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{]:¬)

Ed Pentin, the best working Vaticanista in Rome, has a must read post at his blog by José Antonio Ureta

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Ed Pentin, the best working Vaticanista in Rome, has at his blog a piece in English by José Antonio Ureta.

José Antonio Ureta is the co-author of The Synodal Process Is a Pandora’s Box: 100 Questions & Answers. This book as lately caused a real stir among the fanatical left and the papalotrous. In 2018, he authored Pope Francis’s Paradigm Shift: Continuity or Rupture in the Mission of the Church? An Assessment of His Pontificate’s First Five Years.

The title of Pentin’s entry:

Questioning Pope Francis’ Evolving Doctrine and Morals Is Neither Ideology nor Backwardness, but Standing Firm in the Faith by José Antonio Ureta

He presents various propositions advanced by the modernists today and deconstructs them.

Very helpful.

It’ll take a little patience. Read it. This is part of your “armoring up” for the fight ahead.

As a commentatrix said the other day, “JOAN UP!”

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
2 Comments

A message from Bp. Strickland

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Bp. Strickland, by all accounts, spends a good portion of time before the Blessed Sacrament every day.

For any who may be concerned, be assured I am Jesus Strong! Pray for Pope Francis and Christ’s Bride the Church, she has weathered turmoil before and she will continue to do so. Viva Cristo Rey! pic.twitter.com/U31zHWaOOc

— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) September 11, 2023

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Be The Maquis, Semper Paratus | Tagged Bp. Joseph Strickland
2 Comments

12 September – Feast of the Holy Name of Mary and anniversary of the Battle of Vienna (1683)

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In the Divine Praises we pray:

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

A few days ago, 8 September, we celebrated the Nativity of Mary.

Today, 12 September, is the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary.

Devotion to the name of Mary was at first in Spain, by Carmelites. It was associated with the Octave after the Nativity of Mary. However, in 1683 Pope Bl. Innocent XI – his tomb was long in St. Peter’s upper Basilica but I think he has been moved – put the Feast on the Church’s universal calendar. Pope St. Pius X established the Feast on 12 September.

This Feast commemorates the defeat of the Islamic invaders in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Vienna was surrounded by the Turks when the King of Poland, John Sobieski, arrived.

The King served Mass in the morning and lead his smaller force against the invaders, winning a great victory.

81,000 against the Turks’ 130,000. In the afternoon there was a famous charge by Poland’s 3000 impressive “Winged Hussars”, the largest cavalry charge in history. Game over for the invaders.

You might not be a Winged Hussar, but your baptism and earthly breath make you, right now, a mighty spiritual warrior whose prayers receive their wings from devotion and intention.

What can not be accomplished through the sincere, focused, confidently loving invocation of the Blessed Virgin by means of the Holy Rosary, repeating her name and the Most Holy Name?

Winged Hussar’s helped to save Christendom. Christendom, our patrimony, has been squandered. That doesn’t mean that there are not Christendom causes in our day. One of them – with painfully blatant urgency – is the preservation of the Traditional Roman Rite.

Will you be a shirker? Do your part, through grace and elbow grease. We have to do our part to receive the graces we need.

The Collect of the Feast:

Concede, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut fideles tui, qui sub sanctissimae Virginis Mariae Nomine et protectione laetantur; eius pia intercessione a cunctis malis liberentur in terris, et ad gaudia aeterna pervenire mereantur in coelis.

Posted in Our Solitary Boast, The Religion of Peace | Tagged Religion of Peace
2 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 791

Posted on 12 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Welcome registrant:

RandD_1982

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in two. Good luck.

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

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

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Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
10 Comments

Rumors of a forced-resignation attack on Bp. Joseph Strickland from ROME

Posted on 11 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In about mid-August I had heard that perhaps Bp. Strickland would be ousted by Rome in the first part of July. “I’ll believe it,” quoth I quietly but pretty much believing, “when I see it.”

We heard about the visitation conducted by Bps. Kicanas and Sullivan of Camden, no doubt two of the very finest bishops available. They were looking into finances, although financially the diocese seemed to be doing well. BTW…how many dioceses have declared bankruptcy? MONETARY, not moral, of course. Tyler doesn’t seem to be one of them.

On 9 September, I had a “bad feeling” HERE. The (American) Prefect of Bishops and the Nuncio to these USA met with Francis.

Bp. Strickland has been outspoken regarding efforts to undermine the Deposit of Faith, for which he has drawn the spittle-fleck ire of the vociferous papalotrous left. We know the cliches about “women scorned”.

The Pillar and LifeSite are indicating that soon Bp. Strickland may be pressured to resign. He should not, I think, resign, and he probably won’t. I suspect that he doesn’t see himself merely as a branch manager of wannabe NGO. After that someone may make him an offer he can’t refuse… which I suspect he will refuse. Bp. Strickland, we have learned not too long ago, spends upward of a hour before the Blessed Sacrament each day. I suspect he is made of sterner stuff as a consequence.

At National Catholic Register we find today something from Ed Pentin:

Exclusive: Archbishop Fernandez Warns Against Bishops Who Think They Can Judge ‘Doctrine of the Holy Father’

Striking down Strickland would be a monumental blunder, in my opinion. Both tactically and strategically counter-productive.

Someone asked in a comment elsewhere, “What can we do for Bp. Strickland?”

Allow me to be completely unoriginal.

Be sure your own house is in order so that what you do is meritorious: GO TO CONFESSION! THAT’s FIRST! (Yes, we believe in that stuff, and so does Bp. Strickland, which is partly why they want his chitlin’s).
Got to Church and pray for him, that he be strong and have the courage and the insight in the maze of outcomes, to do the right thing.
Chose a mortification in reparation for those who are out to get him. And we know who they are and WHY.
FATHERS! IF you have a slot open, say a Mass for Bp. Strickland.

