The angelic choir in the presepio at the great Ss. Trinità in Rome.
THANK YOU to JM and Fr SZ for switching their donations to ZELLE.
I hope soon to be able to add more !
UPDATE:
Thanks MM for using Zelle!
Thanks GD for moving to Zelle!
On the churchy side…
St. Thomas Aquinas on effeminacy. Effeminacy is on the rise. What is “effeminacy”? HERE
One of the new cardinals says that denial of Communion to adulterers is an injustice. HERE
Nice people! Great service! Christmas gifts!
“Now you see it. Now you don’t”. First, there was going to be a homosexuality element to the Jubilee Year. Then there wasn’t then there way. First, in the Vatican nativity scene, Baby Jesus was lain up on a keffiyeh (sending an interesting signal to Israel and Jews everywhere). Now the keffiyeh is gone.
Does anyone have the whole article in the Atlantic about Bp. Barron? HERE
‘Dumbed-Down Catholicism Was a Disaster’
America’s most watched bishop, Robert Barron, is scouting out a new future for Christianity.By Molly Worthen
Speaking of cardinals, he of the Windy City – where I am as I write – issued a letter in the diocesan paper with an admonition for the faithful to stop kneeling to receive Communion. Why? Processions!
He starts with this as if it were undeniable writ: “We all have benefited from the renewal of the church ushered in by the Second Vatican Council.” I’m not sure that this is universally acknowledged or can be easily backed up. No matter, just accept it as a FACT and move on to where he quotes the adage about the relationship of worship and belief, in his version, (emphasis added)
“lex orandi, lex credenda,” a phrase often associated with Prosper of Aquitaine…
Hey, don’t blame me.
There follows an explanation that in the Mass there are processions. We’ve always had processions at the beginning, offertory, and Communion. This is true. So, processions are traditional. I’ll bite. Anything that inhibits a procession, like kneeling, is against processions. … ? … So, because bishops tell you not to kneel for Communion,
Disrupting this moment only diminishes this powerful symbolic expression, by which the faithful in processing together express their faith that they are called to become the very Body of Christ they receive. Certainly reverence can and should be expressed by bowing before the reception of Holy Communion, but no one should engage in a gesture that calls attention to oneself or disrupts the flow of the procession. That would be contrary to the norms and tradition of the church, which all the faithful are urged to respect and observe.
Get that? Processing expresses “their” (your) faith. Faith is what? “that (you) are called to become the very Body of Christ (you) receive.” So, Communion is a communal thing more than it is an individual act. If someone is out of lock step, so to speak, and does something against The Procession, then he is breaking the communal experience and, I suppose, diminishes the faith because of what he wrote: lex orandi, lex credenda (sic). Moreover, you haven’t realized how selfish you are being because by your kneeling you are calling attention to yourself (not the communal processional hive action. Not only that, since processions are traditional… this is the good one… kneeling is against tradition.
Wasn’t there a video on Twitter/X of a procession in Chicago wherein the participants are practically power walking?
Please remember me when Christmas shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.
Next, In New Hampshire some jackasses set up a monument to the Devil which was promptly destroyed. HERE
And this is very cool:
SpaceX HQ will now officially be in the city of Starbase, Texas! https://t.co/zpN4t3mJQT
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 13, 2024
In chessy news…
White to move and mate in 4.
UPDATE:
I must add this.
Ben Affleck: “AI can’t make film that is considered art.”
AI-generated trailer of Lord of the Rings in a Trailer Park: “Hold our beer.” pic.twitter.com/1dtzzkcNFp
— Bearly AI (@bearlyai) December 13, 2024
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White to move and mate in 4.
[NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.]
I will look around for video of India exploding in paroxysms of elation.
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So thankful that I am not a deacon in Chicagoland, where I’d have to endure all the “teaching” of Cupich. I’ll pray for his soul.
Dear Father Z,
Did you post “Lord of the Rings in a Trailer Park” because Redneck Gollum is a metaphor for traditional Catholics? ;-)
1. Rxh6+ Kg8
2. Rh8+ KxR
3. Rh5+ Kg8
4. Qh7#
If 1. …h7xR
2. Rxf7+ Kg8
3. Qg6+ Kh8 (if …Bg7 4. QxB#)
4. Rh7#
Ben Affleck: “AI can’t make film that is considered art.”
Neither can Ben Affleck. Or 90% of producers and actors. So?
There is nothing more orderly or unifying than using a Communion Rail.
Reminds me –
When at the Communion Rail one day, I didn’t realize that a paten was being passed down the rail by the communicants ( my eyes were closed ). So the gracious person next me held the paten for me as I received.
Why does this papacy and the windy city prince of the church want to interfere with the Holy Spirit? Isn’t that a sin?
I’ll continue to pray for the Pope, the Church, and now add the Cardinal, who is leading his flock astray.
The Atlantic article on Bishop Baron can be accessed on the New Advent website without the paywall.
Thank you, Father Z, for introducing us to Simple Man! Powerful stuff!
From Monstrance’s hint:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/12/bishop-robert-barron-catholic-church/680953/?gift=k_e6lJJdlNs4EPmRm1MIU8d8b0hWhE_hh5_D_0ydDWc
“That would be contrary to the norms and tradition of the church, which all the faithful are urged to respect and observe.”
Weird how post-V2 norms and traditions are sacrosanct and pre-V2 norms and traditions are disruptive and selfish. (I confess to being surprised at how clunky this is, when much that he offers is “winsome” and smooth.)
I have a solution for the dear Cardinal. Let’s all process down the aisle to the COMMUNION RAIL!!!
That way, he gets his procession and we get to show proper reverence. What a great tradition that would be! Wait. Isn’t that what we used to do? Well, shoot-howdy! Let’s make receiving Jesus reverent again!