What is your good news?

Do you have good news for the readers?

For my part, I have gotten a lot of work done in the last few days.

I had a good breakthrough on an ongoing project.

A seminarian is coming by in the mornings to learn to serve Mass (TLM of course). He does a great job. Latin through High School. What an advantage to have Latin before moving to the next step?

My car issues are resolved. That ’92 TC was a great ride. Addio!

There have been some good donations for my Rome trip and I am more confident that everything will work. The clerical places I usually stay at are full, so I contacted a short term apartment service. That’s often the best way to go in Rome, by the way. They wind up being cheaper than most hotels, especially if you are splitting costs, and you can make some meals for yourselves which saves a LOT of money in a city like Rome.

PS: Keep the donations coming! Help me unclench. When I see even a small donation I think “Breakfast!” or “A couple apartment hours paid for!”.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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

  1. APX says:

    I attended the ordination of two priests this week as well as one of their first Masses. I’ve attended the last three sets of ordinations and have a lot of hope for the future of the diocese. I don’t think any of them will be doing anything kooky during Mass or any other liturgical function.

    Also, after struggling to find the words to dispute my philosophy prof’s beloved ethical system- utilitarianism in a way that even his non-Christian view of things can dispute, I have found them. Thanks, St. Anthony.

  2. Our local parish priest decided to offer and lead 2x/mo Bible study for our high school kids.
    This will be the new ‘youth group’ beginning in the fall!
    Father is also teaching a 10-session class on the Psalms during the summer months.

  3. mamajen says:

    We decided to go to a different parish on Sunday and I experienced my first ad orientem Novus Ordo. I was surprised because the last time we were there (albeit over a year ago) it was still versus populum. I really liked it! It was different not being able to see what the priest was doing as much, but that was okay. It seemed like there was a greater distinction between the different portions of the mass, and the altar had more of a specialness about it. Can’t explain it really, but it was just better.

    I hope you are able to get to Rome–I enjoy living vicariously through your posts!

  4. Andreas says:

    We had a very special Mass celebrated at St. Ulrichs Church here in Pinswang this past Sunday. Members of a nearby Bavarian veteran’s association arrived at the Church, beautifully dressed in their traditional Sunday best, the men in Tracht and women in Summery Dirndls. This Mass was a celebration in commemoration of the blessing of the association’s flags…a solemn custom here in Austria and Germany. Fifty years ago, the Priest in their village refused to allow the veterans to celebrate this special Mass. However, our Priest at that time knew these people well and welcomed them to celebrate this Mass at the Ulrich’s Kirche. This Sunday was the 50th anniversary of that occasion. The Mass was sung by a splendid men’s chorus and Pfarrer Bader’s homily (Predigt) about the nature and costs of war was deftly crafted and presented. At the end of the Mass, Pfarrer Bader blessed the flags, a lovely old Kirchenlied was sung and our guests for the day departed. In this time where such traditions are fading, where veterans here are at times treated with indifference by some and overt disdain by others, it was very moving indeed to see many of these veterans at Mass with us, in deep reverence and prayer. For some of these old soldiers, I suspect this may be the last of such celebrations.

  5. VexillaRegis says:

    My insurance problem was solved today, haven’t seen the papers yet, but got an e-mail. I’m so incredibly thankful for all the prayers from people on here!

    The neighbours’ cat had kittens last Saturday, they are so cute.

    And I’ve lost 2 kgs in a week. ;-)

  6. Atra Dicenda, Rubra Agenda says:

    Third son, Thomas Augustine, baptized on Father’s Day. Still smells like chrism.

  7. Mari Kate says:

    to Atra Dicenda…how precious! A perfect day for a baptism. Fr Z when you get ot Rome will you offer a little Ave for me? [Even two!] It is a lifelong dream to go to Rome and visit the Vatican. A friend spent 6 weeks there, rented a Villa, etc. She said that she went to the Vatican almost everyday and never ran out of things to see. I know Our Lady will hear you prayer!

  8. discipulus says:

    A recently ordained priest of our diocese assisted at Mass in our EF parish yesterday. He was just assigned to a local parish whose pastor is known for being hostile to anything traditional. However, I have heard that the priest who assisted with us is interested in the Extraordinary form.

  9. StJude says:

    I have lost 5 pounds so far this month!

    My brother has a new job in a new city.. and things so far look like its going to be great.

