Consubstantial with His Father. Consubstantial with His Mother.

My 1st class relic of St. Leo the Great

From today’s Matins. Magnificent….

Sacraméntum reconcilatiónis nostræ, ante témpora ætérna dispósitum, nullæ implébant figúræ; quia nondum supervénerat Spíritus Sanctus in Vírginem nec virtus Altíssimi obumbráverat ei, ut, et intra intemeráta víscera, ædificánte sibi Sapiéntia domum, Verbum caro fíeret, et, forma Dei ac forma servi in unam conveniénte persónam, Creátor témporum nascerétur in témpore, et, per quem facta sunt ómnia, ipse inter ómnia gignerétur. Nisi enim novus homo, factus in similitúdinem carnis peccáti, nostram suscíperet vetustátem, et, consubstantiális Patri, consubstantiális esse dignarétur et matri, naturámque sibi nostram solus a peccáto liber uníret; sub iugo diáboli generáliter tenerétur humána captívas.

I sought out the longer passage from Letter 31 to Pulcheria. She was the younger sister of the Emperor Thedosius, who played a major role in ruling the Empire. She was also involved in the success of sounds, Catholic doctrine concerning Christ at the Council of Calcedon in 451.  The Latin above is in italics below.

But it is of no avail to say that our Lord, the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary, was true and perfect man, if He is not believed to be Man of that stock which is attributed to Him in the Gospel. For Matthew says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:” and follows the order of His human origin, so as to bring the lines of His ancestry down to Joseph to whom the Lord’s mother was espoused. Whereas Luke going backwards step by step traces His succession to the first of the human race himself, to show that the first Adam and the last Adam were of the same nature. No doubt the Almighty Son of God could have appeared for the purpose of teaching, and justifying men in exactly the same way that He appeared both to patriarchs and prophets in the semblance of flesh; for instance, when He engaged in a struggle, and entered into conversation (with Jacob), or when He refused not hospitable entertainment, and even partook of the food set before Him. But these appearances were indications of that Man whose reality it was announced by mystic predictions would be assumed from the stock of preceding patriarchs. And the fulfilment of the mystery of our atonement, which was ordained from all eternity, was not assisted by any figures because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the Virgin, and the power of the Most High had not over-shadowed her: so that “Wisdom building herself a house” within her undefiled body, “the Word became flesh;” and the form of God and the form of a slave coming together into one person, the Creator of times was born in time; and He Himself through whom all things were made, was brought forth in the midst of all things. For if the New Man had not been made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and taken on Him our old nature, and being consubstantial with the Father, had deigned to be consubstantial with His mother also, and being alone free from sin, had united our nature to Him the whole human race would be held in bondage beneath the Devil’s yoke, and we should not be able to make use of the Conqueror’s victory, if it had been won outside our nature.

But from Christ’s marvelous sharing of the two natures, the mystery of regeneration shone upon us that through the self-same spirit, through whom Christ was conceived and born, we too, who were born through the desire of the flesh, might be born again from a spiritual source: and consequently, the Evangelist speaks of believers as those “who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” And of this unutterable grace no one is a partaker, nor can be reckoned among the adopted sons of God, who excludes from his faith that which is the chief means of our salvation.

In that last paragraph, I note with interest Leo’s use of the Prologue of John, which I and other priests recite at the end of (almost) every Mass in the Vetus Ordo.  Such readings apply more layers upon already acquired layers for what we hear in the Last Gospel as we speak it.  Over the years, it accumulates and it is all “in there”.

 

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Daily Rome Shot 1114

Photo from The World’s Best Sacristan™

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

Many thanks to those of you who have already contributed, ahead of my fundraiser, for my Roman Sojourn.

VF, JL, MR, DVDH, DC, LG, MMcM, MH, SB, PG, HL, MM, SAS, JL, EW, AN, WW, GG, MP

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In chessy news, as I write the Speed Chess Championship semifinals are underway in Paris, Hikaru v. “Puer” and then the long-awaited Magnus v. Niemann. The players are present to each other but playing on computers with screens between them. I think this fosters really fast play in time crunches. There is a live audience.   I tuned in for a moment, but I’ll save the video for supper-time viewing before another episode of Endeavour.

White to move and mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

I received a note from the monks of Norcia which showed a liturgy with their new Abbot.  What grabbed my attention were the vestments.  The last pontifical set I had made for the TMSM was precisely of this fabric.  I have a chasuble of my own.

