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“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
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “I suppose it depends on what one considers charitable outreach and how much they advertise their “good” works.”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1274 – processions and more: “That would make a great episcopal motto, “less jabbering”.”
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “I attend a traditional diocesan parish with excellent liturgy (we even do pre-55 Holy Week, with pre-55 Tenebrae etc.) AND…”
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “diaconus says In my experience, parishes which have increasing numbers of attendees do charitable outreach or liturgy really well. That…”
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “Perhaps here is what Cardinal Roche does not see. Those who want to expand the availability of the Vetus Ordo…”
- on Ite ad Ioseph… Go to Joseph! – UPDATED: “I doubt that St. Joseph was a relatively poor craftsman. I’m certain that his work was top-notch! Sorry, Father… I…”
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “Charity is easy in comparison to make work: You will even get “c”atholics who believe in reincarnation to contribute. But…”
- on Sterile faith v. living faith: “In my experience, parishes which have increasing numbers of attendees do charitable outreach or liturgy really well. That being said,…”
- on LENTCAzT 2025 – 16: Thursday 2nd Week of Lent – Satan changes tactics: “@VForr, that piece is from Ralph Vaughan Williams’ haunting “Dives and Lazarus” variants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQoP9iLwoos.”
- on Ite ad Ioseph… Go to Joseph! – UPDATED: “In Gloucester MA., We have the St. Peter’s Fiesta. They do the Greasy Pole, that is horizontal on a platform…”
- on LENTCAzT 2025 – 16: Thursday 2nd Week of Lent – Satan changes tactics: “Ooops, sorry, it wasn’t Percy French. He wrote “The mountains of Mourne” – which are also in County Down. Here’s…”
- on LENTCAzT 2025 – 16: Thursday 2nd Week of Lent – Satan changes tactics: “VForr: it’s the well known hymn ” I heard the voice of Jesus say come unto me and rest.. “…”
- on Ite ad Ioseph… Go to Joseph! – UPDATED: “I’ve just completed my consecration to St Joseph using Fr Calloway’s book. This is the 6th year I’ve done it…”
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“All shall be well. And all shall be well. And all manner of things will be well.”
– Julian of Norwich
Many points of good news and thankfulness…
– Some points of progress in my Father’s health care situation
– Was able to attend the first evening of an overnight retreat that kicked-off our choir year. The organizing committee found a good, deeply spiritual, challenging (assigning “homework” and asking questions) priest with a particular devotion to the Sacred Heart.
– Was able to head out of town for a day for a low-key guys’ celebration for a dear friend about to get married. Was with friends both new (his about-to-be brother-in-law) and old (he and I and our other two friends just marked a quarter-century of friendship).
– Was able to go from there to rendezvous with some of my Knights’ Council, attending a Mass marking the anniversary celebration for a neighboring Council.
– Just wrapped up the choir kick-off with opening rehearsal/prayer service, presided by our chaplain.
– Any other current problems really stayed quiet for a few days
– Hey – even my fantasy football league team won this weekend!
My 8 yr old son gets to be the boat bearer at a Requiem Mass (EF) tonight. This is his first Mass to serve Our Lord! When he tried on his cassock he said, “I have waited my whole life to wear one of these!” He is so very excited! Just praying he can avoid fidgeting throughout this late Mass.
StabatMater, he might have a vocation, making a comment like that. When my sem son was five, we came out of daily Mass and he said, “Mummy, the most wonderful thing I can think of doing is holding up the Chalice at Mass”. Mums need to pay attention. You news is really good news.
My daughter, Dorothea Maria, was born at 11:35am est 11 years ago today! Truly a gift from God!
In December 2010, this post
https://wdtprs.com/2010/12/st-juan-diegos-miracle/
on your blog inspired me to pray for a particular miracle. Your words were:
“Remember…
If we do not believe in miracles, we do not ask for them. If we do not ask for them, they will not be granted.”
to my utter astonishment the miracle was granted in less than 24 hrs. Since then I have prayed for many other miracles, some big, some small. Sometimes what happens isn’t quite what I expect and there is one particular one which hasn’t been granted, yet, but there is always some kind of an answer, eventually.
My good news is that this morning I got an email about another miracle I had been praying for and I realised that, for the first time, I wasn’t surprised to hear that it had been granted!
So thank you Fr Z for encouraging us to ask for miracles and for encouraging us generally, day by day in our faith.
God bless you.
My son turned one on Saturday. We had a wonderful little lunch-time party with family and friends.
After the party I made it to confession. Mass followed on Sunday.