  10. contraryness13 says:

    First time I’ve commented here, so that’s good news I suppose :)

    Also, I’ve discovered that there’s a group here in Portland, OR that does Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony (www.cantoresinecclesia.org), and I’m planning to attend a Dominican Mass for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, at which they will be singing. Very exciting! I’ve never actually been to a Dominican Mass though; can anyone explain the difference between that and a Latin Mass? Thanks!

  11. Random Friar says:

    There’s a liturgical change coming up that I personally like, but will hold off until you make a public post.

  12. An American Mother says:

    By a ‘concatenation of combinant circumstances’ as A.P. Herbert says, I wound up being the pickup organist at an out-of-town Mass with about 10 minutes warning . . . never was anyone so unqualified to fill that position, but nobody else was available.
    But by the grace of God (and I mean that) I was unnaturally (for me) calm and stayed with the music and the choir. It was pretty awful in spots, but as my home choirmaster says, “Nobody died, and nobody lost a million dollars.”
    I think I am going to send a copy of the Parish Book of Chant to the choirmaster (anonymously from ‘the Phantom Organist’) so that when their regular keyboard artist is not there, they can just CHANT instead of singing the “Massive Cremation” and pop hymns with accompaniment that is VERY difficult to sight read . . . .

  13. Inigo says:

    My wife is pregnant!

    Please pray for us!

  14. iPadre says:

    I can finally go back to the parish on Wednesday. I’m almost completely better. Still a little way to go, but I’ve come a long way, thanks to the many, many people who have been praying for me. [OORAH!]

    My seminarian has finished his second year of theology in Rome and is home for the summer in a great parish assignment.

    On June 30th we will hold the 100th anniversary celebration of my parish. Bishop Tobin will celebrate Mass and preach the homily and we will have a dinner celebration in the afternoon.

  15. Bob B. says:

    Married 39 years ago, last week, and my oldest is having her first child.

  16. Joy says:

    My youngest was baptized and my husband actually came and stayed for the entire Mass! We got a new transmission for our car, so can drive it again. Strawberry plants are producing well, and I’m actually able to freeze some for use later. And another altar server will be visiting here with his family for two months, so my older son will not be the only server every week.

  17. I think a solution to my particular housing situation has finally come.

  18. momoften says:

    Another son accepted into seminary, he was *absolutely* on cloud nine!!
    Dominican Sisters are here for VBS and the children are delighted, they
    (esp the little girls) love the sisters….(we have no active nuns in our diocese
    that they can see :(

  19. Elizabeth D says:

    Michael W maybe? That is great.

    I was elected to the board of the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison, together with Ben Yanke and Fr Z. I get to re-join the Schola Cantorum!!! My “Interior Castle” women’s book study group has started off very well. I am making progress, though slowly, on a big project related to some religious sisters.

    God loves me and He is merciful!!!

  20. graytown says:

    St James in Vancouver WA will designated a Proto-Cathedral by the Archbishop of Seattle later this year. This Church used to be a Cathedral back in the day.
    To celebrate we are are going to be blessed with a Solemn High Mass in the EF.
    The Reverend Gerard Saguto from the Fraternity of St. Peter will be the priest.
    This happens on June 28 th at 7 pm., the Vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
    I’m sure this is the first Mass in the EF at this church in several decades.

    Brick by Brick

  21. majuscule says:

    Our new priest offered a most reverent chanted OF Mass. Then, during communion kept offering communion on the tongue to people approaching with their hands out.

    I heard no complaints after Mass, either.

    He can also offer the TLM so just maybe we will get one in one of the three parish churches. Or at least a NO in Latin…

    Plus, as I mentioned in another thread, in his homily he spoke of hell and urged all to go to confession!

    Too many wonderful things to mention happened at that Mass!

  22. bernadette says:

    Arrived in Salt Lake City a short while ago for the Sacred Music Colloquium. Looking forward to a week of singing and listening to beautiful liturgical music.

  23. LeighAnna says:

    I just started volunteering at my public library, and my husband is singing in our parish schola now! We also harvested the first spinach leaves from our deck garden. Small blessings that turn out to be big blessings.

  24. Benedict says:

    The Dominican Province of St. Joseph (Eastern) has accepted a large number of men for their next novitiate class.  Please pray for them!

    The Dominican parish of St. Patrick’s in Columbus will celebrate a Dominican Rite Mass for the Feast of St. Dominic on August 4, 2013.

