Monthly Archives: November 2013

To ADVENTCAzT or not…

I am making up my mind about doing the brief daily podcasts for Advent this year. If so, … My mind is flat today, but I don’t think that this would be a good starting point.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
11 Comments

Evangelii gaudium 138: Sermons should be brief. How brief is “brief”? POLL

Are we now too impatient to receive even good preaching?  Should we, therefore, dumb preaching down? Those who are familiar with the Fathers of the Church know all too well that their sermons were often pretty long, well over an hour.  Think … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, The Drill | Tagged , , , , ,
73 Comments

Evangelii gaudium: Translation issues, problems

I am detecting rumblings that the English translation of the Pope’s new (first) Apostolic Exhortation is not so hot and that it may be, in some key places misleading. There are always going to be differences in opinion about how … Read More

Posted in Francis, The Drill | Tagged , , ,
17 Comments

POLL: Obama closes the US Embassy to the Holy See

As you have probably heard, The First Gay President, who also brought you the “AFFORDABLE” Care Act’s HHS mandate, is going to close the embassy of these USA to the Holy See. I didn’t really care much about this story … Read More

Posted in Liberals, Pò sì jiù, Religious Liberty | Tagged , ,
28 Comments

VIDEO: Wymyn burn Francis in effigy in Argentina. Make popcorn.

I was sent a video by a reader of some loony wymny in Argentina burning Pope Francis in effigy.  I don’t know what this group is about, but I can guess.  It probably defies the Church’s teaching on contraception or … Read More

Posted in Francis, Liberals | Tagged , , , ,
20 Comments

For you Whoies… Whovians? … Whomever!

For reasons I cannot not explain, I saw that there is to be another Doctor.  Somehow they figured out how to get around the limit of 12 regenerations.  Who knew? In any event, the next Doctor is to be played … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged ,
10 Comments

SCOTUS to take up HHS mandate cases

The Supreme Court of these United States will take up a couple cases concerning the Obama administration’s anti-religious HHS mandate. Via Townhall: BREAKING: Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge to HHS Contraception Mandate The Supreme Court agreed on noon Tuesday … Read More

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, Religious Liberty, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged , , , , , , ,
15 Comments

A “Francis Effect” in these USA?

There is a lot of buzz about a “Francis Effect”.  As I watch Twitter, for example, I see comments such as “I’m not Catholic anymore, but I really like this Pope!” or “I disagree with the Church on a lot … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, New Evangelization, The Drill | Tagged
16 Comments

First comment on the Pope’s new Apostolic Exhortation

The new Apostolic Exhortation is out: Evangelii gaudium.  In English it is some 51000 words.  It is a slog. It is not an encyclical.  It is not an apostolic letter.  It is only an apostolic exhortation. I caution all of you (and … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, The Drill | Tagged , ,
66 Comments

Pope to canonize 16th century Jesuit, waives procedure

With the stroke of his pen he waived the (in my opinion prudent and yet still not enough) requirement for a second miracle before the canonization of Bl. John XXIII. Now, with another stroke of his pen, Francis will elevate … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged , , , , ,
27 Comments

Will German bishops defy Rome, ignore teaching on indissolubility of marriage?

Iran, and other countries, are more than likely emboldened by the Obama-inflicted weakness of these USA. They will be flexing their muscles, sure that the President won’t do anything. In Germany, and probably other places, some bishops, emboldened by a … Read More

Posted in Francis, Liberals, One Man & One Woman, Our Catholic Identity, Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill | Tagged , , ,
32 Comments

Ice, rocks, brooms… be still my heart!

There is snow on the ground and the Winter Olympics are coming up. We all, I am sure, are beginning to sense the beginnings of the heart-pounding adrenaline rush that comes from the action-jammed sport of… … CURLING! I had … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged
30 Comments

ACTION ITEM! Is the “Vatican survey” being hijacked? Fr. Z says, “¡Vaya lío!”

You know that there is a survey out there, at the Vatican’s behest, in anticipation of the upcoming Synod of Bishops which will discuss the family. While surveying people ahead of time is not new, when I heard about this … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Be The Maquis, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Our Catholic Identity, POLLS, Semper Paratus | Tagged ,
38 Comments

US Federal Judge and atheist group tag-team attack churches, congregations

Sometimes I muse about what it must have been like for a pagan priest in 4th century Rome who tended a crossroads shrine as he watched the demolition of his entire world. It is, perhaps, our turn now. The not-so-Catholic-friendly, … Read More

Posted in Liberals, Our Catholic Identity, Pò sì jiù, Religious Liberty, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged , , , ,
24 Comments

“Don’t take offence if they have to decline your invitation.”

There is a great post over at my friend Fr. Finigan’s blog, The Hermeneutic of Continuity about lay people and their weddings and inviting priests… and concelebration. Remember, I think concelebration should be safe, legal and rare. Fr. Finigan seems to … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests | Tagged ,
3 Comments

“Stir Up Sunday” 2013! – UPDATES

The Collect from Holy Mass today in the traditional Roman Rite is: Excita, quaesumus. Dómine, tuórum fidélium voluntátes: ut, divíni óperis fructum propénsius exsequéntes; pietátis tuæ remédia maióra percípiant. Or… Stir up the will of your faithful, we pray, O … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Fr. Z's Kitchen, Lighter fare | Tagged ,
31 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Was there a good point in the sermon you heard for your Sunday Mass of precept? Let us know what it was.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
41 Comments

WDTPRS: Christ the King (2002MR): the elements will be dissolved with fire, the earth will be burned up

We have come back to the last Sunday of the liturgical year.  In the post-Conciliar calendar of the Roman Church this is the Solemnity of Christ the King.  In the older calendar, this is celebrated (with a rather different meaning!) … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged ,
14 Comments

Again HUGE news: Pope Francis explicitly endorses Benedict XVI’s “hermeneutic of continuity”

You will want to read this carefully and put it in your “IMPORTANT” file. This is, again, HUGE news. The 450th anniversary of the closing of the Council of Trent is coming up on 4 December.  We like to celebrate … Read More

Posted in Benedict XVI, Brick by Brick, Francis, Hard-Identity Catholicism, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Reading Francis Through Benedict, The Drill, Vatican II | Tagged , , , ,
48 Comments

GUEST POST: TLM 1st experience: Extraordinary Form is easier than the Novus Ordo

From a reader: I just read the post in which you shared a reader’s observation about the pastoral nature of the TLM. I experienced something similar. I went to my first TLM on Nov. 2 for All Souls. A few … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, HONORED GUESTS, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM | Tagged , , , ,
24 Comments