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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
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YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- Chicagiensis_Indianapolitana on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “With the rather stark difference between +Bp. Schneider’s letter and +Card. Sarah’s letter, a few observations. Let us first leave…”
- Ave Maria on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “It is the enemy of souls that wants to suppress a valid Mass.”
- FRLBJ on A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland: “Totally agree with Cri de Coeur. There is no subsitute for that old time religion. We must polititely express ourselves…”
- Ages on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “A minor thing, probably a setting change, but I liked that the desktop version home page previously showed the full…”
- WVC on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “@JonPatrick – I agree – it’s as bad as when they change the layout or swipe function on your smartphone…”
- WVC on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “@TonyO – at the rate we’re going, they’re going to start announcing automatic excommunication for anyone who says anything mean…”
- amenamen on Daily Rome Shot 1560: “Black must keep White King in check, lest White Queen threatens: Bf7+, Kh7 (or Kg7) Qg8# So, Black forces these…”
- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf on Daily Rome Shot 1560: “Black to move and mate in 4. [NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t…”
- revueltos67 on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “White to move and mate in 4 1) Rc8+ Rd8 forced 2) Qxf7+ Kh8 forced 3) Qg8+ Rxg8 forced 4)…”
- JonPatrick on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “I am glad you are not changing the blog’s design. There is nothing I hate more that going to a…”
- kelleyb on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “Father Z earns the GOLD star today!”
- TonyO on Daily Rome Shot 1559: “Monsignor Breis Pereira de Maceió, Archbishop of Maceió (Brazil), has declared excommunication for any priest who celebrates or any faithful…”
- Fr. John Zuhlsdorf on 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”: “Smarticus Pantsicus!”
- Longinus on “The bread was fresh and was good. The cheese was not and was excellent.”: “The dolce is heavenly, especially with a bit of Tuscan acacia honey on it.”
- The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clerics who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds.
St. John Eudes
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“Until the Lord be pleased to settle, through the instrumentality of the princes of the Church and the lawful ministers of His justice, the trouble aroused by the pride of a few and the ignorance of some others, let us with the help of God endeavor with calm and humble patience to render love for hatred, to avoid disputes with the silly, to keep to the truth and not fight with the weapons of falsehood, and to beg of God at all times that in all our thoughts and desires, in all our words and actions, He may hold the first place who calls Himself the origin of all things.”
- Prosper of Aquitaine (+c.455), De gratia Dei et libero arbitrio contra Collatorem 22.61
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“He [Satan] will set up a counter-Church which will be the ape of the Church because, he the devil, is the ape of God. It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content. It will be a mystical body of the anti-Christ that will in all externals resemble the mystical body of Christ. In desperate need for God, whom he nevertheless refuses to adore, modern man in his loneliness and frustration will hunger more and more for membership in a community that will give him enlargement of purpose, but at the cost of losing himself in some vague collectivity.”
“Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops.”- Fulton Sheen
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Fr John Zuhlsdorf
Tridentine Mass Society of Madison
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- “The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender's inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for every one else the proper pleasure of ritual.”
- C.S. Lewis
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frz AT wdtprs DOT comAs for Latin…
"But if, in any layman who is indeed imbued with literature, ignorance of the Latin language, which we can truly call the 'catholic' language, indicates a certain sluggishness in his love toward the Church, how much more fitting it is that each and every cleric should be adequately practiced and skilled in that language!" - Pius XI
"Let us realize that this remark of Cicero (Brutus 37, 140) can be in a certain way referred to [young lay people]: 'It is not so much a matter of distinction to know Latin as it is disgraceful not to know it.'" - St. John Paul II
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Recent Posts
- Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday in/of Lent 2026
- Daily Rome Shot 1561
- “And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse…”
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 13: Monday in the 2nd Week in Lent – “Everything became clear to me.”
- A ‘Cri de Coeur’ from the heartland
- 2 March – Blog Maintenance & Migration Day – DONE! “Cleanup in aisle 2,5,6…7…9…”
- Daily Rome Shot 1560
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 12: 2nd Sunday in Lent – Benedict XVI from Lent of sad 2013
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 11: Ember Saturday 1st Week in Lent – “Know Thyself!”
