Monthly Archives: May 2007

John Allen in Hell’s Bible on the Motu Proprio

My friend and now former Rome resident John L. Allen, the nearly ubiquitous and fair-minded columnist for the lefty National Catholic Reporter has an op-ed piece in Hell’s Bible today.  Keep in mind that "senior Vatican official" and "Vatican authorities" … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
63 Comments

Request to readers

Would you readers kindly do me the favor of offering prayers for an intention that has come up?  Many thanks in advance!  o{]:¬)

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
50 Comments

Der Spiegel: Motu Proprio THIS WEEK

At the same moment that GK sent an e-mail I was reading an article in Der Spiegel which says that the Motu Proprio will be coming out this week.  There is a comment in the context of a larger issue: … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
37 Comments

PODCAzT 32: Gregory the Great on Job; rubrics; sacred music

In this somewhat longer PODCAzT we hear from St. Pope Gregory the Great (+604) who gives us a commentary on Job’s suffering.  These days in the Office of Readings, now that it is "Ordinary Time" again… sigh… we are hearing … Read More

Posted in Patristiblogging, PODCAzT, SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

“Some pig!”

And on another topic,  Alabama Boy Kills 1,051-Pound Monster Pig, Bigger Than ‘Hogzilla’ Saturday , May 26, 2007 An 11-year-old Alabama boy used a pistol to kill a wild hog that just may be the biggest pig ever found. Jamison … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
19 Comments

Let’s just get it over with

So, let’s just get it over with and turn Westminster… the Cathedral… the Catholic Cathedral… into a mosque. Okay… I’m exagerating, to make a point. Hermeneutic had this before but this is just in from the Telegraph‘s Damian Thompson: Allah’s … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
31 Comments

Restoration: Pont. Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone told the Italian daily La Stampa that the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue is to be restored. This is the office primarily in charge of dialogue with Islam.  Last year, Pope Benedict merged the department with the … Read More

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Groooooovy

My good friend J of the UK, a matey chap if ever there was one, alerted me to a grooooovy YouTube filmette.  It is in an entry over at the wonderful Roman Miscellany.  I can’t believe I missed this one … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
29 Comments

Pentecost at the Pantheon

There is a tradition in Rome on Pentecost Sunday.  At the Church S. Maria ad Martyres, the Pantheon, at the end of Mass red rose petals are let fall in great abundance through the oculus, the dome’s "eye" which is … Read More

Posted in My View, SESSIUNCULA |
10 Comments

Send voicemail to Fr. Z

You can now send a voicemail message. Hmmm…. VOIZEMAIL?   Check out the left side bar. I will be alerted by e-mail when you send one.  At first the messages will be private only.  I will moderate them.  If the … Read More

Posted in PODCAzT, SESSIUNCULA |
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Fun with the new Compendium

The new book is quite informative and, I must say it, amusing. For example, I have learned more about "eyes".  We all know that when moving about during Mass priests ought to keep their eyes cast down piously.  However, on. … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
26 Comments

Papal chess praxis: position play

A few people have written asking me about some Vatican appointments they noticed in the Bolletino.  I also saw this subject on a blog or another site.  Just to mention two appointments, some have noticed that the Fr. Michael Zielinski, … Read More

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17 Comments

It’s out! (…a book, not the MP)

I picked up my spankin’ new copy of the reissue of Ludovico Trimeloni’s Compendio di Liturgia Pratica today (Milano: Marietti 1829, 2007), pp. 865, E. 40. [US HERE – UK HERE] This heavy Italian tome teaches you how to do … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, REVIEWS | Tagged
52 Comments

PODCAzT 31: Hilary on the the gift of baptism; valid and invalid sacraments

In today’s PODCAzT we hear St. Hilary of Poitiers (+367), the malleus Arianorum speak across the centuries.  He talks about what the Holy Spirit does in us by baptism.  He does so, of course, against Arian and Sabellian heretics. I … Read More

Posted in Patristiblogging, PODCAzT, SESSIUNCULA |
11 Comments

Baseball stadium and Cathedrals… think about it

Baseball is the game God loves most. It is therefore perfectly reasonable that baseball parks ought to be designed much as a cathedral might be.  This from The Lion and the Cardinal (edited and with my emphases and comments): I … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
30 Comments

The Pope and Italian Bishops take on the “world”

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the Italian bishops gathered in a plenary meeting of their conference (CEI).  This year the Italian bishops made their five year ad limina apostolorum visits prescribed by Canon Law. At the very … Read More

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15 Comments

Caption call

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22 Comments

A one time mentor

A one time mentor and friend H.E. Luigi de Magistris, did an ordination in Wigratzbad! This is the fellow I once used to describe as the last Roman priest.

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Massive crowds for Pope’s audience

The Pope is under massive attack in the Italian press.  Today 50,000 people came for the Wednesday Audience! It was really hot here today.

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25 Comments

“Dominus vobiscum”…What the…??

I am sure more than one of you have been wondering what the heck is going on in papal liturgies.  If the Holy Father wants more Latin, why isn’t their more Latin in his Masses right? On this note, I … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
28 Comments