I’m set up for a Requiem later, but here is a quick view.

The monks of Norcia make GREAT beer.  Try some!  Perhaps your priests would like some.

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5 September – St. Teresa of Calcutta

Today is the Feast of St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta.  Here is her poetic entry in the 2004 Roman Martyrology with a translation:

10*  Calcuttae in India, beatae Teresiae (Agnetis) Gonhxa Bojaxhiu, virginis, quae, ex Epiro nata, sitim Christi in cruce derelicti eximia caritate in pauperrimos fratres restinxit et Congregationes Missionariarum et Missionariorum a Caritate in plenum servitium aegrotorum drelictorumque instituit.

At Calcutta in India, [the commemoration] of blessed Teresa (Agnes) Gonhxa Bojaxhiu, virgin, who, born at Epirus, quenched the thirst of Christ, abandoned on the Cross, by means of outstanding charity towards the most poor brethren and founded the Congregations of Missionaries (women) and Missionaries (men) of Charity in total service to the sick and abandoned.

St. Teresa was at my ordination.

For those who say the Vetus Ordo, it is possible to celebrate her according to Cum sanctissima.   We could insert the proper prayers in the Common of Virgins.   These are used by the Missionaries for Mother’s feast, which they observe as a Novus Ordo solemnity.  I edited that part in the Super Oblata, which would be used as a Secret with the proper ending.

COLLECTA
Deus, qui beátam Terésiam, vírginem, vocásti,ut amóri Fílii tui in cruce sitiéntis exímia caritáte in paupérrimos respondéret, da nobis, quaesumus, eius intercessióne, in afflíctis frátribus Christo ministráre. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
per ómnia saecula sæculórum.

SUPER OBLATA
Súscipe, Dómine, obséquium humilitátis nostræ,quod tibi in festivitate/commemoratione beátæ Terésiæ exhibémus,ut, ex huius participatióne mystérii,nos caritáte flagráre et sollicitúdine salútis animárum concédas combúri. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. [V.O.: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saecula sæculórum.]

POST COMMUNIONEM
Sacra mystéria quae súmpsimus, Dómino Deus noster, caritátis ardórem in nobis fóveant, quo beata Terésia laeto ánimo in paupéribus Iesum Christum Fílium tuum diléxit eíque servívit. Qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculórum.

 

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Daily Rome Shot 1113

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

The monks of Le Barroux in France are making good wine.  Their rose was recently recognized and awarded.   The only roses I ever pay any attention to are from S. France, Provence.

Nice people! Great service!

In chessy news, for the 45th Chess Olympiad there are 197 teams registered!  FIDE has 201 national federations.  USA! USA! USA!

The Speed Chess Championship is coming up tomorrow in Paris.  There we shall see a match up between Carlsen and Niemann.

BLACK to move and mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

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YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS

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In your charity would you please take a moment look at the requests and to pray for the people about whom you read?

Continued from THESE.

Let’s remember all who are ill, who will die soon, who have died recently, who have lost their jobs, who are afraid.

I get many requests by email asking for prayers. Some are heart-achingly grave and urgent.

As long as my blog reaches so many readers in so many places, let’s give each other a hand. We should support each other in works of mercy.

If you have some prayer requests, feel free to post them below.

You have to be registered here to be able to post.

In your kindness continue prayers for my mother, who has been diagnosed with something grave and incurable.   Please pray for me.  Lot’s of decisions coming.

Some time ago, I asked for your prayers for a friend in Rome who is suffering from a terrible and life-threatening malady of the liver, which if I am not mistaken is a genetic problem. I had asked that you pray to Bl. Luigi Monti for a miraculous healing which would be complete, sudden and durative. I received this note today, which he sent to all the members of the Archconfraternity of the Most Holy Trinity.

