Fr. Z's Blog

In the Novus Ordo calendar it is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary whereupon the sun rose at 0536 and will set at 2040.

The Ave Maria Bells is still fixed at 21 for a while longer.

It is Ember Wednesday in the Octave of Pentecost. I have something more about that in another post today.

In these last days in Rome, I’ve been saying Mass for my benefactors of the Roman Sojourn.

On a “benefactor” note, I write email thank you’s each day, but some of them get kicked back as “undeliverable”.  If you are a regular donor and you haven’t gotten a note from me, please please please let me know.  HERE  Even more importantly, if you would like to be a donor, let me know!   That sort of email is always welcome.

A lovely sight in church after Mass on this Ember Day.

Which of these breakfast pairings is mine?  And why?

The elevator where I live is one of those that has the pair of inner doors and an outer door. If someone leaves one of then a little ajar – they must be closed manually and completely – the elevator is your pair of shoes and your pairs of legs and lungs.

When I move in an out of the elevator I am mindful never to be holding something important, like my phone or my keys. It would be exactly my luck that, were one of them to fall, it would go exactly into the gap. Mind the gap.

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“Yes, yes, Father, that’s all well and good.  Where’s the CHESS NEWS?!?”

In Norway, Fabiano Caruana beat (#1) Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh D beat (#2) Alireza Firouzja Round 1, the classical portion, and they lead the tournament with 3 points each. My guy Wesley So (Go Wesley!) beat Hikaru Nakamura in an “armageddon” to gain 1.5. Norway Chess continues on Wednesday 31 May 11:00 EDT and 17:00 CET.

The last part of Wesley’s and Hikaru’s game was fun. As the player got squeezed by the clock, things got pretty hairy. We start here with about a minute on the clock. Watch what happens.

Give CHESS as a gift. Maybe even for Father’s Day. In the OTB group I belong to when not in Rome there are a number of men and women who well after retirement have learned to play. They get beaten a lot but they are having fun, getting out of the house and interacting with people their own age and younger. It’s win and win. Chess as a beginner is not just for the young! As I mentioned, one lady in her 70’s comes regularly and gets beaten but she has fun and she is getting better.

GIVE CHESS INTER-GENERATIONALLY.

And “NO! You are NOT too old!” I’m getting back into it. It was on my bucket list … to which I was rather forced somewhat early. Chess is hard, but it’s fun and it is keeping my head nimble. There’s a lot to that.  Chess fun… well… I was playing blitz against a bot yesterday and made a blunder so stupid I almost hurled my mouse through the window. But… never mind.  Chess is fun!

White to move and mate in 2.  Not easy.

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 It would be fun to have a small league.

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Finally… the “If only” moment.

Yes, OF COURSE I want to stay in Rome longer, but would that this were real. I think I would stand in a line.

The day saw sunrise at 05:37 and sunset will perhaps dazzle this evening at 2039. As my days decrease in number, which makes me sad, at least they are longer and brighter. The Ave Maria Bell, would that it would ring at 2100.

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In the Novus Ordo calendar today it is the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church and it is also, incredibly, the Feast of Paul VI (+1978). I find it ironic that his feast day falls on MONDAY of the OCTAVE of PENTECOST, given that he deleted the Octave of Pentecost from the Roman Calendar for the Novus Ordo. And, yes, I know all about the story of how Paul VI arrived at the chapel to say Mass on this day and was surprised to find GREEN vestments. I know about how he asked the cerimoniere why there there GREEN vestments because it was the Octave of Pentecost. It is entirely familiar to me how the MC responded that there was no more Octave of Pentecost, that it was abolished in the reform. Too well I know Paul’s shocked question: “Who did that?” and how the MC responded, “You did, Holiness”. I know that Paul VI wept. I know all those things because I am the origin of that story, which was told to me back in the 80s by an old papal ceremoniere who was present and saw it. I recounted the story in The Wanderer for which I wrote for years and, before that, in the Catholic Online Forum of Compuserve of which I was the administrator (since 1992!). The story rapidly made the rounds but, in the English speaking world at least, I’m the source. Take it or leave it, up to you.

