Daily (not) Rome Shot 1093

Posted on 9 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In chessy news, Magnus Carlsen defeated Arjun Ergaisi and qualified for the Speed Chess Championship finals In Paris. He will play – online, not OTB – the unlikeable Hans Niemann in semis. I wonder if anyone will pay attention. (/irony) The last quarterfinal match will be on Friday (today) between Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

White to move and mate in 4.


1. Bh7+ Kh8 2. Bg8+ Qh4 3. Rxh4+ Kxg8 4. Qh7#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

 

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Daily (not this time) Rome Shots 1092

Posted on 8 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The tomb of St. Matthew in Salerno.

Welcome new registrant:

AgapeLove

I have been on the road, travelling to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Wisconsin. Card. Burke says hi!

Meanwhile, in chessy news, I regret the the unlikable one beat the most likeable one in the latest online match. You know who I mean. And the unlikable one gave a long interview (video available) in which he whines and accuses and generally bitches about everything. He is, as I have said, unlikable.

Meanwhile, when chess people can really unlikable, this happens.  There’s video!

Female chess champion POISONS rival by lacing her board with deadly mercury in chilling assassination plot

Yeah…

Black to move and mate in 3.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

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VIDEO: A message of encouragement from Card. Burke to Fr. Z’s readers with an invitation

Posted on 8 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Card. Burke was kind enough to record a message to you, my readers. He also extends an invitation which I hope you will take both to heart and to action. HERE

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5 August: Our Lady of the Snows

Posted on 5 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In Rome on 5 August 358, there was a miraculous snow fall to indicate the location of the Basilica to be built in honor of the mother of God. On the anniversary, white rose petals fall from the ceiling of the Basilica during the Gloria.

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Daily Rome Shots 1092

Posted on 5 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Welcome registrant:

ICH

Churchy news:

I just read that there is ONE seminarian for the Archdiocese of DUBLIN.

One seminarian.

Chessy news:

In the team tournament in Astana, there was a strange moment in a game between the highly unlikable Hans Niemann and Ian Nepomniatchchi. Firstly, Magnus had dodged playing Hans, leaving Board 1 for Nepo (on the same team in the #2 slot). Hans was, of course, Board 1 for his team (named after himself). The game beings and Hans laughed at Nepo’s moves. Frankly, I think he was scoffing at Nepo’s nonchalant attitude. Nepo did look less than eager to be there. Having watched it a couple of times, I get the impression that Niemann was frustrated at the guess that nobody really wanted to take him as seriously as he takes himself. In fact, the game tapered off into a draw.

Niemann on Carlson on Twitter/X.

Black to move, mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

OPPORTUNITY
10% off with code:
FATHERZ10

BONUS:

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Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 11th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 18th) 2024

Posted on 4 August 2024 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 this 11th Sunday after Pentecost, or the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time?

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

A couple thoughts about the sign of the cross: HERE  A taste…

[…]

This powerful encounter in the Gospel, with the opening of man’s ears and loosing of his tongue, offers us an opportunity to reflect on our own use of our ears and tongue.   Even nature suggests that we should perhaps talk less and listen more.  As the Stoic philosopher Epictetus (+ 135 AD) quipped, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”.

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This is the Vatican reaction…

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Here it is.

Le Saint-Siège a été attristé par certaines scènes de la cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux Olympiques de Paris et ne peut que se joindre aux voix qui se sont élevées ces derniers jours pour déplorer l’offense faite à de nombreux chrétiens et croyants d’autres religions.

Dans un événement prestigieux où le monde entier se réunit autour de valeurs communes ne devraient pas se trouver des allusions ridiculisant les convictions religieuses de nombreuses personnes.

La liberté d’expression, qui, évidemment, n’est pas remise en cause, trouve sa limite dans le respect des autres.

SERIOUSLY?

As a friend said, the point is not our feelings. It is the reality of our Maker blasphemed by creatures. Statements focusing only on the faithful’s feeling play into the non-apologies of these satanic reprobates who will say “sorry if you FELT offended” which is like to say “sorry if I didn’t think you are such a Neanderthal as to feel offended by my sophisticated satire”

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My View For Awhile: Anti-antinomianism

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I bring to you attention a new book published by Emmaus Press, a branch of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.

On The Demonic by Archbp. Fulton J. Sheen.

US HERE – UK HERE (not yet)

I brought it along and intend to finish it during my travels.

The forward explains that, toward the end of his life, Sheen was ever more convinced that we are living in a demonic age and that we may be seeing the “first cells of the Anti-Christ”.

He wrote that he wanted to write a book about the demonic, but he passed away before he could accomplish it.   The editor of this book has gone through all of Sheen’s material and collated what he found about the topic.

The volume includes not only excerpts from known published works but also from Sheen’s own handwritten notes, kept in his archive, for conferences, etc.

This book is

the closest thing the world will ever see to the long-lost book that Fulton Sheen promised to write on the demonic, all in Sheen’s own words.

This is a taste…,

I’m well beyond this point but I circled back to give you some idea of the book’s urgency.

More later

UPDATE

I wonder if perhaps cleaning is becoming less a thing again. I always – as before – bring wipes. This is after I used a couple. The rings are better but not gone. What else isn’t gone?

I’m just sayin’.

UPDATE

Next leg.

Meanwhile, I was challenged to caption this….

“Soooo, the horsies go… BACKWARDS?”

UPDATE:

One of the improvements through technology in modern day flying are the texts you get when your bag has been put on the plane!

Posted in On the road |
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Daily Rome Shots 1091

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is completely crazy! Take in Nepo’s expression as he watches Magnus have his … hat handed to him.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links.  US HERE – UK HERE  WHY?  This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc..  At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

The following have already made contributions using wavy flag in advance of my fundraiser for my time in Rome in October. “Mille grazie!” to

VF, JL, MR, DVDH, DC, LG, MMcM, MH, SB, PG, HL, MM, SAS, JL, EW

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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Replacing the stained-glass window of Notre-Dame de Paris

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

At The Catholic Thing there is a thoughtful piece about the project and mindset to replace the windows of Note Dame in Paris with some 21st century … efforts.

The idea fills me with horror, as it does the writer, Brad Miner, who has good insights.

A couple snips:

I’m trying to recall who it is that Macron and Ulrich remind me of. Can’t put my finger on it – a real tip-of-the-tongue thing. Let’s see: authoritarian. . .bent on destroying something beautiful. . . opposed to a tradition others admire. . .also lives in Europe . . . Shoot, it just won’t come to me. Maybe later.

And…

France was a participant in the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (1964), the first sentence of which reads: “Imbued with a message from the past, the historic monuments of generations of people remain to the present day as living witnesses of their age-old traditions.” A lofty sentiment, in my opinion, but I suppose the charter only has moral force. And the denizens of Elysée Palace can and will do what they want, ignoring the principle of Com’era Dov’era (How was it / Where was it).

At the end there are striking visual images that speak over a thousand well-chosen and pointed words.

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