Monthly Archives: May 2023

OMNIUM GATHERUM: TLM pilgrimage, Music, Miracle sought

This post has the purpose of making visible several items that have recently been flung over the transom and into my cluttered space. First, I had a note from an old friend who is back in the traditional Catholic tour … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
11 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 24: Hoofing it and blossoms

Today is, aliquibus locis including Roma, the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians. It is also the Feast of St. Vincent of Lérin, whose name has been lately instrumentalized to lie about the role of tradition and progress in ecclesial … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
6 Comments

Laus Deo! Great news from Gower Abbey in Missouri

By now you will have heard the news about Sr. Wilhelmina of the Gower Abbey Benedictines in Missouri. Sr. Wilhelmina died in 2019 at 95 years.  She had been the foundress of these wonderful traditional Benedictine nuns about whom I … Read More

Posted in Just Too Cool, Women Religious | Tagged
4 Comments

Chicago Alderman to Card. Cupich: FREE THE SHRINE!

This is great. You remember that Card. Cupich of Chicago attacked the people who attended the south-side church in the care of the Institute of Christ the King by placing the Institute priests in an untenable position.  He forced them … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Be The Maquis, Just Too Cool, Si vis pacem para bellum! |
11 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 23: Purple, Pizza and Puzzle

On this 143rd day of the year the Roman sun appeared at 05:41 and will slip away at 20:33, the Ave Maria ideally sounding at 21:00. It is the Feast of St. Giovani Battista de Rossi who is a beautiful … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
1 Comment

ROME 23/05 – Day 22: Banns and bans

Rome’s sunrise: 05:42 Rome’s sunset: 20:33 Rome’s Ave Maria Bell: 21:00 (NB: It changed!) In your kindness, please say a prayer for my mother.  Thanks to all who, in past days, said that they have. Welcome registrants: imm1858 Inquistive Mary … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

ACTION ITEM! New Roman vestments for the parish – UPDATES – Starting to collect the pledges.

UPDATE 22 May 2023 I had an additional consultation with the pastor and the sacristan at the parish and we decided that 7 red sets would be best. I have sent out emails to some (not all) of you who … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, ACTION ITEM! | Tagged
3 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 6th Sunday after Easter, Sunday after Ascension (N.O.: 7th of) 2023

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Sunday Mass of obligation? Share the good stuff. It was the 6th Sunday after Easter in the Vetus Ordo, aka Sunday after the Ascension of the Lord, … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 20: It’s the little things.

It was 05:43 when the sun rose and it will be 20:31 when it sets. The Ave Maria should chime at 20:45. Today is, among others such as St. Bernardine of Siena, the Feast of St. Aurea, “Golden Girl”.  More … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
5 Comments

Bad floods in Italy! A priest. A book. A bridge.

You long-time readers will know that when there is a hurricane or some natural phenomenon like storms that spawn tornadoes coming along I plead with bishops and priests to put on their gear and pray against the storms using the … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Priests and Priesthood, Save The Liturgy - Save The World |
6 Comments

ASK FATHER: After being away for years, I went to confession but I forgot something.

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I recently got over myself and went to confession after being away from the sacramental life of the church for a number of years. I then realized that I had not confessed the fulfillment of my … Read More

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box, GO TO CONFESSION | Tagged , , ,
6 Comments

20 May – The “Golden Girl” of Ostia, St. Aurea and a link with St. Augustine’s mom, Monnica

Today is the feast of St. Aurea of Ostia, a martyr from the 2nd century about whom we know nothing for sure, except that she worked miracles, refused to sacrifice to the gods and was murdered in the 3rd c. … Read More

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged
Comments Off on 20 May – The “Golden Girl” of Ostia, St. Aurea and a link with St. Augustine’s mom, Monnica

ROME 23/05 – Day 19: Prayer request

The sun rose over Rome, or would have were it not cloudy… AGAIN… at 05:44 and it will set… will we enjoy it? … at 20:30. The Ave Maria should be rung at 20:45 now. In your kindness, pray for … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
6 Comments

A Pope in hell? The curious case of Pope SAINT Peter Celestine V

Today is the feast of St. Peter Celestine, Pope Celestine V, who famously resigned the papacy. This is one of the fascinating people in our Catholic family history. Pietro da Morrone, born c. 1215, in the Molise area of central … Read More

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
4 Comments

“Quam pulchri super montes pedes adnuntiantis et praedicantis” – Christ’s Ascension and His Lordly Feet

There are many images of the Lord’s Ascension to heaven through history, and rightly so.  With the Annunciation, the Ascension is perhaps the greatest of all the Feasts of the Lord and for our own humanity.  Imagine!  Our humanity, taken … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
2 Comments

The Lord’s Ascension and Roman Beans

We have lovely customs in our wonderful Roman Catholic Church, including special blessings on certain feast days, often tied to the changing of the seasons… in Rome, that is.  It’s the Roman Church, after all. Today, the Feast of the … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
3 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 18: “A little bit of chicken fried”

The sun hath arisen: 05:45. The sun shall sink: 20:29. The Ave Maria Bell would be heard to hath rung: 20:45. Verily, it soundeth not. It is the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, deeply mysterious.    It is … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-05-17 – Upcoming ordination

May 17th, 2023 Dear Diary, It’s that time of year!  I have an ordination coming up.   It’s one of my favorite things to do as a bishop. Everyone’s happy at an ordination. Except for that period a few years ago … Read More

Posted in Diary of Bp. McButterpants | Tagged
8 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 17: Wherein Fr. Z rants about the Novus Ordo and the Vetus Ordo

At 05:46 the sun was up.  At 20:28 it’ll go down, from our perspective.  The Ave Maria should sound at 20:45 still. It is the 137th day of the year and the Vigil of the Ascension of the Lord. NB: … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
12 Comments

ROME 23/05 – Day 16: Once upon a time….

Each day is just a little longer. The sun rose at 05:47 and will set at 20:27. The Ave Maria Bell ought to be rung at 20:45 right now. In a few days it will shift another 15 minutes to … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
16 Comments