Dear readers,
I have had some connection problems and so forth. I have posted less often than one might expect a prolific poster to post.
I need a little space to absorb and sort and parse and divide and contrast what I have taken in during the last few days.
I’m here. I’m tired, but I’m here.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
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”
on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “To MB: THE BEST TIME was a long time ago before Paul VI and Bergoglio and their hand-chosen sycophants decided…”
on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “I don’t know where MB lives, but it’s objectively false to assert that the FSSP “now have a virtual monopoly…”
on 15 April 2019 – Notre-Dame de Paris: “Looking at the pictures, one can be grateful that the artist at least didn’t use this as an opportunity to…”
on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “@MB “When a man feels like he has something no one else can give, something essential, and no one to…”
on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “There was a time when if you wanted to know the miracles of the Church, the great teachings, the stories…”
on Faith practice declining far and wide…. except…: “Out of my wife and my siblings & spouses, half are not RC anymore but are probably still on the…”
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A Daily Prayer for Priests
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We are here with you as well Father, some in stunned silence others more vocal.
There’s been a major shift in the universe. No one can blame you for taking time to absorb it all. Thank you for everything you have posted. And take care of yourself :)
Thank you, father
We miss your more active posting. But we understand. Do what you must do. We will still be here when you are done, waiting gratefully if not always patiently. :)
Thanks for all you have done!
During Mass this evening something I had read earlier regarding Cdl Bergoglio hit home and and I began to be afraid for the Church. I placed my trust in Jesus and in an hour of adoration after I strongly felt personal holiness of all of us is needed. And prayer.
Prayers for you as you sift though all the events of the week. Bless you for all you do for your readers. Prayers are also being said for our new Holy Father.
I’ll say a prayer for you.
“I have posted less often than one might expect a prolific poster to post.”
As long as we know you are OK, it will not hurt us to wait for you. “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens…a time to be silent and a time to speak.” If you never saw any time fit for silence, perhaps that is when we would have to worry!
Absolutely. Rest up, Fr. Z. Take as much time as you need. Do not rush back until you feel 100%.
Thank you for filling us in, first hand, with all the news from Rome for the past few days. It was a nice surprise! I believe only Fr. Martin Fox clued in with your “My view for a while” post the other day. As always impeccable reporting. We shall wait patiently for your return. God bless.
With so many folks shooting off their mouths without thinking, contemplating, or praying these past few weeks, and especially these last few days, seeing someone stop and think (and also setting a good example for the rest of us!) is quite welcome and understandable. We can wait; I am sure it will be worth our while.
Pax vobiscum.
Thanks for checking in, Father. Too bad the bloggers over at Rorate aren’t having connection problems…
Will offer up my Angelus for you, Fr. Z.
AMDG!
No worries here Father! Take your time, we appreciate it…will pray. God bless!
Must be those Ides of March.
May God bless you Father.
Sometimes, Father, more interior silence is good. It’s like taking time out to smell the roses.
Let go for a breather if God is drawing you in that direction. Even blog-writing can be a form of noise. Turn it all down so you can hear the voice of God above all others.
It’s all right, Father Z. We’ll be here. Please pray for us, as we do for you.
I prayed for your intentions at Stations tonight. Also, it is so great to have a Holy Father again to pray for (and of course I prayed for Benectict as well.)
Thank you, Father, for all that you do. Rest well. God be with you.
Do what you need to, Father. You are in my prayers.
Rest well, Fr. Z. And thank you for coming out so strongly against the vitriol regarding our Holy Father Francis I.
Fr. Z.,
Thank you so much for your posts. Thank you for all your time and the frustrations you’ve dealt with. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your posts, especially at this time.
If we had to rely on the secular press for information – oy vey! I shudder to think -!
If a prayer from me will help at all, you’ve got it. God bless you. (Thank you also very much for your firm reprimand against individuals posting bad things about our new pontiff– keep up the good work, Fr. Z.!)
I guess it really is that bad then. Brick by brick to “not one brick standing upon another.”
We do love you father. Will you lead us to the catacombs…?
Not to state the obvious but a memorare is coming your way. Be a Cooperator in the Truth Father.
Rest and enjoy yourself, Father.
@Montenegro Well said! It just doesn’t stop, I’ve removed Rorate from my feed and bookmarks, they’ve just gone too far this time.
Praying for you now, Dear Father.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine 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.
We, too, need time to process all that has happened Father.
We’ll be here when you can come back. And we’ll be looking for your guidance and wisdom.
Pater Noster…
Ave Maria…
Gloria…
Praying for you, father. Thank you for your tireless efforts & fidelity.
Reverende pater, perturbatus sum. Memorasne ea verba cardinalis Ratzinger de liturgia refectioneque ecclesiae quod hic nuper posui? Certus sum quod vera sunt, ergo perturbatus sum… sed spero. Iuva me et omnes perturbatorum, amabo te. Tibi patienter maneo, sed perturbatus sum. (Please forgive my faulty Latin.)
