Roman sunrise was at 07:23. The sun will set at 17:24.
The Ave Maria Bell is in the 17:45 cycle.
In the older calendar, today is the Feast of St. Francis de Sales. He was transferred to 24 January in the newer calendar because that was the date of his burial in 1623 in the church of the Monastery of the Visitation in Annecy, which he had founded with St. Jane Frances de Chantal, who was also buried there. Schuster says because he died on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, he feast day was set for when his remains were translated, namely 29 January, to Annecy. Apparently there’s a little discrepancy.
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A touching inscription at The Parish™, just inside the door. Some of you Latinists can have at. Right click for larger. Some things in the human condition don’t change much. We’ve had all too many reminders of this during the most recent “Asian disease”.
Like something from a spy novel.
Time to sell some cheese. LOTS of cheese.
In churchy news…
In Brainard, MN Masses will be celebrated ad orientem in all parishes periodically during the Jubilee. You read that correctly. HERE
The local bishop wrote a longish letter (linked above). A couple concerns and observations. First, he quotes the MISTRANSLATED GIRM #299. Will this ever stop? Also, he places all sorts of hemming ifs and oh nos on the parish priests who would have ad orientem worship in the diocese… even though, strictly speaking, the Roman Missal is pretty clear that it is the assumed way that Mass is celebrated (given rubrics to turn around to face the people). Also, the language is a little vague… he “directs” but he “asks”.
The bishop is concerned about any divisions this might cause. If you write in such cautious terms, could it be that those who are the likely suspects to grouse would be that much more emboldened? What I would like to see is a bishop who is with their priests, period. Not “I’m with you ‘win or tie’!” I’d like to see a bishop say, “Okay! All in. Let’s DO this thing!”
Also, there is an interesting passage about priests who are already celebrating ad orientem and that they must go by these guidelines. Interesting. I call to mind the letter from the liturgy office of the Archdiocese of New York in which it is lamented that priests want communion rails and they can’t understand where that’s coming from.
Anyway… brick by brick.
And there’s this.
President Trump’s White House Press Secretary @KarolineLeavitt just had her FIRST briefing of the Administration.
At 27, she is the youngest to ever serve in that role.
Here is what the powerhouse mom to a newborn had to say about her Catholic upbringing:
“Having a Catholic… pic.twitter.com/dcQ4b3La86
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) January 28, 2025
And… the OBVIOUS… but it MUST be said.
EXCLUSIVE: Cardinal Burke decried “persecution” of Latin Mass as “not just”@PerMariam interview – https://t.co/FzLX15zrL2
Citing the “pervasive confusion, division & even error in the Church” he said the Church needs a “profound reform” in the style of “a conversion to Christ” pic.twitter.com/eVNMD2fFgh
— Michael Haynes ?? (@MLJHaynes) January 28, 2025
Soooo much that’s troubling in this….
Questions must be asked to why @USCCB is supporting open borders, when they have resulted in this:
— Bree A Dail (@breeadail) January 28, 2025
There seems to be a little discrepancy in the messages the US bishops are sending. What’s it going to be? Keep defending a policy that leaves who knows how many women and children to be used, abandoned, “disappeared”? I’m no expert, but it seems to me that virtually uncontrolled immigration, spawning more and more uncontrolled immigration, has had really bad effects on lots of the immigrants. Getting the numbers under control is a start. Am I wrong?
In chessy news, there is a great write up and video about my guy Wesley So, one of the world’s top players and generally considered to be about the nicest guy in chess. I am always pleased to hear Wesley praise Christ for his wins. Check out chess.com
How Wesley So Overcame All Odds To Become One Of The Best
And the video…
FIDE and Freestyle are still struggling for supremacy. I guess this fight had to happen.
In Tata Steel:
GM Gukesh Dommaraju leads his first tournament as world champion after defeating GM Leon Luke Mendonca in round nine to move to 6.5/9 in the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters. He’s half a point ahead of GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who made a draw against GM Fabiano Caruana, and GM Vladimir Fedoseev, whose fourth win in six games came against GM Pentala Harikrishna. GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu began the day as co-leader, but now trails Gukesh by a point after losing to GM Anish Giri.
Meanwhile, its black’s move. Can you find the Zwischenzug… the intermezzo… the “in between” move?
[NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.]
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Someone with Latin skills should tackled that inscription!
Had some help from, chatgpt…. Is this close?
To the memory of Anna Monti,
A most diligent mother of the family,
who revered God with supreme devotion,
helped the needy and afflicted, and
was exceedingly devoted to her children.
Even when one of them was afflicted by a serious illness,
she continued to offer every pious duty.
She bore her own illness with patience and perseverance,
rejoicing greatly when her children regained health.
As a Christian, she passed away on the 5th day
before the Kalends of September (i.e., August 28),
in the year of our Lord 1827,
at the age of 46.
Her husband, Philip Re,
incomparable in his grief and devotion,
along with their numerous children,
mourns her loss with tears and sorrow.
When these remains were placed in this tomb,
he dedicated this monument as a living testimony
of eternal remembrance and desire.
Again, no one else has come forward on the chess problem, so I will suggest that Black try a sacrifice in the interest of gaining more material in exchange: he should play RxP+! If the King takes Black’s Rook, Black takes White’s Queen without the Knight being able to recapture, since it is pinned. Or if White’s King moves instead to h1, Black again takes White’s Queen, and the Knight cannot again recapture, because Rg3 discovers check which leads to mate the next move.