Fr. Z's Blog

You know how this goes.

7:19

18:33

18:45

After Holy Mass and a holy hour – there is something special about the quiet of a large space – I was after something to break my fast.  Off to the famous Antico Forno at the Campo de’ Fiori.

On the way I stopped to chat with a couple of the flower vendors I’ve used for years.  Yesterday one of them made a call and got some alstromeria for me.  Knowing that, the next day another flower vendor called me over and he had it too.  He had previously said that he didn’t like it so he didn’t stock it.  I got a small bunch of a different color to incentivize and to boost my apartment’s bouquet.  I digress.    But it is the Campo de’ fiori after all.

Please remember me when shopping online via Amazon. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE   This really helps me out.

There was a line at the bakery, as one would expect in the morning.

At the check out counter, there is a bottle of “extra virgin doggy oil”.  Just kidding.  Canino is a spectacularly beautiful place north of Rome.

Heading home with my score.

I bought a part of a loaf of casareccio and, instead of cornetti, I bought an old frenemy, a Roman rosetta.

In a couple of the clerical houses I’ve been in in Rome, breakfast always includes, invariably, a rosetta.  If fresh, they are good.  If not, they can be used for bocce or boules or, filled with explosives, combat, with lead, anchors.

They are hollow.  You approach them by pulling out the center.

I like mine with butter and jam.  It was a blast from the past.  The occasional rosetta is great!  Everyday for months on end… variety summons.

This confraternity church on the V. Giulia is getting help.   What I cherish above all is the papal coat of arms over the door.  That’s the custom in Rome: the pope’s arms and, if the church is assigned to a Cardinal, his arms.

Recognize this guy?   Superb.  I hope it is never removed except to be cleaned, preserved and put back into place.

A sad sight on the Via Giulia.  You would think that, as venerated as St. Philip Neri is in Rome – co-patron with Peter! – as omnipresent as are his images and objects in Roman churches, there would be a church dedicated to him.  Right?  There sort of is/was.

This had the misfortune of standing between a bridge over the Tiber and the straight street leading to the Corso in front of the Chiesa Nuova. It had been a plan to bash down everything and connect them.  The area between the river and V. Giula has been converted into  parking lot.

While there is some interior space, I think being used by an architect, the façade is pretty much all there is.

Lunch with a friend at one of my usual places.   This was spectacular.  A pasta much like strozzapreti (actually ferretti) in a sauce of cream, zest of citrus fruits, salmon, shaved fennel and dill.   Simple and superb.  This is definitely on my to do list.  The only problem to overcome at home will be the absence of panna da cucina, which is sort of like crème fraiche but… not.   I have a cunning plan that will involve the reduction of heavy cream, perhaps with some of the agrumi zest.  I have a couple of zesting tools that I bought in Tokyo that will do the trick.  A drop of black truffle oil will not hurt this preparation at all.  This is a great way to handle some left over salmon that isn’t – quod Deus avertat! – cooked to invincible insipid fibers.

This was a treat.

Interested in learning?  Try THIS

Black to move.

Meanwhile, the bloodbath continues, which is discouraging.

If you are looking for alternatives to PayPal, try Zelle (which most US banks offer), Continue to Give (continuetogive.com – less preferred), and Wise (wise.com – terrific for international operations, though it takes a bit to set up, very low fees).  Chase QuickPay also works. There are other options, too, including snail mail which is forwarded to me.

To receive a link to donate via Continue To Give using your smart phone, use your phone’s camera to activate the Q code (below) or text 4827563 to 715-803-4772 (US) for a link.

Today is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun that occurred in 1917.   Thousands of people saw it.   It had been raining and, after, clothes and ground were dry.  Pius XII saw it in Rome in the Vatican gardens.

Such an anniversary prompts the question.  The “the Vatican” reveal everything about the so-called 3rd Secret from Our Lady to Sr. Lucia?   In the case of the first two secrets there were visions and then explanations from Our Lady.  In the case of the third, we have been given the description of the vision.  We have not been given an explanation from Our Lady.  Yet we have been told that all has been revealed.   That also seems inconsistent with evidence that there are two parts of what Sr. Lucia communicated to the Pope.

Let’s have a poll.  Anyone can vote, but you have to be registered and approved to post a comment.

It was the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor in the Vetus Ordo of the Roman Rite, that bastion against nonsense. We would have seen the sunrise at 7:18 had it not been cloudy and raining. Would we see the sunset at 18:34? Rain or not, we wouldn’t hear the Ave Maria ring except in one place that I know of, at 18:45.

It was the 60th anniversary of the 1st full day of the Second Vatican Council.  We are called to reflect on the great fruits that that Council produced and is still producing.  Enjoy the springtime.

Ss. Trinità dei Pelegrini is so tranquil in the morning before sunrise.  The magnificent Reni seems to have its own internal light source.

I had a walk yesterday.  Must keep moving.  Just a couple of views for now.

I spotted a couple of old chalices in an antique store.

I think this one is 17th c.