  25. acardnal says:

    Fr. Z,
    How are you progressing on the Tech Exam for amateur radio licensing? Wouldn’t it be great to get the license before your July trip and clergy vacation in upstate MN? Take your HAM gear along and impress them with your technical knowledge and TEOTWAWKI preparedness.

    As for me, now that I paid for the EF training for my parish priest, he needs a server for his Low Masses. Guess who he’s looking at?

  26. Charivari Rob says:

    Father’s Day yesterday, and Mom’s birthday tomorrow – both of them still with us in this life.

  27. The Sicilian Woman says:

    It’s so wonderful to hear of anniversaries, babies, more seminarians, the TLM, and all other news here! (VexillaRegis, the 2kg you lost, I found!)

    I finally made it to my first Eastern Rite Mass (Byzantine). What a beautiful liturgy, all sung. There was a social hour after Mass. I think most of the congregation (50+) or more attended, as did the pastor, who knew everyone by name. (Everyone knew everyone else, too.) Plus, there was a family with eight children, ranging in ages from teens (maybe as old as 17) to 2 or 3 years; I haven’t seen that in my large parish. It was sweet to see the two oldest teen boys help take care of and be affectionate with their much younger (and active) siblings. Oh – it was neat to see the Eastern Rite tradition of the youngest children receiving the Body and Blood.

    Afterwards, talking to the friendly woman who ran the gift shop, I learned that she had switched from the Roman to the Eastern Rite, said that many people who are part of Eastern Rite churches have come from the Roman rite. Made sense. Liturgy matters.

  28. Jack Hughes says:

    I’ve been asked to take a new position at work which is more to my liking than my current post and I’ve been talking to a guy at work about God and he at least seems open to the idea of theism (I’m lending him a copy of Anthony Flew’s book on Wednesday), this is a big deal because although he is not a spittle flecked nutty he’s bread is buttered on the wrong side.

    Prayers please; both for him and for my application to come to the States (looks like its going to drag out until December).

  29. Stephen D says:

    I notice that since we have had a new parish priest the Tablet is no longer sold at Church. Deo Gratias

  30. jkm210 says:

    I’m sure this post is likely to be deleted, but I am honestly curious: Why does Fr. Z require so many donations, and what are the reasons behind his constant travel? If his work in the United States is not financially supported by his diocese in Italy, why is he doing it? And while “it’s not your business” may be the automatic response, I posit that it is, in fact, the business of the readers, if they are being asked to support it financially.

    I am not trying to be rude, but I find it a bit disconcerting for a priest to constantly ask for donations to sustain his own personal lifestyle. If there is a valid reason for it, I would be very interested in hearing it. Thanks!

  31. Maxiemom says:

    My mother, who is 84, had open heart surgery three weeks ago and is recovering, albeit slowly. Her faith had kept her going on the bad days. With out this surgery, she may have had less than a year to live. God is good.

  32. EXCHIEF says:

    Our Pastor, who for the past 13 + months has been the sole Priest serving 4 parishes over an area of nearly 9000 sq miles, advised us Sunday that an Associate Pastor will be arriving from India (most of the Priests in this rural Diocese are foreign born) this week. Once he picks up some of the “workload” the Pastor hopes to resume an occasional Sunday TLM…which was the case when he had an Associate in the past.

  33. Joe in Canada says:

    jkm210: honestly, why would you ask such a thing here? Fr Z kindly offers the possibility of a direct email to him. Why on e earth would you ask us this? You might not intend to be rude, but your post was if not rude very strange.

    anyways, my good news is that the government of the province where I live has imposes a secular relativist religion and ethics course that is obligatory for everyone, even Catholic or other religious schools. We took the gov’t to court and won, and the gov’t won its appeal. The appelate court accepted the gov’t’s argument that it is not possible to be tolerant and respectful from a confessional perspective. A few days ago we heard that the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear our appeal of this outrageous decision.

  34. downyduck says:

    Went to a fundraiser tonight to bring Catholic radio (EWTN) to our small town… we need $10,000 in the next two weeks… praying this is God’s will!

  35. JaneC says:

    My husband and I went on our first fishing trip since becoming residents of Alaska (a significant milestone). We went along with several parish families, and one of our parish priests came down and said Mass for us this morning, on the sand dunes. It was beautiful, and our prayers were answered: the next time we hauled in our net it was absolutely full of fish and we came very close to the limit of the number we are allowed to catch.

