ROME 22/11 – Day 33: Dem bones and ASK FATHER: Third Class Relics

When is Roman sunrise?  6:41.  And the sunset, you ask?  Why, it’s at 17:05.  And is the Ave Maria bell at the same time as yesterday?  Yes, at 17:30.

It is the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed today.   Today priests have their three Masses (though only one stipend).   When the Masses are celebrated continuously, that is without interruption, we priests are dispensed from the Eucharistic fast for the second and third Mass.  Think about it: ablutions.

The proper texts for the Requiem Masses are lovely, very rich.

The Collect from the 1st Requiem:

Fidélium, Deus, ómnium Cónditor et Redémptor: animábus famulórum famularúmque tuárum remissiónem cunctórum tríbue peccatórum; ut indulgéntiam, quam semper optavérunt, piis supplicatiónibus consequántur:

O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Your servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that they may obtain by our loving prayers the forgiveness which they have always desired.

Last night at Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, there was the display of and then presentation of the parish’s relics.

Coming into church many reliquaries were on the St Matthew altar:

A close up of one of them.

And this is how they were presented, the one just above, as a matter of fact.

Each reliquary was placed on the main altar after being presented.  Here’s what they looked like last night.

Afterwards, Vespers were sung.  When it came to the Magnificat and the incensation of the altar, not only was the main altar incensed, but all the other eight side altars (used!) of the church were also solemnly incensed.  That made for a rather long Magnificat, as you might imagine.   This is the final altar, of St. Matthew.

 

You see members of the Archconfraternity that St. Philip Neri started to take care of pilgrims and the sick.  They are not just into dressing up, as some of the confraternities in Rome (well.. pretty much all of those that survive).  They are actively engaged in works of mercy spiritual (like catechism of children) and corporal (like feeding the poor and burying the dead).

That was last night.

Coming into church this morning, this is what it looked like.

THAT took work. Think about the great love and dedication it requires to do these things, as well as know how.  They are teaching the world about Roman tradition.  These glimpses are important.  To one degree or another they can be done in parishes.

Churches should be living buildings.  The consecration is much like a baptism with exorcisms, anointings, washings, fire given, naming…

Altars should be respected and used.   They aren’t shelves for plants or pictures of the wokened’s latest idol.

The Church’s calendar is a treasure, her traditions precious gifts, all part of our patrimony.

Don’t let them cheat you out of your patrimony.

Wanna hear what the Salve Regina sounds like after Mass?

Hail Holy Queen!

What about this other queen?

White has the bishop pair and dominates the f file.

Black to move.

[I’ll hold your solutions in the comment queue for a while to let others work it without spoilers.  It has been great to see your answers!]

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

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Speaking of relics….

From a reader…

What type of prayer does a lay-person say to create a third class relic by touching an object to a second class relic?

Nothing.  There is no prayer involved.  Your intention is enough.

And for those who don’t know, a 1st class relic is from the body of the blessed or saint, such as bone, flesh, hair, or perhaps the “ash”.  Sometimes bodies simply disintegrate into something that is like ashes.  Thus, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust”.

A 2nd class relic would be from a possession of the blessed or saint, such has a habit or clothing or a piece therefore.

A 3rd class relic is something that has had contact with a 1st or 2nd class relic.  It is a bit remote, but we Catholic believe in intermediary intercession all the time, right?

BTW… last night, my Rosary was touched to each and every relic involved.

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IRELAND… again.

If I am not mistaken, you probably have more fingers – Capt. Hook included – than all of Ireland has priestly ordinations.

Remember the video of the old jack ass priest saying that he’d rather not have any vocations than priests like these new young guys?

Here’s another reason why there are problems.

Mind you, this is an extreme example, but it does underscore a real problem: a growing divide between priests and bishops. I read a piece the other day about a study with priests about their bishops. It was grim, to say the least, and very sad.

Several readers have written to me about the following. In this case it is about an older priest who still has his head screwed on in the right direction, unlike many of his coevals.

A priest preaches about moral issues. The bishop stomps on him. thejournal.ie

Bishop of Kerry apologises after priest tells mass that free condoms [TO GIRLS] promote promiscuity

Fr Seán Sheehy also told the congregation in Listowel that sex between two men or two women was a sin, as was ‘transgenderism’.

