I saw on Vultus Christi that the Cathedral of Longford, Ireland, has burned.
Do say a pray for the folks there. That is a heavy loss.
The faithful in Ireland have really suffered lately.
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
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
This REALLY helps! And it’s great coffee (and tea)
Polls
Loading ...Donate using VENMO
CLICK and say your daily offerings!
A Daily Prayer for Priests
Do you have a faithful Catholic website that needs competent and reliable tech support?
Fr. Z’s VOICEMAIL
Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.
WDTPRS
020 8133 4535
651-447-6265YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
on ASK FATHER: The priest only said, “I absolve you from your sins”. Is that sufficient for a valid absolution?: “Thank you, Father for the usual clarity. On a side note, though, I find this snippet particularly interesting: “ If…”
on Traditionis custodes and “reception theory” – or – When a law is no law at all.: “Reception theory strikes me as a more developed understanding of the promulgation aspect of a law according to St Thomas.…”
on Traditionis custodes and “reception theory” – or – When a law is no law at all.: ““The Spirit of Vatican II has engendered so many fruits!” I’ll say. I believe that rule about disregarding a law…”
on Pro-abortion ‘c’atholic politicians and their reception of Holy Communion: “Great! 69% of Catholics are Lutherans!”
on Pro-abortion ‘c’atholic politicians and their reception of Holy Communion: “That’s a shot between the eyes I didn’t see coming. Well done that cartoonist!”
on ASK FATHER: The priest only said, “I absolve you from your sins”. Is that sufficient for a valid absolution?: ““It is so cruel.” There seems to be a lot of that going around. Subordinates take cues from their leaders.”
on UPDATED – 14 August Pontifical Mass at the National Shrine: FORBIDDEN: “While the music at the NO in my part of DC archdiocese is simply wretched boomer musicals, the priests in…”
on Pro-abortion ‘c’atholic politicians and their reception of Holy Communion: “Great cartoon! Sometimes a picture says a thousand words.”
on Traditionis custodes and “reception theory” – or – When a law is no law at all.: “I personally suspect that TC will eventually go down the way of archaic laws that many jurisdictions currently have, but…”
on Pro-abortion ‘c’atholic politicians and their reception of Holy Communion: “According to Pew surveys, fewer Catholics recognize Church teaching on the Eucharist than on abortion. In other words, the data…”
on Traditionis custodes and “reception theory” – or – When a law is no law at all.: ““…endeavor to secure the acceptance…” Chief Dan George endeavors… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRX6hSGeZs4”
I use this when I travel both in these USA and abroad. Very useful. Fast enough for Zoom. I connect my DMR (ham radio) through it. If you use my link, they give me more data. A GREAT back up.
This blog has to earn its keep!
PLEASE subscribe via PayPal if it is useful.
That way I have steady income I can plan on, and you wind up regularly on my list of benefactors for whom I pray and for whom I periodically say Holy Mass.
In view of the rapidly changing challenges I now face, I would like to add more $10/month subscribers. Will you please help?
For a one time donation...
Yes, Fr. Z is taking ads…
Be a “Zed-Head”!
CHALLENGE COINS!
My "challenge coin" for my 25th anniversary of ordination in 2016.
Want one? I do exchanges with military and LEOs, etc.
PLEASE RESPOND. Pretty pleeeease?
Loading ...This is really useful when travelling… and also when you aren’t and you need backup internet NOW! I use this for my DMR “Zednet” hotspot when I’m mobile. It’s a ham radio thing.
If you travel internationally, this is a super useful gizmo for your mobile internet data. I use one. If you get one through my link, I get data rewards.
WDTPRS POLL
Loading ...Fr. Z’s stuff is everywhere
Help support Fr. Z’s Gospel of Life work at no cost to you. Do you need a Real Estate Agent? Calling these people is the FIRST thing you should do!
They find you a pro-life agent in your area who commits to giving a portion of the fee to a pro-life group!
GREAT causes to support
Help Monks in Wyoming (coffee – UPDATED LINK) and Norcia (beer) and the wonderful "Soap Sisters" of Summit, NJ!
Please follow me on Twitter!
What a terrible tragedy. The Church in Ireland surely needs our prayers.
I found that Patrick Madrid also posted a video on this tragic fire:
http://salesianity.blogspot.com/2009/12/longford-cathedral-destroyed-by-fire.html
I hear the Cathedral Museum was also destroyed, which contained priceless historic artefacts, including the Crosier of St Mel [nephew of St Patrick].
There’s little doubt in mind that it was deliberate. What an awful tragedy, especially on Christmas Day.
Oremus.
Has the cause been determined? If it was deliberate, I pray for their souls! Poor Ireland, this is the last thing they need right now.
Yes, there is great suffering in the Church–in Ireland and the U.S. especially–and it is the liberal infection and modernism since Vatican II which is directly to blame. There is a great malaise systemically running through the veins and in the blood of the Church right now–it is tragic that such a magnificent institution–Divinely informed and inspired–could be reduced so quickly and so dramatically by the relative few, primarily liberal priests Bishops and Cardinals.
Not formally, but you can take it for granted that it was deliberate. With more abuse investigations in initiation, this cathedral may only be the first.
Or… we could wait and see what the firefighter report says.
Or… we could consider not acting like the Pharisee praying about how thankful he was, not to be a sinner like the publican.
Or… if we didn’t have anything helpful to say at a time of sorrow, we could consider not acting like Job’s comforters.
Honestly, there’s no tragedy bad enough that somebody on the Internet won’t decide to make like Christ the Judge on the Last Day. Shut up, if you can’t pray.
As tragic as the loss of this magnificent Cathedral is, it is amazing that there are those who lament its loss more than the loss of the souls of a great many of the parishioners who used to fill it. Yes, suburbanbanshee, this loss should serve as a metaphor that a much greater loss is going on in Ireland…
I second Suburbanbanshee. We could wait for some evidence before assigning this to fit preconceived grievances.
I third Suburbanbanshee! We should wait for the report on its cause.
Poor Ireland….Our Lady of Knock and St. Patrick, pray for the Emerald Isle.
It is interesting to look at the comments on an Irish blog in the context both of Longford Cathedral and the illness of Cardinal Daly:
http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com/2009/12/majestic-irish-cathedral-destroyed-by.html
The faithful in the entire world have suffered for the last fifty years, since after Vatican II we(the faithful) were led to believe that not only the Traditional Latin Mass was no longer, bit also, many devotions and traditions. When can we again go to the first Saturday Mass’s? Have we a crisis in the Church or have we not?
It almost seems allegorical, like the Cathedral of Longford, the immature in faith are loosing their faith in the immediate crises- as it also burns to the ground.