6:44 was sunrise and 17:03 will be sunset in Rome. The Ave Maria should ring at 17:30.
Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE
Also, there is now talk of my returning to Rome for Holy Week, or at least the Triduum. More on that to come.
For this day we thank you, Lord.
It is the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo, a magnificent and important figure of the Counter-Reformation. While his body is in Milan, where he was Archbishop, his heart is in Rome, behind the main altar of the church dedicated to him on the Via del Corso.
The writing is St. Charles motto: HUMILITAS.
A detail from the fresco above the little chapel.
San Carlo al Corso
Meanwhile…
WHITE to move. Get that King!
Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE
Thanksgiving is coming up. How about some excellent beer for your meal from the traditional Benedictine monks in Norcia? This is really good, especially with savory foods.
Finally, a note to donors and benefactors. Some of you have moved over to Zelle for regular donations. While that works well, there is one little problem. Whereas the other services for donations included an email for you, Zelle does not … unless you include it, I think. Therefore it is nigh on impossible for me to send you a thank you note unless I can match you up with previous donations with another service.
Please know that I still note everyone’s names and I pray for you regularly. Here in Rome I have been offering Masses for my Roman Sojourn donors especially, but also all you benefactors. It is my pleasure and my duty. I ask prayers for myself, especially now.
Especially in the next three days.
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b5+, King has to move to a5, Rxa7+, King to b4, c3+, King to c4, Rc7#
We’ll be praying for you, Fr. Z! Hope the remainder of your trip is excellent.
Seems like we can weave a mating net:
1.b5+ Ka4 (only move)
2.Rxa7+ Kb4 (only move again)
3.c3+ Kc4 (again, only move)
4.Rc7+ Bc5 (only move)
5.Rd4# checkmate because the black bishop is pinned by the rook on c7, and the rook on d4 is defended by the pawn on c3.
Correction:
Seems like we can weave a mating net:
1.b5+ Ka5 (not a4 as I erroneaously posted before)
2.Rxa7+ Kb4 (only move again)
3.c3+ Kc4 (again, only move)
4.Rc7+ Bc5 (only move)
5.Rd4# checkmate because the black bishop is pinned by the rook on c7, and the rook on d4 is defended by the pawn on c3.
Hmm back to the chessboard again. I sometimes miss those interposing moves.
An ancestor of mine, Daniel O’Connell, (q.v.) allegedly on his deathbed told the priest attending him “My body to Ireland, my heart to Rome, and my soul to heaven.” He died while trying to make a pilgrimage to Rome to pray for himself (he was ailing, obviously) and for Ireland, which was at its darkest point in the Great Hunger. The wish was at least partly granted, in that his body was returned to Ireland and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, which he helped found. His heart was inurned and taken to Rome. We have no data on what happened to his soul.
A requiem was said for him at St. Agata di Goti (sp?), which is on the banks of the Tiber and practically engulfed by the Bank of Italy. I gather that is now Cardinal Burke’s patronal church? It was at the time the Irish parish for Rome. Anyway, the heart was then placed in a crypt or vault and when the Irish seminary moved, they tried to take O’Connell’s heart with them and couldn’t find it. No one to this day is quite sure where in the church it is, or if it was stolen.