A PRIEST IN Kerry has sparked backlash after telling a mass that sex between two men or two women is sinful and that free condom schemes from the HSE promote promiscuity.

Fr Seán Sheehy, a retired priest deputising for parish priest Fr Declan O’Connor, said during his homily at St Mary’s Church in Listowel that repentance would save people from Satan and his “wiles and ways”[Imagine such a thing!]

He also said that Irish legislation took a “lunatic approach” to “transgenderism”.

The Bishop of Kerry, Dr Ray Browne, has this morning apologised for the homily, saying the views expressed were not representative of Christianity.  [Thus, the problems in Ireland.]

Bishop Browne in a statement posted on the diocesan website this mid morning said he was aware of “the deep upset and hurt” caused by the contents of the homilies in question delivered over the weekend.

I apologise to all who were offended. The views expressed do not represent the Christian position. The homily at a regular weekend parish Mass is not appropriate for such issues to be spoken of in such terms.

[Get this…] “The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is a Gospel of love and ever proclaims the dignity of every human person. It calls on us all to ever have total respect for one another.  [I ask you… is it loving to candy coat or be silent about things that separate you from the love of God and which, if not dealt with, bring you to Hell rather than Heaven?  Is spiritual neglect, refusal to do one’s duty as a priest, show respect to people?  “TOTAL respect” includes the hard styff.]

The statement included three passages from the Bible, including: “Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are,” from the Gospel of John.  [There are other passages.]

’1980s Ireland’
A number of people left the Sunday morning mass in protest. A member of the congregation can be heard shouting at the priest in a video circulating on social media.  [Hardly a surprise after decades of seriously bad shepherding.]

The video sparked backlash on Facebook and Twitter. One person told The Journal that the sermon was “like stepping back to 1980s Ireland.”

Fr Sheehy told the congregation: “You rarely hear about sin but it’s rampant. It’s rampant. We see it for example in the legislation. We see it in the promotion of abortion we see it and in the example of this lunatic approach of transgenderism and in promotion of sex between two men and two women.

“That is sinful. That is mortal sin.”

The mass in question was an anniversary mass and there were children and families in the congregation.  [Anniversary of… what?  A marriage?  In that case, there were probably some younger people there who have never heard anything like this.]

Fr Sheehy also condemned the distribution of condoms to girls by the HSE, which he said promoted promiscuity.

As people apparently left the congregation, he said: “Those of you who happen to be leaving today, God help you is all I have to say. God bless you who are here and worshiping God. God bless all of you.”

Fr Sheehy, who returned to Kerry from Baton Rouge in Louisiana in the US in 2007, has previously made the news after outcry when he shook hands and gave a character reference for convicted sex offender Danny Foley of Listowel, in Tralee Circuit Court in 2009.  [I don’t know anything about that case, but I do know that many Catholics … catholics … have a “one strike” attitude. They don’t really believes that a sinner can ever repent.  Donatists at heart.  Conversion?  Repentance?  Pffft.]

Then Bishop of Kerry Dr Bill Murphy distanced himself from his actions.

Sometimes the Church is accused of focusing on sexual sins too much.  It is said, correctly, that there are more serious sins.  While this is true, sexual sins by and large are mortal sins.   If there are more serious mortal sins, such as those of malice and pride, etc., that doesn’t make less serious mortal sins un-mortal.  If you are crushed by a bus-size meteor from space, you are dead.  If you are shot with a .22 round and you die, you are dead.  If you commit a mortal sin of malice and you die in that state, you go to Hell.  If you commit a less serious mortal sin of the flesh, and you did in that state, you go to Hell.

So there’s a reason why the Church tends – or tended  – to stress sexual sins: there are a lot more of them being committed.  And they can pave the way to worse sins yet.

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VIDEO (must see): The Benedictines of Mary are growing and BUILDING

The traditional Benedictine nuns of Gower Abbey, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, have expanded with a daughter house. These are the Benedictines who have made the beautiful music recordings that I feature often in my podcasts. They are building in Ava, Missouri in Ozarks.

