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About this blog…
“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 Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 3rd Sunday of Advent “Gaudete” – 2025: “many good points. Gaudete! this is not the same as being entertained and comfortable in the world. the desert fathers…”
- on ASK FATHER: Why do the TLM Gospels switch between “Ierusalem” and “Ierosolyma”? Wherein Fr. Z drills and then rants.: “Thank you for that learned exposition, Father Z — very instructive. Although I cannot find any indication that Jerome and…”
- on ASK FATHER: What’s the difference between the “rejoice” of “Laetare” Sunday of Lent and “Gaudete” Sunday of Advent?: “Thank you, Father. This is a lovely exposition. Buona continuatione…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1503: “The story is that the switch to Calibri was based on the idea that it (and perhaps other sans serif…”
- on 12 December – The pivotal Feast of St. Lucy, the year’s “darkest day”: “More on the Julian calendar that is very interesting. The creation the image of Our Lady on the tilma of…”
- on 12 December – The pivotal Feast of St. Lucy, the year’s “darkest day”: “Father I try in my incomplete way to pray the office especially during advent and lent. It is the office…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1504 – Tilma and bonus: “Paul Augustin Card. Mayer, OSB. One of the holiest souls I’ve ever encountered. Amazing man.”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1504 – Tilma and bonus: “1. R-b6 Black has few choices If . . . . . . a7-a6 2. R×a6# If . . .…”
- on I INSTANTLY added this book to my list! (Fr. Z POLLS): “Have read LOTR and The Hobbit so many times that last year my children gave me the hardbound set because…”
- on 9 December – Feast of St. Juan Diego. The AMAZING miracle for his canonization!: “So, a couple of Dominican nuns were ignorant of something well known to many others and this makes it fishy?…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1503: “@gsk: You can count me among those who are barely aware of the associations which are intimated by typefaces. I…”
- on I INSTANTLY added this book to my list! (Fr. Z POLLS): “Macarius, I still have not attempted Mark Walker’s translation, Hobbitvs Ille (2012) – might a New Year’s Resolution help, I…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1503: “@Not (above): I was open to the fake Sister Lucy thesis for a good while, but this put that theory…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1504 – Tilma and bonus: “White should play 1. Rb6, which puts Black into Zugzwang: If Black takes the Rook with his pawn, 2. Qa2+…”
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“Yes Francis, … everything is white here: books, envelopes, you and me…. and even power plugs!”
“Would you like to trade pectoral crosses?”
“How’d I end up picking this place for retirement?”
Well, I’d visited my friend Karol here a couple of times, and liked it well enough. On one visit, I saw a sign one day for a free luncheon down at the community room. Turns out that was just a hook for the timeshare presentation. Next thing I knew, I’m spending every summer here myself.
“I ordered you a little something from Gammarelli’s…”
“Wait, if I don’t have the mozzetta, and you don’t have it, then…???
“That’s the Secret for today’s Mass.”
Vox Borealis: LOL!!
Walking papers for the curia
Benedict- “Ok. Listen carefully, THIS is what I want you to do…”
After analysis, and Georgetown losing in the first round, I still think the Jesuits have a lock with Gonzaga to win it all.
“Most importantly, I learned that putting propellers on the little hats doesn’t make you fly.”
How should we do this? Latin, out, German, out, English, out, French, out, I guess that leaves Italian.
Francis: “How in the world do you eat spaghetti in these white clothes? This is my third white cassock in ten days!”
Benedict, with a wry smile: “Now you know what the Mozzetta is for!”
“Look, Franscesco, you’ve got to go along with the program. Be good to Msgr. Marini and he’ll be good to you.”
@Fr Martin Fox
LOL! Good one :)
Not a caption but… is it my imagination working, or is Pope Francis with a learning and attentive expression in is face that may indicate he is receiving good advice from BXVI?
“Benedict, I realize you will be doing a lot reading in your retirement so I brought you Fr. Z’s essays on the Collect prayers to study.”
[Funny you should mention that. Back in the day, before his election, he did read them. Later we had some correspondence over four articles I wrote on the “pro multis” question.]
