Just a quick note to remind you that in the Rituale Romanum there is for the feast of the Assumption a special blessing of herbs and flowers.
Click HERE for more.
And the Assumption is, this year at least, a Holy Day of Obligation.
Loading ...
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
NEW OPPORTUNITY – 10% off with code: FATHERZ10
Music from the FSSP Seminarians in Bavaria
GREAT BEER from Traditional Benedictine Monks in Italy
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 Hyper-papal maximalists! Pay attention.: “The original: You are right to bring up the wisdom of the Church as clarified by Pius VI. The problem,…”
on Unpleasant but useful reading ALERT!: “Pope Francis at mass this morning, during which he ‘ordained’ various women and men to new “lay ministries” of lector,…”
on Hyper-papal maximalists! Pay attention.: “I am no expert on theology or even cheesesteaks :) but it seems to me that papal maximalism is self…”
on Unpleasant but useful reading ALERT!: “A question for Ivereigh: assuming Emeritus Pope Benedict still holds to his views on the legitimacy of Catholics adhering to…”
on 22 January – St. Vincent Pallotti. Wherein Fr. Z reflects on God’s plan.: “Father, regarding Cum Sanctissima, you mention the possibility of using the Latin orations of the subsequent missal: would this always…”
on Unpleasant but useful reading ALERT!: “I was at the Walk for Life West Coast today in San Francisco. As usual, it was a blessed pro-life…”
on Unpleasant but useful reading ALERT!: “And just today I was feeling baffled that the “inviolable conscience” (to use Bergoglio-speak) of those Catholics attached to the…”
on Unpleasant but useful reading ALERT!: “Both articles are excellent reads. Stay informed people. We cannot go back to the 70′ and 80’s or the catacombs!”
on Your Good News: “There may be good news in the case of Fr. Gordon J. MacRae…please God!! https://beyondthesestonewalls.com/posts/predator-police-the-new-hampshire-laurie-list-bombshell”
on ASK FATHER: Can a dying Catholic receive the Apostolic Pardon if there is no priest present?: “One of the promises of the Nine First Fridays is not dying without the Sacraments. My grandma was very faithful…”
on A tale of two Archbishops: “As an aside, I figured out a quick trick to know the difference between the National Catholic Reporter and the…”
on WDTPRS: 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (Novus Ordo: 2nd Ordinary): a “liturgical unicorn”: ““Christians are confident. Christ will give us His peace. He said so. But He won’t force peace on us.” Good…”
on ASK FATHER: Can a dying Catholic receive the Apostolic Pardon if there is no priest present?: “Fr. Z, I know I’ve said this before, but I just hate to think of people missing this. When Catholics…”
on Hyper-papal maximalists! Pay attention.: “This is so problematic. I was a proud “papist” during the reigns of St John Paul the Great and Benedict…”
This REALLY helps! And it’s great coffee (and tea)
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…
Use the coupon code...
fatherz10
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!
More importantly, it is the day of blessing the fishing fleets! http://youtu.be/3p8-xZMKYrY Still very much a tradition in the fishing towns in New England: Gloucester, Provincetown, New Bedford, etc.
[Very interesting! I would love photos. But, that isn’t really “more” important. We can have both.]
We must warn His Hermeneuticalist.
I have a pot of lemon thyme that will do nicely.
As is the custom at our parish, we will be bringing herbs (in particular, basil) to be blessed during the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition. Tradition has it that when the Apostles opened the tomb so that St. Thomas (who was not present at her Domition) could venerate the Mother of Our Lord, they found not the body of the Mother of God but the winding sheet & the most beautiful & sweet-smelling flowers (many traditions say it was basil). Mary’s body had been taken up into the heavens by her Son. Flowers were blessed from the earliest times in both East & West. Over time, seeds & herbs used for medicinal purposes were also blessed, in commemoration of the many healings & blessings that were bestowed upon the pilgrims at Mary’s tomb. The Book of Needs (Trebnyk or Euchologian) contains several possible prayers to bless seed, herbs & flowers, one of which is below:
O Almighty, God from before all ages, by Your word alone You created out of nothingness the heavens, earth, sea and all things visible and invisible. You commanded that the earth bring forth plants and trees to serve both man and animal, each according to its need. In your infinite goodness You ordained that these plants serve not only as food but also as medicine for the sick body. We beseech You, bless this seed, these herbs and these flowers and bestow upon them Your blessing and endow them with Your power. Make them to serve man and animal alike as a defense against all sickness and every defilement, for You are our God, and we send up glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.