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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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YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “Fr Z I agree with MaternalView above. The world situation is shaky and a trip to Poland… next to Ukraine…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “I‘ll assume black goes „upward“ and down left is h8. 1. f5+ forcing gf6 (xf5 e. p.) 2. h5+ forcing…”
- on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “Lori announced massive parish closings, along with the suppression of the Latin Mass in diocese. Sure suicide by cutting off…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “I think people have lost confidence in all manner of things, airplane manufacturers, airlines, FAA, government agencies who are supposed…”
- on Wednesday after the 2nd Sunday after Easter – traditional Solemnity of ST. JOSEPH! – Terror of demons, Protector of Holy Church!: “Aw, dear St. Joseph. I love him so much. I was blessed to go to a mass of this feast…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “1. . . . . .. . . . . . . h7-h5+ 2. g5-h6(×h5) . f7-f5+ 3. K-g5 .…”
- on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “Dear Masked Chicken, thank you for pointing me to your post of 22 March, which which I largely agree. My…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “Yes. Let all the poisons come out! After seeing it on TV many years ago and reading the two volumes,…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “Perhaps world events are making some nervous international travelers. Personally, I would have loved to go to Poland on a…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “The bit about Claudius thinking that a return to the republic was likely or even possible may take its inspiration…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “Pray for Derek Jacobi! Such a talented actor, but sadly, an irregular life.”
- on 15 April 2019 – Notre-Dame de Paris: “I was wrong. It’s not a Cramnerian table. It’s a……. Ikea coffee table made to resemble a half Easter egg,…”
- on ROME 24/4– Day 28: bad news and good news: “The BBC “radio play” of I,Claudius is also rather good. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/505092”
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I was adopted and I found my birth mother in 1996. We are good friends. She wants my family to come visit her in 3 weeks after my husband and I are through teaching for the semester. She lives in Colorado! We are excited to go as we never get to take a vacation with our 5 children!
The pollen count went down from over 4000 on Friday, to 164 this morning. :)
My niece just made her First Holy Communion this weekend. We have switched parishes and now are at one with a holy orthodox priest. The weather is beautiful and my grass is mowed. I am going to read a book in a little while. Thank God for simple pleasures. Congrats Suz. from Oklah. Have a great vacation!
I asked for help from the BVM and St Joseph – and I got it.
Yesterday I saw Leonardo deFillippis doing his live show about St. John Vianney. It was so well done and powerful…really brought home the fact that the devil hates priests and is out to get them, no matter what period in history…I would highly recommend this production if it comes to your area (he is in the middle of a nationwide tour)
Christina
Tomorrow is our Monthly TLM at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Bremerton. http://www.starofthesea.net/
Yesterday I was honored to be the Godfather for a co-worker’s daughter. The co-worker and his wife just returned to practicing the faith (thanks in part to the example and evangelizing of myself and two other Catholics at work). Preach the Gospel always…
My wife and I spent the weekend with her little sister (25 years old) who has multiple dissablities and the mind of a two year old. I know no one more happy, loved, and truly content. It always rubs off on me.
All right, I know this is going to sound kind of lame especially considering the nature of the other commments but today is the first day of turkey season! The weather could not be more beautiful and I’m looking forward to spending some time in the forest.
My priest has read my annulment papers and it looks like it’s a go! (completed it all in one day on Divine Mercy Sunday) Holy Eucharist, here I come!
It’s going to rain tomorrow and our pollen count will go down…yaaaay! (my poor son has been having the worse time.)
Tomorrow is the 1st anniversary of my mother’s passing from this life and she is in Heaven or is bound for it. Father, I’d appreciate your remembering Maxine S. in your Mass prayers tomorrow, please!
There’s plenty of chocolate in the house!
Some friends of mine are finally expecting their first child. They have prayed so fervently for so long for this blessing.
Several prayers of mine have recently been answered, though not the way I was expecting.
My oldest is looking forward to his First Communion, most likely to be next year.
Reorg at my job has left me with some new responsibilities.
Family, including our youngest, are all in good health.
I don’t have to work today, and it’s sunny and 60 degrees outside.
I’ll be traveling to Minnesota this week to see my girlfriend. I also have at this point two job interviews out there. I’m hoping to get an offer from at least one of them so that I can move out there to be with her, and hopefully get engaged and married :).
