Fr. Z's Blog

At 05:46 the sun was up.  At 20:28 it’ll go down, from our perspective.  The Ave Maria should sound at 20:45 still.

It is the 137th day of the year and the Vigil of the Ascension of the Lord.

NB: TODAY is the VIGIL.

That means that Ascension Thursday is on THURSDAY.

Since today is VIGIL of Ascension it is also the third Rogation Day.  Therefore, before Holy Mass there was the usual procession and the singing of the Litany of Saints with the special Rogation prayers.  The whole thing take about 20 minutes.

20 minutes well spent!

Over the last two days, I’ve underscored a few of the petitions in the Litany.   First, praying for benefactors, which is one of my primary daily jobs, especially right now.  It is my pleasure and duty.  Second, how we have to pray for the Church, right now beset by and infested with enemies.  We are in big trouble, from our perspective, friends.  BUT!  Christ is risen and victorious and this is HIS Church.  Therefore, as Christians we are buoyantly confident, though we can feel passing sorrow for the ills around us.

Today, what struck me in the Litany was at the heart of why we have Rogation Days and make these supplicatory processions.

Here are things that can KILL us, physically and spiritually.   Take special notice of that petition that God save us from a “sudden and unprovided death”, which means without access to the last sacraments, at least the change for absolution of our sins.

Dear readers, this is serious stuff.   This is … everything, isn’t it.

Wanna hear what it sounds like? I left my phone with “voice notes” on in the sanctuary. Yes, you can hear me a little.

Wanna follow? Click

Rogation

More and more clearly do I see the sticking point when I consider difference between the Novus Ordo and the Vetus Ordo.   Those who tout the Novus Ordo as being the expression of that all-transforming moment of “the Council”, an iconic moment tantamount to a new Pentecost that forces us to reinterpret everything – history, theology, law – everything, take their cue from a something in between the lines of the conciliar texts, a special “tone” in which they discern the Holy Spirit’s demand for constant change.   They optimistically see, with their special conciliar spirit-gifted glasses, the path to transformation in the here and now, since our eschatological future is now essentially taken care of.  We are an Easter people!  Christ is risen and we are all bound for Heaven (unless we resist carbon-footprint reduction).  Since Heaven is assured, there is no need in our Mass orations to have those old pre-conciliar themes of sin, guilt, expiation and penance.  That’s all done. We’ve matured.   There is a different theology now that drives us to greater concern for the planet and the here and now thanks to our already living the great Not-Yet.   Down with the old theology and ways, they say.  We’ve evolved passed that Vetus thing.  There can be only one theology, one liturgy, one!  Well… and also indigenous liturgies.  But otherwise, one!

The problem with their view is that, however optimistic we want to be about human beings, we remain human beings.  We cannot deny the reality of the world, the flesh and the devil.  The Novusites say that the trads are too wrapped up in that constant interior and exterior struggle that is the result of the (now no longer problematic) Original Sin.

However, the Vetus prayers are not lacking in eschatological joy and optimism as the texts of Holy Mass today shine forth.  It’s there!  On every page of the Missale Romanum.  Even when we are praying about our sinfulness, there is confidence in forgiveness.

Let’s make this simpler.  If the Novus Ordo stresses eschatological joy, the Vetus tells you, realistically, how to get it.   That’s something that Novus Ordo isn’t very good at.  It stresses the joy of Heaven, which is a good thing.  But it doesn’t stress very well how to attain it.   From that point of view, the Vetus Ordo is far more complete and helpful for us.   If the Novus Ordo is a little dreamy, the Vetus Ordo is more concrete.

I do not accept the premise that the Vetus Ordo is contrary to The Whatever that Vatican II produced.   It don’t have special glasses that let me read between the lines of the conciliar texts.  I can’t tune to the station some of the more papalotrous and innovation enthusiasts can hear.  One thing I do know is that anyone who has not said the Vetus Ordo day in and day out for years should keep their pie-hole shut and not even attempt to have a tiny thought about it, much less make claims about it.   For my part, I sense in the prayers of the Vetus Ordo both the optimistic joy of the Christian praying with Christ’s own voice in the Mass even as I hear the earnest cry of the sinner who is absolutely dependent on God’s mercy even to keep breathing.  They are not in conflict.   It is wrong to create a conflict where there isn’t one.