SNAP!
Mitchell NY , Pope Benedict speaks spanish.
[To a tune from My Fair Lady]
All I want is a room somewhere.
Far away from the Curial stare.
With one enormous chair.
Oh, wouldn’t it be loverly…
Lots of praying for me to do.
A mozzetta for me and a mozzetta for you…
What do we do with Popes times two?
Oh, wouldn’t it be loverly?
Oh, so lovely sittin’ abso-bloomin’-lutely still
I would never budge till
The SSPX
Crept over me window sill
Someone’s book restin’ on my knee:
The Book on Faith written just by me…
Are those red shoes I see?
Oh, wouldn’t it be loverly…
Loverly, loverly, loverly
Submitted for your consideration by
The Chicken
Benedict XVI: “Have you heard this one? Two Popes are walking down the street..”
Francis: … and I’ve put the newspaper on vacation hold.
Benedict: Remember to also forward your snail mail to your new address in Rome and notify your contacts of your new email address after you get it from the Vatican IT department.
Benedict to Francis: What size trousers do you wear. I have about six pair that I’m not using. Georg will pack them up for you. Enjoy!
..and so Francis, would you believe what I told him, after all the liturgical abuse? I said “The carnival is over.”
Benedict: “….details are in the 3rd drawer to the left, and the combination for the lock is XXXX. Now, Msgr. Georg will teach you “The Crane.” Don’t over practice, or you’ll blow your knees out. Personally, I’d save it for Cardinal X, but use your best judgment.”
“Oh man, we BOTH wore the SAME outfit! This is embarrassing.”
Many possibilities! :)
1. “I love your outfit! Where did you get it?”
2. “Great minds think alike!”
3. “Why do women get upset when they show up wearing the same outfit? It is actually kind of cool!”
4. “This saves so much time in the morning! You never have to worry about what to wear!”
5. “Frank, I don’t understand why so many Catholic school kids complain; I rather enjoy having a uniform!” “Indeed, Ben! And, just imagine if our cassocks could be plaid!”
6. “Germany WILL beat Argentina in the World Cup! I’ll bet ya a mozzetta!”
“Who says you can’t wear white after Labor Day?! Those Americans are so old school!” :)
Finally, I imagine you will, of course, be interested in where I hid my stash of Mystic Monk coffee
” Francis: “It’s like looking in a mirror! Let’s see if we can match each other’s facial expressions. You start and I’ll follow…”
‘Please, Frank, take the ruby slippers. Then, if you ever get homesick, all you have do is click your heels three times and say …’
@idelsan
I don’t doubt Pope Benedict speaks Spanish also, however, FYI, when Pope Francis and the bishop emiritus of Rome met this time, they were speaking Italian…anyway, for the parts where cameras were allowed.
One minite we had no Pope, them two Pope up at once!
Francis: “Besides, if I ever need help, who’s a better consigliere than my papa (emeritus)?”
Papa Benedict says “Bless me Father, for I have sinned…”
But seriously, to whom does the pope confess?
“But seriously, to whom does the pope confess?”
I think its to the papal chaplain.
The Chicken
Boys and girls out there,
Don’t do like the naughty, naughty Chicken and use its instead of it’s. Remember, it’s is it is, its is its.
The Grammar Chicken
“Smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel. The hour grows late, and Francis the Pope flies to Gandolfo seeking my counsel. For that is why you have come, is it not, my friend?”
God forgive me, but I’m getting a mental image of what Groucho and Harpo Marx did in Duck Soup when they tried to imitate each other in the “mirror.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKTT-sy0aLg
When you wear the white just say the black and do the red.
“If you need a list of vacant sees, be sure to visit Dr. Ed Peters’ web site– he has a very good list, and I know I was a bit behind on some of those, especially El Paso, Texas and Bridgeport, Connecticut…”
Benedict: “Look, these envelopes contain secret information about all the bishops in the world. Trade them for 5 mozetta’s and a camauro?”
BXVI: “Francis, Francis, the Swiss Guard really DO have your best interests in heart. Lead them not into frustration…”
Dear @Gregorius, laughing out loud, great post!