StabatMater & SuperT ~ we have a son like that too! He wanted to serve the 7am Mass every day he could this summer. Our Lady must have showered us with graces, because the other 7 kids never complained about getting up at 5:45 to go.
Our good news is that, this past Wednesday, he served his first Low Mass! He had mentioned to our newly ordained parochial vicar, when he arrived in July, that he would love to learn to serve the EF & from that little spark, just two months later…we now have a weekly EF on the parish schedule!! Our son is the only server so far, but he has been encouraging his friends to learn also. He was so nervous about his public debut, but it went perfectly & we had 80+ people in attendance.
Father B. did a wonderful job of working catechesis in before Mass & during the sermon. My favorite two comments were, when explaining the reason we wouldn’t be able to hear him during the Canon, that when Our Lord comes down from Heaven “all creation falls silent, ” & that the reason he is not facing toward us is because he is trying to get to the same place we are ~ he’s the bus driver & we are the passengers…and you wouldn’t want your bus driver to turn around & talk to you while he’s driving, would you? :o)
In other fabulous news, our last 3 children (unless the Lord has a very special surprise for this 45-year-old womb) received the Sacrament of Reconciliation on 1st Friday, and 1st Communion at the morning Mass on Saturday. I wish I could post a photo here, but just picture 3 lovingly gift-wrapped birthday presents for Our Lady grinning from ear to ear! :oD Joy abounds in this mommy’s heart today!
A few years ago, we moved to a beautiful, small town in Rhode Island where I am able to walk to daily Mass. Our small church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is as close to heaven as I can imagine. It is a holy, vibrant, multi-generational parish with a terrific Pastor. We have an excellent school, with outstanding traditional religious sisters, from which we have reverent altar servers and successful students. We have processions in honor of Our Lady, Eucharistic Adoration, and beautiful music and liturgies.
Last year, I was sad that our Assistant Pastor was leaving to become a Pastor in another city. I was happy for him and for his new parishoners, but he was just such a special Priest, I knew I would miss him greatly. He spoke the Truth and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and we all loved him.
The “Good News” is that the Priest who replaced him was just out of the Seminary and is an outstanding Priest! He, too, is not afraid to speak the Truth, to bring us closer to Christ, and to help us grow in love and virtue. His enthusiasm is beautiful to behold.
It is so inspiring to see such a young Priest be so sincere, so close to God, so totally devoted to his vocation. He just returned from a trip to Nicaragua where he had brought a number of our young people to help at an orphanage. It was a life-changing experience for all.
This summer, we were blessed to have two wonderful seminarians with us (one was from our own parish). They are two of the finest young men I have ever seen. They contributed in so many ways and it was apparent that their calling is truly a gift from God.
Christ’s presence in our parish is Good News indeed!!!
I start my new job next week! Ok the pay could be a better but I am grateful to God for what I have :)
I found out last week that I don’t have cancer.
Our large home renovation project- a new retaining wall around three sides of our property, plus a new fence, is almost completed and has gone well, for the most part.
I get to do extensive changes in the garden once it’s over.
Cardinal Kung’s nephew is coming to lecture on the Church in China on Saturday.
Plans are proceding for our parish’s second anniversary celebration in October.
Our third priest is arriving this month!
Thanksgiving for everyone else’s good news. Yorkmum, thank you for the link.
In North Carolina, on Friday, 16 Sept. 12, for Triumph of the Cross, Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be offered at these churches:
Sacred Heart, Dunn, NC
Our Lady of Perpetural Help, Rocky Mount, NC (also MEF for Our Lady of Sorrows the next day)
Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, NC
St Ann, Charlotte, NC
For details, locations, and times, see nctlmmef[dot]com .
Pretty good for a state where, forty years ago, Catholics were listed under “others”.
A long drawn out legal issue seems to be nearly over in our favor.
Our family has good health, the children are in school and I am employed.
God is good.
Supertradmum- I pray for it daily! Trust me, I pay attention. Oh the stories I could share– such joy, such joy! Thankfully our parish priest and a VERY good Jesuit priest who offers the EF at our parish (yes, there are a few good Jesuits) are also paying attention to such things. Please pray for my little one tonight and for his vocation. I will be praying for your son as well.
I am still amazed when I realize how our lives have changed since coming into The Church 1 1/2 years ago. Tonight, my three young adult children and I are getting to peel onions- for a fundraiser at the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest- with my 19 year old son’s KofC group from our church. How fun it is to spend time with our Catholic brothers and sisters doing something even like peeling onions!