- On this Ember Friday we are 38 days out from Easter. What does the number 38 mean to St. Augustine?
- “The bread was fresh and was good. The cheese was not and was excellent.”
- Daily Rome Shot 1559
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 10: Ember Friday 1st Week in Lent – “Ego te absolvo” is your sure guarantee!
- Two items worthy of your precious time
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 09: Thursday 1st Week in Lent – Law and Order
- WDTPRS – Collect of Ember Wednesday of Lent (TLM & Novus)
- Daily Rome Shot 1558
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 08: Ember Wednesday 1st Week in Lent – The Four Preachers
- Daily Rome Shot 1557
- Brief summation of Bp. Schneider’s appeal to Pope Leo about the SSPX
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 07: Tuesday 1st Week in Lent – Against the wicked
- Daily Rome Shot 1556
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 06: Monday 1st Week in Lent – Bonds
- From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 26-02-18 – Ashes
- ASK FATHER: Why are Sunday “of Lent” in the Novus Ordo and “in Lent” in the TLM?
- Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday in/of Lent 2026
- Daily Rome Shot 1555
- LENTCAzT 2026 – 05: 1st Sunday of Lent – ANGELS!
- Daily Rome Shot 1554
- Card. Müller: a canonical solution for the SSPX
Let us pray…
Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
PLEASE RESPOND. Pretty pleeeease?
The "sign of peace" during Mass in the Ordinary Form...
- I dread it as it approaches and think of ways to avoid it. (36%, 9,555 Votes)
- I tolerate it. (35%, 9,195 Votes)
- I hate it so much I won't go to Mass where it is done. (12%, 3,205 Votes)
- I like it and am happy to do it. (11%, 2,955 Votes)
- I don't care one way or another. (6%, 1,696 Votes)
Total Voters: 26,606
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Should the Bishops of the USA have us return to obligatory meatless Fridays during the whole year and not just during Lent?
- Yes, and I think this is very important. (81%, 15,546 Votes)
- Yes, I guess so. (9%, 1,716 Votes)
- No, I hesitate about such a move. (5%, 900 Votes)
- No, this would be a really bad idea. (3%, 511 Votes)
- I don't care. (2%, 431 Votes)
- What's penance? (1%, 152 Votes)
Total Voters: 19,255
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At a talk in my diocese last Saturday, Mons. Nicola Bux said that people who complain that very few faithful come to the TLM (because it is very strongly “discouraged”, I say) are ridiculous. At Calvary there were only Our Lady and St John, but this does mean that the Sacrifice was accomplished in vain!
My friend and colleague, Dr. Janet Smith, known internationally for her strong defense of Catholic teaching, particularly in the area of sexual morality, biomedical ethics and contraception, professed her vows this past Saturday (the feast of St. Agnes) as a consecrated virgin of the diocese of Lansing.
This time two weeks I’ll be with the monks on my one month discernment retreat; thanks be to God!
Three people who are all young had surgery in the past week for tumors. One was a brain tumor, the second a tumor in the neck, and the third was one in a toddler. All these “girls” are between 3 an 25. They all came out of surgery well, and one is home. However, they all need radiation, or some type of follow-up, so please pray. The facts that one is home and one is breathing on her own are the good news.
I’m currently on a bus heading to the March for Life!!!! Never thought I would be here but here I am!!
My parish priest blessed my house yesterday.
My daughter and her hubby are expecting their third baby. Thank you, Lord.
My husband survived open heart surgery. He is still in the hospital though.
My husband is applying for a new job in a different city. His trip there to be interviewed is being paid for–and they’re paying for me to come, too! I’m very excited to have an opportunity to check out the place where I might be living soon, because I’ve never been there before. Our family are all being very supportive about the potential cross-country move, which is wonderful and unexpected as they all supported our previous cross-country move just two years ago.
Job interview tomorrow, and I’m actually not freaking out yet. Preparation and freakout are inversely related, and I feel pretty good about my preparation. Also good news: even if they go with another candidate, God has graciously provided me with enough to pay the bills in my current situation. Oh, and whatever happens, at least I get a free dinner out of it. The glass is half full!