But I digress.    Go back and look at those petitions and then think about what you hear in the news and then tell me, Novusites, that we don’t need to have processions and sing these Litanies.

Speaking of Original Sin, now things sometimes go wrong and need correction.   Today, as I learned from a Carabiniere, one of the early morning garbage trucks had an oil leak.  Thus the stuff sprinkled in the streets all around the area.  This is the Lutheran approach to oil-spills even in Rome.

Yesterday, I showed close ups of the sweets.  Here are some savories.   Yesterday, mortadella (sounds kind of “deathy”, in keeping with my Litany rant, above), with truffle, which is a proof of God’s love and Heaven to follow.  Here is mortadella with pistachio.  Definitely not your public school lunch sandwich “bologna”.

After Mass I had a little sit in the sacristy and just drank it in.  I’ll have to leave in a couple of weeks.  I have to absorb it as best I can now.  I was sad and happy at the same time.

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.

Thank you, donors, for my flowers.  The frondy things are like a mimosa but not yellow.  I don’t remember the Italian name for them and I never knew the English.  The others are, of course, little carnations.  Not my favorite, but cheerful enough.  The freesia is pretty much played out, I am told.  Too bad.  It was beautiful, fragrant and inexpensive compared to many.

Here’s a puzzle.

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

Yesterday I posted about a girl whose life changed for the better with the gift of a humble, inexpensive chess set. How about talking to your parish priest about starting a chess club?

Each day is just a little longer. The sun rose at 05:47 and will set at 20:27. The Ave Maria Bell ought to be rung at 20:45 right now. In a few days it will shift another 15 minutes to accommodate the longer day.

We are in Rogation Week, before the Feast of the Ascension, that mysterious feast without which we would be truly struggling.

In the mornings there is a procession at the parish, humble, but we pray for you and for many other things.

Yesterday, I was particularly aware of my benefactors.

Today a few other petitions made a significant impact.

Was there ever a time when these petitions were more needed earnestly to be prayed?

We are reminded that this is CHRIST’s Church and not the plaything of a few, no matter how exalted they themselves and others perceive them to be.

We are reminded that Orders are for ORDER and not for whatever the hell it is we have now.  We need to be united in CHRIST’s sacred religion which is impossible to be if we don’t know what it is!  Therefore, our tradition is a sine qua non for our unity and identity. Tradition has logical and chronological priority over whatever notions (which are things in a sewing basket, not the basis of serious governance) the forward-minded but continuity-retarded might come up with like the infamous Good Idea Fairy.

We are reminded that, while the Church will always have enemies, within and without, we must work to DEFEAT the Church’s enemies.  If they are the enemies of Christ’s CHURCH, they are the enemies of CHRIST what ever they wear.  They are the enemies of our souls, because in the Church we belong to Christ’s mystical PERSON.    There is no compromise with the Enemy of the soul.  There is only perseverance in rightly ordered governance in the Church’s sacred religion for the ultimate victory which is the salvation of souls.

For this we need order, tradition and courage.

For this we need “meno chiacchere – più processioni“.

Once upon a time… and NOW where tradition is maintained.

Again out with clerical friends for breakfast.  To whom goes that fresh squeezed OJ?

On the way to the Campo de’ Fiori for, fiori, and also something for lunch which you can’t get back in that other place.

At the bakery.  I didn’t get any of these, but it does my heart good to know that I could.

I did get some of this mortadella with black truffle to go with the pizza bianca I got at the bakery.

Meanwhile, here is a problem.  Not so tough, but interesting.

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

When Candela Francisco was six years old, her parents bought her a chess set for Christmas for $1.50 because it was the only gift they could afford!

Ten years later, Candela is the #womeninchess champion of the entire American continent! ????

This is what #chess is about! https://t.co/lvfNTDiXll pic.twitter.com/vc0rLtwpoT

— Women’s Chess Coverage (@OnTheQueenside) May 15, 2023

Great story.

Here’s another great story.

nce upon a time …Fr. Z readers all started to use his Amazon links when shopping online. US HERE – UK HERE Not only did they get their stuff, but Fr. Z got a small percentage of each purchase which meant that, over time, he would put a new roof on his house and continue to pay his health insurance because being cancelled sucks. The people were so happy using those links that they also remembered that wine gladdens man’s heart, and so they got wine from the monks of Le Barroux, in France, and beer from the monks at Norcia, in Italy. The monks were so glad from the income, because that meant they could maintain and build their monasteries where they pray in reparation for people out here in the world all the time.

