To start a new work week, how about some of your good news?
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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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- on ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry: “Father, it was perfect symmetry for two people. One cup handle facing one way and the other the other way.”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 35 (-6): adventures in symmetry: “From a reader: “What are in the frames between the vestments?” Those are the priest’s vesting prayers. I’ll show more…”
- on WDTPRS: 4th Sunday of Easter (Novus Ordo) – Mighty humble Shepherd, humble mighty flock: “Fr Z you are an inspiration in your knowledge about and love for the things of God and the church.…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 32 (-9): Happy Birthday Rome!: “Holy cow that pasta. I wish we had smell-o-vision and taste-o-vision.”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “The German grind continues. It is in their nature.”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Scary about the women. What I mean is this: it would be disheartening enough just to find out that a…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “I wonder what’s going on with these women. Don’t they know that the greatest example of womanhood is Our Blessed…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Fr.Z sez: It is really sad that some people still push this rock up the hill. Reminds one of Sisyphus,…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Alas, those men pushing for ordaining women. STILL trying to get women to do all the work. My mother warned…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Dear Dcn PB, I don’t see how the reality can be described differently than by saying that the one sacrament…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Most people, whether pro or con, misunderstand the history and practice of the female diaconate. The deaconess was a separate…”
- on Your Sunday Sermon Notes: 3rd Sunday after Easter (N.O. 4th of Easter) 2024: “I remember only the joke at the beginning of the homily: Priests get four weeks of vacation per year. Some…”
- on “you must not remember your forefathers…” Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “My children at one of the solid Chesterton Academies have been taught science and theology by an amazing young Catholic…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “What is it that changed about the Catholic Herald? Interesting interview by George Farmer. (If only the faithful could be…”
- on Three items of interest: a conversion, a connection, and a con job: “Wonderful news about Candace Owens and George Farmer. Thank you for continually pointing out that Holy Orders is one Sacrament.…”
ABORTION PILL RESCUE NETWORK
Everyone, work to get this into your parish bulletins and diocesan papers.
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Okay, this sounds bad, but I have no appointments or calls tomorrow (Monday)…maybe I can actually clean my rooms and pray! Thank you, Jesus!
And my sister’s MRI showed no signs of cancer; she’s being treated for breast cancer (had surgery a week and a half ago). I’m very, very happy to hear this.
Back to work in Radio Maria in Madrid! Deo gratias. I’ll be talking about the most colorful life of St. Paul :)
My novena for the conversion of my hot-tempered boss is effecting! Now I’ll pray that he comes back to the Church.
I believe in God, the Father the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord…
That’s my good news!
After many years of working part time hours at Walmart (picking up after people) because the shifts allowed her to be home when the kids were, we now have all of them at school full days, so my wife applied and got a dept manager position. It means an increase in wages, in hours of work and a better schedule (Mon-Fri)! For me it means I won’t need to work overtime hours in order to get by.
She is thrilled and it’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders!
Saints are on their way to the Super Bowl.
They are no longer the Aints.
‘The Great Adventure Bible Timeline’ bible study programme starts up again for the new year at a Church near me. I can recommend this programme of bible study, presented by Jeff Cavins.
Well, the transmission went out in my van as I was driving home from Mass Saturday morning, BUT I made it home before it gave out completely!
I’m doing a better job of looking at the bright side of all the little things that go wrong in life.
Surrexit Christus vere.
I heard an excellent homily yesterday (at a parish I don’t normally attend, by a visiting priest — not the pastor) on the importance of the right to life and on the necessity of making sure that abortion is NOT included in the healthcare bill. The priest also emphasized the importance of prayer and fasting for the protection of life. He went on kind of long, but when he finished, the congregation applauded him! :-) That made my day.
My wife and I have found a place to live, and we move in this week. This also means the good (but nearly broke) Catholic couple we’re renting from will be able to cover their bills! Deo gratias!
Our son, seventh of eight offspring, is making his first vows in NY with the the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal on March 1st. This class of novices has 15 men from the USA as well as Europe – a great group of new friars!!
I asked St Joseph for help – and he responded immediately. I have never requested help from him before. His response was a quiet but real miracle. Many thanks to him.
Yesterday, Sunday, January 24, 2010, my son, Peter Dominic, was baptized according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Good news indeed!
We had a very nice Sunday –
Mass at our parish was very nice – a former parish priest came over to cover the Mass for our pastor, so that was a pleasant surprise. We usually have pretty good homilies from all of our priests, but Father was definitely hitting on all cylinders yesterday. Wonderful homily on many parts but one Body, beautifully tied in to the tragedy of Roe v. Wade as well as other current events.
We were at an interfaith prayer service in the evening (for the people of Haiti). Beautiful service, quite uplifting. One of those times when we actually act like one Body. Some worldly benefit, too – they passed the basket, had a very successful collection which will be distributed to a few particular, reputable relief efforts.