    Thus we were able to cut the trip short, and I, who enjoy having a freezer full of salmon but not camping on the beach, get to sleep in my own bed tonight instead of in a tent!

  36. Midwest St. Michael says:

    Today (June 18) is the first anniversary of my dad’s death. I humbly ask the board say one for him, please?

    Good news:

    I went to give a “pep talk” to some 20-30 somethings this Friday evening past. I was impressed! They meet once a month and have benediction, evening prayer, rosary, confessions, a talk (my role the other night) and a pot-luck dinner. There were about twenty young Catholics there.

    Made me feel old! Theme of the talk was being “Catholic to the Max”… no comprimising. (in the spirit of St. Barnabas, the son of Encouragement, and the CCC’s paragraphs 182, 891-2, 1285, 1756, 2305-7, 2518… and many more!).

    There *is* hope for the Church in the U.S., my friends. I saw it the other night. :)

    MSM

  37. pmullane says:

    My Baby son was baptised on Saturday morning, thanks be to God!

    As a surprise, and in honour of his middle name (Benedict) our Parish Priest arranged that we sang ‘Full in the Panting heart of Rome’ after the service, for our Great Pope Emeritus and his Gloriously Reigning Successor, Francis. What a wonderful day!

  38. Midwest St. Michael says:

    Sorry, mistake above: Should be CCC’s *2035-37* that we covered, not 2305-7 (those are good, too!).

    My bad.

    MSM

  39. jaykay says:

    This is quite trivial in the Great Scheme of Things but has made me really happy. I learned that my annual holiday, which looked like it was going to have to be in early August because of work pressures, can now be taken in late September. Reason for my happiness is that, having completed the Camino de Santiago last year, I was planning to walk a stretch of the Via Francigena over the Alps (crossing the Great St. Bernard Pass – yes, the dogs!) to Milan, and I would not have done it in early August, not in Italy. So preparations are now back in full swing.

    PMullane: congratulations!

  40. Liz says:

    jkm210, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you did not mean to sound rude, but it did seem to come off as a little rude even if you did not intend it to be. (If these posts are deleted likely that would be because they are not on the topic of good news and Father likes to come the comments pertinent to the topic.)

    Anyway, many of us come to Fr. Z’s blog to get traditional Catholic news in an interesting and trustworthy way. I like to give donations to him to support him so that he can carry on with his blog. I imagine keeping it up is an enormous amount of work! To me it’s sort of like paying for a subscription to a magazine in the old days. Plus, over the years, from reading it, I have found Fr. Z’s blog to be tremendously educational, lots of fun, and I can tell that he is a very good and holy priest. Also, he prays for and says masses for his benefactors. Bonus! (You might want to donate now or you can buy something from Amazon through his website or buy some delicious Mystic Monk coffee or send your child to Wyoming Catholic College.)

    My good news is that I get to go to Rome this fall with my fifteen-year old daughter–please pray for my husband who will be home with all of the little people!–to visit my twenty-year old daughter who will be studying there for the semester–please say a prayer that she gets over her mysterious illness that has gone on for three months so that she can go! God bless you all and thank you for sharing your good news with us!

  41. I managed to overcome my technology-shortened attention span and got quite a lot of reading done this weekend, including finishing Evelyn Waugh’s Sword of Honor trilogy. I also bought and began reading “The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest” (Ignatius Press) the true story of a Jesuit in Elizabethan England – an amazing book!
    And Dr. Warren Carroll’s final History of Christendom book is chugging along to printing! After much work and stress on it, I can sit back and watch the printers do their work. Thanks be to God, and I’m praying to St. Theresa of the Andes that it gets printed in time.
    My best news, though, is that I just got back from a weekend visit at my sister’s Carmelite convent in South Dakota. (sorry, ladykathryn, I beat you again.) She’s doing well, and it was lovely to see her after a year away. Praised be Jesus Christ for cloistered nuns!

  42. Denis Crnkovic says:

    The gas clothes dryer broke. I went on youtube, found out how to fix the front drum bearing, ordered the part (it arrived in two days), took the front of the dryer apart, replaced the broken piece, put the dryer back together, and it works almost like new. Imagine that: a good news anecdote that includes efficient internet. (Fyi, St Joseph had a rather large hand in this whole adventure, of course).