Dear brothers and sisters, as many of you already know, I am still hospitalized after two months, and have been put on the list for a double transplant. Given my situation which is not improving, I have been put on the emergency list since last Thursday, which means that compatible organs could be found faster. Not rejecting nor distrusting these ordinary means which could be the will of the Lord, I still continue in the hope of having the grace of a complete, immediate, and permanent miraculous cure. I thank those of you who have already invoked the intercession of Blessed Luigi Monti and Pius IX; divine providence has decided not to grant these prayers, but in any case I am not wary. I was brought a novena prayer and a relic of Blessed Gerardo Sasso, founder of the Knights of Malta. I would like to beg our Lord and Our Lady again for the grace of a miracle, this time through the intercession of Blessed Gerard. I thank those of you who would like to join this novena, which I will begin tomorrow 24 June, the feast of Saint John the Baptist, main patron of the order of Malta as well as my name day, and end on 2 July, the feast of the Visitation of the Madonna. I hope that she and her Son will visit me at the end of this novena together with Blessed Gerard, to bring me the grace I ask for. I thank those who read this message.

He sent images of this holy card. The translation is below.

PRAYER FOR THE INTERCESSION OF BLESSED GERARD

O God, who chose Blessed Gerard to care for the sick and pilgrims in the Holy Land and wanted him as Founder of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and chose him as an example of Christian charity towards the poor and the suffering; grant kindly that, following his example, I may see Christ your Son in the sick and the poor.
Holy Father, I beg you, if this is according to your will, that Blessed Gerard be numbered among your Saints, and that with his intercession grant me the grace that I ask of you.

3 Glory be to the Father.

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About the formula you hear in the Sacrament of Penance

There are major differences in the rite of the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) between the Vetus Ordo and the post-Conciliar Novus Ordo except in the essential form of the sacrament, the necessary words to impart the form of absolution.  Those remain the same.

However, we are not minimalists who don’t care about all of the rest of the stuff so long as the sacrament is valid.  That’s the attitude that libs have who screw around with prayers of Mass, even the Eucharistic Prayer, sometimes the very “institution narrative” at the time of the consecration.  “After all, as long as it’s valid, hey! I know how to improve it and make it more meaningful!” (Read: “I’m a clericalist jackass and I have contempt for you.”)

I have posted on this before, but not for a long time.   It is good to review.

In the Novus Ordo side of things, recently a new and more accurate translation of the form of absolution was implemented.  This is what Latin Church priests are to say.

NEW VERSION:

God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and poured out [Latin: effudit] the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church may God grant [Latin: tribuat] you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, [sign of the cross] and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

The prayer before the changes:

God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, [sign of the cross] and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

Nota bene!

If a priest still says, “poured out” and “grant” now, it is valid.

If, later, a priest still says, “sent” and “give” it will be valid.

I’ll now ask the big question.

When was the last time you heard these words, in English, Latin or any other language?

GO TO CONFESSION!

Now for something about the VETUS Ordo.

We hear at Mass in the prayers at the foot of the altar after the Confiteor (and also after the 2nd Confiteor) an absolution which forgives venial sins.  At the beginning of the Sacrament of Penance, the priest says something similar before going into the form of absolution.   The part I am talking about concerns the three words following the Confiteor of Mass and which initiate the rite of the sacrament in the confessional:

“Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum, tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.”

The translation in our Baltimore Catechism is: “May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of (all) our sins. Amen.”  A hand missal might say something similar.

What’s going on with this?

Pardon, absolution, and remission seem to be synonyms.  The whole verse seems simply to mean: “May the Lord forgive us our sins”.  Who needs vain repetitions, right?   Shouldn’t we have noble simplicity? VATICAN II!!! Right?

The three English words are synonyms, but the three Latin words are not. Making them all mean the same thing is not correct.  Any of the three English words can translate absolutionem, but they are not correct translations of the first and the last word, indulgentiam and remissionem.

The former, indulgentia, means God’s mercy, His loving kindness, His tender pity for us. It is implied in the title with which we address Him in the verse “Misericors Dominus” and after the very beginning of the Sacrament of Penance when the “door slides open”, namely, “Misereatur tui…”.   Remissio indicates not freedom from guilt, but freedom from punishment.  It is a technical term equivalent to the now more commonly used term —indulgence.

The above-mentioned words in the classical form of absolution are a vestige of the penitential code used in the early and mediaeval Church. This code distinguished three stages in the work of reconciling the sinner with God through the Church.

The first was sacramental absolution (in foro interno), which meant the forgiveness of sin. This is called simply indulgentia. The term can still be recognized in the form of Extreme Unction: “indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid per auditum . . . deliquisti.”

The second step was canonical absolution (from the prescribed outward penitential works). This is called absolutio.

