Category Archives: “How To…” – Practical Notes

A Solemn Mass in Albany in the presence of the bishop. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

The esteemed Deacon Kandra posted – picking up on some Facebook page or other (I don’t like Facebook) – that a Solemn Mass was celebrated on Trinity Sunday in the Roman Church’s traditional form at the St. Mary’s in Albany, … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, My View, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , ,
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Chilean priest’s episcopal consecration axed because of some comments

I suspect there’s more to this story than this story suggests.  Nevertheless, it is a sign of the dopiness of the times we are enduring, that a priest, soon-to-be bishop can be dismissed for something as insignificant as this. From … Read More

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USCCB meets. They talk about the “nones”. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

How many times have I written it here? Nothing we undertake as a Church, this plan or that project or this resolution to form a committee or action item, will succeed unless it flows from and returns to our sacred … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , , ,
25 Comments

A “Catholic Signal Corps” – Thinking about a Catholic digital future and this blog

Semper paratus. Here is an idea I have brought up in the past. Since this blog is facing huge changes, of existential ramifications, I have pondered how much easier life could be for me and for others if there were … Read More

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, "How To..." - Practical Notes, Be The Maquis, Semper Paratus, Si vis pacem para bellum!, The Coming Storm, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged
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ASK FATHER: Traditional aspergillum or “whisk”?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: For years now our parish has used the equivalent of a small whisk broom instead of a more traditional aspergillum during the Easter season. The “whisk broom” seems to throw much more water and the priests … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , ,
8 Comments

ASK FATHER: Pipe organs, being expensive, how about manually pumped reed organs?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Pipe organs being too expensive for most parishes, and many electronic organs being used instead sound terrible and turn people off from the organ, what are your thoughts on bringing back reed (pump) organs to church? … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Semper Paratus, TEOTWAWKI | Tagged , ,
21 Comments

ASK FATHER: Alb for a boy’s pretend “Mass” set?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I am making a set of vestments for my 9 year old son to use for pretend Mass over the summer. (I’ve been inspired by your posts regarding the travel vestments being made for your priest … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , , ,
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ASK FATHER: Marital relations after a tubal ligation 22 years ago out of fear of pregnancy

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I am very uneasy in my conscience. Twenty-two years ago, after the birth of our fourth child (last 3 were high risk pregnancies that ended in C-sections), my wife felt she was too old (38) to … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, One Man & One Woman | Tagged ,
2 Comments

Bp. Paprocki bans pro-abortion politicians from Holy Communion

Bp. Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, the capital city of the state, has issued a decree on 2 June which bans pro-abortion politicians from receiving Holy Communion in the diocese entrusted to his care. The trigger for this was the … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Canon Law, Fr. Z KUDOS | Tagged , , ,
21 Comments

ASK FATHER: Gifts for new priests… an out of the box idea.

UPDATE 4 June: From my heralidic artist, David Burkart: Dear Father, Just to clarify, I assisted clients in developing original designs for the majority of the clerical arms displayed at my website prior to rendering them.  A few, like you, … Read More

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