Please pray for my safe trip and successful interviews :D.
Tomorrow, our baby (Paul Benedict Marie) is turning 3 months old. Another good news is that he’s been sleeping longer, which also means we’ve been sleeping longer too! :)
A friend whose first child was miscarried is now 16 weeks pregnant with a healthy child!
Also, after some difficulties finishing up my undergrad, I finally got an official letter saying I’m done and my diploma’s on its way!
One more week before I go on retreat. I am so looking forward to it. The forecast is for some much needed rain for us too. I am continuing prayers – we are over 7 inches low.
Due to very limited seating for the upcoming April 27th episcopal ordinations of Bishops-elect Doug Deshotel and Mark Seitz, the Diocese of Dallas plans to stream live coverage of the Mass on the Diocese of Dallas’ website, http://www.cathdal.org and the Texas Catholic’ website. There will also be live simulcast broadcasts on large screens at both St. Monica and St. Rita. The broadcast is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. with helpful, interesting information about the candidates and the liturgy.
These broadcasts will enable faithful in parishes, schools and at home to view the ordination Mass as it happens via the live simulcasts and the Internet without being present at the cathedral. Individuals can view it on their pc or laptop while simulcasts at the two parishes will offer members of those parish communities and their visitors the opportunity to view it together. For more information, please contact Annette Gonzales Taylor, Director of Communications, at agtaylor@cathdal.org or 214-379-2873.
This coming Friday evening, April 23rd, Sacramento Diocese’s Bishop Jaime Soto will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Traditional Form to 67 confirmands at St. Stephen the First Martyr (FSSP). This is the largest class ever. There will be four adults and, I think, about four children from outside the Diocese (with permission). Two years ago, my 50+ year old son was one of four adults in a Confirmation class of 43 – the largest to date at that time. St. Stephen’s families keep growing, both in numbers of children and in new parishioners. The parking lot is full to overflowing and two or three blocks of cars are parked on both sides or the street for all three Masses each Sunday. Deo Gratias.
God in His infinite mercy, has given me yet another day and another chance to get it right.
A dear friend of mine will be ordained to the priesthood next month, Lord willing, and will be a fantastic priest!
Mission San Juan Bautista in Central California will host this coming Saturday a Solemn High Nuptial Mass at 12 Noon. We will have a Priest, Deacon, and Subdeacon, and our Schola will chant Byrd’s Mass for Three Voices.
I also have a Navy friend coming to visit and run in the Big Sur International Marathon as well. It’s going to be a good weekend!
Today (19 April) is the 5th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s election as Pope (19 April 2005).
May he have many more years as Pope!
Father, we pray for your protection and guidance over our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Give him strength and wisdom to stand as a prophet for our times. May he be a light in darkness around which we gather in hope. We ask you to bring about reconciliation through his faithful teaching of peace and justice. Grant him compassion and care to live the gospel in love and service to all people. Let him follow in the path of Peter and Paul who, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached that the Lord saves all who call upon his name.
+Bishop Robert Morlino of the Diocese of Madison, WI offered a low Mass with music yesterday on Good Shepherd Sunday at my home parish (St. Norbert’s in Roxbury, WI). We also had a first communicant who received her first Holy Communion from the Bishop! What an honor!
Christ is Risen! Kpictoc Bockpece! The best news of all.
Our TLM yesterday was celebrated by the 4th young (ordained since 2000) priest in our city with a half dozen Catholic parishes to learn the EF in the past 5 years. Could anyone have imagined this pre-Benedict XVI?
Annual condensed Ignatian retreat this weekend. This one will be my seventh. May God grant me many more.
Ihad an ultrasound this morning for our 7th baby. He/she was so cute jumping around everywhere. Also, someone I know who was afraid to go to confession and had not been for some time, went to confession yesterday and received communion! Praise God!
Thirty are to be Confirmed in the parish on Thursday.
I have been accepted to begin an attempt at an STD.
I echo Bruce’s post-today is the 5th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s election!
Ad multos annos, Your Holiness!
Yesterday was the 6th anniversary of my mother’s passing. It was on Divine Mercy Sunday. She was from Germany, and came to the US as a child with her family. I wonder how she would have reacted to a fellow German as Pope? The election happened one year and one day after she died!
My in-laws move out of my house in 5 days! And in 35 days are moving to ALASKA!