I sometimes ask myself about the likelihood that, say, a father of a family who, in his decisions or waffles, allows his family to fall apart when he might have held things together could in any way be thought to be manifesting heroic virtues, in particular the virtue of prudence.

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Last night I was strolling along and the various evening smells of the City would tickle my nose… garlic here… wood smoke there… and then… JASMINE.  And I don’t mean the famous Jesuit.   Jasmine!  It’s really going to work right now.   Anyway, I looked around and didn’t see any.  Then I looked up. WAAAAY up there was a Jasmine plant on a balcony.  You see, in the evening as air cools it convects its way around the streets and the scent of the jasmine from high above diffuses below.  It’s lovely and intoxicating with memories for me.

In this pic you can sort of see how Jasmine wreathes many doors along the street.  This is the beginning of the Via dei Cappellari, where there is a shop and apartment that would be great for a Chess Cafe.

I have found a couple of good places here in Rome, but it is going to take a lot more money than I have.  I shall start asking God about His money.  He has a lot of money.  Please, Lord, I need quite bit.

Happy rondini were really going at it this morning outside the church.  Along with rondini you can hear someone pulling luggage and there is a hated seagull nearby.  I hate seagulls, by the way.

Here is a puzzle.

White to move.  Mate in 2.

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

Wine from traditional Benedictines in France. Benedictines are sure doing great things right now, even in death, like Sr. Wilhelmina!

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Roman sunrise was a long time ago at 0537.

Roman sunset was also quite a while ago at 2038.

The Ave Maria Bell: still 2100.

It is Pentecost Sunday.

So much to say about the day. I am really tired.

There was a lovely Mass in church. Here is taste.

In the afternoon we had Vespers and Benediction. Here’s a shot before the moment.

Don’t you wish you had this in your parish? You should.

After sweating through two shirts and cassocks, dodging around vehicles covering the Giro d’Italia,…

I headed to the Suburra – stomping ground of the juvenile Julius Caesar – for snails.

As one does.

If you are wondering.  You use toothpicks to get the critters out.

This is Romano di Roma.

With that, I make a plea for prayers for my mother.  You benefactors… my last Masses in Rome are to be offered for my Roman Donors.  Thank you.

What? No chess?

No chess today.  Except… just… buy some chess stuff.

Stay tuned for news about the incredible antique organ that is about to be unveiled!

It’s Pentecost Sunday in the Vetus Ordo.  It’s Pentecost Sunday in the Novus Ordo, though I’m surprised they didn’t just turn it white or green and call it the 8th Sunday after Easter.

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

Share the good stuff.

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass. Pretty much everywhere it seems to be growing.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?

I have some thoughts about the Sunday reading HERE.

In John 20:19-23 when the Risen Christ appeared in the locked room to the Apostles, He breathed on them – in Hebrew both “spirit” and “breath” are ruach – and said, “Receive the calling forth from the community.” No. Wait. “Receive the spirit of synodality.” Hmmm… again. “Receive the HOLY Spirit!” That’s it.

The sun is now high over Rome and it rose at. It will be less high soon, for I write near noon, and it will set at 20:37.

The Ave Maria Bell is still pegged at 2100.

Today is the Vigil of Pentecost, at long last. It seems like a long time that we started with the pre-Lent Sundays. On the other hand, Paschaltide has really flown. For me, at least.

What shall we look at today?

First, I had a nice bowl of spaghetti with clams yesterday evening.

I’ve gotten this one down.

Shall I show you some views of the beautiful flowers in church right now? What a difference they make.

I know. I know.

“There goes old Fr. Z again, raving about the parish.  Let’s get on to more CHESS NEWS!  That’s what we really want!”

If only in these Roman churches in the Centro the priests or brothers would get off their lazy asses and start sweeping and cleaning and putting things into right order for a Roman church! Instead, they put non-sensical and usually banal idiocies, lots of junk, use the side chapels for anything other than a sacred purpose. It’s maddening.

If you are going to put some flowers on an altar, do it right!

Clean the floors! Take out the junk! DRESS THE ALTARS! Get some LIGHTS on!

Do something that people will long to see and experience again, rather than the same ol’ same ol.

