the fact that the wound from the lance remained, therefore remained all the way to His Heart, perhaps Our Lord required Thomas not merely to touch His side but even to feel the breath, the ruach, in His torn lung. Did Thomas, while feeling the ruach on his wrist, touch with his hand the physical, risen, subtle, impassible, agile, blazing bright Heart of Jesus?

By the way, in art, statues and painting, the Apostles are usually depicted with the instruments of their martyrdom. St. Thomas is often depicted with a lance.

On this Sunday we emphasize the mercy of God and the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, perhaps the greatest encounter we have with incarnate Mercy, Holy Communion notwithstanding.

Christ told Thomas to do what He did before witnesses so that they too would understand about the traits of His risen Body and that it was truly His own. Knowing full well that we would one day read this, He inspired the disciple He most loved to write his Gospel account, an account that connects Thomas to the inspiration of the Spirit and the mercy of Christ’s Heart in a way that other Apostles didn’t experience on that first Easter evening appearance.

When we go to confession, we enter into Mercy in order to be breathed upon by the Spirit and to feel the beating, living, healing, Heart of Love.

Posted in Classic Posts, Linking Back |
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ROME SHOT 888

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please remember me when  CHRISTMAS  shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE  These links take you to a generic “catholic” search in Amazon. Amazon remembers that you used my link and I get the credit.  WHY?  This helps to pay for insurance (massively hiked for next year), utilities, groceries, all the necessities.  You get the items you need and, at no extra cost to you, you provide important help for which I am grateful.

More great news here…. if you can see it.  I understand that on 21 Dec Twitter/X had a global timeline melt down.  Maybe it is fixed, maybe not.  I got the code for this embed before it happened.

And there’s this…

White to move and mate in 3.


1. Rf6+ Kc5 2. Rc7+ Qc6 3. Rxc6#
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

Use FATHERZ10 at checkout

I think the tide of public opinion is turning against young Alireza Firouza and his last minute bid to raise his ELO (rating) in order to gain a slot in the next Candidates Tournament (to play for the World Champ title – whatever that means without Magnus in it)… at the expense of Wesley So.   His local club in Chartres put together a tournament of some players with lower ratings who have been rather inactive (ratings don’t drop with inactivity) who were chosen, I’m just guessing, perhaps they don’t mind losing and thus losing rating and they want Firouza to win.  There was a curious resignation of one of his opponents in a pretty much even position with 40 seconds on the clock.  I don’t understand that entirely.

I read a fantastic story in The Guardian about an 8-yr old girl of Indian heritage in England who WON in the women’s section at the European rapid and blitz championship in Zagreb, Croatia last weekend. She won 8.5/13 against a field of highly rated and experienced grandmasters, international masters and experts, and came 73rd in a round of 555 players. Her father says she got into chess “accidently”. In the open section seeh beat an 39-yr old IM and drew a 54 yr-old GM, twice the Romanian national champion. Lemme tell ya’ somethin’. When I go to play OTB and some little kid shows up, I don’t make assumptions other than: I assume I’d better bring it. And I am really rooting for Alice Lee, of my native place in the Minnesota. She’s 14 and wiping the floor with all sorts of top players.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
5 Comments

Hell’s Bible is on board, and what shipmates they have!

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Quarter page ad in the New York Times (aka Hell’s Bible) which had a spontaneous photographer handy at a spontaneous event recently, also featured in Hell’s Bible.

Not deceptive at all, is it?

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
5 Comments

In the wake of “Fiducia supplicans” – UPDATES

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATES BELOW: 21 Dec ’23 – 12:52

BTW… you know what the next step is, right? Already there?

Change the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

ORIGINALLY Published on: Dec 20, 2023

One online priest, a homosexualist, said:

“As a priest I look forward to blessing same-sex couples, sharing with them the graces that God desires for everyone, something I’ve waited years to do.”

I’ll just bet you waited.  Sure, you did.

The problem with a statement like this is that, if a person in disposed to receive them, all persons can receive the graces that God desires to give.  Also God does not desire to give the same graces to everyone.  Some yes, such as sanctifying grace, of course.  Some, yes, prevenient graces, of course.

He also wrote:

“Be wary of the “Nothing has changed” response to today’s news. It’s a significant change. In short, yesterday, as a priest, I was forbidden to bless same-sex couples at all. Today, with some limitations, I can.”

