Monthly Archives: June 2015

ASK FATHER: Proper location on altar for stuffed koala

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Our local Extraordinary Form group was preparing for Mass and we found left on the altar a stuffed koala bear apparently from an earlier Novus Ordo Mass.  One of the members wondered aloud if a stuffed … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Lighter fare, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged
22 Comments

ROME: The faithful defend the family. Where were the bishops?

In Rome there a vast throng of lay people turned out to defend the family and human ecology in the public square… in front of Rome’s Cathedral, St. John Lateran. Some snaps from The Great Roman Fabrizio™. Perhaps has many … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, ACTION ITEM!, One Man & One Woman |
43 Comments

WDTPRS 12th Ordinary Sunday – “His hand on the wheel of our lives”

Here is a wonderful prayer to sing!  It is stark and lavish and carefully balanced and quintessentially Roman. This week’s Collect, in 1962 Missale Romanum for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, was in the ancient Gelasian Sacramentary for the Sunday … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged , , ,
1 Comment

WDTPRS 4th Sunday after Pentecost (1962MR): Our great Captain

Today’s prayer is found in ancient sacramentaries, such as the Veronese and the “Hadrian” version of the Gregorian, and the so-called Gelasian.  It is unchanged in the “Tridentine” form of the Missale Romanum as my trusty copy of the 1570MR … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged , , , ,
1 Comment

#ACTONU – DAY 3 – Teaching, again, and wrapping up

I taught, on Friday, the final day, about the Christian statesmen in the “city of God”. Having an eye on how the civil virtues will be lived in the heavenly city, the statesman must, in this earthly city, govern through … Read More

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged ,
4 Comments

Video on a priestly vocation

I was alerted to a great video about the priesthood in which a friend of mine is interviewed.  Fr. Jonathan Martin is a priest of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in England.  We lived together in Rome.  He was … Read More

Posted in Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged
7 Comments

Laudato si’ – Magisterium or Magistweeterum

In the whirl of opinions (informed and non) in the MSM about Laudato si’, I’m tempted to put down my copy and wait for the official, Latin text in Acta Apostolicae Sedis. I remember how, years ago, when Veritatis splendor came out, I … Read More

Posted in The Drill | Tagged ,
26 Comments

Polish, Eastern bishops meet separately to defend family, marriage

Remember the secretive, liberal, French, Swiss, German meeting of the circle around Card.   Kasper’s proposal at the Gregorian University? They met to strategize about how to use the upcoming Synod, et al. Remember the recent meeting of presidents of … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, One Man & One Woman, Si vis pacem para bellum!, Sin That Cries To Heaven, Synod, The Coming Storm | Tagged , ,
6 Comments

An idea whose time has come! Exorcism over an entire nation.

Remember when Illinois gave the F-finger to God and passed same-sex marriage? Bp. Paprocki of Springfield performed an exorcism over the state. For which he is to be applauded. Catholics – traditionally – not so much today – use exorcisms. … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, "How To..." - Practical Notes, ACTION ITEM!, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , ,
16 Comments

Laudato si’ – It is not healthy “to cancel out sexual difference”

The other day Stream.org posted a piece about 11 good things in the Pope’s new encyclical, Laudato si’, which you will not see covered by the MSM.  I’m going through some of them. The following is a paragraph that I knew about well-before … Read More

Posted in Francis, One Man & One Woman, Sin That Cries To Heaven | Tagged , , , , , , , ,
20 Comments

Some good commentary on ‘Laudato si” and some bad

I’ll add more as opportunity arises. More good commentary about Laudato si’ From Crisis: Fr. Rutler – “Saint Peter, from his fishing days, had enough hydrometeorology to know that he could not walk on water. Then the eternal Logos told him to do it, … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
27 Comments

POLL: My plans for Pope Francis’ new encyclical ‘Laudato si”

A reader sent some questions for a poll.   Let’s see what the reaction is. Yes, I know there are other possible answers, but choose the best here and then use the combox to explain. Registered, approved users my post … Read More

Posted in Francis, POLLS | Tagged ,
58 Comments

A few mischievous thoughts.

A few mischievous thoughts. If Pope Francis is truly interested in the environment, he should, without delay, ditch the cars he is driven around in and use the sedia gestatoria.  It’s for the planet! Furthermore, to save the planet by reducing fossil … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged ,
64 Comments

#ACTONU – DAY 2 – Teaching

This year’s Acton U has me teaching for the first time.  I’m doing two classes, one on the Fathers of the Church on Usury (which I didn’t really know much about, but seemed like an interesting topic – I go … Read More

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged ,
12 Comments

Laudato si’ 75 and 77 – Creation has a Creator

In another post I mentioned the Stream piece which points out 11 great moments in the new encyclical Laudato si’. Here is one of the good moments.  Read: (1) Creation has a Creator, and is more than just “nature-plus-evolution”: (75) A spirituality … Read More

Posted in Francis | Tagged , ,
25 Comments

Good news about the new encyclical Laudato si’ – #PopeForPlanet

Before anything else… don’t just bash the new encyclical.   Some people are having full-fledged spittle-flecked nutties today.  I suspect that some of them are people who are happy only when they are unhappy. Dear readers… take a deep breath. … Read More

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

#ACTONU – DAY 1 – Study Day

We are getting into the swing of things now at Acton U. This morning we began with Mass (in the Extraordinary Form.. OF is also offered). Then I joined a group of business leaders for breakfast and some discussion.   … Read More

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged ,
7 Comments

One of Fr Z’s first reactions to the encyclical ‘Laudato si”

The Italian was leaked and now there is an English version out.  There are some good moments in it.  There’s something for everyone. However, it’s pretty hard on free markets.  I don’t care much for that discussion. So, here’s an … Read More

Posted in Francis, Liberals, The Drill | Tagged , ,
52 Comments

#ACTONU – DAY 0 – My View For Awhile

I am off to Acton University today.  My view for a while today will involve a steering wheel and lots of interstate, including a goodly portion of Chicago, where I expect bad traffic. Good for the Blackhawks, by the way. … Read More

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged
5 Comments

No Mercy for Magister

Yesterday I received a copy in Italian of the encyclical that has not yet been officially released, Laudato si’. It turns out that that copy was put on the interwebs by Sandro Magister, vaticanista. HERE The Holy See’s spokesman Fr. … Read More

Posted in Francis, SESSIUNCULA, The Drill | Tagged , , , , ,
60 Comments