In the background is the veiled baptismal font that some of you readers helped to pay for!

It isn’t rocket science.  Make sure there is something going on!  Make sure there is something beautiful to attract the heart and mind when eye rests upon it.

Our eyes.   We tend to desire what we see.  That’s why it is important for us to guard our eyes from what we should not want and direct them to things through which we can encounter goodness and truth.

And now for chess.

I’ve been talking about getting your kids (yourselves) into chess. This is a great story.

In chess news, Nodirbek Abdusattorov won Division I of the Champions Chess Tour ChessKid Cup on Friday.  Going into game 4 of the Grand Final with black and an even score, he defeated Fabiano Caruana. Whew.

Here’s a puzzle.

White to move.  Mate in TWO.

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

Please visit the site of the Summit Dominicans.

Also, your chess needs will be met here.

I wanted to add the scrolling text but, sigh, I just couldn’t get it done. Sorry.

Here is a rough… rough… version. Maybe I can get the PDF someday.

Litanie di San Filippo Neri

Kyrie eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison. Christe, audi nos. Chrise, exaudi nos.

Pater de coelis, Deus, miserere nobis. Fili, Redemptor mundi, Deus, miserere. Spiritus Sancte, Deus, miserere. Sancta Trinitas, unus Deus, miserere.

Sancta Maria, ora pro mobis. Sancta Dei Genitrix, Sancta Virgo virginum,

Sancte Philippe, Vas Spiritus Sancti, Apostolus Romae, Consiliarius Pontificis, Vox fatidica, Vir prisci temporis, Sanctus amabilis, Heros umbratilis, Pater suavissimus, Flos puritatis, Martyr charitatis, Cor flammigerum, Discretor spirituum, Gemma sacerdotum, Vitae divinae speculum, Specimen humilitatis,

Exemplar simplicitatis. Lux sanctae laetitiae Imago pueritiae. Forma senectutis. Rector animarum. Piscator fluctuantium. Manuductor pupillorum. Hospes Angelorum. Qui castitatem adolescens coluisti. Qui Romam divinitus petiisti.

Qui multos annos in catactumbis delituisti. Qui ipsum Spiritum in cor recepisti. Qui mirabiles ecstases sustinuisti. Qui parvulis amanter serviisti.

Qui peregrinantium pedes. Qui martyrium ardentissime sitiisti. Qui Verbum Dei quotidianum distribuisti. Qui tot corda ad Deum allexisti.

Qui sermones dulces cum Maria contulisti. Qui emortuum ab inferis reduxisti. Qui domos tuas in omni regione constituisti. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, parce nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, exaudi nos, Domine. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Ora pro nobis, sancte Philippe.
Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus. DEUS, qui beatum Philippum Confessorem tuum Sanctorum tuorum gloria sublimasti; concede propitius, ut cuius commemoratione laetamur, ejus virtutum proficiamus exemplo. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum.
N. Amen.

Illo nos igne Spiritus Sanctus inflammet
quo sancti Philippi cor mirabiliter penetravit.

RESPICE de caelo, Sancte Pater, ex illius montis celsitudine in huius vallis humilitatem, ex illo quietis et tranquillitatis portu in calamitosum hoc mare, et vide illis benignissimis oculis quibus huius saeculi discussa caligine clarius omnia intueris et perspicis, et visita custos diligentissime, vineam istam quam posuit et plantavit dextera tua tanto labore, sudore, periculis. Ad te itaque confugimus, a te opem petimus; tibi nos penitus totosque tradimus; te nobis patronum et defensorem adoptamus suscipe causam salutis nostrae; tuere clientes tuos. Te ducem omnes appellamus; rege contra daemonis impetum pugnantem exercitum. Ad te, pientissime rector, vitae nostrae deferimus gubernacula. Rege naviculam hanc tuam, et, in alto collocatus, averte cupididtum scopulos, ut te duce et directore incolumes ad illum aeternae felicitatis portum pervenire possimus. Amen.

