Author Archives: Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)

VIDEO for your Just Too Cool file – supercomputer simulation of past year’s hurricane season

At APOD I saw this amazing video and I can’t but share it. Explanation: Where do hurricanes go? To better understand dangerous storms, NASA compiled data from several satellites into a supercomputer simulation of this past year’s hurricane season. Specifically, the … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Is Advent a penitential season? Also, Advent Blue Vestments… NO! ANNUAL SONG ALERT!

From a reader… QUAERITUR: In my 14.75 years as a Catholic, I’ve heard that Advent: 1) Is a penitential season 2) Is a semi-penitentials season 3) Is no longer a penitential season but was before Vatican II 4) Never was … Read More →

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1095: “Deus vult!… God wills it!” The 1st Crusade and lessons for men today.

On this day in 1095 Pope Urban II made a speech. The setting was the Council of Clermont in France. Urban, indeed all of Europe, was alarmed at the aggression of the Turks in the East, who had taken the … Read More →

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27 Nov – Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Toward the back of our venerable 1962 Missale Romanum there are Mass formularies for special feasts. Today, for example, we find Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Our Lady appeared to a Sister of Charity of the Rue du Bac … Read More →

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Another parish goes ‘ad orientem’ at Advent

A while back I posted about the first TLM celebrated in decades at a famous North Side Chicago Church, St. Stanislaw Kostka.  HERE Now I’ve received additional good news about that same church. They will have ad orientem worship beginning in … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Holy Communion after biting inside of mouth

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I write today to ask whether there are any problems with partaking of Communion after having bitten/chewed the inside of one’s own mouth. First, I am glad that you are so interested in proper reception of … Read More →

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Your Sunday Sermon Notes

It’s the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Were there any good points made in the sermon you heard today at the Holy Mass which fulfilled your Sunday Mass obligation? Tell us what they were. For my part, I preached about … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Color of altar boys’ cassocks

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I grew up in the 1950’s. All the illustrated “Children’s Missals” had photos showing altar servers wearing red cassocks and white surplices. I never saw red cassocks in person, however. Now, they seem to be making … Read More →

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ASK FATHER: Self-intinction. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

From a reader… This morning at Mass, I observed two or three people receive the Host in the hand, and then walk over to the extraordinary minister of the chalice, dip the Host in, and then put it in their mouth. I … Read More →

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Ideas for your ADVENT season of preparation

Advent starts in a few days, on 3 December. You might consider reading (or reading again) Benedict XVI’s third volume of Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives.  It is shorter than the other two volumes, and there are riches within. … Read More →

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