The third was reconciliation, a solemn reinstating of the penitent by the communicatio pacis. This is called remissio.  To remit in English is “to put back into a previous position or condition” or else “to refrain from inflicting or enforcing, as a punishment, sentence” and even “to pardon or forgive”.

A free translation would read something like this:

May Almighty and Merciful God blot out the guilt of our sin, remit the punishment due to it, and restore us to His friendship.

After this comes the part, “ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis“…. This time it’s absolution for something specified clearly, “sins”.

This seems rather nitpicky, but it reveals the way the Roman mind works.   This isn’t the only time we have repetitions.  For example, in the Roman Canon there is: “hóstiam + puram, hóstiam + sanctam, hóstiam + immaculátam“.

Just a few thoughts.

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A video from Catholic Unscripted about the state

The Catholic Unscripted team is finally back at it. They had a bit of a hiatus, as one does in the summer. Their latest video is worth taking in. They are concerned about the increasing leftist control being exercised by the state. Gavin Ashenden has an interesting suggestion about how to resist state tyranny.   It begins with Chesterton.

Catholic Unscripted is a good thing.

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4 Sept: St. Moses, Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, forerunner of Christ

Today is the feast of St. Moses, lawgiver and prophet in the Old Testament.

Many people do not realize that may Old Testament figures are considered by Holy Mother Church to be saints. Many of them are listed in editions of the Roman Martyrology, both pre-Conciliar and post.

Here is today’s entry for Moses.

1. Commemoratio sancti Moysis, prophetae, quem Deus elegit, ut populum in Aegypto oppressum liberaret et in terram promissionis adduceret; cui etiam in monte Sina sese revelavit dicens: “Ego sum qui sum”, atque legem proposuit, quae vitam populi electi regeret.  Ille servus Dei in monte Nebo terrae Moab coram terra promissionis plenus dierum obiit.

Anyone want to take a crack at What The Martyrology Really Says?

Also, a question/request to readers:

Have any of you ever seen a stained-glass window of Moses at the cleft in the rock in Exodus 33?

I would like a good photo.

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Daily Rome Shot 1112

Something Roman Catholic

This is a new book from Joseph Card. Zen Ze-kiun about how to

One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic

US HERE UK HERE

Gerhard Cardinal Müller says of it:

“This book by Cardinal Joseph Zen is a book needed in our time of great confusion in the Church. In his text, Cardinal Zen reminds everyone what the Church really is and what the Church always should be, a Church that Christ has given us for the salvation of humanity—not a sort of NGO. The words of the former bishop of Hong Kong are a wake-up call for all those who have forgotten what the Church is about and what should be her nature and structure. The pages on the Synod on Synodality also cause us to think about what is at stake in our day, and they should be considered with our utmost attention.”

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in ONE. How long did it take?

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

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Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 15th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 22nd) 2024

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 15th Sunday after Pentecost, or the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time?

Tell us about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

A couple thoughts about the sign of the cross: HERE  A taste…

If you are perhaps enveloped in mourning or concern, struck with anxiety and fear about your lot or that of a loved one, remember the resolute tenderness of the Lord for the widow of Nain.  If you are lonely or can’t see a way forward, know that Jesus has the same compassion for you as for her.  He will extend it to you in the way He knows you most have need of it.  If you are carrying the death-bier of the memory of your sins, perhaps still unconfessed, Christ will raise you from your cast-down state.

[…]

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Daily Rome Shot 1111 – update

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

September is the month dedicated especially to the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

HEY! a*****f9**@charter.net  My note to you was kicked back.  New email?

HEY! s*****41@nc.rr.com  You too!

In chessy news, at OTB yesterday I had two good wins. It’s amazing what enough sleep can do for your game. However, it was on 1 Sept 1972 that Bobby Fischer won the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik when Boris Spassky resigned the 21st game.

Meanwhile, in space…

White to move and mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

UPDATE: I took possession of my new washer and drier yesterday. They are installed and working. An amusing twist to this. A few days back, when I started posting about this, I made an oblique reference to a line from the dead parrot skit of Mont Python. Some of you instantly picked up on it and there ensued comments about the “Norwegian Blue”. Ironically, my new machines are… blue. They, too, do not talk.

Some of you offered to help with the washer/drier replacement and some did help. Thanks to MF, ES, MR, JP, DC, GD

And another thing... this is too cool not to post.  I do a chickadee pretty well, but this is amazing.

