Fr. Z's Blog

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

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE  These links take you to a generic “catholic” search in Amazon, but, once in and browsing or searching, Amazon remembers that you used my link and I get the credit.

3:16 isn’t just in John.

Generation cup (part of the Champions Chess Tour) action continued yesterday. Alireza Firouzja will again battle Magnus Carlsen in the Grand Final. He prevailed in the losers bracket to reemerge in the final. In Division II, Nepomniachtchi will face Levon Aronian in their Grand Final. In Division III, Sam Sevian will play Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The knockout tournament concludes today Sunday, 3 September 3, starting at 13:00 EDT 19:00 CEST.

For my part, nothing… I’ve got nothing. Except, I think that doing more puzzles has helped me crawl out of my slump.

Share the good stuff.

It’s the 14th Sunday after Pentecost in the Vetus Ordo and the 22nd 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:

Be clear about something: Jews would have in large part agreed with Paul about how burdensome the Law was. As the chosen people rebelled against God and disrespected His covenants, God imposed more and more laws to the point that it was nearly impossible to obey them, eventually 613 in all, 365 negative and 248 positive. The weight of such a meticulous obedience to so many laws was to help them to long for the freedom from the Law that would come with the Messiah. The yoke of the Law was a burden, yes, but it was also a way for God to channel and direct the people. Try plowing a field with un-yoked oxen. The yoke is also a gift, as correctives can be. Heavy, but helpful.

 

Check out YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS

Here are some interesting older posts.

• A “Potemkin Synod” (“fake walking together”)
• Diocese of Orange: TLM cancelled
• SEPTEMBER: Our Lady of Sorrows – Think “rhomphaia”
• CWR’s Carl Olson nails it
• Pertaining to Tip 2
• 30 August: Bl. Ildefonso Schuster
• ACTION ITEM! Gulf Coast BISHOPS, PRIESTS: Pray the Litany against #HurricaneIdalia
• “In the face of such barbs, how can I convince my Protestant and non-Christian allies that our Catholic teachings are not hypocrisy?”
• 29 Aug ’23: Francis Card Arinze – Anniversary of episcopal consecration – 58 years as a bishop!
• 29 August – Beheading of John the Baptist: Corruption exposed
• Fr. Z’s 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession – in SPANISH
• DOWN WITH THE FOUR OLDS!
• Like the little pieces of a mosaic…
• Because Scott Hahn has recently been attacked by a fanatic, I recommend…
• Daily Rome Shot 776 [Fun stuff in here]
• Blasphemous sermon about the Lord and the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15 by Francis’ close aide, Jesuit
• Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 13th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 21st) 2023
• We have a life we learn with, and a life we live with after
• WDTPRS – 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time: Vicissitudes and confusion, fog of the world, smoke of Satan, coming precisely whence there ought to be coming clarity.
• ASK FATHER: What if an aardvark runs by and the priest goofs up the LATIN while baptizing?
• Bp. Strickland’s Pastoral Letter concerning the Synod (“walking together”) about Synodality (“walking together-ity”).
• VIDEO: A former Swiss Guard about St. John Paul II.
• Views on the upcoming Synod (“walking together”)
• 5th Glorious Mystery: The Crowning of Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth
• YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS
• 22 August: Mary’s Immaculate Heart and Queenship
• Laudato si’ Part II
• Number of Priestly Ordinations in Free Fall
• Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 12th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 20th) 2023
• WDTPRS – 20th Ordinary Sunday: Live in love now to have Love Himself later
• Laypeople in the Diocese of Tyler to the Nuncio in defense of Bp. Strickland
• “O Father, thank you for that message. I didn’t understand all of it, but I could hear every word.”
• Your Good News
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: The 4th Glorious Mystery
• 14 August – St. Maximilian Kolbe : priest, martyr, Ham Radio operator. Also, the 3rd path to beatification: “Oblatio Vitae”
• Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 11th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 19th) 2023
• WDTPRS – 11th Sunday after Pentecost: healthy “pessimism”
• WDTPRS – 19th Ordinary Sunday: Father God, not Stranger God
• UPDATE – VIDEO: Bishop Joaquim Mol of Brazil confirms girl and then denies her Communion because she is kneeling
• Francis gives more advice
• The Eucharist at WYD?
• UPDATED – Church burned down on anniversary of SCOTUS Dobbs decision. HELP THEM! ACTION ITEM!
• Bp. Strickland: Any attack on the Traditional Latin Mass is an attack on the Deposit of Faith
• Somewhat unsettling VIDEO. Analysis needed. (No… not a liturgical abuse.)