My son Andrew Joseph was baptized yesterday!
How about Father Denis Vincent Twomey`s appreciation of the first five years of Pope Benedict XVI ? Its in The Irish Times at http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0419/1224268628613.html
He takes a few well deserved swipes at Hans Küng`s recent “Letter to Bishops” on the same subject
Eldest daughter & I are en route to visit Thomas More College in NH (where she has been accepted & offered a couple of merit scholarships). So, it will be decisions, decisions for her–a tough choice between Wyo. Cath. College & TMC.
And we’ll get to see some very good friends!
My friend Rachel got Confirmed last Weds, Holy Mass was celebrated in mind of the Holy Church and Fr gave an excellent sermon defending the Church.
After a very difficult year as a new convert, the Lent and Easter season have been so meaningful to me. I truly have my JOY back . . . I had lost it for a while. Jesus is enough. He really is. Jesus in the Eucharist is *everything*. No matter all that I have lost since last April, I have been given the most precious gift of all in the Eucharist.
It’s great good news that Denis Twomey, Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at Maynooth has written a rebuttal to Hans Kung’s ordure filled ‘encyclical’ in ‘The Irish Times’: for more see: http://idlespeculations-terryprest.blogspot.com/
These days I feel joy when I see the truth being upheld.
Five more weeks of what has turned out to be a horrendous school year.
My son Paul Harrison was baptized yesterday–the first of our children baptized in the Catholic Church.
My friend JoAnna will be joing the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest (Insitute of Christ the King) at their convent in St. Louis!!!
http://amdggg.blogspot.com/
Plus my family will be traveling to D.C.for the Pontifical Mass!
Will you be there Father?
These posts have brightened my day even more than it already was!
It is absolutely beautiful outside. I just got back from distributing Holy Communion at a nursing home in town. I found out that my one mandatory class for today has been cancelled!
I have been to confession today! The second good news is that the page count for the book I’m writing is up to 59. It’s been a beautiful summer day, trees are in full blossom, the air is clear and fresh after a brief spell of rain.
My second bout of angioplasty with more stents (now got six !) was a success last Friday. I can now start thinking about getting back to some form of normality, particularly at work.
Thanks for all the prayers.
Deo Gratias
God bless our Holy Father during these trials. This is of interest:
http://salesianity.blogspot.com/2010/04/pope-benedict-uses-older-ritual-for-his.html
Our seven-year-old son is eagerly anticipating receiving his First Communion on 9 May. Please pray for him.
The Sodality of the Immaculate Conception (Ladies’ Sodality) is being revived in our parish. An induction ceremony will be held on 23 May. It has attracted several grown women and many of the girls aged about 9 to 18.
Plus, we have so many other blessings that we take for granted – stable employment, good health, extended family (parents) in walking distance – and many ways to grow in the Faith.
Every Sunday Mass at St. Pius X Church is a life-changing experience.
http://cincinnatilatinmass.com/
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending Mass at Holy Angels in Mount Airy.
Father Kowalski celebrated in the TLM and will every Sunday!
Truly a holy priest and an intimate church where you can feel God.
My eldest son who attempted suicide Dec 5th of 2009 finally seems to be out of the woods. His medication seems to be working – but most profound was that a deacon friend took me to a priest who is a former exorcist. We talked about the suicidal thoughts and the need to cut himself (to feel good!) and the priest prayed over him and anointed him with what looked something like the sacrament of the sick. Since then he has been changed! He has not had a bad day since! Thank you God!
Also, I am the team manager for my daughter’s soccer team. Yesterday we won our year end playoffs. Our girl finished the season the top goal scorer! I’m so proud it’s probably tough to be around me.
By the intercession of St Isidore of Seville, http://alwayscatholic.com is back up! We were going to throw in the towel when our prayers were answered.
One of our writers, @CatholicTeen (SarahCampbell)passed her Interview test with Father Robert Pasley at http://www.MaterEccesiae.org (take a look at our parish) in Berlin NJ and will be confirmed on May 22nd!! Deo Gratias!
To JonM:
Is Father Kowalski’s first name Aleksei or Alex?
My bishop called me ! I will be ordained a priest on june 27 ! God is so good. Please, pray for me : I have to be a holy priest.
My husband finally got a job offer after searching and applying for almost a year. We are expecting our first child in just over a month, so this is a huge relief. We do have to relocate, but if anyone knows a TLM within a reasonable distance of Princeton, NJ, please speak up!
