Daily Rome Shot 1562

Posted on 3 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

One of the “Talking Statues”.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful. With the added expenses I now have with the passing of my mom, I’m doubly grateful.

And this…

It ain’t ZedNet.

Mate in 4. It’s white’s move. HERE

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

The wonderful nuns of Gower Abbey, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, have a great disc and digital download:

Tenebrae at Ephesus

US HERE – UK HERE

These are the RESPONSORIES of Tenebrae for all three days of the Triduum.  They are, arguably, the most beautiful chants of the entire liturgical year.

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LENTCAzT 2026 – 14: Tuesday in the 2nd Week in Lent – The gateway to salvation

Posted on 3 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A 5 minute daily podcast to help you in your Lenten discipline.

We hear about Santa Balbina, the Roman Station. Fr. Troadec has an amazing reflection on two kinds of people.

Yesterday’s podcast – HERE

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Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday in/of Lent 2026

Posted on 2 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Mass of obligation for this 2nd Sunday in Lent and in the Novus Ordo 2nd Sunday of Lent?

Tell us about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

A taste of what I offered at 1 Peter 5 this week:

[…]

Speaking of Tabernacles, the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkoth, is the eight-day commemoration of Israel’s dwelling in booths in the wilderness and anticipation of the return some day of the divine Presence to the Temple. Jewish feasts looked back to something that happened and also forward to something to be fulfilled. Pope Benedict XVI, in Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, observes that the timing of the Transfiguration aligns with Sukkoth. The “Great Day” of Sukkoth, Hoshanah Rabbah, included a water and wine pouring ceremony. It was during such a hushed moment in the Temple that the Lord cried, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (Jn 7:37). During Sukkoth enormous candelabra were lit at the gold-laminated Temple so bright that the city was illuminated. At the close of Sukkoth when the lights were extinguished, Christ proclaimed, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). Sukkoth indeed saw the return of the divine to the Temple.

[…]

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Daily Rome Shot 1561

Posted on 2 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.  Also, with the passing away of my mother, there are other expenses.  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

Today’s Wordle: 4

And now…

And for you who track xenomorphs…

Black to move and mate in 4. HERE

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“And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse…”

Posted on 2 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From The Four Quartets

East Coker

[…]

IV.

The wounded surgeon plies the steel
That questions the distempered part;
Beneath the bleeding hands we feel
The sharp compassion of the healer’s art
Resolving the enigma of the fever chart.

Our only health is the disease
If we obey the dying nurse
Whose constant care is not to please
But to remind of our, and Adam’s curse,
And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse.

The whole earth is our hospital
Endowed by the ruined millionaire,
Wherein, if we do well, we shall
Die of the absolute paternal care
That will not leave us, but prevents us everywhere.

The chill ascends from feet to knees,
The fever sings in mental wires.
If to be warmed, then I must freeze
And quake in frigid purgatorial fires
Of which the flame is roses, and the smoke is briars.

The dripping blood our only drink,
The bloody flesh our only food:
In spite of which we like to think
That we are sound, substantial flesh and blood—
Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.

[…]

US HERE – UK HERE

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LENTCAzT 2026 – 13: Monday in the 2nd Week in Lent – “Everything became clear to me.”

Posted on 2 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A 5 minute daily podcast to help you in your Lenten discipline.

We hear about San Clemente, the Roman Station. If you ever get to Rome, this is a must visit church. It will be one of the most interesting places you see. Fr. Troadec schools us in how intimate the Lord is with us, how close. I’m reminded of “noverim te, noverim me”.

Yesterday’s podcast – HERE

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A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland

Posted on 1 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader on this 2nd Sunday of Lent. (Note: because of the blog migration Early Tuesday 2 March, comments posted after 0600 EST 11 UTC) will not migrate. That’ll give you time to “think before posting”.)

Wanted to pass this along, but it’s probably par for the course.

Our homily today at our TLM in ___ was Cardinal Sarah’s letter about the SSPX announcement. It felt like being gut punched listening to it.

We are having Mass in an old gymnasium, kneeling on a hard wood floor, folding chairs, etc. Every Mass a low Mass now. No sacraments available in traditional rite except Eucharist. Hearing Cardinal Sarah’s letter felt like being sucker punched. How much more do we need to endure just to attend Mass in the way my grandparents did?

I don’t know how much more I can personally endure being at a diocese TLM. It really feels like we are hated and unwanted. If anything Cardinal Sarah’s letter makes me want to attend at the SSPX. They only have chapels, but at least they WANT us. They preach about the day’s gospel and how to better ourselves. Not “obedience uber alles”.

I feel bishop Schneider’s letter is much more representative and comforting. Rome’s answer is to hope we all die off or go away. They say they don’t want a “split”, yet they do everything possible to bring that forth.

I pray for the SSPX every day. They, and the ICRSS and FSSP seem to be the only prelates in the church who actually care about people attached to tradition.

Sorry to complain, but I feel Cardinal Sarah’s letter does nothing but push people attached to tradition away from the church. It reads as mean spirited and “obedience above all”.

I hurt for all of you.  It is hard to watch people suffer so needlessly.

It’s all so senseless.

Let us all pray to the Guardian Angels of the key figures in this dreadful stand off as well as to Mary, Queen of the Clergy, to intercede with her Divine Son, the High Priest, to open hearts and minds.

Holy Angels, defend us.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, put your mantle over us and help your children.

Posted in Cri de Coeur, Our Catholic Identity, SSPX, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged ,
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2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”

Posted on 1 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE: A few days ago we tested a migration.  It all went well.  Now we have done the real migration.

A lot of links broke, especially to images. I am manually fixing them.

The look is the same. There may be some minor changes in functionality, but they will affect me more than you.

I’m not sure how the mobile view will be affected yet. One step at a time.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
15 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 1560

Posted on 1 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Welcome Registrant:

JohnMagdalen
LTLM
ScarlettStatton

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  Also, with the passing of my mother, I now have two houses to maintain.  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.  

Today’s Wordle: 4

This… to Leo.

Black to move and mate in 4. HERE

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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LENTCAzT 2026 – 12: 2nd Sunday in Lent – Benedict XVI from Lent of sad 2013

Posted on 1 March 2026 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A 5 minute daily podcast to help you in your Lenten discipline.

Today the Roman Station is Santa Maria in Domnica on the Coelian Hill.  Then we hear from Pope Benedict’s Message for Lent of 2013, that sad and fateful year.

Yesterday’s podcast – HERE

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