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Daily Rome Shot 1110 – ABOMINATION!

If there is no delivery of the washer/drier today in the afternoon, it’ll have to wait until Tuesday.  I don’t want it on a Sunday.    The saga continues.

Yesterday I posted the post-mortem on a less than pleasing cheese and pickle sandwich.

That brings me to today’s Rome shot:

The product, set to go sale in UK supermarkets in September with a £2 price tag, contains “pasta in a creamy sauce with pancetta” and “no artificial colours”.

[…]

Italians on social media reacted with fury and disbelief to the news on Thursday, with many asking if it was a joke.

Other comments included “I wouldn’t even give it to stray cats” or “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”.

[…]

In 2020 Romans reeled in horror at celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s “nightmare carbonara” while in 2021 The New York Times caused upset in Italy with its Smoky Tomato Carbonara.

[…]

Italy’s tourism minister has chimed in:

“Italian cuisine is a serious thing”, Santanchè wrote in a post on X, before paraphrasing the actor Alberto Sordi in the 1954 classic film Un americano a Roma to say that canned carbonara should be fed to rats.

I wonder if this isn’t a ploy of Bill Gates to push people willingly to eat crickets.

My suffering continues.  I was trying to ignore this, but several friends insulted my phone by sending links.   I confess: I shared it once.  I won’t do it again…. No… wait.  I guess I’m doing it now!  See what happens when these improprieties are perpetrated?

Mala tempora curruntPeiora parantur.

Perhaps I should make my own carbonara tonight in reparation for this vile offense against humanity.  Alas, in a pinch I don’t think I can put my hands on real guanciale today.

HEY a*****.w****@erickson.com!  My email thank you note was kicked back.  New address?

WELCOME REGISTRANTS:

113016
emcarol

Speaking of cheese and pickle sandwiches, and speaking about what I’ve been watching in the evening:

Still in the realm of Morse – and I do need to revive ZedNet – the younger version of the gal who played in The Queen’s Gambit appeared in an Episode of Endeavour which I just saw.

In chessy news, … that’s about all I have.  The Queens Gambit was a series which helped fueled the chess explosion during COVID.  This explosion, like the Big Bang, is still expanding outward with remarkable effect.

Meanwhile, from the other game God prefers….

White to move and mate in 2.  (How long did it take you?)

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

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Daily Rome Shot 1109

There is something about Borromini’s beautiful lantern on Sant’Ivo, which reminds one a bit of a washing machine agitator.   I’ve been reminded rather a lot about agitators these days, and not the sort who protest at speeches of conservatives.  Also, not in the way in way that Saint Mary Maytag does in San Francisco, or the cathedral in Liverpool.  Come to think of it, the latter looks more like the Mercury capsule or the marooned Starliner.

Welcome registrant:

Chili

In chessy news, I read today about the events surrounding the 2024 Chess Olympiad to be held in Budapest.   Why didn’t arrange things differently so that I could take in Budapest before heading to Rome?  The Olympics will be held from 10-23 September.  Also, it is the 100th anniversary of FIDE.  Lot’s of things going on for that.  Richard Rapport will again play for Hungary.  He’s Magyar, but played for Romania for a while.  Peter Leko, a great commentator, returns to the board.  For these USA we have Fabi, Wesley, Leinier, Levon and Ray Robson.  A good line up.  It would have been great to have Hikaru, but all are 2700 and above.  They will give the Indians and Chinese a run.  Now that I’ve read this I have a yen for Paprikas Csirke.  But, of course, it’s Friday.

Black to move and win material.   Careful!

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

I should have solid washer/dryer news tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in honor of starting to watch Endeavour again, for a penitential Friday lunch…

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29 August – Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist: Corruption exposed

I celebrate as my onomastico or “name day” the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist, 29 August.  “He must increase,” said the Baptist, “I must decrease” (John 3:30).  I need that rule of life.

St Augustine of Hippo (d 430) connected John’s sudden, violent “decrease”, his head’s removal from his shoulders, with the autumnal shortening of daylight, while the feast of John’s birth coincided with the vernal lengthening of days.

In the Art Institute of Chicago, there is a tempera on panel depiction of the Beheading of the Baptist by the Sienese painter Giovanni di Paolo (d 1482).