Praying for you. We know you’re there…we’ll wait…get some Z’s. Thank you for all the excellent reports and for making it possible to feel so close to all the events of the past few days.
Prayers to OL of Fatima said for you. Take care of yourself.
Dear Father, please, rest and absorb. In the last 72 hours I was observing a rapid, arrogant and methodical dismantling of what priests like yourself and Pope Benedict had dedicated their lifetime to rebuilt – solemn celebration of Holy Mass in either form, and promotion of solid Catholic teaching. This is the first 72 hours. Soon we will be seeing months piling up since the days of the incense and chants were heard within the walls of Vatican. Eventually it will all come back again. In the meantime, I hope you complete your studies, continue blogging, but, most importantly continue in offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in ancient form uninterrupted by the powers above and around you. Please, pray for us. God bless you.
Whenever I here Mozart, Handel, Haydn, and Gregorian Chant I will always have Benedict XVI in my mind. I’m still in shock. This just doesn’t make sense to me. All I wanted was like the East have, a beautiful liturgy and a sound tradition. But this proves most in our western church are not ready for it. They thought it wasn’t important. So the Cardinals gave the western mainstream what they wanted. And that’s how I will always remember this occasion. I will remain loyal, but my enthusiasm has dwindled to the point where I need to just express my faith and prayers in silence and solitude. Benedict XVI will always be in my prayers, his vision was always similar to mine, but most could not appreciate it or understand it.
Thank you very much for your posts and, like so many others, I pray for you and especially that you stay healthy after standing in all that rain. I hope you packed a good store of Vitamin C.
Thank you for being there Father.
We are keeping ourselves occupied in this space while you collect your thoughts. Thanks for providing it to us.
I add my prayers to those of the others.
Welcome back. And thank you for keeping a grip on things here, despite your connection problems and all the other mishaps. Satan is hard at work. I think he hated BXVI, we will probably soon see all the ways in which he hates Francis – and he hates and tries to destroy even the humble, faithful bloggers of this world! If you’re having an effect, you’ll be on his hit list. Thank you for your labors in the face of such an enemy.
Thank you, Fr. Z. I’ve prayed for you.
Understood.
Father Z,
Rest up. This being my first Papal election as a Catholic, it has been interesting, enlightening, and calming. The Holy Spirit is at work. I will pray for you and with you, I will be still and know that He is God.
Peace
There is only so much a body can take. When I was a little kid and I was sick or tired, I would ask Our Lady to restore my health and strength before going to bed. She never failed to heal me. As an adult I haven’t always been restored overnight, no doubt because of lessons I needed to learn in sickness. It’s almost 11pm here and I’m about to turn in and to ask Our Lady to restore Her dear, precious child, you, our dear Fr. Z.
No one knows better than me about taking time off to rest… spiritually as well as physically this has been a long month since Benedict grabbed out attention with the news. Now the Holy Spirit does it again… you will do your best when taking some time to reflect, rest and listen to that “still, small voice in your heart” that is God’s whisper. Take it from a Carmelite who is sometimes noisy, silence, indeed is golden…
Completely understandable, Father.
Like everyone else, I appreciate that I’ve had a place to carry out good, civil discussion with my fellow Catholics. I don’t have that offline. It has helped me sort through my feelings and be positive even in the face of uncertainty.
*waves back*
Take care of yourself.
Rest first. Think later. Thank you for all your excellent posts. I will pray for you.
Appreciate all u r doing.
You deserve a rest.
‘No rest for the wicked.’
Well, dear Father, I guess you’re not to be counted among the wicked, at least for the time being.
Looking forward to your next post when it appears.
Pax et bonum.
– the Catholic Sacristan
It’s okay to be a bit disappointed, even if one might not admit it publicly.
Father,
Thank you for the hard work in reporting on the conclave and the election of Pope Francis. And thank you especially for the love you have for us and the concern for the welfare of our eternal souls. So please make sure you get enough rest, Father. God Bless you and May the Blessed Virgin pray for you. +JMJ+
+PAX et BONUM
Look after yourself
Thank you for the hard work
Thank you, Father and enjoy the rest of your time in the Eternal City! Your posting so far has been great, very helpful, positive and calming. Praying for you. Oh, and as Allan S. said:
“Will you lead us to the Catacombs…” ?!
Jesus Loves You!
(and from the book The Apostolate of Holy Motherhood), Our Blessed Mother loves you very much too)
Thanks, Father, for everything! Not to worry, we don’t continually need news and entertainment. Just rest as much as you wish!
