Fr. Z's Blog

I’m heading back the way I came. Solid driving got me back to Parris Island.

Supper with my buddy who’s at the MCRD.

Nice sunset.

That, by the way, is not at the MCRD.

Which drink is mine?

Blue Points and St. James.

Grouper stuffed with crab.  Flavorful but overcooked as it turns out.  You must must must be careful with fish and broilers.  Will they never learn?

That, by the way, is not chow at the MCRD.

Along the way I wish I had been taking photos of bathroom tiles in old rectories.  Some of them have their fixtures from the 40’s and 50’s, which means also great color combinations like pink and green with gray.

Here is a shot of one corner in one place.

I should start a series for priests to send in photos of their rectories (anonymized of course) or places they visit (again anonymized): VINTAGE RECTORY BATHROOM TILES

The drive included a stop at Buc-ee’s which was a MISTAKE.  It was only by 80% brilliance and 20% luck on my part that I found a back way to exit and didn’t have to spend at least an hour trying to get to the Interstate using their indications.  It was MADNESS.  NEVER stop at a Buc-ee’s on a week in summer (unless it is before, say, 0600).  JUST. DON’T.

And, 800 recruits were at Sunday Mass.

For the rest, I have an incredible amount of email stacked up and a lot of thank you note to write.  Please be patient.

Finally, if you haven’t watched the video yet, please do.  It’s significant. HERE

And you will find this highly engaging. From Fr. James Mawdsley…

Crucifixion to Creation: Roots of the Traditional Mass Traced back to Paradise

US HERE – UK HERE

My time at the conference held by the St Paul Center for Biblical Theology (and Emmaus Press) was great.  Being close to Pittsburgh I wanted to see something of the city.  So, with the help of a great priest, Eastern Catholic, whom I met at the conference, I got around to see a few things.  Some highlights.  BTW.. most of the things I went to see were CLOSED.

From the bluffs above the city where there is a church dedicated to Mary with Tiffany windows.  It was, of course, closed.

Back in 1960 Bill Mazeroski hit a walkoff homerun to win the World Series.  The old Forbes field is gone, but there are traces.

Inside a nearby university building, homeplate.

German food was had with a priest friend.

Cigars were smoked and chess was played with a priest friend.

Driving in Pittsburgh.  It’s sorta like driving in Brooklyn except vertically.

I finally, after trying in vain for a couple days, visited the “relic chapel” of St. Anthony.  Literally thousands of relics.

Time to get out of Dodge and head eastward to my next stop near Harper’s Ferry and a place at a rectory.

On the way I stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial.

The older I get the more I am moved by sites like this.

Later in the evening, after tortuous driving up and over the Allegheny’s summit, Thai.

St. Peter’s in Harper’s Ferry.

Tomorrow, who knows?   I think I will try to get a big chunk of the southern drive out of the way.   Maybe back to Parris Island.  Yut.

Pray for me and for safety on the road.  Pray for those who have been so kind with hospitality and companionship in Pittsburgh and in the Charles Town / Harper’s Ferry area.