You view the instant after the deed.  Seen from outside the prison, John leans out of his window, guillotine like, his headless shoulders and angled arms still in place as a massive gout of blood jets forth the jutting neck.  A servant with a platter stoops for his head.  The executioner sheathes his man-length blade.

John was not only a martyr for the Truth.

The miraculous son of the elderly priest Zechariah was a priestly martyr.

John stood against Herod and his crony cadre of corrupted priests who backed his violation of the truth of sexuality and marriage.

Herod used his power to sin.  John’s blood exposed also priestly corruption in a way that no one could ignore.

By the way, Herod’s command to kill John, the incorruptible priest, came from his lust for a child.  Salome was a “little girl” (Greek korásion).

That’s the direction, of course, of the radical and aggressive homosexualist agenda. Their ultimate goal is the lowering of the legal age of consent.

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Body of St. Teresa of Avila (+1582) examined and found to be incorrupt

There is a fascinating article at the Diocese of Avila about the examination of the body of St. Teresa of Avila.  It is in Spanish.  HERE

“Today the tomb of Saint Teresa was opened and we have verified that it is in the same condition as when it was last opened in 1914.” This is the most anticipated statement on this 28th of August, and it was pronounced by the Postulator General of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Marco Chiesa. And it is the first conclusion reached by the experts after the opening on 28th of August of the tomb of the Saint of Avila , whose body has remained incorrupt since 1582.

This is interesting…

The process to reach the silver urn that contains the body of Saint Teresa is extremely complex. First, the marble slab in the tomb had to be removed. Then, in the room used for the studies that the Saint’s major relics will undergo, and only with the presence of the scientific medical team and the members of the ecclesiastical court, the silver tomb was opened. The tomb, according to them, had attracted their attention due to its “excellent” workmanship and the “magnificent” state of preservation in which it was found, and which was given to them at the time by King Ferdinand VI and his wife Barbara of Braganza.

To begin the study of the relics of the heart, arm and hand of Saint Teresa, the collaboration of the Salamancan goldsmiths Ignacio Manzano Martín and Constantino Martín Jaén was counted on, who will be present on the first and last day of work. And the famous ten keys of the tomb were used: the three that are kept in Alba de Tormes, the three that the Duke of Alba lent them, and the three that the Father General keeps in Rome, in addition to the king’s key. Three of these keys are to open the outer gate, three are to open the marble tomb, and the other four are to open the silver urn.

There are various photos which show the process of opening and examining.

These matters are always carried out with punctilious care, heavily documented and witnessed.   The Church takes relics extremely seriously and their custody is undertaken with exactitude.

The postulator of the Order also recalled that the images from 1914 are in black and white, so “it is difficult to make a comparison.” However, he affirmed that “the parts that have been uncovered, which are the face and the foot, are the same as they were in 1914.” “There is no color, there is no skin color, because the skin is mummified, but it can be seen, especially in the middle of the face. It can be seen well. The expert doctors can see Teresa’s face almost clearly,” he stressed.

Two more points about St. Teresa.

First, Teresa died in 1582 on the night that the Gregorian Calendar took over from the previous Julian Calendar, which was off several days. With the implementation of the Gregorian calendar 5–14 October were skipped. So, Teresa died either on 4 October (if she died before midnight) or on 15 October (if she died after). Very often saints’ feasts are the day they died and were “born” into heaven. Teresa’s feast, in any event, is on 15 October… her other birthday.

Also, St. Teresa, apart from being a Doctor of the Church, is also the Patroness of Chess Players.

It is interesting that St. Teresa talks about the queen.  That is a piece with a truly fascinating history.

A chessy history book:

Birth of the Chess Queen: A History

US HERE – UK HERE

The author is a feminist, but the book is pretty good history.  It was really interesting.

St. Teresa, pray for us.

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged ,
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Daily Rome Shot 1108

The Washing Machine Saga.  Continuation…

I’ve made up my mind on a plan of attack, made possible by a few of you kind readers.  I write your names down on a card and put it near the machines to remind me to say a prayer for you when I use them.  Thank you.

The “head of St. John the Baptist” at S. Silvestro in capite.

Photo by The Great Roman™

Meanwhile, in St. Louis the chessy news is that the Sinquefield Cup has concluded with “Puer” in 1st place.  The final standings of the Grand Chess Tour has Puer in 1st, followed by Fabi, MVL and Wesley.  MVL finally broke his 25-game streak of draws by beating poor Ding Liren.