  43. MarkJ says:

    Good News as reported in this Sunday’s bulletin: “Bishop Flores will ordain the Rev. George Guzman to the Catholic priesthood here at Saint Margaret’s on Wednesday, June 26th at 10:00am. This is historic. The Rev. Guzman ministered many years as an Episcopal clergyman. He now is the pastoral leader of the St. Augustine’s, a community who left the Episcopal Church to be united, after four hundred years of separation, with Rome. They bring to the Catholic Church a distinctiveness that has been influenced by the historic and venerable Anglican tradition. Once ordained, St. Augustine’s Community will meet every Sunday at St. Margaret’s and Mass will be offered in the afternoon according to the “Anglo-Catholic” tradition. We wish Father Guzman and St. Augustine’s every prayer and blessing.”

  44. pelerin says:

    I have just learnt that a major abortion clinic in London England is to close. Many vigils have been held outside there.

  45. RCOkie says:

    Since enough people signed up, our daughter will be able to in Rome with a group of youth from our diocese for Holy Week next year. We are so excited for her to have this experience.

  46. Bea says:

    2 sons visiting for 2 weeks

  47. Mike says:

    This Sunday my pastor, noted that it was Father’s Day and went on to talk about the importance of Fathers. He took the second half of his sermon to discuss that he’d had lunch with Taylor Marshall, the founder of the Scouts of St. George, and to inform the parish as a whole that the current Boy Scout troop at the parish would not have their charter renewed as of January 1, 2014. In place of the current BSA troop, a new troop in the Scouts of St. George would be established at the parish. I’m an Eagle Scout and I applaud this!

    Please Fathers… bid a fond farewell to the BSA troops in your parishes and establish a troop in the Scouts of St. George in its place. It will be a wonderful chance to cement the faith of the male youth of your parish and perhaps be another avenue toward true, strong religious vocations and solid foundations young men so urgently need in today’s world.

  48. pjsandstrom says:

    How is progress going on your Doctoral Thesis? Is it finished and defended? Speaking of ‘good
    news’ I would hope to hear of progress on your Thesis. I know you did publish at least once the subject and title of this Thesis, but I do forget what you said it was. However, I am interested in your academic works too.

  49. xsosdid says:

    My daughter Mary had her grade 8 grad last evening. She won the award for best female athlete and the “Spirit” award for being the student who most exemplifies the values of Catholic education. Her mom, three brothers, grandma and myself are extremely proud. There is something both frightening and gratifying about watching your little girl become a (stunningly beautiful) young woman… I haven’t yet stepped off of cloud nine. She and I are very close and I can’t express the joy this brings me.
    Very blessed.

  50. MangiaMamma says:

    Attended a Thanksgiving Mass today for one of our newly ordained priests (with both sons serving). Youngest son graduating from community college tonight and on way to Christendom this fall while oldest son just started filling out paperwork for diocesan priesthood in the Archdiocese of Portland. Plus, I start working tomorrow morning as a baker’s assistant- starting late enough to go to 7 a.m. Mass!

  51. Therese says:

    “There’s a liturgical change coming up that I personally like, but will hold off until you make a public post.”

    Sounds very encouraging.

    Love these good news posts. Always wonderful reads, and of course, all the baby happenings. ;-)

    Two priests newly ordained in a neighboring diocese hostile to the EF are bravely offering the Mass anyway. If that isn’t reason to cheer, what is?

  52. pelerin says:

    Therese mentions a ‘liturgical change coming up’. One I would most like to see is the end to hand shaking at the ‘kiss of peace.’ For those with arthritis in their hands it can be excruciatingly painful. People just do not realise how a very firm handshake can cause long lasting pain. I dread when it approaches so if it were to be discontinued I would be overjoyed. Of course when I attend the EF I don’t have to worry.

  53. CMartin says:

    I found a TLM Mass in the Twin Cities! Every Sunday!

    Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale. For Sundays, the web site says, “11:30 Mass (Latin Mass)”, but the bulletin says, “11:30 AM Latin Mass (1962 Missal)”.

    Praise the Lord!

  54. robtbrown says:

    The charbroiled oysters at Drago’s in Metairie (New Orleans)!

  55. Stvsmith2009 says:

    On Sunday, June 16, the patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church consecrated Lebanon and the entire Middle East to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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