Just served at Holy Mass at Leeds Cathedral, England. Mass was said by HE Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz, Papal Nuncio to the UK, with the ENTIRE Bishops’ Conference in attendance, to celebrate Pope Benedict’s 5th anniversary as Holy Father. Awesome.
Baby #6 will be arriving in early December, God willing! :)
xsosid, So happy for your good news. I remember your prayer request from an earlier post. Thanks be to God.
Guillaume, That’s wonderful news. I and many others have already been praying for Priests in this year, I’ve always included Seminarians in my prayers for Priests. May God bless you and keep you close to His heart. Stay close to Our Blessed Mother, she will go straight to Jesus for you.
Thanks wanda, and for anyone else who prayed. It means more than you know!
My good news is that I found this wonderful website!!! God bless you Father Z for your faithfulness to God and to us! God bless all here :-)
Dcd, I think you may have to fix the link to Mater Ecclesiae.
Sandia, I don’t know if Berlin, NJ is close to Princeton, NJ or not, but Mater Ecclesiae is a definitely a good place to check out.
My six year old son served his first Low Mass all by himself a few weeks ago! He has great older brothers that trained him well.
I have recently met a very sweet, beautiful, God-loving woman, and we have fallen in love! God is good!
a girl at the crisis pregnancy center i volunteer with has decided to keep her baby amidst much pressure from her bf/fam. thanks be to God.
dr. Eric, i’m going to miss your posts in 40 days.
I was talking to a friend today who had left the Church years ago and has even become a ‘deacon’ in her Protestant church and not too long ago described herself as a “recovering Catholic”, and she leaned over and tapped the “Catholics Come Home” button on my jacket lapel (which she’s seen before) and said, “I’ve been thinking of doing that lately.” Well, she’s not quite ready to take that step, but she is willing to come listen to our choir.
So please pray that Kate will let the Holy Spirit guide her home.
Deo gratias
.
TNCath wrote:
Hasn’t it been, though? I don’t know what it’s been this year, but attendance has been miserable, which translates into poor performance. Usually I average 2/3 to 3/4 attendance on a give day (this is university, so there’s no legal issue). I thought that was horrendous when I started teaching here in 2003, though it’s better than many of my colleagues have seen. This year consistently less than half show up, and my colleagues tell me (mostly) that theirs is worse than ever also.
Fortunately, I have only two weeks plus finals left.
Make that “on a given day”.
@DdC
I believe Father Kowalski’s first name is Eric. He gave a penetrating homily on Good Shepherd Sunday’s significance. He reminded us of death and that Christ knows all His sheep; it was haunting to meditate on the prospect of hearing, upon death, the words ‘Who are you?’
I’m very thankful for Bishop Jugis, his true love of us, and his support for the TLM in the diocese of Charlotte.
We are blessed with our new bishop in Allentown PA, Bishop John Barres! He’s everything you’d want a bishop to be!
My good news has been hearing that my PhD studies in Theology (Patristics) will be fully funded. This is indeed an answer to prayer!
My son announced he wishes to become a priest. He is four years-old, but you never know…
Since I have made a concerted effort to abandon everything to God, I have received so many blessings.
The most recent being shown a Grad Dip which is PERFECT for what I was looking to do, and although it seems as though I’ll never finish studying, it has meant an end to uncertainty as to what to do next.
The way it came about was the best part – I can certainly see the hand of God in it.
It’s offered at the same university I attend at the moment, and I can begin it at a time when student support has been increased!
I can’t tell you just what a blessing this is, but it couldn’t be more suitable and I am so thankful to God for this. He truly does fix things a whole lot better than I ever could on my own.
DEO GRATIAS!
My Fulbright grant to teach English as a Second Language in Bulgaria has been granted. I will be teaching at prestigious English gymnasium there beginning in October. This will be the first time that I have returned to my native land since the mid-1990s.
My Master’s thesis on first language loss has been sent to the thesis committee for perusal and examination. The defense will probably be in two weeks.
I’m currently teaching pre-literate students at a local community college. It’s a wonder, life-changing experience.
Deo gratias!
I spent the weekend in Colonial Williamsburg. http://bit.ly/bMUlrr
We are so blessed to have brought our children from Russia 6 years ago! They are the joy of our lives. Our marriage would be empty without them. [I pray for that suffering little boy.]