Unserious question: Are you, erm, comparing Pope emeritus Benedict to Saruman?
“Francis: “How in the world do you eat spaghetti in these white clothes? This is my third white cassock in ten days!”
Benedict, with a wry smile: “Now you know what the Mozzetta is for!””
ROFL.
My first thought, when seeing the video, was
“OK, extra omnes, und jetzt endlich Deutsch!
“OK Herr Neuw Papst Franz – nicht fritzen mit der Messe und macht achtung auf Msgr. Guido!
OK, I have looked through all these catalogues, but I still can’t find a pair of red shoes with AFA in gold. Do you have anymore?
“I’ve got Three Kings. What you got ?”
Benedict XVI: “Is that my mail?”
Francis: “No, actually I’ve come for the rent.”
Masked Chicken…brilliant, and hilarious!
Fr. Martin Fox…awesome!
Loved this! Thank you all for the laughs.
Chicken, the music to “My Fair Lady” is among my favorites? Though one of those songs might be ruined for me now. ;-)
Benedict – ‘So………doing anything for Easter ?’
…so remember, Francis, Brick by brick..
Dear Chicken!! Laugh out loud for REAL! You are a genius!!
“I see you still have a few dark hairs left…enjoy them while you can!”
“I brought you your cat, which was left behind in your room. I made it a box to keep it in.”
“Ah, I knew I had forgotten something.”
Francis: Is this for me? I love surprises!
Benedict: It’s your Easter present. You young people are all alike, can’t wait for anything (gestures with hand).
What? You want to retire already?
Considering that present was originally gifted to Pope Francis from Kirill, I would think that Pope Benedict would call “re-gifting!”
“I gave up the Papacy for Lent.
you gave up the Mozzetta and Argentina.
when Lent is over, can we take it all back?”
Francis, care for a nice piping hot cup of Mystic Monk coffee?
I can’t believe some of the comments I read here.
“Thanks for the case of chocolates, but now about Summorum Pontificum…”
Alright, I brought 12 pizzas, 6 for you, 6 for me, let’s do this!
“No one asks me about my cat.”
Nan, Chicken – I don’t know anything about the Papal Chaplain, but I think the Pope can make his confession to any priest who is fit to hear it.
I attended a conference several years ago. Father Ramiro Cantalamessa (then or not long before that was preacher to the Papal household) was one of the speakers. Part of his talk was about JPII and the rehabilitation (redemption? not really sure of the best word to use) of a priest who had fallen on hard times (to put it mildly). At one point in this process the Holy Father asked this priest to hear his confession.
“so I reached out like this and said, ‘hey you can’t take communion’, and he says to me, ‘but i’m the vice pres…’ “
“Considering that present was originally gifted to Pope Francis from Kirill, I would think that Pope Benedict would call “re-gifting!””
I think it is more like finding it a very good home. If it is the same icon, there is no better place for it than with a very holy man who will be spending a lot of time in prayer for Pope Francis and the whole Church.
Dear @Gregorius, coming to think of it,
if we do want to use “applicability”, the parallel is rather a different one. It is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins meeting again in Rivendell, after the former had done something hitherto unknown, i. e., given up the Burden. Bilbo would not have had the strength to go into Mordor.
Of course, that would be comparing the papacy to the One Ring. Shame on myself.
“Frank, have you read the Top Secret file yet?”
“Oh, Ben, curial scandals are so dull, I haven’t bothered.”
“It’s not about Vatileaks, Frank, we just dropped that for the media to spin.”
“Ah! What is it then, Benny, anything good?”
“Indeed – the Complete Collection of Charles Schulz ‘Peanuts’ Cartoons!”
What’s in this box? Oh, it’s just the rubrics for Holy Week in the Extraordinary form. Ever heard of a tract…? Massive!
…and after mass, morning prayer, and breakfast, I have time to catch up on my favorite Catholic blogs. I use an alias to comment,latin of course….
Thanks to all – the comments are magnificent!
I kept expecting them to start doing this routine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4YZKGpe-D0
And not a brown envelope in sight thank God !!!