Mass last night at the seminary with one of my favorite priests; the seminary’s Rector. First class at the catechetical institute where our number includes seminarians.
Our new Pastor mentioned on Sunday the age requirements for altar servers and that pyromaniacs are welcome, well, he said that boys who find charcoal and candles to be intriguing may be interested in becoming altar servers.
Supertradmum, wow! So little to hear the Holy Spirit.
StabatMater, I saw some guys like that last night, cassock-clad seminarians, some serving Mass, others attending.
Supertradmum
stabatmater
That is wonderful news indeed.
And when they’re older and if they start thinking “military” (as boys are wont to do)
It is good to remind them of the Church Militant and that the REAL battle is the Spiritual one.
UncleBlobb
Wonderful news indeed. So happy.
Our good news in the neck of our woods is that our pastor has been practicing the EF Mass and it really looks hopeful that we will have an 8AM EF Mass in the future. It looks like he is opting for at least one weekday Mass for the time being. I was so excited and ready to spread the word to EF Mass enthusiasts but he asked me to hold off till it is concrete.
some good news (from my perspective at least!) is that I’m 50 today & feeling truly blessed! I had a surprise party on Saturday with lots of family & friends & am having a quiet evening tonight in the bosom of my family … who could ask for anything more?
Our homeschooling year is going well, including the Iowa Tests (even though my daughter doesn’t quite enjoy them! LOL). She is especially enjoying reading about St. Therese right now.
And I just got back my old Mac G4 (c. 2002) from the repair shop. It had been damaged when the “Smart Meter” on our house blew out. The computer is up and running, as good as new!
My husband and I are most thankful having learned yesterday that we have been approved for major medical coverage through our state program (for state residents who have been denied individual health coverage by private carriers.)
Last Saturday, September 8th, my 8 year daughter Isabel received her First Holy Communion with all her classmates, after an intense and serious preparation. Thanks be to God!
Our diocese is offering “CCD for adults” for the Year of Faith – my first class is tonight and I’m so excited to learn!
Well, I am announcing this on my blog as well. Within fourteen days, I shall be entering the Tyburn Nuns for a three month trial as to a vocation. Because I am old, this is an exception for which I am very grateful. My son is one-hundred percent behind my trying this. I have wanted to do this for years. Please pray for me. It will be hard. I have yet to know whether I can be on the Net or not. I shall know in a few days.
[I am sure I speak for all the readers here when I wish and pray for you all the best. Perhaps I will get a glimpse of you in London while still on this side of the grate. Keep us informed about a date.]
I shall keep you in my prayers, Supertradmum!
Supertradmum: I suspected that something like that was going on ;-) ! Very exciting indeed! Prayers for you and your son. We hope that you can stay on the Internet, though…
Supertradmum, this is fantastic news!!! I am so happy for you. [Ok, now I have to go confess a feeling of envy. :-( ]
Sissy, this is the third time I asked t enter a Benedictine house over the years. Never give up on anything.
My husband and I have also recieved a miracle. I requested prayers for him some time ago. He has been ill with pulmonary involvement for 15 months, to the point that he could not sit up. Two weeks ago he went to the local hospital by ambulance. We have been praying to St. Charbel for a long time and made a novena to him this past July. Charbel was a Lebanese Maronite hermit. Many miracles are credited to his intercession.
The day after admission the new pulmonary specialist came to examine him. (A woman with 30 years experience with lung problems). During conversation, she told us where she came from and that her father was of Arab descent. She said, “my father is from Lebanon”
Now if that isn’t enough of answer to prayers, my husband will be discharged tomorrow on a couple of liters of oxygen – but able to walk all around the hospital without assistance, shower and dress hinself, etc.
God’s cherished blessings to all who joined us in prayer…and learn about the hermit, Charbel, the Saint of Lebanon.
At my parish, one of the Masses, which usually has a Haugen/Haas concert, will begin having an organist and a schola led by one of our permanent deacons!
Fr. Z., will keep you informed. My life is still my own for a short while, so I hope to come to the Oratory day. That is my favourite Church in all of England. Thank you for your support.
I recently had a prostatectomy and they tell me the cancer was contained in the gland. My recovery seems to be proceeding well. Many good friends were praying for a successful operation, for which I am most grateful.
Healthy baby boy to be baptized Sunday.
Also got to attend Father’s talk near Madison, it was fantastic!
My son celebrated his 2nd birthday on September 11. He is truly a blessing! Also, on September 9, I participated in my 3rd Ironman. Thank you God for your many Blessing and Our Lady for your protection!