BOOK NOTE: An exciting development is the NEW translation of St. Augustine’s Confessions by Anthony Esolen.  This will be released soon by TAN.

US HERE – UK HERE

I am so very grateful to all of you who have sent things from my wishlist, for example CG who sent a rake and shovel for work I have to do.  Some things on the list are a “lighter fare” (it’s a “wish list”, after all) and some are not (it’s also a “needs list”). CG often sends tools and the like, though he also once sent some “precious” books.  I save the gift slips and try to keep them with the item, if practical, so I remember to say a Hail Mary for whomever sent it.  HOWEVER, sometimes items come without the gift slips.  That’s the only reason I wouldn’t write a thank you note.  Also, there are a few people whose emails are either full or rejecting notes, so I can’t get a note through to you.   Donations usually strike me like, “X, Okay, I can get a hair cut today!” (yesterday), “X. Yay! I can go to the priests’ conference!” (last month) “X. Get the neighbor’s lawn mowed while he is in the hospital” (Tuesday) “X.  Time to get the septic system taken care of” (Yes, that really happened this week.)  “X. Something for savings.”  “X.  More protein and fewer carbs at the grocery.”  Also, one of you kindly reached out and sent my mother a microwave.  Hers had died.  It is installed and running.  She was so happy for it.  And, for those who might recall mom’s recovery is going well, though slowly.

For my monthly and ad hoc donors… what can I say?  As always, please know that I often say Masses for the intentions of my benefactors.

Speaking of that, I received a note that one of my longtime readers and a monthly donor LB passed away.  She had continued the monthly donation that her husband, WB, had set up a long time ago.  He passed away last year.  I’ve kept their names on my day-of-the-month records of regular donors and I will continue to pray for them and remind other monthly donors to do so also.  Death does not remove you from my prayer list.  It seals you on it.

Finally, you who have remained as faithful “200!” and “100!” donors.  Thank you.  When I see that indication, it’s a morale boost.

One month from today, I set foot in Rome again for a while.  What my time there does for me is hard to explain, but – there – I can be more normally who and what I am.  It’s a tremendous gift and I thank you.  While I’m there I try extra hard to give you the good stuff.   I’ll try NOT to get dragged down by “walking together”, which will eventually be in full swing.  Pray that “something” happens and I can find a regular, affordable place there and get something going.  I’m invoking Ven. Mary Ward, St. Philip Neri, and especially St. Joseph.  Mary Ward has an amazing story.  I think she understands well my situation and will intercede for me.  And she lived when she was in Rome precisely in the area that is my adoptive neighborhood.

I think we all sense that the Church and her faithful are on the cusp of some rougher than usual times.  My belief is that the Church must undergo a Passion, just her Divine Spouse did.  It seems to be coming on, not just from the outside, but from the inside, which also makes sense.  If there was a Sanhedrin, there was also a Judas (1/12th of the bishops).

That said, of all the universes God could have created, He created this one, into which He called us into existence at exactly the right point in time and with exactly the right set of tools to carry out our little piece of His overarching, divine Plan. If we dedicate ourselves to our state in life, as it is hic et nunc, here and now, God will give us all the actual graces we need to fulfill our part in His economy of salvation. It is an honor to have been called by God to live in these difficult times.  WE are the team He has assembled for His purposes hic et nunc.  Fidelity and the pursuit of His will bring greater graces than if our paths were smooth.   We all have our mysterious roles.  Therefore, I consider it an honor to be supported by so many of you in both material means and in spiritual uplifting.  I will try to do my part well for you in return.

Meanwhile, forgive me, but I really have to do undertake this indignity from time to time.

If you are looking for alternatives to PayPal, try Zelle (which most US banks offer) and Wise (wise.com) which is also terrific for international operations, though it takes a bit to set up. There are other options too, slower, but reliable.