Chess is hard.

Meanwhile, white can force mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

FYI… I just ordered some salt for my water conditioner using my own link! I do it too.

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Daily Rome Shot 1107 with bonus

You’ll be happy to know that the city govt has closed off to cars the area in front of the church and down the street to the left along its side.

Welcome registrant:

mcharris

Many thanks to several of you who have sent donations by Zelle or PayPal earmarked for a replacement for my washing machine, which has “run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible”. I went to an appliance store yesterday after OTB (won one, lost one) and spotted a washer dryer set which I think is an appropriate acquisition. I don’t impulse buy, so I am mulling and continuing my searches but I’d like to wrap this up today.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

BONUS SHOT

These are not clams.

These are telline.

Right now, from 23 Aug to 1 Sept at Rome’s ancient port city Ostia (where St. Augustine’s mother Monica died) there is the “sagra della tellina”.   They have a fishing boat procession and “marriage with the sea” with a statue of Mary Stella Maris and then eat spaghetti with telline.  Telline are smaller than the clams called vongole and they have a sweeter taste.  They are, in fact, marvelous.

The Great Roman™ and I have on occasion consumed kilos of these little wonders.

Nice people! Great service!

In St. Louis the Sinquefield Cup, the last stage of the Grand Chess Tour, is wrapping up.    Alas, “Puer” won.  The battle is for 2nd.  Yesterday, Wesley and MLV drew.  So did everyone else.  Today, we shall see who comes in second.  Wesley plays the world champ challenger Gukesh with black.

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 2.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

And there is this…

 

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Daily Rome Shot 1106

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph Calasanzio, who founded the Piarists.  He was also a member of the Archconfraternity at Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, to which I belong.  St. Joseph’s body is in the nearby San Pantaleone.

Photos by The Great Roman™

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

Welcome registrant:

onyva

In chessy news, … I am sad.  Yesterday in St. Louis at the Sinquefield Cup, my guy Wesley with black lost one to Nodirbek.  Puer beat Ding.   Nepo drew against Pragg and wound up with more time on his clock than he started with.

Today I will go play OTB.  Last Saturday I faced a Pirc defense, which I have now reviewed.  Will I see it again?

After OTB I am off to the appliance store to deal with my washing machine problem.  My machine died.  There’s no hope for it.  Therefore, it must be replaced.   I posted about this yesterday and several of you readers wrote back right away with offers of assistance.  I will gladly accept.  However, I first want to scope out my options.  I’ve done some extensive searches online.  At this point, I am inclined to use a veteran owned business near to where I go to play chess.  I’ll stop in and look around. I’ll need the option for having the dead washer hauled away to whatever fate awaits it.  I wonder if there would be a practical use of the washer’s motor?  Nah… I can’t go down that path.

This washing machine issue is annoying, especially since I wanted to start raising some funds for my time in Rome in October.  But I have the genuine consolation that there are kind people out there who would like to help.  I can’t adequately express what that means to me.

Also, along these lines, many thanks to you regular donors.  Last Sunday I said Mass for the intention of my benefactors, as I do regularly.

Interim, motus ad lusorem cum militibus albis pertinent. Scaccus mattus, scilicet mors regis, duobus in motis veniat.

NB: Detineam explicationes in crastinum, ne vestrae interrumpantur commentationes.

I’m a chess.com affiliate.

 

Also, I saw this…

I am perplexed by those who would sell our churches to non-Christians for either profane or false-religious uses. It’s like the attitude of those driving Taurina cacata… they’d rather see a smoking crater than a church filled with happy people and lots of young families who practice the Faith.

Also, …

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The trauma of Ephesians 5

It’s year B again in the Novus Ordo’s three years cycle of Gospel readings and therefore time for a Novus Ordo second reading from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 5 about the relationship of Christ and His Church and of mean and women.

Once every three years in the Novus Ordo readings, those who choose to fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation on the 2st Ordinary Sunday are in these USA read either Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32. O the trauma.

Allow me to traumatize those of you who went to the Vetus Ordo last Sunday, instead of the Novus Ordo.  Let’s see the troublesome reading using the suboptimal NAB which afflicts Novus Ordo goers weekly, I’ll indicate the part that the editors of the Word of God decided could be omitted:

Brothers and sisters:
[21] Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
[22] Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the church,
he himself the savior of the body.
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
[25] Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

or [redacted optional version]

Brothers and sisters:
[2a] Live in love, as Christ loved us.

