I am, as it turns out, remaining over night in Atlanta. Fatigue is setting in, of course. And I am waiting for a shuttle. Just what I want to be doing.
oh well
Did you know that the Italian word for “atlas” is “atlante”?
UPDATE:
I am back at the airport for the final leg.
The hotel… how do I put this.
I have been in worse, but this one was to Microtel as Mictrotel is to the Ritz-Carlton.
The StarTribune, liberal paper of my native place, has – again – published something by one of the dumbest priests I know of in the larger public’s eye.
He actually suggests to Archbp. Nienstedt that he step down!
As a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, I would ask our archbishop, John Nienstedt, to prayerfully consider [splitting infinitives] stepping down from his office. It would be healing for our state and our church and would show some magnanimity on his part. His misguided crusade to change our Constitution, spending more than a million dollars and, more importantly, much goodwill, has been rejected. Elections have consequences.
THE REV. MICHAEL TEGEDER, Minneapolis
It is pretty clear that Tegeder is trying to get himself made into a kind of martyr for his cause (namely… himself).
It is time to grant his wish. If he wants to write about consequences, let his contumacious behavior have consequences. It is his time his head is placed on a canonical spike.
May I suggest saying the St. Michael Prayer for Archbp. Nienstedt and perhaps a few of a maledictory psalms for the other guy?
My friend Fr. Finigan, His Hermeneuticalness, has an amusing post in which he wrings his hands over the incorrigible children of his parish.
The nerve!
HERE.
On the outside wall if the medieval Santo Spirito complex there is a old turning door where people could leave things- or very small people – at the hospital.
Just nice.
Rabbit.
A Vatican Post mailbox.
The Roman historian Livy wrote about the terminal decline of the Roman Republic that “Nec vitia nostra nec remedia pati possumus… We can bear neither our vices nor the remedies.”
Alas, I fear that our vices have called forth precisely the leaders that reflect those vices. The vices feed the leaders, and they the vices.
We may no longer have the collective will to make the changes that must be made to change course.
The last couple days have prompted me to reflect on the Church’s primary job: to keep as many people out of hell as possible.
People will chose to sin, die in sin, no matter what we do to help them to a different course. We must strive to help save ourselves and as many others as possible.
St Augustine one day, in his basilica in Hippo, was preaching a tough message. He broke off his line of thought and explained that if he didn’t preach his tough message he could not be saved. If they listened or didn’t listen he was going to preach anyway and thus save his soul. “But” he concluded, “Nolo salvus esse sine vobis! … I don’t want to be saved without you!” (s. 17.2)
Now that we in the USA are, I think, on a course toward the iceberg, we need to consider soberly about how we will approach the time and resources we have left.
During this time when Benedict XVI has called us to revive the Faith where it has died or still just slumbers, get to work.
Will our shepherds be able to bear applying the remedies?
Augustine also said that the doctor doesn’t stop cutting just because the patient is screaming for him to stop.
Think frequent confession.
Think fallen away Catholics.
Think Four Last Things.
A priest friend in the great state of Texas sends:
From a sermon by St. Augustine sometime after the sack of Rome in 410:
“Do not hold on to the old man, the world; do not refuse to regain your youth in Christ, who says to you: “The world is passing away, the world is losing its grip, the world is short of breath. Do not fear,Thy youth shall be renewed as an eagle”
He likened the decline of his civilization to the olive press. Christians who are faithful under pressure yield a higher quality of pure oil.
As I start to set up my schedule for the end of November, I noted that U.S. Thanksgiving Day is coming up soon. It seems early this year.
Even though we have much to lament, we have much to be thankful for.
Console yourselves with some tea or coffee.
Thanksgiving Blend Available
I also note that Wyoming Carmelites have issued a
May I suggest that you get your orders in soon?
They have all the autumnally flavored coffees, of course, which are not my cup of tea, but many of you like all that froofroo stuff. They have tea too. You might like the Pumpkin Spice. Check out their New For Autumn page HERE.
And please consider getting little sampler packs for St. Nicholas Day, or office parties, or stocking stuffers for Christmas. It seems early to be talking about these things, but by making a plan now, a list of small things to do now, you can avoid some of the rush and stress later. Make a list of things to do and order later if need be.
There is a 9 sampler and a 30 sampler.
Of course, being Carmelites, they have religious gifts as well. From any of my links here you can navigate around their site.
It’s swell!
On my last full day, I am running some errands. It is as beautiful a Roman autumn day as I have ever seen.
I went to the Campo de’ Fiori for some small items I have been lacking. This was the place of public execution for a while. Here is a nice inscription you can puzzle out.
There is a great Norcineria on the edge of the campo.
Some people like to walk around with a gelato. I prefer coppiette!
Skipping ahead I made a visit to Piazza Navona on order to ask St Agnes for a favor and ask her intercession for the soul of Msgr Schuler. The saints skull is preserved here
The “sanctuary” inscription outside the door… maybe hard to read:
Some of us may need this before the next four years are up.
A few more views on my way home to drop my stuff.
I know this town like the back of my hand. It’s my second home town, as it were. It is still fascinating and so photogenic.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
Orual on 10 November – St Andrew Avellino (Vetus Ordo). Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “One of my elderly former pastors fell in his home and laid there for 3 days before anyone came to…”
on 10 November – St Andrew Avellino (Vetus Ordo). Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “Many priests live alone, with no one to notice if they fail to rise, suffer a fall, or become suddenly…”
on 10 November – St Andrew Avellino (Vetus Ordo). Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “Father, in case you haven’t already considered this, an iPhone might help you or another priest in that situation. “…”
on 10 November – St Andrew Avellino (Vetus Ordo). Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “his Theatines maintain a minor seminary in the neighborhood under his patronage. i drove by it on the way to…”
on WDTPRS – 9 November: Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran, Rome’s Cathedral: “Great stuff Fr Z….. are the doors to St John Lateran originally the doors from the Roman Curia in the…”
on 10 November – St Andrew Avellino (Vetus Ordo). Wherein Fr. Z rants.: “As the demographic collapse accelerates, priests may find it prudent to live together in a central location with their deanery.…”
on Some notes for your Sunday Mass in the Vetus and the Novus Ordo: “This is the best explanation I have heard in my almost 50 years. I wish it was what was heard…”
on Some notes for your Sunday Mass in the Vetus and the Novus Ordo: “moon1234: We have to understand something about the Lord’s parables. The parable, or Hebrew mashal is an allegorical lesson of…”
A Daily Prayer for Priests
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