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill |
26 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 790

Posted on 11 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Photo by The Great Roman™

Welcome registrant:

fidelis1

Meanwhile, how long did it take you to find this mate in two? White to move.

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

Use FATHERZ10 at checkout

Traditional Catholic website ailing?

The Fischer Random (960) tourney is over at the St Louis Chess Club. Sam Sevian (22) took the honors with 7/9. Shankland, Aronian, and So shared 2nd with 6/9. It was fun watching Garry Kasparov (60) play. Intense guy. He has a way of moving that could be a slight distraction to one’s opponent.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
16 Comments

11 Sept – Shanksville, PA – et al.

Posted on 11 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

On a recent driving trip when I attended a conference for priests in West Virginia, my way eventually wended past Shanksville, PA.

Panorama.

There is not a one to one analogy with the event of the attack on the WTC, but the imagery is eerily striking.

Oh how quiet it is after the black night
When flames out of the clouds burned down your cariated teeth,
And when those lightnings,
Lancing the black boils of Harlem and the Bronx,
Spilled the remaining prisoners,
(The tens and twenties of the living)
Into the trees of Jersey,
To the green farms, to find their liberty.

How are they down, how have they fallen down
Those great strong towers of ice and steel,
And melted by what terror and what miracle?
What fires and lights tore down,
With the white anger of their sudden accusation,
Those towers of silver and of steel?

From Figures For An Apocalypse, VI – In the Ruins of New York (1947) by Thomas Merton

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged 9-11
10 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 789

Posted on 10 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Meanwhile, black to move. Force mate in three.

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

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

In chessy news, in St Louis the 9LX continues. It has been a lot of fun watching the players. 9LX or Fischer Random is a chess variant where the pieces start in randomized along the first rank, provided that the bishops are on different colors and castling is possible. There are 960 possible positions. The player can’t do long prep. The tournament format is a 10-player round-robin, with a time control of 20 minutes per side plus a 5-second increment added every move.

This is not for ELO so they are really interacting as they receive the set ups for the next game, sitting and standing around boards, debating. Then the games start and there is real pressure from the clock. Eventually as pieces clear, it turns into “standard chess”. Until then it is pretty hairy. Fischer Random really puts juice back into the fruit. Levon Aronian and Sam Sevian were leading after day 2. Fabi, Wesley and Sam are a point behind. It has been great watching Garry Kasparov play. Intense guy.

St. Louis Chess Club has some good photos.

Kasparov look at an opening set up with my guy Wesley So and Hikaru Nakamura.

Getting ready, looking at the set up. Left to right, Sam Sevian, Sam Shankland, Ray Robson, Wesley So, Jeffrey Xiong.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
2 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 15th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 23rd) 2023

Posted on 10 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Share the good stuff.

It’s the 15th Sunday after Pentecost in the Vetus Ordo and the 23rd Sunday of the Novus Ordo.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Sunday Mass of obligation?

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass. I hear that it is growing. Of COURSE.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

I have some thoughts about the Sunday Epistle reading posted at One Peter Five.

A taste:

Paul wrote to a community that was being divided by false teachers introducing error and “backwardist” practices. Do we not now see a Church being torn at by those who would return us to the flesh-embracing years of the 60’s and 70’s? Some throw the epithet “backwardist” around concerning those who desire continuity across generations and geography. True “backwardists” are those who seem to be focused only so far back and so far away as their own backsides. In proposing that everything that was done before the Second Vatican Council needs to be reinterpreted and even replaced with some manifestly inorganic “development,” the true “backwardists” are wont to invoke the Holy Spirit. I tremble for some of them, who really ought to know better. Because:

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (v. 7).

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Sunday sermons
6 Comments

ACTION ITEM! 9 September – International Buy A Priest A Beer Day!

Posted on 9 September 2023 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE:

Thanks to:

TGR™, MWS, GW, BC, TS

NB: Scroll down for the Latin and English texts for the Blessing of Beer.

You don’t want to miss this. It’s too important. And this has been a really tough year for priests, all things considered.

Show a little love. Give a little TLC.

Saturday 9 September 2023 is

International Buy A Priest A Beer Day!

Beer is so much more than just a great breakfast drink. It’s a sign of cordial support and good cheer.

Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!

You will want to obtain and deliver beer to your priests. I share the terrific Norcia Beer with the guys here. (Do visit their site – they need lots of support since the terrible earthquakes in Central Italy.)

Should any of you want to provide the undersigned (aka Father Z) with a beer one time, try this.

Click!

Or Venmo…

Use your phone’s camera!

Orrrrrr…. wavvy flag and I will drink it (or wine) in Rome!

There’s also Zelle and WISE.

If some of you want to subscribe (to buy me a beer) once a month, you can use the thingy, below. (There are more options than the “BEER!” option.

Card. Ratzinger thinks you should subscribe!

Also, there is a blessing for beer in the old Rituale Romanum which a priest can impart.

When you bring beer to the priest, bring this prayer along and ask him to bless it and all the beer you bought for yourself!

V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus.

Benedic +, Domine, creaturam istam cerevisiae, quam ex adipe frumenti producere dignatus es: ut sit remedium salutare humano generi, et praesta per invocationem nominis tui sancti; ut, quicumque ex ea biberint, sanitatem corpus et animae tutelam percipiant. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.

Or else…

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Bless, + O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

And it is sprinkled with holy water…. carefully.