Our parish held a 24 hour prayer vigil for life, with adoration, last Thursday night through Friday evening. As far as I know, it was the first such 24 hour vigil in many years at this parish. All hours were covered, and a decent crowd attended the closing Mass on Friday evening.
Additionally, on Sunday, the prayers of the faithful included a very direct petition that the Supreme Court overturn Roe v Wade, the first time I recall such a direct “topical” pro-life statement. Every week, of course, we pray for “respect for all life from conception to natural death”, but this one was satisfyingly jolting in its power!
I’m growing closer to our Blessed Mother and Queen, starting to understand St Louis de monfort’s mariology and understanding St Thomas’s proof from motion more deeply
…This morning we celebrated St. Paul’s conversion, just one year after the Year of St. Paul, and right in the middle of the Year of the Priest.. that in the 3 parishes I attend, the priests are growing in grace right before my eyes. I am so grateful to Benedict XVI and to Archbishop Dolan in New York for paying attention to our priests.
My husband joined us at Mass yesterday. I’m so glad to be united in our family and in our faith.
I’m recovering from bronchitis and, despite having a third of the family home with stomach flu, I am finishing Salvifici Doloris (On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering). Get it? Yes, Lord. I get it! Excellent news!
Went to Confession on Saturday and got some stuff off my back.
Got one of those penances where you have to do something for somebody (and yeah, there was good reason for that one). Imagine, I was able to do something twice, within five minutes, before even leaving the building! God is very good!
After months of underemployment followed by a few months of unemployment, I finally have a full time job, plus a couple of part time jobs. Will continue ask St. Joseph to help other friends and family out as he helped me.
I’m a convert. All of my ancestors abandoned the faith during the first half of the 1800s. Becoming the sole Christian in my family (and a Catholic, no less!) has been a lonely experience. That is, until this weekend…
I found out Saturday that my uncle became a Christian during high school (almost 30 years ago!), and the family had kept it secret this whole time. Now we have two “black” (Christian) sheep in the family!
Yesterday just before Mass started, the transformer on the power pole outside the church blew and left the whole church in darkness. You’re all thinking how is that good?
Well….
We had Mass anyway, by candlelight. The church is dark as it is, so seeing the sanctuary lit only by candlelight was a moving experience. Normally, because of the alignment of the sanctuary, and having six candle sticks on the High Altar, we only have two candles and a crucifix on the altar of sacrifice. We added four more candles, so there were the High Altar sticks and the full compliment on the altar of sacrifice. It was a moving experience. It truly felt like being in the days before electricity of any kind.
BTW, it was the 11:30am Mass….
My older boy – 9 y.o.- served his first Mass yesterday. Solemn High Mass in Santissima Trinità dei Pellegini in Rome. I never thought a candle could be held with such pride! And he even gained his first internet appearance thanks to the great John Sonnen who posted one of the pictures he took!
http://www.orbiscatholicus.org/2010/01/fssp-in-urbe-roman-serves-his-first.html
btw, he had served as the boat boy (“navicelliere”, sounds so important in Italian!) at the Eucharistic Adoration the day before. He had always reacted with a “NO WAY!!” to any proposal to do any such thing in the past…
…but it was a past full of altar girls, clapping/holding hands and such. Thank you Holy Spirit and our forbears for the Roman Liturgy, thank you FSSP for taking care of training my boy!
We have found a house that will fit our family, IN our price range! Now we just have to sell the one we are in. Hey St. Joseph, I promise not to bury you if… ;-)
My husband is going to Mass again and is preparing to make a good confession this Saturday (the first chance he has had due to extremely long and irregular work hours). Deo gratias.
My oldest son, who is 17, is one week into a 40 day retreat with an 88 year old Passionist priest, discerning a vocation to the priesthood. He is considering traditional Religious Orders, the diocesan priesthood and military chaplaincy. We got to talk to him for 15 minutes yesterday morning by phone, and he is having a very fruitful retreat!
It looks like after much anguishing and languishing that my dissertation proposal is going to be approved! Heracles! Does that mean I’m going to have to write this thing now??!!?
I was attending Mass at the parish I grew up in yesterday. I moved about 10-15 years ago, and back then it was looking awful. Yesterday, I was completely surprised as the tabernacle had been returned to its proper place, statues of saints, sacred paintings… you know, like a Catholic church!!! :) I took the time to thank the pastor. Brick by brick…
Three areas of gratitude: 1. Father offered Mass for my intentions as my birthday gift yesterday. I was very pleased and humbled!
2. After Masses, I coordinated an ‘End of Life Issues’ session at the parish. I was worried that no one would attend since we had a big snow storm. To my surprise, we had 20 people attend! They really liked the session, which included recent information from the USCCB’s meeting in November on hydration and nutrition and such.
