Fr. Z's Blog

At YouTube there is a video produced by Mass of Ages with Michael Knowles in which he talks about the Traditional Latin Mass at 5 different levels of understanding, from three little kids to a theologian.

It is interesting how, when talking to the parish priest (from my home place) and with the theologians, the points they make are those I’ve been making constantly for 30 years.

A podcast comes from The Catholic Thing. Diane Montagna, Fr. Gerald Murray, and Robert Royal discuss the claims being made by synod officials about the role of the Holy Spirit in their discussions, and the ways in which information about the synod is being managed or limited in comparison with other Vatican events. Is the Holy Spirit the “protagonist” of the “Walking Together”? Also, just how rigged is this? I have my own ideas.

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It’s the 19th Sunday after Pentecost in the Vetus Ordo and the 27th Sunday of the Novus Ordo.

Elsewhere I guess Season of Creation is over.   It ended on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (cliché, perhaps).  Instead, Barrington is now focused on “walking together”.

More importantly, 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:

The faux-comforting chestnut that when someone dies he becomes “an angel” is false, of course. But it is sort of true, in one way.  When we die and our souls separate from our bodies, our souls no longer have bodily senses and the appetites and concupiscence that comes from the flesh.   This means that, like angels, we cannot change our minds.   This is the foundation of the Church’s constant teaching that, at death, we go to our Particular Judgment and… that’s that.  We cannot change our minds.  We cannot repent such that we can gain the salvation that we had lost during our earthly lives because we died in the state of mortal sin rather than in the state of grace and God’s friendship.

7:11 and 18:44 are the times for sunrise and sunset in Rome.  The Ave Maria bells ought to ring at 19:00.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary which means that it is also the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto.   In Italian it’s: Lépanto.

It is also the Feast of St. Mark, Pope, who died in +336.  He was one of the first who was not a martyr.  I think the very first was Miltiades.

It is the Feast of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus, early martyrs.  There is an image of them in the Church of St. Mary della Scala in Trastevere, which I will dig up.  Not real flattering, I think.  It makes them look like they were just forced to sit through a day of “walking together”… let’s see if I can find it.

It’s the eyes upward to Heaven that does it… or is it an eye roll?   Maybe it’s that.  An eye roll to Heaven.   I can hear it, “Please get me out of here?”… “If I have to listen to this Jesuit one more minute…”.

Yesterday, I had a brief walk at about the time the sun was doing its Roman thing.  Such beautiful light.

A visit to my saint, Philip Neri.

Dear Pippo, help me find my apartment and way to pay for it.  Thanks in advance.

The nave still has a lot of scaffolding.   I am not sure what they are doing.

I am not sure why I took this shot, unless it was for the “for rent” sign by the door.

Regardless of why I took the shot, I also “took the shot”.  It was right around here that I was shat upon by a pigeon (aka rat with wings).  They say it is good luck.  At least it was not a seagull, which is even more good luck.   Straight down the front of my shirt.  It could have been worse, all in all.   Rome happens.

On that note, I wish every bit of good luck to the Synod (“walking together”) members as they walk together to and froe to the “Walking Together about Walking Togetherity” (“W-T-F”) meetings (explanation HERE).

Back at the apartment, and the washing machine, I prepared supper.   Spaghetti alle vongole!  I like to simmer garlic and some parsley for a while in oil and wine.

The clams I had purged for several hours.   They say they are purged.  HA.  I purge them more.   You can see a couple pop here, but I had to clamp that cover down.

Having pulled the clams, I finished cooking the pasta in the liquid, which also tightened it up with starch.

A nice big bowl of spaghetti alle vongole veraci.  And some chess from the US Championship in St. Louis.  I had some catching up to do.

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Today is the anniversary of when the demon worship bowl was placed on the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica during the Amazon Synod (“walking together”).

It is the Feast of the Holy Rosary.

Please say a chaplet of the Rosary in reparation for all this mess.

Don’t forget a pray for me.

Meanwhile, black to move.  Find the best move.

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

Your use of my Amazon affiliate link is a major part of my income. It helps to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

I look at this each day and sigh when I post it. However, I need to do it.

Holy Mass today was offered for all my regular monthly donors.

Thank you. There was a new signer-upper today, MH. Alas, couple have dropped from this day. I remain grateful.

In your goodness, remember that the wonderful Benedictine monks of Norcia make terrific beer. Try some and help them.

Maybe chicken and salad tonight.

In Rome today the sun rose at 07:10 and will set at 18:46.  The Ave Maria should sound at 19:00.

Welcome registrant:

RJD

This is a 1st Friday!  See to your devotions.