I have the joy of assisting a 2nd grade PSR teacher. Our kids are receiving their first communion this week. It is a privilege to share in their first sacraments this year. My oldest will make his first communion next year. He has learning difficulties. We pray he will improve in his reading and that his learning difficulties will not pose a barrier to his receiving the sacraments. [I don’t think it should, but one never knows…] I have seen our boy inspired to work harder by the goal of First Communion.
juxta, your note brings me joy as well, since I am originally from Allentown. i hadn’t heard about the new bishop, but i remember that one was sorely needed there. I will pray for him.
After ages of waiting, I am finally recovering from a successful transplant! Woohoo!
Well, I’ve been really doing well, lately. I’ve been tolerating the chemotherapy I’m on with minimal side effects AND it appears to be doing what it is supposed to do: I have a very good chance of being completely cured.
And, my social life has really gotten better. I’ve made friends both through the Church and a knitting group and those friendships have been deepening in a way that is really gratifying. I’ve lived in this area almost three years and I’m happy to have a circle of good friends.
Peggy R. —
1) Kudos to your son for working so hard on his studies. He is gaining not only an increase in skill that will serve him throughout life and offering up something for the love of God, but is also learning the virtue of persistence.
2) Literacy is not a requirement for salvation, nor for reception of the Sacraments. (Except maybe Holy Orders, and that’s for the office, not the actual Sacrament.)
3) If anyone suggests otherwise, feel free to apply books externally to the upside of that person’s head and beat some sense into them. (Not the Bible, of course. That would be sacrilegious.)
Well, mostly I’m joking; but there’s this bizarre zeal for denying people their sacramental rights for no good reason, that crops up sometimes in some places. It’s poisonous. You can be pretty darned disabled, mentally or physically or any other way, and still be fully capable of receiving the Sacraments. It certainly doesn’t depend on 72 hours of service, or whatever other requirements people drop on kids. The more people know that, the more we can prevent a lot of bad stuff injurious to souls from happening.
“a girl at the crisis pregnancy center i volunteer with has decided to keep her baby amidst much pressure from her bf/fam. thanks be to God.
dr. Eric, i’m going to miss your posts in 40 days.
Comment by lux_perpetua — 19 April 2010”
Lux,
Are you getting rid of your computer?
Dr. Eric
P.S. I ain’t going anywhere.
Springfield, IL, diocese has a new bishop, Bp. Paprocki from Chicago. The good news is he’s a good and holy man, and a hockey fan. The bad news is he’s likely a Hawks fan. Gotta turn him Blue as he heads south of I-80.
Thanks SuburbanB. The boy does have a real learning disability that does inhibit his progress. I really don’t anticipate his illiteracy to be a barrier to the sacraments, but if I run into it, I of course will challenge until I obtain justice.
My wife was confirmed into the church on Easter Vigil. We have been married almost 7 years now and thru
much grace found her way into the church. We have 3 children all who have been baptized in the church.
Nevertheless, she recieved her first communion with her sponsor, and unfortunately the following Sunday
our 1 year old little girl was having a bad day so I was outside dealing with her as communion was
distributed, SO last Sunday my wife and I recieved communion together for the first time! Our 3 children
all recived blessings from our priest. What a moment. I had tears in my eyes as we approached the most holy
sacrament. The choir happen to be singing a song called “Our God Reins” and isn’t it true, that God is
always working for our best intrests even when we can’t detect him and that his will is done. Awesome day
for our family.
I second Peggy’s comment about the new Springfield, Ill. bishop. Great guy and very, very pro-life. Heard he’s also a Lincoln buff. If that’s true, Papa Bene couldn’t have picked a better assignment for him than here!
My daughter, who is autistic and was recently confirmed, didn’t meet all the “requirements” for confirmation like service hours, etc. However, the DRE at my parish said that the mere fact that she attended Mass faithfully every Sunday with me, knew all her prayers, and had a sponsor who really was a practicing Catholic in good standing (my brother, who is also her baptismal godfather) put her ahead of a lot of other kids her age. I also didn’t have any trouble with her first Communion 6 years ago in another parish (and diocese). So Peggy, I don’t think you should have too many problems, as long as your pastor is reasonable.
dr. eric,
no, but what will your good news be once the move is finally complete?