The End.

Roman sunrise was at 05:48.

I was up and the sky was mostly clear.  Not so much now.

The sunset will be at  20:26 and if things remain as they are, we won’t see it.

The Ave Maria Bells should be rung at 20:45.

We begin the Rogation Days before the Feast of the Ascension… which is THURSDAY.

This morning I postponed Mass for a bit to help with responses in the humble procession and the singing of the Litany.   Be the procession small or large, thin or thronged, there was a procession.

These particular invocations…

Ut ómnibus benefactóribus nostris sempitérna bona retríbuas. ... That it may please thee to bestow on all our benefactors thine everlasting benefits.

Te rogamus, audi nos.

Ut ánimas nostras, fratrum, propinquórum et benefactórum nostrórum ab ætérna damnatióne erípias. … That it may please thee to deliver from eternal damnation our souls, and those of our brethren, kindred, and benefactors.

Te rogamus, audi nos.

I was right there, especially praying for my monthly donors and all my benefactors, those who have made this Roman Sojourn possible.

And one of you benefactors made it possible for me to have some alstroemeria to replace the peonies that went the way of all flesh.     Here they all, all fanned out.

Also fanned out.  This is how you lay out a Roman cope or “piviale”, with the stole, alb, cincture and amice before Mass.

After Masses today, I invited a young priest who is studying in Rome, but who wondrously has connections with priests in my native place, for some breakfast.

Which cornetto is mine?

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE

Here’s a puzzle. White to move. Black has a mate threat, so don’t dawdle.

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

I just did some work with Igor on the “Giuoco Piano”, which seemed appropriate.

Yesterday in the Pro Chess League, the Gotham Knights defeated the Shanghai Tigers to win the 2023 championship (and a bunch of money – $25K).

Meanwhile, in Romania for the 1st leg of the Grand Chess Tour Alireza Firouzja was defeated by Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Some games were rather lackluster draws but However, the clash of Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri had a queen sac after a Giuoco Piano, which spiced things.  At the end, Caruana had more time on his clock than when he started! Anish, a bit of a joker, later said that during a long think with his head in his hands that he had fallen asleep. Fabi is on top with three tied for 2nd, including my guy Wesley So. Wesley had a 14 move draw against Nepo. Yawn. They, especially Nepo, must be flat-lined.

Give some business to the Summit Dominicans. Check their shop!

Your chess needs can be met HERE.   Help me out.  Help yourselves.  MEMORIAL DAY – 20%!  Keyword: MEMORIAL Here’s something super basic.  Small, very portable.  It’ll fit on a small space like a child-size desk or  TV tray.  I have TWO in Rome for looking at variations and not having to reset everything with one change (and I bought a couple extra queens separately and they arrived like a flash).

Analysis Chess Set & Board Combination

The Chessmen Our special analysis combo set includes a chess board with 1.5″ squares an… [More]

A priest shows altar boys how to sing the Sunday Epistle in Latin.  Yes, they are singing.  Yes, they are singing Latin.  Yes, it’s from the Letter of the Apostle James and not something the boys already know.  Yes, it can be done.  No, Latin isn’t too hard.

Welcome registrants:

Agathontohen
Gulag California
Seber

At 05:49 the sun rose on Rome and it will slip beneath the horizon at 20:25.  The Ave Maria Bell is to ring at 20:45.

In the Novus Ordo calendar it is the Feast of St. Matthias.  I have a priest friend in Switzerland thusly named.  I hope he is well.

Today is the Feast of St. Corona, who was martyred with her husband Victor.  Victor and Corona… sounds like a couple of makes of cars… or beers.  Buy beer from the Benedictines.   Anyway, during not very entertaining COVID Theatre the great people Leaflet Missal in St. Paul make statues of St. Corona, who was torn in half between two trees that had been pulled over.  Not very nice.  The statue is nice, however.

You can get your statue of St. Corona.  HERE

From the sublime to the ridiculous, I made another little chicken last night, with bits and pieces of veg and herbs that needed using up.  Celery, tomatoes, onions, fennel, carrot.

Having extracted everything but the juices I reduced.   I didn’t like the look of this at all.

After I strained it, I tempered some wine and flour with warm juice and then started working it in.

Whack that little bird in half.  Scissors work.  Speaking of halves.