This will either be a big door opened, or a big sign that says “try another door.”
Today is the MARCH4LIFE – Thanks be to God for the hundreds of thousands who have taken time to be in DC & to continue to stand for LIFE!
After four months of looking for work, I finally managed to get past interview stage and have been offered a job. It’s only a temporary contract, but it’s better than nothing.
Also, got to play with string quartet for the first time in several years – under the same name as ten years ago when I was in school (there are more than four people; it’s a rather ad hoc wedding/gig ensemble).
My friend, Jonathin Chiori Seraiah and his wife Catherine were received into Holy Mother Church!
He was an Anglican “priest” and will be starting his studies to be ordained in the Ordinariate! Praised be Jesus Christ! His parish is St. Aidan’s in Des Moines, Iowa!
On Saturday in our parish, we had 174 teens and adults confirmed in two Masses. I attended the 9:00, which was a full house.
I should mention that I have posted (Fr.) Seraiah’s farewell to Anglicanism over at my blog. Take a read:
http://www.traddyiniowa.blogspot.com
The chaplain of the local university (northern England) is starting to learn the EF of Holy Mass, and has asked me to learn to serve it! I think this will also include the Missa Cantata – can’t wait!
There will be a Solemn Pontifical High Mass for the Feast of Candlemas in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Thursday, February 2, 7:30 p.m. – Church of the Epiphany, South Miami, Florida.
We are pleased to welcome His Excellency, Thomas G. Wenski, Archbishop of Miami as the celebrant of this Mass. The Mass will be preceded by the traditional blessing of candles and a procession for the feast day.
Ceremonial and logistical assistance for the Mass is provided through the generous efforts of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP).
Musical highlights include Tournemire’s office from L’Orgue Mystique for the day (Purificatio B. Mariæ Virginis), played by Mr. Thomas Schuster, Organist and Director of Music at Church of the Epiphany, as well as a Missa Brevis by Zachary Wadsworth, and a commissioned motet by Dr. Paul Weber. Choral works will be sung by the Schola Cantorum of the University of Florida under the direction of Dr. Edward Schaefer. The Gregorian propers of the day will be sung by a Women’s Schola Cantorum under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Donelson of Nova Southeastern University.
The Mass is part of a conference on the French Catholic Composer, Charles Tournemire.
The conference, entitled “Gregorian Chant and Modern Composition for the Catholic Liturgy: Charles Tournemire’s L’Orgue Mystique as Guide” is presented by The Church Music Association of America, in collaboration with Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the Church of the Epiphany in Miami, Florida. It includes recitals and papers by an international collection of performers and academics.
For more information, visit the conference website: http://www.musicasacra.com/tournemire
Questions about the Mass or the conference can be directed to Dr. Jennifer Donelson, assistant professor of music at Nova Southeastern University at jd1120@nova.edu or (954) 262-7610.
Help spread the word! Add others to the invitation list for this event. The facebook page can be found here – http://www.facebook.com/events/201159429959275/
Yesterday, a group of some 50 souls (mostly teenagers) met to pray a rosary at the memorial to the unborn in the local Catholic cemetery– a yearly event around these parts. The temps dipped low and a stinging wind blew but not a TV camera in sight; had a WSO crowd of half the size met, however,…..
Made trip reservations for us to visit my wife’s family in Hawaii. It’s been a few years since we’ve been there.
My mother continues to rally (slowly), I got a good report from my MD, and I got a hot tip on a rifle for varmint hunting. :-)
My wife and I went to confession on Saturday !
i talked last week with one of our parochial vicars about preparation for death issues. he was helpful. afterward I had the anointing of the sick. he vested for it and read the whole rite from the book which never happened to me before. i am so happy and peaceful again. a caring priest makes all the difference.