A tree is known by its fruit.

One of the things that touches me with this initiative is that it is dedicated to St. Joseph and they are building a shrine for FATHERS.

A New Monastery for the Benedictines of Mary from Benedictines of Mary on Vimeo.

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Your Sunday Sermon Notes: Christ the King (31st Ordinary – N.O.) and for All Saints

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Mass of obligation for the the Vetus Ordo Feast of Christ the King (31st Ordinary in the Novus)?  

And also the Feast of All Saints?

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 had some thoughts about the Feast of Christ the King HERE.

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Stupidity on stilts

The claim is made by hyperpapalists and the Vatican II Calf extremists that the Vetus Ordo is antithetical to the “spirit” of the Council and that the Novus Ordo is the true manifestation of that “spirit”.

Is it?

Meanwhile, in Rome at the “traditional” parish where the Vetus Ordo is used, we have this.  They do this at the beginning of each month and they also regularly have meals to feed the poor.

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ROME 22/10 – Day 32: Silence and Solutions

On this Feast of All Saints in Rome the sun rose at 6:40 and it will set at 17:07, earlier and earlier. The Ave Maria is to ring at 17:30. There are 61 days left in the calendar year and 26 days until Advent, which means I have to decide soon about Adventen podcasts.

Today at Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, there will be a presentation of the relics that the parish has.

I warmly recommend an apostolate with relics run by a friend of mine, Fr. Carlos Martins, called Treasures of the Church Click there.  Look at the schedule and see if he is going to be in your neck of the woods.  You won’t regret going to his presentation.

Here is something that you will see in many Roman sacristies: a sign requiring SILENCE.

Sometimes it’s okay to converse, etc., in a sacristy.  However, when Father has to prepare for Mass, neither he nor anyone else around him should be talking in a loud voice to talking to him.  Ideally, Father is saying his vesting prayers and reciting his “intention”.

The classic intention is:

Ego volo celebrare Missam, et conficere Corpus et Sanguinem Domini nostri Iesu Christi, iuxta ritum sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae, ad laudem omnipotentis Dei totiusque Curiae triumphantis, ad utilitatem meam totiusque Curiae militantis, pro omnibus, qui se commendaverunt orationibus meis in genere et in specie, et pro felici statu sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae.

Gaudium cum pace, emendationem vitae, spatium verae paenitentiae, gratiam et consolationem Sancti Spiritus, perseverantiam in bonis operibus, tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.

I intend to celebrate Mass and to make present the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the rite of the holy Roman Church to the praise of Almighty God and all His assembly in the glory of Heaven, for my good and the good of all His soldiering pilgrim Church on Earth, and for all who have asked me to pray for them in general and in particular, and for the good of the Holy Roman Church.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us joy and peace, amendment of life, time for true repentance, the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit and perseverance in good works. Amen.

Fathers, do you say this prayer?  Say it in whatever language you want.  It is important to have the intention to do what the Church intends with Holy Mass.  Recitation of this intention takes care of this for the priest, because even if he becomes distracted during Mass itself he has the moral intention, established from the onset, to confect the Eucharist and for certain reasons, including the specific intention for which he is celebrating that Mass.

Meanwhile, St. Rita saw the working document for the Synod (“walking together”) on Synodality (“walking togetherity”) calling for “permanent revolution… aggiornamento”.

These are puntarelle, chicory shoots, stripped of leaves and curled up in cold water dressed with a “solution” of oil, garlic and anchovy.   This time there was a bit of lemon and it was very good. A must try when you are in Rome and they are in season.

Happy people after Mass talking to each other, catching up, making lunch plans.   It must be suppressed, of course, because this is after a Vetus Ordo Mass and, therefore, it is not permitted to be visibly happy in the streets of any city because other people might see them and want to find out more.  Double Plus Ungood.

Black has a lone pawn.  White’s king is far away.  The bishops are eyeing each other… as they do.  The king is a fighting piece in the end game.  White is up a piece but that knight is badly placed.

Solve it.  Black to move.

How about some wine from the traditional Benedictine monks of Le Barroux for your Thanksgiving meal? Use the code FATHERZ10 and get 10% off.

