Fr. Z's Blog | Catholic commentary by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Daily Rome Shot 1366

Posted on 1 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Daily Rome Shot 1366

Morning light and my old doorway.

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? BREAKING: Canadian Cardinal: Catholics shouldn’t use ‘Pride’ symbols—they’re ‘contrary to God’s divine revelation’ ?

Frank Cardinal Leo, Archbishop of Toronto, spoke out strongly against Catholics who use “misguided and inadequate” symbols in the month of June that “do not… pic.twitter.com/UiQX3xyOot

— Pro-life Canadian Man (@PeteBaklinski) May 30, 2025

I’m looking forward to seeing this movie: HERE

This is a CRAZY historic puzzle. White to move and checkmate in two. However, there is a massive twist.8/4P1Q1/2P5/8/8/6Pk/5P2/7K w – – 0 1

Hint. It’s not just checkmate. It’s double checkmate.

The answer is so offbeat I don’t really expect anyone to work it out on their own. It’s too bizarre and it concerns now-outdated rules of chess.

Meanwhile, lots of drama at Norway Chess. I was able to follow the video of the coverage yesterday during my peregrinations… which involved massive and annoying delay. In one game Hikaru was completely winning against Arjun Erigaisi, but he blundered by blitzing out 41… Rf6 and wound up resigning. ONE MOVE! BAM! Look what happened after that. It’s gruesome. Very young children should be supervised.

Play at chess.com! HERE

BTW… since I have been putting up calendar pages during my travels, here’s a last shot for awhile. This is a busy page!

Here we see that it is the Feast of Justin Martyr (I have a 1st class relic) along with the founder of the Scalabrini. We see that in the Vatican it is the 7th Sunday of Easter (Novus Ordo) and in Italy it is Ascension Thursday… Sunday. We are informed that this is the beginning of the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart. We are reminded that we are looking at the times for the city of Rome (Vatican City State is a different city and country) and that Rome has daylight savings going (ora legale). We are reminded of some liturgical abbreviations. We are informed that it is the World Day for Social Communications… woo hoo. It is the 152nd day of the year and there are 214 to go.

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Pope Leo XIV: “marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman”

Posted on 1 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today the Pope, Leo XIV (a pleasure to type that) gave a sermon for a Mass for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly.

In this sermon he directly contradicted something that Francis inspired in others through the still un-clarified document Amoris laetitia. You will recall that, years back in the buzz around and after the Synods (“walkings together”) on the family, marriage and continence were degraded as nearly impossible “ideals” which people can’t be expected to try to attain. Therefore, it would emerge from that starting point, just about anyone (except perhaps those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass), in any sort of relationship, adulterous, same-sex, etc., should be admitted to Communion, blessed, “accompanied”.

The situation was bad enough concerning marriage, divorce, adultery and Communion, that four cardinals submitted five questions (dubia) asking for clarification. Those questions were left, infamously, ignored, except through a strange response from the DDF

With that unpleasant chaos in the background, this is what Pope Leo said today:

In recent decades, we have received a sign that fills us with joy but also makes us think. It is the fact that several spouses have been beatified and canonized, not separately, but as married couples. I think of Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus; and of Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi, who raised a family in Rome in the last century. And let us not forget the Ulma family from Poland: parents and children, united in love and martyrdom. I said that this is a sign that makes us think. By pointing to them as exemplary witnesses of married life, the Church tells us that today’s world needs the marriage covenant in order to know and accept God’s love and to defeat, thanks to its unifying and reconciling power, the forces that break down relationships and societies.

For this reason, with a heart filled with gratitude and hope, I would remind all married couples that marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful (cf. SAINT PAUL VI, Humanae Vitae, 9). This love makes you one flesh and enables you, in the image of God, to bestow the gift of life.

For all you young people out there, contemplating your vocation, your future, the married life… YES… it is possible to live holy lives in the sacred bond of matrimony and your contribution to wider society, to your extended family, and to your Church is immeasurable. It is hard to see up close and it is hard to see from afar, but there are, as Leo pointed out, saintly families of the past (but living in memory and in our honoring at the altar) which serve as exceptional models and there are many wonderful families – perhaps your own, and so I pray – close at hand with whom you can draw great strength and guidance.

Posted in Leo XIV, Our Catholic Identity |
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Your Sunday Sermon Notes: Sunday after Ascension (N.O. 7th of Easter OR Ascension) 2025

Posted on 1 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Mass of obligation for the Sunday after Ascension Thursday? Novus Ordo – 7th Sunday of Easter… OR… Ascension Thursday Sunday. Not confusing at all.