Preghiera a san Filippo Neri

O san Filippo Neri, glorioso fondatore dell’arciconfraternita della Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini e Convalescenti, angelo di costumi, maestro di virtu, serafino di carita, apostolo di Roma e patrono della gioventii, io sotto la vostra protezione raccomando la vita mia. Ottenetemi la grazia di camminare per la strada retta del Vangelo e di star sempre vigilante e cauto, percio la mia coscienza non si addormenti mai nella falsa e perniciosa pace dei peccatori. Assistetemi finalmente nell’ora della mia morte; scacciate da me, in quel passo terribile, it maledetto insidiatore, e accompagnate l’anima mia in Paradiso.

On this 146th day of the year, we come to the Feast of St. Philip Neri (+1595), a great saint whose impact on the Universal Church was momentous.

It still is momentous, especially through the grace-ripples emanating from the parish where he was (and is still) active in Rome.

On this feast the Ave Maria Bell should tonight be run at 2100.

The sun should set at 20:26.

The sun rose shortly before the photo, below, at 05:39.

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In church I found things ready for Mass.  Very nice.

This cloth of gold is truly precious.

After a quick standing breakfast with friends I went to the Campo for supplies for meals today, since I have nothing else on my plate. See what I did there?

After obtaining fresh mozzarella, off to the fishmonger for clams, a spur of the moment choice.   I ran into these critters, which were not so familiar to me in this phase.  These are called “gobbetti”.  Note the blue spots.

On closer inspection, the blue are eggs.

Gobbetti can be eaten either cooked or raw. Yum.

Such a plethora of gifts from God in this place.

Along the way I stopped at my veg and fruit stand and chatted with the folks, I got waved at from the door of the butcher shop, the cheese monger called me over to sample some mixed Robbiola (goat, cow), the manager of one of the bar/resto/cocktail places came over to say hi after the veg stand, happy Pippo de’ Fiori gave me a white rose because one of the Trinità priests told him of my anniversary (50 went to Mary at her altar in church), Daniela of the corner bakery was particularly pleasant, even the usually growly guy at the register smiled, and on the next street over I ran into one of the owners of a fine trattoria (Sicilian) that I send friends to and enjoy myself.

I got back to my place and started the clams to soak, and gave the rose some water. In that moment I was overwhelmed with the desire never to leave. I think it was in one of the Rocky movies someone says that once you’ve been in a place for a long enough, you are that place. The way things are right now, its the only place I really can be me.  Thanks for what you all do for me.  Each day is precious.

Clams are transported home in paper here. If you are going to keep them for a while, and that is possible, you have to wrap them tightly together in a moist towel which prevents them from opening and getting into all sorts of mischief around the place. Clams! Can’t take your eyes off them for a moment.

Salty water. For several hours. They say they are purged. I purge more.

Last night after the Litany and Prayer of Card. Baronius to St. Philip – I’ll be posting a video when it is done processing – I encountered a priest of a certain Society and long time reader who says the traditional Mass. We stopped over at the new place I’ve been going to for supper – you are not going to find better classics in Rome. I started with fiori di zucca, the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with a little mozzarella or other and a bit of anchovy. In many place when you get these they are nasty undercooked oil sponges. These, however, were perfect, fried exactly right, crispy and not a bit over oily.

I think God, knowing about Rome head of time, made sure that zucchini would produce so very many blossoms every day so that we could really enjoy them in season.  It is a crime to take His wonderful gifts and make bad food out of them when it is so easy to make excellent food simply and gratefully.

Anyway, long chat over food and back home.  I was constrained to see this on my walk, poor me.

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Here’s a puzzle.

White to move.  Mate in 2.

Magnus won the Warsaw Rapid and Blitz.  He is a force of … something. My guy Wesley So and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave tied for third. Second was Jan-Krzysztof Duda who had finally fallen to the No. 1 in the World (though not official World Champ). In the Champions Chess Tour ChessKid Cup Fabiano won two Armagedon’s to go on to play Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the Final.

Get your chess stuff and start in, friends.  Make sure your children learn.

The idea of that chess cafe in Rome will NOT go away.  I renew my plea to San Pippo and San Giuseppe.  Help me, dear saints, figure all of this out.  I feel like I am on the edge of something that I can’t quite make out.