Category Archives: “How To…” – Practical Notes

“Be perfect.” “How’s that, again?!?”

Quoted from Robert Royal’s latest column at The Catholic Thing: St. John Henry Newman explains in his “simple rule of life”: It is the saying of holy men that, if we wish to be perfect, we have nothing more to do … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Why fast? Why abstain?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Why do we have to fast and abstain? Why the Eucharistic fast? Why Ash Wednesday? Such a simply put question. Not a simple answer. It’s tied, I think, to another question from email. Also from a … Read More

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Card. Eijk phasing out Communion services on weekends.

This is for either your “Too Little Too Late” file or your “Better Latin Than Never” file, depending on your predominant world view. HERE Wim Card. Eijk of the Archdiocese of Utrecht published a plan called “Continue doing this in … Read More

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Concerning fasting during Lent, fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday, eating endothermic moonfish, drinking coffee, and YOU

If you are serious as a Catholic, you know at all times what is on the calendrical horizon. If you are a follower of the Vetus Ordo of the Roman Church, you have additional help by means of the “gesima” … Read More

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Thoughts about home altars and the future and you

In a recent post, because of the persecution of those who desire the Traditional Roman Rite, I mentioned having a “house chapel”.   Priests will be cancelled.  Masses will be suppressed in churches and chapels.   Remember: this is not aimed at … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Linking Back, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Si vis pacem para bellum!, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
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Wherein Fr. Z makes suggestions to young men thinking about seminary, seminarians, younger priests and the lay people who love them.

Dear readers, we have to get our heads into a place that will help us to maintain our cool and balance in a storm or wave of storms. Mental and spiritual preparation before hand is needed. It is possible – probable … Read More

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ASK FATHER: “I am in need of confession and I feel to embarrassed to speak to my church face to face.”

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Hello Father , I am in need of confession and I feel to embarrassed to speak to my church face to face. I am asking for a chance to rid myself of these thorns that won’t … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Cri de Coeur, GO TO CONFESSION | Tagged ,
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Crisis: Will today’s shepherds provoke a schism as they have in the past?

I am from the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, where, back in the day, the “consecrated blizzard of the North”, Archbp. John Ireland (nomen omen) drove thousands of Ruthenian Catholics into schism by his narrow prejudices and tyrannical attitude. … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ACTION ITEM!, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, Traditionis custodes | Tagged ,
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Sign posted on confessional door: “GET TO THE POINT!” Wherein Fr. Z rants.

I saw this photo on Twitter. I post just the photo and not the link because of the off-color remark that accompanied it, surely motivated by disgust. I’m not precisely sure what motivated the off-color remark about this sign. Several … Read More

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Items of good news and an ACTION ITEM!

Here are some bits of good news. First, an amuse bouche. Next, I had this note from someone where the TLM is celebrated by the FSSP: Someone from work and with lots of prejudices came yesterday and he said he … Read More

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