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news? I know there is a lot of BAD news. How about some good news?

A taste of my thoughts from the other place: HERE

[…]

Third, Christ ascended as the High Priest to present perpetually His Sacrifice to the Father. We use the images of physical locations, such as the Father’s “right hand”. So, we can speak of Christ in the heavenly temple at an altar beyond space and time where He renews His self-oblation without ceasing. This means that His High priestly action is in eternity and not just in points of historical time. By the Ascension, all the transformative mysteries of the Passion and Resurrection are still available to us. The action and effects of the Last Supper, continuous with Calvary and the empty tomb, are not bound by clocks, calendars or by geographical location. The High Priest in Heaven guarantees that we can have many Masses at many altars in many places at the same time. Christ is not just in this Host and then in that Host but in every Host, not just on this altar only now, but on every altar. He simultaneously is available to us in thousands of Hosts around the globe or in thousands of Host in the same church building. There isn’t just one priest now acting in Christ’s person, but many persons who are His priests who act in persona Christi.

[…]

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1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea

Posted on 1 June 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It was called to my attention that our Eastern lung, as St John Paul II might say, celebrates today the Nicene Fathers, the bishops who participated in the FIRST Ecumenical Council at Nicea which was called to deal with the divisions caused by the pernicious heresy of Arianism.

This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, which met from May to July of 325.

The background of Arianism is more complicated than I want to get into in a blog post. In a nutshell, Arian heresy slithered up in the early 4th century and is named after Arius, a priest of Alexandria who taught that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was not co-eternal with the Father and was instead a created being—divine but not equal to God. This was contrary to the developing doctrine of the Trinity, which states that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of the same divine substance. Arius’s error gained a significant following, causing widespread division. In response, the Council of Nicaea was convened in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine. The council condemned Arianism as heresy and affirmed the full divinity of Christ, coining the term homoousios (“of the same substance”) to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son. Despite the Council’s decision, Arianism persisted for centuries.

A subtle form of Arianism exists today, in my opinion, which affects not a few members of the clergy.

The Emperor thought it necessary to have this for the sake of the civic order. People rioted about this question. Arianism touched on the very idea of “salvation”: if Christ is a mere creature, however exalted, He cannot give us eternal life. Only God can do that.

Out of the Council of Nicea emerged a compromise symbolon or creedal formula. In ancient Greek a symbolon was something like a piece of broken pottery that could prove your identity or the authenticity of a thing it was attached to because it fit perfectly to another broken piece. The creed of Nicea, which anathematized any who said that “there was a time when Christ was not”, would eventually amended by the Council of Constantinople to give us something like we use at Mass today. The main resolution is that the Father and the Son are “consubstantial”.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Arianism, C. Nicea
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My View For Awhile: last legs

Posted on 31 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It’s the last day of the Roman Sojourn cycle of April and May 2025.

My first mistake was attempting something called Smash Burger

It took 17 minutes to get this sloppy mess. My pressure grew as I watched the kitchen crew languidly lolligagging about and joking with each other as more and more customers waited.

Really?

And it was not cheap.

Our flight departed from the lowest bolgie of Terminal 4.

Delays delays delays – weather and then rerouting toward CLEVELAND which means they have to get a fuel truck here.

At least they have us moving.

Posted in On the road, SESSIUNCULA |
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31 May: Mary’s Queenship, and yet “more Mother than Queen”

Posted on 31 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

31 May is liturgically complicated.

In the Vetus Ordo calendar it is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.

In the Novus Ordo, it is the Feast of the Visitation.

In the Novus Ordo, Queenship of Mary is on 22 August, which in the TLM calendar is Immaculate Heart.

These mysteries and feasts seem all tangled together, and for good reason.

When the angel Gabriel came to Mary he told her that her Son would have the throne of David and that His kingdom would have no end (Luke 1:32-33).

If our Lord is our King, then His Mother is our Queen.

In ancient Israel, the mothers of the House of David’s kings were crowned, addressed as Gebirah, “Great Lady”. They sat beside the throne of their royal sons.

Mary’s Queenship is intimately tied to the Kingship of her Son just as Her Immaculate Heart beats in harmony with His Sacred Heart.

Mary conceived her King within her Heart, before she carried Him below her Heart.