[…]

[25] Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church…

etc.

I dismiss with contempt the craven dodgers who choose to read the shorter, bowdlerized version.  The nerve.

This comes up only once every three years in the Novus Ordo lectionary.  It is not read in the Vetus Ordo.  The closest we get is Eph 5:15-21 (RSV):

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20 always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. 21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. 

The other day I posted something germane to the topic of wives being subordinate to their husbands in an explication of what going on in Paul’s thought about angels and women covering their heads.  HERE  Bringing up chapel veils for women always get’s things going.  I had been sent links to an article about the increase in the the number of young women choosing to wear chapel veils.  I was, frankly, entirely unaware that the Ephesians 5 reading was last Sunday in the Novus Ordo.

Anyway, I bring to your attention two contrasting pieces posted post “Ephesians Five Sunday”.

One of them is from the loopy Where Peter Is site, which one should mainly avoid along with the Fishwrap.   As a friend put it about their posting, all the verbiage says that Paul was just a 1st century rube.  We’ve got the enlightened skinny now.  Here’s an emblematic line:

And what does the current Magisterium teach about Ephesians 5? It avoids the language of headship and centers the line about mutual submission as the heart of what God is revealing through St. Paul’s letter.

The “current Magisterium”… gotta love that.

On the other hand, at Crisis there is a piece which is somewhat more Catholic.  Here’s an exemplary bit:

Who do you think knows how to construct a godly marriage: the middle-aged women who showed up for 11:30 Mass, or God Himself, speaking through His Word? Has God changed His mind and admitted that He only inspired Paul to write “wives be subordinate to your husbands” because He used to think women were property but now the feminists have reeducated Him?

It is worth reading.

Compare and contrast.

Or… ignore the first one as a waste of time and just read the second.

Posted in The Drill | Tagged
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Daily Rome Shot 1105 – Washing machine – R.I.P?

Photo by The Great Roman™

And now for something completely different.

Yesterday was the 85th anniversary of the movie The Wizard of Oz.  It has given us a lot of iconic images and bywords.   On Twitter, I saw this.  Talk about modernist deconstruction!

Nice people! Great service!

That was, of course, funny, but a lot of our world is going crazy just like that. No?

White to move and mate in 2.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK 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.

A couple days ago, I posted a note of thanks to MM who sent a power tool from my wishlist. Report: It was exactly what I needed. What is it? A Dewalt (preferred) cordless 8 inch pruning chainsaw. I had a pole saw, but it wasn’t appropriate for close work. I had a reciprocating saw, but it couldn’t handle certain things … safely. Anyway, Monday being refuse day, after perusing the manual I got out at daybreak to beat the heat and to fill a container with a nasty weed tree that had invaded around the mailbox. Yup. Mini chainsaw did a slick job with what the reciprocal couldn’t.  I was tempted to channel my inner Consilium and go find more things to cut and throw away! However, the container being full, I left them unmolested to await next week’s certain doom.  Again, thanks to the reader who was so thoughtful. With the right tools I can take care of quite a few necessities. For the big stuff, like tall tree trimming, for safety and the lack of the right gear, I pay someone. I also got some nifty trimmer line for my weed demystifier from another reader. Thanks to Adam and entropy there’s always something. What great inventions!  When winter comes I’ll be out with my reader-bequeathed orbital sander working on the top of a “bar height” table that has an inlaid chess board. The finish is too dark.  There isn’t enough contrast between the squares.  I don’t know much about the “rubber wood” it is made out of or how to approach the coloration once I have the top stripped. But, hey! How bad could it be?  This table will live outside on the patio, pointlessly waiting for someone to play chess on it.

PS: Nope.  That Consilium analogy was off.  I set out to cut weed trees.  A weed is a plant that is someplace where is doesn’t belong.  That’s not, for the most part, for the maximum part, what the Consilium did.   They cut and tossed alright, but not the weeds.

PPS: My washing machine just died.  I am looking for replacement parts online.  I hope this is a cheap DIY.  Please.   

PPPS: Nope.  Dead.  This is a dead washer.  It is no more.  It has ceased to be.  It is an ex-washer.   I must now buy a new washing machine.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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