Fr. Z's Blog | Formerly entitled: "What Does The Prayer Really Say?" – Clear, straight commentary on Catholic issues, liturgy and life by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf o{]:¬)

The Feeder… not the sty

Posted on 7 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am getting lots of e-mails about horrible things going on.

I just don’t want to roll in the slime today, friends. I know thing are bad in places and they should be exposed.

Instead, let’s just look at the feeder.

This young Goldfinch is still into begging for food from mom. Remember that Goldfinches nest very late.

When they beg they flap and make little squeaky noises, like squeeze toys.

Happy Nuthatch. No french fry. Just a nut!

House Finch. You can see them pretty well on the Z-Cam too.

Variety.

I think the other birds resent when the Red Bellied Woodpecker comes sailing in.

Right now there is a sale on feed at a local bird store.

Winter is coming!

They eat from your donations.

UPDATE 2231 GMT:

That Chickadee looked a little guilty.

Posted in The Feeder Feed |
9 Comments

Interesting article about the Shroud of Turin

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

CNA has a cool Shroud article.

A detail I did not know:

[W]e know that the blood contacted the shroud before the body “because there’s no image beneath the shroud.”

Pope Benedict has announced that the Shroud will be open for public viewing in 2010 and that he is planning to visit the image at some point during its exposition.

Posted in Just Too Cool | Tagged Shroud of Turin
13 Comments

QUAERITUR: Nuptial TLM questions

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Folks… I don’t have time for this right now… can you help?

From a reader:

This summer, our diocese of ___ will see its first Extraordinary Form Liturgy since…well, probably since Vatican II. The Mass will be a Nuptial Mass for two of my good friends. I am merely wondering about the rubrical guidelines for a sung wedding Mass.
•    Is the Asperges done before the Mass, directly after the Nuptial Blessing or not at all?
•    How many servers, at minimum are needed for this particular form of the Sacred Liturgy?
•    I know the engaged both would like incense, but is this permissible and is incense used at any point during the Blessing?
•    What is sung by the choir and what is omitted by the server?
Fr. Fortescue’s book has started to hurt my head in trying to get it all squared away!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged marriage, nuptial Mass, TLM, wedding
17 Comments

well project

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I would like to bring to your attention the Miaani well project.

In Mianni, Kenya, it has not rained for over 10 months. Disaster

My friend from Rome, Msgr. John Mutiso-Mbinda is from that village and for years he he has been telling me about this horrible situation … for years.

Msgr. Mbinda worked in the Vatican for many years and is entirely reliable.

Please go and look at that page.

The Bishop of Machakos overseeing the whole project now.

Money could be sent to the bishop, but this is very difficult.

They have an intermediary with a 501c3 to help get the money to the right place.

Here are some photos.

Imagine,… no water to drink, to wash. They dig in the sand in the river bed… they manage to get some water.

Will you take a few minutes to look at that site? Make that "visitor" counter tick up?

Posted in The future and our choices | Tagged Kenya, Mianni, water, well
12 Comments

POLL ALERT! US Catholic on the upcoming Visitation of US Women Religious

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There is a poll in the liberal US Catholic.

Remember their nasty article and poll about Summorum Pontificum?

Now they have a poll on the upcoming Visitation of Women Religious, asking if you think it is

necessary,
reasonable and justified,
unnecessary,
insulting and unjustified.

What do you think?

I think the Visitation is necessary.

I voted Necessary because EXTREMELY NECESSARY wasn’t available.

GO VOTE! or HERE if you can’t find the voting button!

At 6 Oct 1650 GMT:

I suggest that you keep your comments – if you comment – which I don’t suggest – extremely concise and very cordial when making points. Don’t descend to the level of the liberals. Show them some class.

I think you can only vote once, because of cookies.

UPDATE 1711 GMT:

Apparently some people’s votes count more than others.

A reader posted in a comment below that there is a note on US Catholic under the poll that the poll is now "under attack" because I posted about it here!

LOL!

It seems that when they ask for people’s opinions, only the right kind of people should be allowed to vote!

Is US Catholic working with ACORN?

UPDATE: 1858 GMT:

The liberals are getting pretty nasty over there, very personal. Sad and predictable.

UPDATE: 2307 GMT

The top two choices (in favor of the visitation) are now at 90% of the vote.

I see that a little moderation has been done over there now.

UPDATE: 7 Oct 0224 GMT:

UPDATE: 7 Oct 1309 GMT:

People are still freely expressing their views.

In the top two categories, both favorable toward the Visitation: 91%
In the lower categories, both opposed to the Visitation: 8%

Posted in POLLS |
62 Comments

KA PLAH! Klingons for Christ

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It was only a matter of time.

Indeed, Klingons accept the teachings of Christ as part of a warrior tradition. Christ brings not peace, but a sword. And this batlh’etlh is a sword of honor indeed!

Lot’s of good theological reflection here, for us of the Church MILITANT, right?

Psalm 144:1,2

Blessed be the Lord of my strength,
which teaches my hands to war,
and my hands to fight:
My goodness, and my fortress;
my high tower, and my deliverer;
my shield, and he in whom I trust;
who subdueth my people under me.

van bom 144:1,2 (in Klingon)

Quch joH’a”e’ HoSwIj
ghopDu’wIj ghojmoH veSvaD
nItlhDu’wIj ‘ej ghojmoH SuvvaD
majwIj je waw’wIj
waw’ ‘a’ wIj
je toDwIwIj
yoDwIj
‘ej vIvoqbogh
mutpu’wIj bIng jIH jey

Ka Plah!!!

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged Klingons
11 Comments

Followup: Allerton, Bywater (UK)

Posted on 6 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Damian Thompson a follow up to THIS:

[Archbishop] Arthur Roche gets his way at last: the little church at Allerton Bywater closes its doors

You may remember the tremendous fuss – not to say anguish and heartbreak – over the forced closure last year of a number of parishes in the Pontefract deanery of Leeds diocese. Well, the priest of one of those churches, Fr Mark Lawler at Allerton Bywater, decided to keep saying Mass (in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms) pending an appeal from Rome. That appeal has now been lost – as expected: the Vatican gives bishops sweeping powers to shut churches, even thriving and happy churches like this one. A parishioner emailed me the news this morning:

The church has been having daily Mass ever since we were last in contact, whilst waiting for the result of its appeal from Rome. Well, the church closed its doors for the last time yesterday after Mass. The Congregation for Clergy has found against us and we have now exhausted the practical possibilities for appeal. So, as we always said, right from the start, we have obeyed this ruling … The result of the bishop’s actions is that a vibrant parish has been destroyed.

Posted in Linking Back |
Comments Off

Excellent image

Posted on 5 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I found this on Patrick Madrid‘s site:

Posted in Lighter fare |
6 Comments

A question about Kerala

Posted on 5 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The great Sandro Magister of Chiesa has a piece today which prompts a question.

Here is the very first part:

The Kerala Exception. A Trip to India’s Most Christian and Peaceful State

There are ten times more Catholics there than elsewhere, but they live in peace with the Hindus and Muslims. Education is generalized, with equality between men and women. The only threat to this miracle comes from a Marxist government

Hmmm… lemme think here for a moment.

Elsewhere in the subcontinent, where Catholics and other Christians are an even tinier minority – and therefore less impact on the region – there is terrible religiously motivated violence.

Hmmm…