Now what?

Hey look!  A spontaneous blessing!   With a spontaneous NY Times photographer who was spontaneously hanging out!

Meanwhile, the Bishops of Malawi and Zambia (at least) [UPDATE – and Ukrainians and Polish] have prohibited priests from giving blessings to “couples”.   The Archbishop of Astana, Kazakhstan and Bp. Schneider issued a letter which is strongly against this move.

Also, this is an astute observation on the part of an acquaintance of mine. I spotted this the instant I heard about the document: all blessings are, in a sense, liturgical. However the new document says the blessings of “couples” aren’t to be liturgical.

So, I guess they aren’t to be given?

I dislike the Book of Blessings, which is ironically bereft of blessings.  The point is that a priestly blessing, even a simple one, has a liturgical character.

Moreover,…

And then…

Of course the moderation queue is ON and I will be picky.

QUAERITUR:

Will there be a Latin text of “Fiducia supplicans”?  There’s a title!

UPDATES 21 Dec ’23:

Here’s something from a Cardinal who defended Amoris… which lead to Fiducia.

Meanwhile, Fr. Thomas Weinandy, theologian of note but seemingly an enemy of traditional liturgy … so, he is NOT one of those American trads that Rome seems to blame everything on… and neither are the bishops conferences of MALAWI or NIGERIA or ZAMBIA…

At The Catholic Thing, this is pretty hard core…

[…]

The pope or a bishop maybe, by virtue of his office, a member of the magisterium, but his teaching, if it contradicts the received previous magisterial teaching, is not magisterial. Such false teaching simply fails to meet the necessary criteria. It possesses no ecclesial authoritative credentials. Rather, it is simply an ambiguous or flawed statement that attempts or pretends to be magisterial, when it’s not.

Second, to bless couples in irregular marriages or same-sex couples without giving the impression that the Church is not validating their sexual activity is a charade. All those present at such blessings know, without a doubt, that such relationships are sexual in nature. No one is fooled. Actually, they are rejoicing that such sexual relations are being blessed. That’s the point of these blessings. It is not their sexual abstinence being blessed, but their sexual indulgence.

Third, while couples in irregular marriages and same-sex couples can be blessed, what cannot be blessed, and so validated, is the sin in which they are engaged. It is impossible to bless an immoral act, and to attempt to do so is blasphemy, for one is asking the all-holy God to do something that is contrary to his nature — the sanctioning of sin. Moreover, to bless irregular marriages and same-sex couples, for the purposes of authenticating their sexual activity, is an affront to and a demeaning of the sacrament of marriage itself. Such blessings undermine the dignity of marriage — a sacramental sign of the indissoluble union between Christ and his Church.

[…]

At The Pillar I read a piece by former Prefect of the CDF – who knows more than his prayers – Gerhard Card. Müller.  The old phrase is “Qui distinguit bene docet… He teaches well who makes distinctions”.  Müller breaks blessings down into three categories, two which are consistent with Catholic teaching and practice and one which has been invented from whole cloth (guess which kind).  He demonstrates that FS is self-contradictory.

[…]

With the Declaration Fiducia supplicans (FS) on the Pastoral Significance of Blessings, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has made an affirmation that has no precedent in the teaching of the Catholic Church. In fact, this document affirms that it is possible for a priest to bless (not liturgically, but privately) couples who live in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, including same-sex couples. The many questions raised by bishops, priests, and laity in response to these statements deserve a clear and unequivocal response.

Does this statement not clearly contradict Catholic teaching? Are the faithful obliged to accept this new teaching? May the priest perform such new practices that have just been invented? And can the diocesan bishop forbid them if they were to take place in his diocese? To answer these questions, let us see what exactly the document teaches and what arguments it relies on.

The document, which was neither discussed nor approved by the General Assembly of Cardinals and Bishops of this Dicastery, acknowledges that the hypothesis (or teaching?) it proposes is new and that it is based primarily on the pastoral magisterium of Pope Francis.

[…]

The last statement is accurate.  Remember Fernandez stating something about the primacy of the “magisterium of Francis”?

Here are the footnotes of FS.

I note that the footnotes cite De Benedictionibus (the infamous “Book of Blessings” – which has only one prayer that bless things because the idea was to destroy the categories of invocative and constitutive)  says that all blessings are “liturgical” and yet FS says that whatever it is that is to be imparted is not to be “liturgical.

