A glimpse back to last week

A kind soul from St. Augustine’s parish in S. Saint Paul, MN sent me some photos of the Mass on Sunday 5 October which Archbp. Nienstedt attended. 

Here is the undersigned in choro with an old friend, Fr. Robert Altier.  We have been referred to by our enemies and friends alike as "the Alpha and Omega". 

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to do talk-radio with him, but I think that would open up a crack in space and time, dogs would start avoiding tunnels, and… as with a couple other possibilities "Mene Mene Tekel Parsin" would mysteriously appear on the walls of liberal clerg rectories and some chancery personnel wherever the show was broadcast.

Here is a shot of the whole sanctuary at the Agnus Dei.

It was a fine celebration and people were very happy that the Archbishop came.
 

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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21 Comments

  1. FATHER ALTIER! It’s been several years since I’ve seen his face, but he remains in my daily prayers. Received me into the Church, doncha know. :-)

    Thanks for the pics, Father.

  2. RichR says:

    Glorious photos!

    Speaking of talk radio, when are we going to see you on Catholic Answers Live, FrZ?

  3. Good to see Father Altier again! When living in Rochester, MN, I drove 2 hours 40 min round trip to St Agnes in St. Paul on Sundays. I was bummed to see him transferred out to a nursing home chaplaincy.

    Suzanne

  4. Felicitas says:

    I would be a devoted and regular listener of a Fr. Z talk radio show.

  5. Geometricus says:

    Dogs would avoid tunnels? Is this some Battlestar Galactica reference with which I lack familiarity?

    I could never serve as a lay member of the clergy personnel board in this Archdiocese because I think that the two of you should be our much-needed auxiliary bishops. Bp. Alpha and Bp. Omega.

    I had a thought yesterday that no man should be named bishop who is not prepared to be the most hated and reviled man in town, in the press especially, but by the powers of the age in general. Do you think you two Reverend Fathers could fit that bill?

  6. Matt Q says:

    I think it would be a great thing, Father, if you and Father Altier got together to do talk radio. We need to fill the void in that part of the media. Catholic radio. Real radio where Truth, Sacred Tradition and the topics of current events are spoken of in the truly Catholic sense, not the silly PC Catholic stuff we hear so much of.

    Please think and pray over it.

  7. A hearty “Amen!” to the idea of the two of you getting together. Father Altier is an inspiration, both as a priest and a human being. The two of you would make a mighty pair across the oceans and the airwaves!

    In ICXC,

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

  8. Trevor says:

    Now the real question: Which one’s “Fr. Alpha” and which one’s “Fr. Omega”?

  9. Fr. Brian Stanley says:

    Fr. Altier, whose last name begins with “A” is obviously “Alpha.” Fr. Zuhlsdorf, whose last name begins with “Z”…

  10. Fr. Brian,

    BRILLIANT!

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

  11. JPSonnen says:

    It’s the old days we miss. Two worthy sons of the boss. You all three made me.

  12. Father Z,

    It appears that the Archbishop is not concelebrating. Is that common practice in the Latin Church…for a bishop to attend Mass with his flock and not be the main celebrant? I do not mean to offend, but it seems somewhat counterintuitive…

    God bless,

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

  13. JPSonnen – Your comment is almost a haiku. ;-)

  14. It appears that the Archbishop is not concelebrating.

    There is no such thing as concelebration in the Roman rite. Always a single celebrant (with the exception of a Mass of ordination, in which the ordinees concelebrate with the ordaining bishop, though not at the same altar of sacrifice; they generally say the Canon, with him, but kneeling somewhat apart at kneelers). All other clerics present, including bishops, then receive holy communion from the celebrant, kneeling and on the tongue, just like any laymen present do.

    Is that common practice in the Latin Church…for a bishop to attend Mass with his flock and not be the main celebrant?

    Yes, quite common, and their are special rubrics for “Mass in the presence of a prelate”.

  15. Henry,

    Thank you for the explanation.

    So then is concelebration now forbidden with the 1962 Missal?

    As to the Bishop not celebrating the Mass with his flock but rather delegating a priest to do so while he is personally present and vested, I find the logic of this difficult given the nature of his mission as “father” to his Church, with the priests acting as his delegates in his absence. It is one thing for a Catholic Bishop to be present at a Mass while visiting another diocese. But when the Mass is in his own diocese and he is present?

    I am not trying to be critical of this event per se, but I fail to see the reason for such a practice. Any thoughts or insights as to the rationale given the bishop’s role?

    IN ICXC,

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

  16. How scary; at least in this photo, Fr Altier looks uncannily like me………

  17. Will Allen says:

    Fr. Altier: When will your sermons be published on the internet. How we miss them and especially during these times.
    In fact we miss you.

  18. dcs says:

    So then is concelebration now forbidden with the 1962 Missal?

    Concelebration is only done for ordinations and episcopal consecrations.

  19. Father Deacon Daniel: But when the Mass is in his own diocese and he is present? … Any thoughts or insights as to the rationale given the bishop’s role?

    Given that a single priest stands alone before God to offer sacrifice at a traditional Mass, there might be a variety of reasons, including the possibility that the bishop himself is not prepared (with regard to either Latin or ceremony) to offer the Extraordinary Form. When my own bishop first attended in choir an EF Mass with us — the pictures

    http://www.knoxlatinmass.net/gallery/2Advent2006/IMG_5958_535.jpg
    http://www.knoxlatinmass.net/gallery/2Advent2006/IMG_5963_535.jpg

    show him at his front-and-center kneeler, during the Agnus Dei and during distribution of Holy Communion — it was a profoundly moving event for our local Latin Mass community precisely because he did so as our spiritual father.

  20. Amen, Will Allen. I would pay $$$ for such sermons. Perhaps even great sums of $$$.

  21. Yes – Fr. Altier’s silence speaks volumes about himself and the one responsible for it.

    Many years to this faithful priest of God and obedient son of the Church!

    In ICXC,

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

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