S. Salvatore in Lauro is jammed with so much stuff that it is among the more erratic and distracting church interiors in Rome, every side altar location being used to display something.  Annoying.  Mind you, the stuff is great.  It’s just… cluttering.  Too much of a good thing is too much, I’m afraid, and those altars are ALTARS, not shelves for display objects even if they are sacred things.   St. Pio stuff….

In a byway…

Black to move and win material.

This fellow helped my game.   Check his courses.  I am an affiliate (an amazing 50%).

Our sunrise today was at 7:17 and the sunset will be at 18:36. How time flies and shortens these lovely Roman October days. The Ave Maria, when rung, is to be rung at 18:45. It is a dies non today. But the Vetus Ordo Martyrology has:

In Africa, four thousand nine hundred and sixty-six holy confessors and martyrs, in the persecution of the Vandals under the Arian king Hunneric. Some of them were bishops, some priests and deacons, with a multitude of the faithful accompanying them, who were driven into a frightful wilderness for the defence of the Catholic truth. Many of them were cruelly annoyed by the Moorish leaders, and with sharp-pointed spears and stones forced to hasten their march, whilst others, with their feet tied, were dragged like corpses through rough places and mangled in all their limbs. They were finally tortured in different manners, and won the honors of martyrdom. The principal among them were the bishops Felix and Cyprian.

Speaking of mangled limbs, I went to the Piazza der Fico yesterday to scope out the chess situation.  A group of men have been playing there together for years.    That’s the fig.  Last June it was dropping ripe figs – splat splat splat – all among the players.

Yesterday, they were collecting money from each other for new chess sets and one of them was talking about a Mass, to be held today, for one of their deceased companions.

But the mangled part comes here… what to make of this bizzare defense by black?  In bullet matches he played it every time.  Does anyone know this?

Meanwhile here’s a lovely restoration of an ancient house.

Having a walk….

I got caught in the rain.  I don’t like that.

I do like this place, however.

I’m hiding.

I heard from a priestly chess player!  Slowly but surely.  Slowly, true: he is into correspondence chess. Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Black – it’s your move. Win material and escape the consequence.

The traditional Benedictine monks of Le Barroux are producing wine from the old papal vineyards. Thanksgiving is coming. Hint. Use my code and get 10% off.  FATHERZ10

Untangling the consequences of the vile P@yP4l scare tactic has taken a lot of time and energy. It has been really depressing.

I am grateful to those of you who are shifting to another platform.

If you are looking for alternatives to PeePee, try Zelle (frz AT wdtprs DOT com – which most US banks offer), Continue to Give (continuetogive.com – less preferred), and Wise (wise.com – terrific for international operations, though it takes a bit to set up, very low fees).  Chase QuickPay also works. There are other options, too, including snail mail which is forwarded to me.   Zelle and Chase – really fast – don’t give me emails of the donors, which is going to make it harder to write thank you notes.

To receive a link to donate via Continue To Give using your smart phone, use your phone’s camera to activate the Q code (on the right) or text 4827563 to 715-803-4772 (US) for a link.

The sun rose in Rome at 7:16 and will set at 18:37. The Ave Maria rings at 18:45. Today is the Feast of the Maternity of Mary and it also marks the 60th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II.

Yesterday was a really trying day for me and, as I found out, for a few other priest and lay friends.  There was something up, I think.  It was lovely outside, but it was a heavy day that weighed on me greatly.

There’s a nifty little silver smith shop near Sant’Eustachio that makes little Roman things.

Not many cats these days.  Not like the old days, for sure, with old women feeding cats left over spaghetti.

Near Ss. Trinità a very good little cheese and sausage store.  Nice guys.  They are eager to give samples and talk about each thing.

Speaking of the opening of Vatican II, the church of the confraternity of the men who carried the sedia gestatoria.  I’d like to see that come back… some day.

Chalices ready for “concelebration” Roman style.

I found this rather moving at the end of a hard day.

Sort of how I felt, feel.  Squeezed and nearly out of fuel, but not snuffed out yet!  Any number of candles can be lit from this and keep the flame burning.

Please consider joining WISE.  It is great for transfer of funds internationally and domestically with low fees and an excellent exchange rate. WISE

Yesterday and during the night has been a kind of bloodbath, I regret to report.   Very concerning.  There is also Zelle (which most US banks offer as a free service – very good! use frz AT wdtprs DOT com), Continue to Give (continuetogive.com – okay, but higher fees) and Chase Quickpay.

To receive a link to donate via Continue To Give using your smart

phone, use your phone’s camera to activate the Q code (on the right) or text 4827563 to 715-803-4772 (US) for a link.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

White to play.

Remember to support the wonderful Summit Dominicans, the “soap sisters”.

Also, some of you have decided to send via snail mail!   How retro!  It’s slowwww… but it works!