BTW… you could sip wine and improve your chess game with Remote Chess Academy. Try THIS.

And because it is beautiful.

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ROME 22/10 – Day 31: Car, Choir, and Carbonara

Thank you, Lord, for this day upon which the Roman sun rose at 6:39 and will set at 17:08.  The Ave Maria would ring at 17:30.  I leave the City in a week.  Advent begins on 27 November.   PRIESTS: Get an Ordo.

While it is a dies non in the 1962 Calendar, it was the Vigil of All Saints, All Hallows E’en, celebrated in violet and which had its own Mass texts.

Today and tomorrow the Roman Martyrology is a little chattier than usual. To wit:

THE vigil of All Saints.—At Rome, the birthday of blessed Nemesius, deacon, and his daughter, the virgin Lucilla. As they could not be prevailed upon to abandon the faith of Christ, they were beheaded on the 25th of August by order of the emperor Valerian. Their bodies were buried by the blessed pope Stephen, and afterwards more decently entombed on this day, on the Appian road, by blessed Xystus. Gregory V. translated them into the sacristy of Santa Maria Nova, together with the Saints Symphronius, Olympius, tribune, Exuperia, his wife, and Theodulus, his son, who, being all converted by the exertions of Symphronius, and baptized by the same St. Stephen, had been crowned with martyrdom. These holy bodies were found there during the Pontificate of Gregory XIII., and placed more honorably beneath the altar of the same church, on the 8th of December.

We need more children named Exuperia. The Latin is from “ex-superius … from higher up“. There was an early Bishop of Toulouse named Exuperius to whom Jerome dedicated his commentary on Zachariah.

On the way to church to be in choir for the Solemn Mass of Christ the King, I spotted this gem.

A Rome D2 license plate.  Old and looking mighty fine.

The church was JAMMED yesterday, people standing in all the aisles, even the cross aisle in the center.  A great number of young people.

My vantage point in the choir.

Lunch.   Carbonara.

This morning in the piazza.  Brighter than a couple days ago with the change of the daylight savings time to regular time.

Meanwhile….

BLACK to move.  A Knight is hanging on a8. Material imbalance: white is up. The e file is dangerous. Black’s light square bishop is well placed. There is a discovered attack and a removal of the guard tactic in this one. Be careful and don’t just react.

NB: I may hold comments with puzzle solutions a little longer than others so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Interested in learning?  Try THIS

Beer from the monks of Norcia would be spectacular with traditional fixin’s on Thanksgiving Day!

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ROME 22/10 – Day 30: Of processions and puzzles and petitions

Some notable changes in the Roman sun schedule since we ended the “ora legale” here.   Today the sun rose on Rome at 6:38 and it will set at 17:09.   We have also moved the ringing of the Ave Maria bell: 17:30, although it is still in the same quarter hour increment as before.

Today, last Sunday in October, in the Traditional Roman Calendar it is the Feast of Christ the King.    It is also the Feast of St. Germanus of Capua (+540).

At Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini today there will be a Solemn Mass for the closure of the Populus Summorum Pontificum and Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage.  It should be lovely. I’m heading there in a little while.

Some shots and a puzzle and a pitch or two.

First a pitch.  [UPDATE 31 Oct: I received a lovely note from the sisters saying, among other things:

“Hold off on reposting about the advent candles just yet – we sold out so fast this year (many orders through you!) that we are going to try to make more sets, but we don’t have them just yet. Hopefully in another week or so.” 

I’ll ask them when we can start again with Advent candle orders.  HOWEVER… you can order other things through them, too.  Check out their shop and look around even if you think you are not getting something right now.]

Advent is less than one month away!

The Summit Dominicans are making candles for your Advent wreaths.  Why not get yours from them?  You get nice candles, made by the sisters, and they get your support.    HERE

Processing past Castel Sant’Angelo to St. Peter’s.

The sign of peace during the Solemn Mass in St. Peter’s.

My view for awhile.

Evening in front of the Pantheon.  Venus is above the obelisk. Alas, there are guys peddling these stupid glowing things that you slingshot into the air (to the right).  It’s not an alien green planet.