Fr. Z,
You easily do the work of two or three priests, such is the load of your catechetical articles, liturgical reflections, Sunday homilies, research for the sake of answering countless answers, and then sorting through the emotional baggage people bring to your comment boxes and the mountain of private correspondence which we never see but which you read through and answer. This doesn’t even begin to take into account your many live contacts, and your networking to keep us informed–a physical drain that requires travel and putting on the charm when at times you’d rather collapse.
Praise God you have let people on the blog know, so that they can assist you with their prayers and best wishes.
Praying for you. Many, many thanks; you are a great blessing.
Praying for you. Many, many thanks. You are a true blessing.
Go get some wine and some food and some rest. Get a couple good DVDs. We’ll be here when you’re ready. G-d bless.
Folks,
Let’s give Fr a boost by voting again for “Best Catholic Blog”
http://catholicism.about.com/library/bl-readers-choice-awards-best-catholic-blog.htm
Cool Catholic: that’s a very good cheering-up-idea! Let’s donate som money too, so that Fr.Z can buy the new computer equipment he needs.
Having nothing wise to add myself, my suggestion is to call your mother. No one is too old for the comfort of their mother.
Many thanks again for all you do
This whirlwind from the time of Pope Benedict’s renunciation through the sede vacante, and the papal election of Pope Francis has knocked most of us for a loop, I think. Unlike you, I have not had to be the person that so many others have leaned on to keep them steady during this time. That is emotionally draining in and of itself, to say nothing of the physical toll of your travels and ministry to us.
I’m sure that we’ll never know the depth of the sacrifices you have had to make and the suffering you have endured from time to time in order to serve us. I can’t thank you enough. Because of your internet ministry, I am (as so many others are) finally being nourished with the richness and beauty of our Catholic faith, in her time-honored ways. None of this was ever available to me before and without your dedication, I would still be in the dark. Thank you for your priesthood!
God Bless you and keep you. We love you!
Thank you Father for all you have taught me about our Catholic faith. You have strengthened my belief and given me hope. For various reasons I am unable to help financially but you are in my prayers every day.
Take as much rest as you can.
Geezelpete, people! The man’s tired. With all the crud going around and the poor man having been taking long airplane rides to Europe, you should be thanking God he’s not sick as a dog in the hospital, like the poor Anchoress.
Folks, you should not be making passive-aggressive assumptions in public about his state of mind and heart, because frankly, that’s rude beyond belief. And even if somebody were concealing his feelings for prudence’s sake or to keep himself cheerful, why on God’s green earth would you try to _expose_ that?! Do you really mean, “Please feel worse, and please let me tell everyone that you’re bitter because I’m bitter, and it will make me feel better to make you feel worse” ?!
We are better than this. Let’s just offer the man our good wishes, and don’t make it all about our precious selves.
And now that I’ve broken my own rule, I will wish Fr. Z a good mini-vacation! And a vacation from his vacation, too! :)
@Suburbanbanshee
*applause*
You said what I was thinking, but better than I would have. Thankfully I think most here are on the same page.
What? no! get back here now!…that’s my smart-aleck response.
Ditto what Fr_Sotelo says, along with others here. Many of us are reeling from the changes in the Church, looking for reassurance, fearing the worst. I am grateful for your even and sensible coverage.
Thanks for the heads-up explanation, and I wish you rest, refreshment, and peace. It won’t take long for you to recharge. I pray for you. We are grateful for the work you do, it all has certainly done a lot for me.
Our Cross, A Meditation of St. Francis de Sales:
The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity
the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart.
This cross, He now sends you,
He has considered with His all-knowing eyes,
understood with His Divine mind,
tested with His wise justice,
warmed with loving arms
and weighed with His own hands
to see that it be not one inch too large
and not one ounce too heavy for you.
He has blessed it with His holy Name,
anointed it with His grace,
perfumed it with His consolation,
taken one last glance at you and your courage
and then sent it to you from heaven,
a special greeting from God to you,
an alms of the all-merciful God.
Dear father, rest well. You’ve done an amazing job over the last few days. Thank God for you, and for your ministry. We love you.
Also, guys, I don’t think he’s going away. I just think he simply is telling us that he is not posting as much. I would expect this, given his lack of Internet connection of late.
Dear father, rest well. You’ve done an amazing job over the last few days. Thank God for you, and for your ministry. We love you.
Also, guys, I don’t think he’s going away. I just think he simply is telling us that he is not posting as much.
I have been praying fervently for Father Z, for the Church and our new Holy Father.
I have also been praying constantly for our favorite Papal MC Msgr. Guido Marini.
Let us be like Job. Our Lord is the true head of the Church. It is His Church after all, and He will protect, teach, and guide His vicar. Let us not be fatalist, the current Pope Francis is not the same as the former Cardinal Bergoglio of Buenos Aires (just as there were many differences between Pope Benedict XVI and the former Cardinal Ratzinger of the Holy Office).