Her Queenship rests not on her own merits alone, but rather it rests upon the majesty of her divine Son. At the conclusion of Dante’s Divina Commedia St Bernard sings of Heaven’s Queen that she is the “daughter of her Son”.

We remember from the Davidic Kings, of whom Christ is the fulfillment, it was the Mother of the King, not his wife, who was Queen, sat by the King and interceded. But she will always remain, as Saint Thérèse observed, “more Mother than Queen”.

Speaking of addressing Mary, we name her Queen in many prayers, such as the Salve, Regina. We invoke her in the Litany of Loreto as Queen of Angels, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, All Saints and, so important these days, Families. St John Paul, taking stock of our times, added that last title to the Litany in 1995. She is the Queen conceived without original sin, assumed into Heaven, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary and Queen of Peace.

May I suggest, dear readers, that you offer your day to the King of Fearful Majesty through our Queen’s intercession? I ask also a prayer for myself.

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with It the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day. O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them in the interests of Thy Most Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

And please remember this daily…

31 May: Mary's Queenship, and yet “more Mother than Queen”

Click!

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Solitary Boast | Tagged Queen of the Clergy
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ROME – NYC 25/5– Day 49-50: decompressing

Posted on 31 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In Rome, the sun rose at 5:35 and it sets at 20:41.

The Ave Maria is firmly in the 21:00 cycle.

In the Vetus Ordo today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, while in the Novus Ordo it is the Feast of the Visitation. Curious.

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Last night a bunch of guys went out to have Chinese food. Which rice is mine?

Please be warned. I did not take these photos, since I left my phone at home. I did some cropping and one is a little less than clear, but you get the idea.

We had a range of things from Cumin Lamb…

… to eggplant in garlic, which they do well…

… one of our group really likes the shrimp and walnuts in mayonnaise…

…wok fried chinese cabbage and pork belly… excellent…

… perhaps a little prosaic, beef with broccoli for a keto conforming companion…

… with scallions and onions.

Also, I saw this meme, which I post in honor of a certain diocese.

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The pogrom continues in the Diocese of Jefferson City – UPDATED

Posted on 31 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE 31 May 11:28:

Readers have asked for the whole letter, which I did not have. The link in the email didn’t work and posted a screenshot of what I had. Another reader found the whole thing:

HERE This should open up a PDF for you.

It is quite long and it constitutes, inter alia, a cri du coeur. Father (the writer) tried to lay out all the dynamics of the situation in way that seems comprehensive and fair.

Originally Published on: May 31, 2025 at 02:22

I received this from a reader…

Hi Father Z,

Please pray for those of us rural Missouri.

What he attached.

Posted in Cri de Coeur, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, SESSIUNCULA, Traditionis custodes | Tagged D. Jefferson City
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D. Charlotte, NC: Another bishop about to crush people who desire traditional worship in the name of “concord and unity”. – UPDATE

Posted on 30 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE 30 May 2025:

At The Pillar we read that then-Cardinal Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, told the new Bishop of Charlotte to put the brakes on a controversial relocation of a diocesan cathedral.

Bull in a china shop?

UPDATE

The Bishop of Charlotte has published responses to some of the points made in social media about his treatment of the people who desire the traditional forms of worship and sacraments.

This is a zip file with the images I was sent. HERE In fairness, it should be looked at.

In essence the bishop says, a) he listened to people b) his predecessor started this in 2013 c) he repeated the canard (which no one really believes) about the Congregation making a decision based on a survey of bishops) d) this is about unity in the Church e) yeah, people will have to drive farther, f) sure there’s a new Pope, but why wait g) no, I won’t ask for an extension h) “Any young man who is only or primarily interested in the celebration of the TLM is not nor ever has been a viable candidate for ordination…”, i) if people give less, they are to blame, j) get used to the Novus Ordo, k) avoid social media, l) again, avoid social media, m) do penance and give up your own needs.

UPDATE

A petition to the local bishop has been launched. It would be best if the signers are a) real people and b) LOCAL, at least near enough to the diocese that they were able to attend the TLM. Think about this practically and charitably and, for the sake of the petitioners, do NOT be angry, rude or verbose in the comment box. You’ll just hurt people. Sometimes less is more.

https://commoninja.site/latinmasspetition

UPDATE below.

Originally Published on: May 23, 2025

The Bishop of Charlotte, NC. is about to suppress all Traditional Latin Masses in parishes and sequester the people who want it in a remote, rural former presbyterian church that doesn’t even have a name yet, as he admitted in his public letter.