3. I was very glad it snowed- I’ve been praying for snow all winter. We’ve been affected by El Nino and have had some rain, and very little snow.
I got a call back for a summer internship! My interview is Friday!
And, of course, Geaux Saints!
One of my CCD students, who has been somewhat withdrawn all year, became very excited about the topic of our class yesterday and another one, who can also be less than interested, loves it when I use big words and phrases like “Mystical Body of Christ.”
As of today I have 87 confirmation candidates signed up for a retreat, 24 young adults (from 16 to 22 years of age -all confirmed in the past few years) have signed up as team leaders, 22 adults to supervise and help with all the necessary “things” (alot of food!!!)….at last 6 priests will help with confessions and celebrate Mass….our guest speakers have a Trinitarian theme linked to the sacrament of Confirmation…
THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT!!
Once again, I went to Confession where the Priest did not know the correct form of Absolution.
After he said what he thought was a suitable Absolution, I reached around the screen and handed him a printed copy (I always keep one in my wallet)of the right form and, after saying it, he asked if he could keep it.
Priests want to do the right thing but often their education was insufficient and they appreciate, I have found, being educated provided you do it quietly, privately, and humbly
Classes started again for the semester at my college today. Started things off right with Catholic Literature of the 20th Century bright and early. Great way to start.
I had the incredible opportunity to give a speech at the state capitol on behalf of Silent No More Awareness at the state Rally for Life on Saturday. Our governor is very pro-life and gave a rousing speech himself against this administration’s aggressive pro-abortion tactics. I’m still getting positive responses and requests for help after that message of hope and healing for post-abortive women.
We are proud to be on the front lines of this battle against abortion!
Oncologist just called. No liver mets. No new cancer in other words. I get to stay alive for another 3 months!
Most of our priests will refuse to do blessings according to the older books (e.g. Weller, Roman Ritual).
Well, I stopped by a Parish I attend at Noon some days near work, and saw the priest in the sacristy after Mass. I had brought pre-printed cut-and-paste sheet from Weller for exorcism and blessing of salt and water – and he did it – mixing the salt into the water, everything.
I drink a small glass each day to help keep the cancer away.
Thank you Lord for that priest!
I walked in the West Coast Walk for Life on Saturday in San Francisco. It poured rain during the pre-walk speeches and the first 15 minutes of the walk, but then the rain stopped and the sun came out toward the end of the walk. We saw at most 50 counter-protestors, two groups of about 20 out-of-synch chanters, and two women near Fisherman’s Wharf. I expected more. Maybe they have killed off their replacements.
I’d estimate that at least 75% of the walkers were Catholic–parishes, schools, youth groups with signs, and many priests and religious (many young sisters and brothers in habits). My informal survey: at least 25% of the walkers (in my immediate vicinity) were carrying rosarys. I’d also estimate that 75% of the walkers were under 30. It was inspiring to see so many young people on fire for life, and for the faith.
Best signs I saw: 20 yr olds with “I survived Roe Vs Wade” and “1/3 of my generation has been murdered.” Two 60+ African-American women with a huge picture of a black baby and the words “endangered species”
Thanks for the 200,000 (some say 300,000) participating in the WDC March for Life and for the more than 35,000 participating in the San Francisco Walk for Life last Saturday. I was able to watch the San Francisco one on EWTN. The speakers were fantastic. I was moved to tears more than once.
My parish, for the first time since the Walk for Life began six years ago, sponsored a bus up to San Fran. Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen any mention of the Walk at all in the parish, so it was a very pleasant surprise to find out there was even a bus. It appears to have been spearheaded by the Social Justice people + our young, recently-ordained priest. My husband and seven of our eight children were able to attend.
It seems in my circle we’ve experienced a miracle.
Baby Jesse was born on All Saints Day, November 1, 2009. Within a week, he was admitted to the emergency room with a very serious infection, and had to be air-lifted to Children’s Hospital where they wanted to give him a liver transplant, as his ammonia levels were dangerously high. He was put on life-support, but his levels increased to over three times the level that his little body could sustain, so he was taken off life-support and not expected to make it through the night.
His grandfather, who is a recent convert, prayed for the intercession of Pope John Paul ll, had Jesse baptized at the hospital and called on our pastor to give him the Anointing of the Sick. In the morning, Jesse’s levels were completely normal!
He has since been discharged from the hospital and is home doing perfectly well.
The neonatologist from Children’s called to tell the family that in his 35 years of practice, he has had 105 infants with infections as serious as Jesse’s, and of the 105 all 104 died. Jesse is the only known survivor of this infection in infants.
Amazing. We all thank God.
I just got home from the hospital. I went in on Friday morning for a kidney biopsy on an outpatient basis. Those scheduled few hours turned into six days! Long story short: The kidney started to bleed internally and it took four units of blood and a bunch of other tests before the bleeding was brought under control.
I feel beat up, but at least I am home. Thanks be to God.