In Rome sunrise was at 7:15 and sunset will be an 18:39 with the Ave Maria bell to be rung at 1900. It is the traditional feast of St. Francis Borgia. He was the great grandson of Alexander VI (Borgia) whose tomb is just a stone’s throw from where I presently write and he was the 3rd Superior General of the Jesuits, back when they were worthy of the title.
NB: There was recently a scare tactic from P@y P@l (which I think few like very much but which works and with fees that are lower than some of other services, few that they are). The word was out that PP threated to extract $2.5K from anyone’s account if they posted something that was deemed … I dunno… un-woked, too-based!
Apparently that was all a mistake and PP has removed that from their user agreement. HERE
Was this a canary in a mine shaft to test the atmosphere before the midterms. It’s grim. Some donors here immediately terminated their monthly donations because they, I believe, thought that the threat was aimed at them. No, I believe it was aimed at people like me who provide content.
Continue to Give
If you are looking for alternatives to P@y P@l, try Zelle (which most US banks offer as a free service – very good! use frz AT wdtprs DOT com), Continue to Give (continuetogive.com – okay, but higher fees and wonky), and Wise (wise.com – which is terrific for international operations, though it takes a bit to set up: low fees and the best exchange rates). There are other options, too, including snail mail which can be forwarded. It’s slow.
I’d be delighted were everyone to use Zelle or, internationally, Wise.
I can’t begin to describe my gratitude to my regular and occasional donors. While I’ve been here in Rome, I’ve been saying Masses for the intention of my benefactors, especially those who made contributions to this Roman Sojourn. I feel alive again, here, and refreshed.
This morning I said Mass for my regular monthly donors.
You are a blessing and I pray that God reward you.
If the evening light in Rome is wonderful, so is the morning light.
The Bridgettines have a lovely little church on the Piazza Farnese. I stuck my head in for the morning Mass.
Yesterday was anniversary of the death of the last Roman Pope, Ven. Pius XII. I was recently at the house where he was born. I stopped in for a photo of the inscription when I took my chalice to be worked on in the shop where it was made in the first place.
Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE
Meanwhile… Fabiano Caruana beat the exceptionally unlikable Hans Niemann to take the lead in the 2022 US Championship in St. Louis. Caruana said “I think we’re no longer on chatting terms!” after defeating Niemann in 80 moves. That counts as two wins for Fabiano!
White to move. This is pretty easy.
Along with donations, income comes through affiliate programs, such as for the beer that the Benedictines in Norcia make, the wine that the monks of Le Barroux are producing, the Remote Chess Academy (RCA – which gives me an astonishing 50%), the Summit Dominicans (which produces about enough to help me get their beeswax candles for my chapel). Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE
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1. Re8+ Kg7
2. Qh7#
Oh how I enjoy your Roman photos while I await the time I myself can visit.
Aside from the lack of a chalice veil, this was a beautiful scene, of which the American sisters, the majority of whom are sitting in wheelchairs in chapels at motherhouses across the United States still singing “All Are Welcome,” would eschew. Festina lente.