Walking home after a long day.

White is down a piece. Checks are needed, very precise forcing checks so that the black Queen can’t interfere.  Drive the enemy King and obtain a crushing advantage.

WHITE to move.  [I’ll hold your solutions in the comment queue for a while to let others work it without spoilers.  It has been great to see your answers!]

Interested in learning or improving?  Try THIS.

The Traditional Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay off the coast of Scotland have a 2023 calendar. To buy and help them HERE  They sent me this – try clicking on it to save me some time on a busy morning: 2023 Calendar  To buy and help them: HERE

Lastly, a few things yesterday really caught my eye.

  • The overwhelming number of people participating in the pilgrimage were young and every one was happy.  Even with a little grousing about what’s going on, the general attitude was one of positive resistance with confident resolve.
  • During the procession to St. Peter’s, when we were singing the Litany of Saints, I heard a man’s voice call out, “Gregorian chant!  Hurry!” and I saw some people hustle up to see the procession go by.  A man looked like he was about to cry.
  • I stopped in at a church along the way that I hadn’t seen for a while.  There was a TLM going on.  No, I won’t say what church or when.
  • In the midday, while I was heading home from the Mass. A mother with a baby carriage containing a toddler had stopped and was pointing up at one of the many “madonnelle” in the Roman streets, shrines to Mary.   The toddler followed the eyes and finger and set off an enormous cold-heart melting smile.

 

Thus, Rome and why I come back even after all the hard times I had here.

Finally, there was a development yesterday involving a long-standing petition.  Fruit of this pilgrimage?  You betchya!  I beg you humbly today to raise a prayer to Mary Queen of the Clergy to bring something to a good end.

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ROME 22/10 – Day 29: Procession and Precision

Today we had a sunrise at. It was at 7:37. I think we will have a sunset at 18:11, but who knows? The Ave Maria should ring: 18:30. It is a dies non so priests can choose Votive Masses, particularly a Mass of Our Lady on Saturday. However, in the Martyrology it says: At Jerusalem, the birthday of blessed Narcissus, a bishop distinguished for holiness, patience and faith, who went to the kingdom of God at the age of one hundred and sixteen years.

My days are shortening in Rome in more way than one.

Today, the annual procession to St. Peter’s Basilica for Mass at the Altar of the Chair… or where the Altar of the Chair used to be.  That’s a story.

Yesterday evening, The Great Roman™ and I met up for steaks and great conversation.  That was a great birthday present in itself.  And I thank all of you who sent greetings for my birthday.   Not in the sense of St. Narcissus of Jerusalem, of course.

A shot from the Pontifical Vespers last night at the Pantheon, St. Mary of the Martyrs.

A well known oak.

I have a hard time expressing in words what I think about this.

Moving on…  BLACK to move.  You should see this one pretty quickly, but you have to be precise.

Thanksgiving isn’t far.

As we get to the end of the month, your use of my Amazon affiliate link helps me to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

And Remote Chess Academy has given me an affiliate code (and I get 50%).  Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

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ROME 22/10 – Day 28: Birthdays and Pilgrimage Days

The time for sunrise was 7:35 and sunset in Rome will be 18:12. The Ave Maria is at 18:30.

It the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, whose relics are in St. Peter’s Basilica under the altar dedicated to St. Joseph in the left transept.

It is my birthday, today.  Please pray for my parents.

The Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage is getting underway today and there are talks at the Augustinianum. Hence, lots of interesting people are coming to Rome. I’ll know quite a few and even more will know me. It is great to meet people.

From supper last night for a birthday gathering (not my own).

The area from which Urban VIII stripped the ancient bronze for cannons.

Sant’Ivo… sort of.

I got in just at the tail end of this lovely moment in church.

UPDATE:

I went back to my old school for some conference talks.

The great Msgr. Bux.

Peter Kwasniewski was the final speaker of the day.

Off to the Pantheon (aka St. Mary of the Martyrs) for vespers.

BTW… an interesting thing happened at the conference location.  It might be connected to a serious petition I have had.

Would you stop and say a Memorare for this petition now, if nothing else because it’s my birthday?

Thanks.

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