It would be a REALLY GOOD IDEA for bishops to leave things be now that there is a NEW POPE with different ideas. We will see who the ideologues are and who the truly pastoral bishops are.

There was twist of the knife at the end of his letter where he wrote… I’m not making this up:

It is my heartfelt desire and prayer that this implementation of Traditionis Custodes will further “promote the concord and unity of the Church” among the People of God in the Diocese of Charlotte so that, as Jesus prayed to His Father, we “may all be one” (John 17:21).

Nice, huh?

I wonder if he would use that “may all be one” line on Ukrainian Catholics? Don’t they pray differently?

Here is the letter.

D. Charlotte, NC: Another bishop about to crush people who desire traditional worship in the name of "concord and unity". - UPDATE

A priest wrote to me (adjusted a little here and there):

I am certain that you have been emailed 100 times by now.

Speaking from the perspective of a priest of our good diocese. The past year since his appointment has been rocky, to say the least. His immediate focus was on Latin and altar rails in the Novus Ordo … modernizing the liturgy through a liturgical norms document what will attempt to ban the Benedictine altar arrangement, fiddleback vestments, and the amount of lace on an alb.

Today’s sequestering of the Traditional Mass to an inaccessible part of the diocese, namely an old Presbyterian Church outside of the Charlotte metro area, is only the first shoe to drop. ….

Speaking of knife twist’s people now get to drive to an former presbyterian church that – as a Catholic chapel – doesn’t even have a name? Now that’s what you call pastoral solicitude!

BTW… I looked up the Mooresville address given in the letter and found this. I wonder if “Freedom Christian Center of Mooresville” is the place intended in the letter. If so, I wonder if they know that!

There might be a back story to this place. Off the top of my head I could guess that perhaps some well-meaning member or members of the TLM crowd bought it against the day that they might need to go to the catacombs. Of course it could be something entirely different. But these days, it isn’t a stretch of the imagination.

UPDATE:

I received this:

Father, in a desire for truth, I have to send you the article from the Catholic News and Herald which provides much more detail regarding the proposed chapel (former Protestant church) which the Diocese bought because it was adjacent to a Diocese senior living center and is going to spend $700,000 to upfit for appropriate use. This is important information on the story and (in my mind) shows a continued commitment by the Diocese to spend funds for the pastoral needs of those who have a love for the TLM. I thought you should have this additional information given the way you addressed the chapel in your blog. https://catholicnewsherald.com/90-news/local/11679-latin-mass?fbclid=IwY2xjawKe0x1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHipjAfZF237_N1r0EEUPR5nucf7awYkW0VO9on0q3I0pIbKWzFHeRH-kmBsD_aem_S0UJaLGQui5GmNgw9DHy1Q

Posted in Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, Traditionis custodes | Tagged D. Charlotte, Traditionis custodes
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A posthumous surprise post from the late Fr. Hunwicke (+2024): “Obituary of a very failed Pontificate”

Posted on 30 May 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Those of us who have been reading Catholics things on the interwebs will with fondness, respect and sorrow remember the wonderful, erudite, amusing posts of the late Fr. John Hunwicke. Fr. Hunwicke died 13 months ago.

He had had a few posts scheduled to publish which trickled out quickly.

What we didn’t know is that he had a draft of something for the death of FRANCIS tucked away.

It was published today.

Fr. Hunwicke was a terrific wordsmith which gave force to his prodigious mind.

I’ll make it easy to go to his posthumous post. HERE

Hang on to your caps.

One last offering from the great Fr. Hunwicke.

May he rest in peace.

UPDATE:

At the top of Fr. Hunwicke’s posthumous post, there is a quote from ancient Greek transliterated into English letters. Your ancient Greek might be a little rusty.

The quote is from Alcaeus. We have fragments of his poems, from the 6th c. BC. This fragment is a expression of celebration at the death of the tyrant of Mytilene whom Alcaeus clearly did not like. The Greek literally says,

νῦν χρῆ μεθύσθην καί τινα πὲρ βίαν
πώνην. ἐπεὶ δὴ κάτθανε Μύρσιλος…

“We have to get drunk now and celebrate because Mursilos is dead.”

It was a “thing” in the ancient world to have celebratory banquets some days after the death of a person or after some public prodigy that foretold bad tidings. The Romans called this novemdialis, the nine day period, which is the term still used today for the period of nine days after the death of a Pope when Masses are celebrated for the repose of his soul just before a conclave would begin. We’ve heard this word recently, haven’t we.

Posted in Francis, Mail from priests |
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