Devotions are more important than ever, I think, for our troubled time.  Chief among these ought to be the revival of the real Forty Hours Devotion.  This should be undertaken for the sake of grave dangers to the Church and society not just from outside the Church but also from within the Church.  The Holy Rosary and Novenas and time before the Blessed Sacrament, voluntary penances in reparation for sins… all these must be our constant practice now more than ever.   We see what’s going on, seemingly inexorably.   All of us have to do something about it.

Meanwhile, I saw this ridiculous but perhaps practical car on a walk this morning after Mass.  Someone really likes dogs.

I went to the fishmonger to get clams for tonight’s supper and what do I find?  One of those screens that show the inner workings of Swimming Together about Swimming Togetherity.

Do NOT be distracted by the dead eyes.  I’m sure they are paying attention to the one who is talking.

Can you imagine sitting, day after day, in the hideous Sala Nervi (aka Paul VI Audience Hall) at round tables listening to the bloviating?   Day in and day out.  Hours.

This is how I picture it after a week or so.

What did that tech on each table cost?  I hope one of the newsies asks.

My flower guy, Pippo, says “Hi!”

35 years at this stand.

At the veg stand it was time to get puntarelle which are shreds of a large type of chicory stems and leaves which are then crisped up in cold water so they curl.

Meanwhile, black to move and win material.

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

In chess news… I haven’t been paying close attention since I’ve been in Rome. However, after the opening day of the U.S. Championships in St. Louis, Sam Sevian in Rd 2/2 is the only one who won (not just draw) so he’s in the lead with a lot more chess to be played. On the women’s side, it’s Nazi Paikidze. My guy Wesley So drew against Leinier Dominguez Perez in Rd 1 and Dariusz Swiercz in Rd 2.

For my part, I’m doing some puzzles and playing online a little. I need to get back into my routine. I’ve also got a course underway.

I should head over to the P.za der Fico this afternoon. I need to stretch my legs. Also, I think that tomorrow morning is when some people gather at the Largo Febo. I might have a look.

Finally, if you were around in the days of the CompuServe Catholic Forum, you might remember in your prayers Harriet Lee Sporn, who died recently.  She was a frequent commentatrix.

Today the sun rose at 07:09 and set a long time ago at 18:48.  The Ave Maria is still at 19:00.

Welcome new registrant:

SuzieQue

Today was quite the day, with the acquisition of the new vestments.

While we were walking around we stopped at the palazzo where Pius XII was born, near Chiesa Nuova and Palazzo Orsini.

However, what people don’t know is that the real palazzo of the Pacelli family is on the Corso Vittorio, a few steps up from Largo Argentina.

It is now a hotel.  However, above the door there are coats of arms, now defaced.  But you can see the Pacelli arms.

Meanwhile,… white to move and mate in … you tell me!

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. 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.

Tonight I met a young priest who is the son of a friend of many years who was part of the original team of the Catholic Online Forum on CompuServe!   How time flies.  I had had a heavy lunch so I held myself to a sauté of mussels and a mixed salad.  We had a lovely Brunello and its counter part.

The trek home shows that the dreadful scaffolding is coming down from Palazzo Farnese, where the 2nd Act of Tosca takes place.  It is hard to see it without thinking about Tosca stabbing Scarpia in throat and her following him around as he choked to death on his own blood while she taunted him.   He had wanted to “walk together” with her, as it were.  In Italian there is a particular meaning of “go together… andare insieme” depending on context.    In short, he had it coming.   As do all who want to do certain things to the CHURCH.

Today the sun rose at 07:08 while I was saying Mass and it will set when I plan to be strolling around someplace lovely at 18:50.  The Ave Maria is still in its 19:00 cycle.

Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.   The curial calendar says that Francis is the Patron of Italy.

Welcome new registrant:

Sitnomendominibenedictum

On my way to the conference last night, a view down the Tiber.

A view of places of woe, the Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio (where I used to be) housing the now “Dicastery” for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Sala Nervi which has the Synod (“W-T”) hall, and behind is humble Casa Santa Marta.  The dome of St. Peter’s has really darkened since last June.  The answer seems to be some sort of fungus or mold.

Meanwhile,… white to move.

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

In chessy news:

Your use of my Amazon affiliate link is a major part of my income. It helps to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

Remember the Benedictine monks of Le Barroux when you are thinking about wine. Use the code FATHERZ1o

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Meanwhile, lunch… pizza bianca and mortadella with black truffle. So simple. So good.

Last night my friend Fr. Robert Sirico gave my a copy of his new book about the late, great Card. Pell.  Without question Pell would have been a Dubia Cardinal this fall!  This volume contains homages to Card. Pell, so missed.

Pell Contra Mundum

US HERE – UK HERE

A glimpse of supper.

Served with a SMILE!

It was nice to be together with friends tonight, a very prominent and visible commentator and his wife.  Great conversation.

My brain is waking up.