I had an incredible encounter on Saturday. My parish is hosting some talks on priestly sexual abuse, so I went Saturday morning. The woman who spoke is a counselor for both abused children and abusers. She explained the cycle of dishonest and secretive thinking patterns that lead abusers in their denial that they are doing evil things. Anyway, she described successful counseling of abusers in a way that sounded much like confession – i.e. honesty, breaking the secrecy and owning one’s responsibility. I pointed out that this reminded me of what happens in the confessional. Anyway there was a man seated behind me who wept audibly through most of the event, and at the end he approached me and said : “Sir, I have to talk to you”
As it turns out this was the first time he had set foot into a Catholic church since the early 60’s. He had been abused by a priest and the first time was…in the confessional….!! I was dumbstruck, but he was very civil and we had a wonderful conversation where I described my need of the confessional (precisely to keep myself free of the cycle of evil actions) and he listened very attentively. It was a very moving, and I feel fruitful, conversation. He says he will go to the next session, as will I, and I promised to pray for him.
I am praying that the Blessed Virgin will intercede on his behalf.
Applied for three jobs last week.
I applied for a paid position with the government, which I might get. Even if I don’t, it’ll get me back in the game for doing those job interviews done by people who are trained professionals when it comes to sizing up people. It’s only a temp position too, and I know there are about five permanent positions coming up soon. No one knows when, though. I’m hoping for the end of summer so I have my degree, seeing how my salary is based on my credentials at the time of hiring and getting a degree once I’m hired won’t put me into the next wage schedule.
More good news, this semester is off to a good start. I actually handed in my first assignment on time. I really don’t want a repeat of last semester.
I completed the 15 Thursdays of St. Rita and am starting to get “bites” in my job search. Deo gratias!
A good homily from yesterday
Go here http://philotheaonphire.blogspot.com/2012/01/will-church-burn-incense-to-false-idols.html
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
His Grace, Bishop Skurla was appointed Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ruthenian Archeparchy of Pittsburgh on January 19th. This see has been vacant since the death of Metropolitan Basil Schott, on June 10th, 2010, eternal memory. This is indeed Good News!
There may be a TLM coming to a parish near me!
The priest at a Church I frequent, very devoted, respectful, and pious Church, and have options for the TLM and Novus Ordus Mass, spoke the real truth about abortion, the pill, same sex marriage, I almost fell out of my seat. I wanted to stand up and applaud for the truth that he spoke even stating that we have a responsibility as Catholics to vote properly…Amen for the truth…that not a lot of Churches speak openly about on the pulpit. It wasn’t watered down and at the same time was said with great charity.
And I believe there was 28,000 people at the Verizon center for the March for life.
Praise be Jesus and Mary!
Saturday was my husband’s 61st birthday. We received a 20-week ultrasound of our little grand-daughter, now what could be better than that?!
Sunday afternoon, Bishop Walker Nickless of Sioux City, IA, led the local March for Life. The group included “Teen Defenders” from our Guadalupe Youth Group. It was on at least one of the local TV stations; friend Bishop Nickless on facebook for the link.
After the March, Bishop preached the 5pm Mass and pulled no punches–I described it on the other thread. Friday was the 6th anniv. of his Episcopal Ordination.
My Cousin gave Birth to Her First Son Tonight(Philippine Time)named after St John Bosco!(and she will get married in Church soon!)
DEO GRATIAS EX HOC NUNC ET USQUE IN SAECULUM!
My pastor informed us that we will have a procession and Mass in the Extraordinary Form in honor of the Feast of Our Lady’s Purification, or Candlemas, on February 2nd. And also, the appeal he made for silence before Mass (Novus Ordo, it’s not a problem at the TLM) seems to have been taken to heart so far.
The space heater we bought last Sunday for my parents as a supplement for my just-out-of-the-hospital father came in very handy when their furnace failed Saturday night. The heater (and some prudently-stocked dry firewood for the fireplace) saved us from having to call 911 and decamp (back to a hospital, most likely).
Postulant in the Lay Fraternities of St Domininic (3rd Order), Chapter at St Vincent Ferrer New York, starting formation this week.
I got three A’s in College last semester. I am getting a new electric scooter soon and I am excited! God shines His grace on us all is the best news.
March for Life was more than its name in so many ways: being at the Mass in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Bishop Dolan, Msgr. Rossi, & so many others for a powerful presence together with the same in sacred sound by the Organist …) was hopeful and unifying, seeing the Procession and singing the hymn for Bishop Chaput’s 10:00 Mass for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and then finding the mall with its unified presence & seeing leadership of Priests everywhere along the walk; is my good news.