At 5:43 the sun rose upon Rome. I was already up (and not because I wanted to be) It will set at 20:31 (I’ll be up then, too).
Were the Ave Maria Bell to ring, it would do so for the Curia at 20:45. But it won’t, just like a lot of things don’t ring in the Curia these days.
I stopped in at Pippo’s and Anastasia’s Flowers in the Campo de; Fiori today after Mass. They told me that they have gotten lots of notes from you readers. I had mentioned the other day to drop them a line: “Ciao da un lettore di don John”. Anastasia said that they received so many they can’t respond to them all. They were delighted. I hope that when people come to Rome and the visit the Campo (they should) they will stop and say “hi”. Anastasia speaks English. info@pippocampodefiori.com
Today is the Feast of St Aurea of Ostia, martyr. St. Monica was first interred in her church before she was moved into Rome to Sant’Augustino.
It is also the Feast of St. Bernardin of Siena (+1444), the most dynamic speaker of his era. He was deeply devoted to the Most Holy Name. Bernardin was a fierce preacher against the sin of sodomy.
For example:
“No sin in the world grips the soul as the accursed sodomy; this sin has always been detested by all those who live according to God.… Deviant passion is close to madness; this vice disturbs the intellect, destroys elevation and generosity of soul, brings the mind down from great thoughts to the lowliest, makes the person slothful, irascible, obstinate and obdurate, servile and soft and incapable of anything; furthermore, agitated by an insatiable craving for pleasure, the person follows not reason but frenzy.… They become blind and, when their thoughts should soar to high and great things, they are broken down and reduced to vile and useless and putrid things, which could never make them happy…. Just as people participate in the glory of God in different degrees, so also in hell some suffer more than others. He who lived with this vice of sodomy suffers more than another, for this is the greatest sin.” (Prediche volgari s. 39)
Another great Saint and Doctor of the Church from Siena, St. Catherine, in her Dialogues (ch 124 her conversations with God), writes that the Enemy, demons, incite people to unnatural sins (homosexual acts) but that they don’t stick around for them to happen, because those acts are too repulsive even for them. Those acts are so contrary to nature that they offend their angelic intellect, even though they are fallen and apostate. They want the sin to take place and they incite it, but it is so offensive to them that they absent themselves when it is happening.
There are those in high and influential roles in the Church who not only excuse and soft-peddle such things, but by their silences and winks and mollifying ways, and open simply openly and relentlessly, promote them. I refer them to St. Bernardin and St. Catherine.
On a far happier note, I wanted some Calabrese for later, so after Mass I stopped at Ruggieri at the Campo. These are some of the delights on hand.
Into the stands!
The jasmine (no, not the Jesuit – speaking of Sts. B and C) is spectacular now and its fragrance is everywhere.
A little farther up the way…
And a little farther…
Pretty impressive. I wonder how many years old that is.
For lunch today, I wanted a BLT and so I made it happen. I got some bacon, which I transformed to crispy goodness. I had a really ripe tomato saved for the purpose. There were salad greens. GREAT mayo. And “pane di Lariano” from Roscioli. This may have been the best BLT I’ve ever had. It’s flaw was that it was too small. I’m tempted as I write to start over.
I assure you…
GCT Superbet Classic Romania 2026, Bucharest continues today. I hope my guy Wesley – with white – will get a win today against MVL, a tall order. MVL is dangerous. “Puer” Firouzja withdrew due to what looked like a nasty ankle injury. I’ve had plenty. I know them when I see them. The games start in a few minutes as I write: HERE
Interim, motus ad lusorem cum militibus albis pertinet. Scaccus mattus, scilicet mors regis, IV in motis veniat.
NB: Detineam explicationes in crastinum, ne vestrae interrumpantur commentationes.
Senor Quixana on Pagliarani and Leo at Tanagra: “I suspect that most of this could be resolved in an afternoon if, instead of asking for an audience, Pagliarani…”