The 500 strong Confraternity of Catholic Clergy in England and Wales put this out.

By contrast, sort of… Bp. Barron of Winona-Rochester in my native Minnesota…

FS is “congruent with the the pastoral instincts of Pope Francis”.  Okay.  Very deft. But is it congruent with Catholic teaching and perennial practice?  There ought to be someone nearby every Pope who says, “Ummm… we need to think this through.”  I wonder what role the official “Papal Theologian” had…  has had… has had for a while.

Again in my native Minnesota, Bp. Cozzens (who was in seminary behind me) of Crookston wrote HERE:

[…]

This blessing is not for people seeking a legitimation of same sex union but for those seeking to live better: “there is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness” (FS 40).

[…]

And of course, as the Vatican made clear, “Any blessing will be an opportunity for a renewed proclamation of the kerygma, an invitation to draw ever closer to the love of Christ” (FS, 44). Thus, when people come to the Church seeking her blessing let us also proclaim to them the saving love of Jesus found through repentance for all of us who are sinners.

[…]

With due respect to His Excellency, I don’t think the Vatican made this issue clear.  At least that statement ends with the point that there must be repentance.

Archbp. Viganò... well… “servants of Satan”… “delirious Declaration”… “abomination of desolation”… you get the drift.  I think that’s a “No” vote for FS.

A priest of the Companions of Christ, present on the interwebs, has a couple of self-apologetic videos about  FS and his intention to … well… bless same-sex couples. The first one HERE says that this is an excellent document and a “victory” for conservative Catholics.  The second one HERE is apologetic (in the technical sense) defending his previous stance. There’s a lot of emotion.  I think Father needs to think about this more.

At Crisis Magazine, Msgr. Richard C. Antall has a piece called “Prudence and Symbolic Ambiguity” with the tag “If you knew that the person was going to misunderstand your blessing, would it be right to let him or her be in vincible ignorance?”

There’s a lot more out there.

Out of the chaos some clarity will emerge.

In the meantime, please consider what I wrote the other day:

More than ever there is greater need and urgency that we make sure our own “houses are in order”. If you don’t already,…

  • start making thorough and honest examinations of conscience.
  • Start making reparation for wrongs and sins.
  • Undertake sincerely to forgive those who have harmed you.
  • Do penances.
  • Seek to purify memories.
  • Perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
  • Dedicate some time each day to prayer, especially the Rosary.
  • Attend to the duties of your state in life.
  • Read Scripture and review your catechism.
  • Pray for priests and bishops.
  • Go to confession regularly.
  • Receive Communion only in the state of grace.

UPDATE 12 Dec 17:25

This is pretty big.

Posted in Sin That Cries To Heaven |
23 Comments

News of the Church 05

Posted on 21 December 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It’s 21 December 2023 and it is the 3rd Week of Advent and it is the Winter Solstice. Some time ago, I saw a movie called News of the World in which, years after the Civil War, a former confederate officer ekes out a living going from town to town reading various newspaper stories from all over to people who pay a dime a head – in today’s money about $2.50. The idea caught my imagination and here I am, a gazetteer.

An audio “gazette” of Catholic things. https://zuhlsdorf.computer/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/23_12_21_NofC_05.mp3

00:12 – Init – Winter Solstice
02:50 – Latin Liturgy Newsletter –
– 03:08 Detroit – Prayer in Protestant Cemeteries
– 04:57 FSSP News
– 08:20 Floriani
– 10:23 Children’s Book on Purgatory. New Friends Now and Forever [US HERE -UK HERE]
– 12:20 Why Latin? An answer
14:45 – A Christmas Letter from a family
20:23 – The Wanderer – 7 Dec 2023 – Plenary Indulgence for prayer a Nativity Scene
20:17 – The Wanderer 14 Dec – Nigerian priest abducted.
– 27:40 – What are the sins that “cry to heaven for vengeance”?
30:20 – Israel 365News – Archeologists find Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah
42:11 – Concealed Carry Magazine – Naked guy in the house
43:50 – Sacred Music Fall 2023 – About Paul VI and “Modern Man” and “New Mass”
50:55 – Exit

 

Posted in News of the Church, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
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