Fr John Zuhlsdorf
733 Struck St.
PO BOX 44603
Madison, WI 53744-4603

In Rome sunrise was at 7:15 and sunset will be an 18:39 with the Ave Maria bell to be rung at 1900.  It is the traditional feast of St. Francis Borgia.  He was the great grandson of Alexander VI (Borgia) whose tomb is just a stone’s throw from where I presently write and he was the 3rd Superior General of the Jesuits, back when they were worthy of the title.

NB: There was recently a scare tactic from P@y P@l (which I think few like very much but which works and with fees that are lower than some of other services, few that they are).  The word was out that PP threated to extract $2.5K from anyone’s account if they posted something that was deemed … I dunno… un-woked, too-based!

Apparently that was all a mistake and PP has removed that from their user agreement.  HERE

Was this a canary in a mine shaft to test the atmosphere before the midterms.  It’s grim.  Some donors here immediately terminated their monthly donations because they, I believe, thought that the threat was aimed at them.  No, I believe it was aimed at people like me who provide content.

Continue to Give

If you are looking for alternatives to P@y P@l, try Zelle (which most US banks offer as a free service – very good! use frz AT wdtprs DOT com), Continue to Give (continuetogive.com – okay, but higher fees and wonky), and Wise (wise.com – which is terrific for international operations, though it takes a bit to set up: low fees and the best exchange rates). There are other options, too, including snail mail which can be forwarded.  It’s slow.

I’d be delighted were everyone to use Zelle or, internationally, Wise.

I can’t begin to describe my gratitude to my regular and occasional donors.  While I’ve been here in Rome, I’ve been saying Masses for the intention of my benefactors, especially those who made contributions to this Roman Sojourn.   I feel alive again, here, and refreshed.

This morning I said Mass for my regular monthly donors.

You are a blessing and I pray that God reward you.

If the evening light in Rome is wonderful, so is the morning light.

The Bridgettines have a lovely little church on the Piazza Farnese. I stuck my head in for the morning Mass.

Yesterday was anniversary of the death of the last Roman Pope, Ven. Pius XII.  I was recently at the house where he was born.  I stopped in for a photo of the inscription when I took my chalice to be worked on in the shop where it was made in the first place.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Meanwhile… Fabiano Caruana beat the exceptionally unlikable Hans Niemann to take the lead in the 2022 US Championship in St. Louis. Caruana said “I think we’re no longer on chatting terms!” after defeating Niemann in 80 moves. That counts as two wins for Fabiano!

White to move.  This is pretty easy.

Along with donations, income comes through affiliate programs, such as for the beer that the Benedictines in Norcia make, the wine that the monks of Le Barroux are producing, the Remote Chess Academy (RCA – which gives me an astonishing 50%), the Summit Dominicans (which produces about enough to help me get their beeswax candles for my chapel).  Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

7:14 is the time for the Roman sun to appear and it is slated for disappearance at 18:41. The Ave Maria is at 19:00. It is the Feast of St. John Leonardi (+1609), founder of the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God. More about that, below.

It is the Feast of St Abraham, Old Testament Patriarch.

Yesterday evening there was at S. M. in Campitelli a ceremony of sung Vespers, of it in Latin, and then a procession in the streets of the quarter, including seminarians of the Propaganda College up on the Gianicolo. St. John Leonardi, whose remains are at SM Campitelli, was a founder of Propaganda. I got some shots and vids. I hope they come through.

This is great.  The celebrant goes to incense the remains of the Saint and set off the proximity alarm.  I love Rome!

The procession and a band and there were helpers from the Confraternity of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, as it was fitting. St. John was a disciple of St. Philip Neri, after all, and the churches are neighbors.

This was great.   The procession went by S. Angelo in Pescheria, which I featured on Friday, last.   I have a video of what was going on in there as the procession was passing.  I’m at the side door of the church.

You have to understand the state of liturgy in Italy to get the impact of this.

The seminarians of Propaganda really needed to come in their house cassocks and surplices.  There were a couple of servers properly dressed.  Not enough.  C’mon guys!

Ah, Roma!

Yesterday I met a friend and his wife for lunch.  He is a lawyer who dedicates a lot of his practice to the defense of priests who are being abused by their bishops or superiors.  It is interesting that canonists and civil lawyers are getting organized and fighting back now.  It’s about time.   But things had to get really bad before something finally shattered the patience of the laity in this regard.  There are so many priests who are being canceled or bullied into moral injury and PTSD.   And they are financially exposed to devastation as well as the permanent scarring of their reputations.  I digress.

Anyway, we had a great lunch while he told me what he is doing.

Rigatoni alla norcina… sausage and black truffle.

Spigola, in the oven, with potatoes and artichokes.  It could have had more artichokes, frankly, but, hey.  And the restaurant, a long time favorite, was really on point.

Rome has its charm by night.

Woah.. I just tried to upload more video but my site says I have reached a limit for my subscription.   I can get a monthly with a large upload … if you want more videos.

Grrrr.  I can convert with Blender, but it uses massive resources and is verrrry slllllooowwww.   Grrrr.

White to move.

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.

US HERE – UK HERE