Some pane integrale di Lanuvio that was about to go into the “This Is Now Like Rock” bag, softened with gravy.

I’m back in the mode of never going out to eat.

I should constrain myself to go to a couple of places.

The Romanian stage of the Chess Tour is on and concludes today.   Alireza Firouza, ever more dangerous, gained on Fabiano Caruana by breaking through Ian Nepomniachtchi’s fortress. HERE Anish Giri took down Ding Liren with a knight sac. Bloody. There was wierd energy because Richard Rapport and Bogdan-Daniel Deac at the beginning when Richard didn’t retract the “guest first move” and Bogdan wanted him to. No handshake. Bog slapped the clock button and Rapport went to talk to the Arbiter. Wesley So. Let’s go, Wesley! Drew with Fabiano. Just didn’t want to fight.

Here’s a puzzle.

White is threatening mate.  Black to move… and mate!

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

As I said before. Buy some beer from the traditional Benedictine monks in Norcia. It is REALLY GOOD.

Finally, I saw a thing on Twitter, people posting contrasting images with the caption:

The two sides of my personality, constantly fighting.

Here’s my try.

I did not see the sunrise at 05:50, because it was cloudy.  I doubt I will see the sunset at 20:24 because it will still be cloudy.  The Ave Maria won’t be heard at 20:30 even though it is scheduled to ring at that time

It is the Feast of the Dedication of S. Maria “ad Martyres” (the Pantheon) which occurred in +609 after a harrowing exorcism of the place.  More on that in another post.

It is also the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, marking the first apparition to the three children.  As Joseph Ratzinger once remarked, the Fatima “event” is an ongoing “event” in some ways.  I am sure this is the case even from the perspective of ongoing controversies.  For example, have we really been told everything about the “third secret”?  I don’t think so.  Was at some point did an imposter replace Sr. Lucia, the last living seer of the apparitions?  There is some rather compelling evidence.  Accept those things or not, place great stock in the messages of Fatima or not, one thing is for sure.  We cannot give Our Lady enough or adequate honor and praise.

I am pleased to report that plenty of money has been pledged for vestments for Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini.  I can get that going with a visit to Gammarelli on Monday.  There will be enough money for a few black sets along with the six red I have planned.  Then: purple or violet or Roman purple… I must consult.

This white set, which I used today, gives an idea of the pattern of the damask and the trim.  The white sets are in pretty good shape.

Also in good shape was this big bowl of spaghetti alle vongole which I made last night.  Very good indeed.  I have this one down.

Of course, finish cooking the pasta in that juice!

The jasmine is coming out… a whole bunch of it.  And I don’t mean that dreadful Jesuit… coming out.

Beautiful.  And so fragrant, especially in the evening.  I’d like to find a strain as fragrant as this and plant some at home.

In my rental apartment – shall I, O St. Philip?  O St. Joseph? O Ven Mary Ward? have one of my own? – there is this chair, which I use for all my writing and online chess forays.

Why am I showing you that chair?  Because this.   The last two peonies (they’ll surely be done by tonight) and a bunch of alstroemeria, which is what that chair looks like, no?  Lower down there are a couple of others, I think.  But… no?

Here’s a whole bunch of fishes.  The ugly red ones are gallinella.  They are used for soups and stews, having very soft flesh.  You would not want to even try to grill.  Whatever they are used for, they aren’t cheap at €45/kg.

Yesterday, in 2023 Pro Chess League action, the all-Indian Team MGD1 and Indian Yogis defeated respectively the Levitov Chess Wizards and Blitz, to move into the Semifinals which will be today: the Yogis vs. Shanghai Tigers at 15:30 CEST, followed by the Gotham Knights vs. Team MGD1 at 18:00 CEST.  HERE

The World Chess Tour classic in Romania is winding up soon.  Yesterday Fabiano Caruana blundered his game against the dangerous youngster Alireza Firouzja in round six. Wesley So – my favorite player in the event  went for a draw by repetition against Ding Liren.  Wesley should have played it out.  He should have won that one.   Round seven continues today at 14:00 CEST.  Yes, I’m giving times in Central European Time, ’cause that’s where I am.   For Eastern, subtract 6.

Black to move and win, if you don’t lose big time, that is.

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

I rely on that small percentage of each Amazon sale for a lot of things, like insurance, gas, you know… not the fun stuff.