Monthly Archives: January 2020

ASK FATHER: Pay the German “Church Tax” or not, given what the German Church is doing?

From a GERMAN reader… QUAERITUR: Currently, I am required to pay my income tax in Germany, which also includes the “Church Tax” as I have declared that I am a Roman Catholic. It appears one cannot just opt-out of this … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, "How To..." - Practical Notes, 1983 CIC can. 915, ASK FATHER Question Box, HONORED GUESTS, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged ,
35 Comments

Lest BREXIT go unnoticed, a Martyrology entry: “Pridie Kalendas Februarii Luna sexta Anno Domini 2020…”

I received this from a reader. Pridie Kalendas Februarii Luna sexta Anno Domini 2020 Britanniae, anno LXVIII regni Elizabethae Reginae, Imperium, splendore radians, ab illo comitio diabolico scilicet, Unione Europaea, post annos dolorosos XLVII, (br)exiit. ‘In Britain, the 65th year … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged
34 Comments

ASK FATHER: In time of high risk contagion, nitrile gloves for distribution of Communion?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Are disposable nitrile gloves acceptable of a Priest distributing the Eucharist? Nitrile gloves are proven to help prevent the spread of pathogens. Yes, this can be done.  Should it be done is another thing. Holy Communion … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Semper Paratus | Tagged ,
21 Comments

Getting a boost. Thanks.

I am grateful today for a new monthly donor.  AO  UPDATE: Also,  MB, RS, QJ, JB, DH, ML, MM Today is one of those lean days of the month, when not so many people have subscribed to a monthly donation. … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes |
Comments Off on Getting a boost. Thanks.

MAP and Stats: track the spread of Coronoavirus

Johns Hopkins has a live map and site that show the spread of Coronovirus.  HERE A screenshot: I refer you also to a post with some fiction and, in the comments, great fiction and non-fiction reading.  HERE How fact can … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
8 Comments

Strong tonic to bishops and priests: “If I can’t endure the cold shower, … maybe I’m not fit for heaven.”

At LifeSite there is a a superb opinion piece (frankly, most of LifeSite is opinion) by Kevin Wells, author of The Priests We Need to Save the Church. Wells describes a program that some men are undertaking, a kind of … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Cri de Coeur, Fr. Z KUDOS, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Jesuits, Just Too Cool, One Man & One Woman, Priests and Priesthood, Si vis pacem para bellum!, Sin That Cries To Heaven, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
20 Comments

The church of England apologizes for its temporary lapse into Christianity – UPDATED

UPDATED 1 Feb 2020: I have an apology to make.  Not to the cofE. Yesterday, before I had read anything else, I checked my mail.   A couple of friends with whom I often exchange news, both dire and ironic, for the … Read More

Posted in One Man & One Woman, You must be joking! | Tagged ,
8 Comments

Lovely poetry about Candlemas, the beautiful Feast of the Purification, Presentation of the Lord

Candlemas is coming up, the Feast of the Purification, as it is traditionally called.  We call it Candlemas because, with the references to light in the liturgy, we bless candles. Candlemas is the conclusion of the Advent/Christmas cycle.  We are … Read More

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , ,
7 Comments

ASK FATHER: Father had his dog with him at the altar during Mass

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Hi Father-     I attended an N.O. Mass this morning, along with about 50 others, and I was shocked to see the priest allow his dog on the altar!  During the sermon, the priest stopped, looked … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged
44 Comments

URGENT POLL: Which pizza is better? NYC or Chicago style?

In my ongoing desire for clarity, I have posted about the burning issues of our day. For example, I have sought clarity, and found it, about the true plural of the drink made from Gin and from Tonic.  The answer … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Lighter fare, POLLS | Tagged
45 Comments

ASK FATHER: Suspension of Communion on the tongue because of #Coronavirus

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Father, in the Philippines a bishop told people to stop receiving Communion on the tongue and receive only in the hand because of Coronavirus and don’t have the chalice too. What say you? We have seen … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , , ,
23 Comments

VIDEO contrasts participants in March for Life and Women’s March

LifeSite posted this fascinating, predictable, video.   But an image is worth a thousand words. Listening to the view of the other side in this video is like witnessing the autopsy of long dead cadaver in really bad shape. You can … Read More

Posted in Emanations from Penumbras, GO TO CONFESSION, Liberals, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged
5 Comments

Blog changes – speed! And “Catholic Signal Corps”

I had posted a while ago that there was going to be yet another maintenance issue coming up. As you recall, we did a massive switch to a new server last October.  That went well. This time we had to … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío! | Tagged
2 Comments

China, FlightAware, and You

There is an online resource for tracking airline flights: Flightaware.   It is fascinating to see the planes move in real time.  You get a sense of how important air travel and freight is for all of us. You also get … Read More

Posted in Semper Paratus, TEOTWAWKI | Tagged ,
4 Comments

Worried about Coronavirus? Feed your anxiety, and commonsense. – UPDATED

UPDATE 31 Jan 2020: We’ve learned that, in Chicago, there is a case of human to human transmission of the virus.  W.H.O. declared an emergency. Today I read. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte says the first two coronavirus cases have … Read More

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Semper Paratus, TEOTWAWKI, The Coming Storm | Tagged ,
29 Comments

A troubling, curious point in the Third Secret of Fátima

Something was made known to me a while back that I have been pondering.  It involves the Third Secret of Our Lady of Fatima.  It really bothers me. A refresher: The three children who were the seers at Fatima, received … Read More

Posted in Benedict XVI, Francis, Our Solitary Boast, What are they REALLY saying? | Tagged ,
72 Comments

Wherein Fr. Rutler hits for six

Fr. George Rutler knocks it outta da park today.  Rather, he would probably prefer to have hit for six.  “Hit for six”, as he would know, is not only a good thing in cricket, but is also “to be hit … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged ,
4 Comments

ASK FATHER: The “churching” of women after childbirth and the blessing of expecting mothers

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I recently had a conversation with an Episcopal priest about the approaching Feast of the Purification. He said that he would not emphasize the Churching of Women connection. There is such a ceremony in the old … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ,
7 Comments

Too often TV and film directors and designers get Catholic thing wrong, absurdly so.

There are quite a few churchy things in TV and film these days.   For example, the intellectually insulting Two Popes (absurd on the face of it) and the weird and often vile sequel The New Pope. Also, churchy things are often on … Read More

Posted in You must be joking! |
23 Comments

Your Good News

It has been too long since I have asked about your good news.   What’s up?  Are there good things going on that you would like to share with the readership? For my part, I going to work on some Hebrew.  … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
10 Comments