Veni, Sancte Spiritus…
Suburbanbanshee,
What are you referring to? The way I’ve read the bulk of these comments, I think that some of us are just trying to put ourselves in Father’s shoes and sympathize with what he must be going through. It can’t be easy and we appreciate him very much.
I guess I’ll have to go back and re-read the comments again. I only scanned them quickly, but at first glance, I didn’t pick up on anyone passively-agressively hoping he’ll feel worse. That WOULD be awful.
Thank you for all the posts and the photos. I voted for your blog everyday, truly earned.
Any pictures of the delicious cuisine you are hopefully (at least certainly deserve to be) enjoying? :)
In all seriousness, thank you so much for your insightful and up-to-date posts!
@Suburbanbanshee
Thank you! You read my mind.
Prayers for some well-deserved rest for you, Father. Enjoy your time in Rome. I’m sure all of us blog readers will still be here when you get back to writing.
As a panicky tradition-lover who feels like he has been living through a papal putsch, I have missed Father Z’s sober and encouraging words. I don’t always believe them, but they are a very positive influence in the shell-shocked tradosphere.
@OrthodoxChick
A few people have presumed to know exactly what Father Z is trying to “absorb and sort and parse and divide and contrast”, suggesting (or wishcasting) that he is unhappy with our new pope. You weren’t one of them.
Fr Z, been really thinking. Both the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew as well as Patriarch Kirill of Moscow really like the choice of Pope Francis. Maybe we should follow the guidance of the Eastern Patriarchs.
“We know you’re there…we’ll wait…get some Z’s.”
You mean, extra Zs…I agree, if Father had some clones available it would take off some of the load :)
Tina in Ashburn,
A lovely quote. Here, St. Francis continues on a similar theme in a latter dated, Jan. 16, 1619:
Letter LXXI
To a Lady,
…I was afraid you were made anxious by your father’s illness…Indeed, we need to learn the lesson, that this life is given us only that we may attain to eternal life. For lack of remembering this, we fix our attentions on the things of this fleeting world, and when the time comes that we must quit it, we are aghast and terrified!
Believe me, dear child, if we would pass contentedly through our pilgrimage, we must keep the hope of arriving at our true Home ever before our eyes, else we shall be continually halting. God calls us to Him, and He watches us as we go, and allows nothing to happen save what is for our real good; He knows what we are, and when we come to rough places, He will always uphold us with His Fatherly Hand, so that we be not hindered. But to correspond to this grace we need an absolute trust in Him.
Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear; rather look to them with full hope that as they arise, God, Whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He has kept you hitherto, do you but hold fast to His Dear Hand, and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His Arms. What need you fear, my child, remembering that you are God’s, and that He has said, “All things work together for good to them that love Him.” Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same Everlasting Father Who cares for you today, will take care of you tomorrow, and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then; put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart hath trusted in Him, and I am helped.” He is not only with me, but in me, and I in Him.
What can a child fear surround by such a Father’s Arm? Be truly as a child, my daughter. You know children do not trouble themselves with looking forward; they leave that to others, and are perfectly content so long as they are near their father. Do this, my dear child, and you will be at rest. Amen
From: A Selection From the Spiritual Letters of St. Francis de Sales, translated, 1880 (in the public domain)
The Chicken
Praying, Father! Thank you for all you do!
Take a rest Father. We’re here and we’re all praying for you.
Prayers for you, Father, and the Holy Catholic Church.
Rest easy, Father…we’re all absorbing the momentous events, and know you are close to all our prayers, and wil, in your own time, be able to enjoy the fruits of you insight and wisdom.
Rest easy, Father…we’re all absorbing the momentous events, and please know you are close to all our prayers, and we will, in your own time, be able to enjoy the fruits of your insight and wisdom.
Prayers for you, Father and sincere thanks for everything you do. Your blog post on the night of Pope Francis’ election is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have seen this year. God be with you.
Fr Z
I imagine you would be exhausted after the recent tumult, running on pure adrenalin with the concomitant “down” which follows when the hormone level withdraws when the answer to the question of “who the new Pope is?” gets announced and a new set of questions are set in train. When the adrenalin stops you realise how tired you actually are. Computer problems and other trials don’t help either. Please rest up and then “keep us posted”. You were very good on EWTN by the way.
Masked Chicken: A good comforting quote from you as well. Here’s hoping St Francis de Sales helps all of us here.
I have had that Meditation of Our Cross for since youth, written in some nun’s flowery hand, sent to me at one of the lowest points in my life. When we had 90% more religious than today, one of their contributions used to be beautiful handmade, painted and flourished holy cards of prayers or illustrations, painted on vellum or maybe translucent paper. My parents were generous supporters of religious houses back in the day, so these would be sent in gratitude. I cherish the hand that wrote that prayer with devotion and care, a more accurate older rendition of the Meditation than those found online today.