Fr. Z's Blog | Formerly entitled: "What Does The Prayer Really Say?" – Clear, straight commentary on Catholic issues, liturgy and life by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf o{]:¬)

Serotinal autumnal nycthemeral parity

Posted on 22 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today is the Autumnal Equinox. The Sun crosses the celestial equator on its southerly course at 21:03 EDT (1:04 UTC of 23 September 2022). You knew that Autumn has come because in the traditional Roman calendar, so much more closely harmonized with the rhythms of nature and Mother Earth, we observe now the September Ember Days.

Here is a magnificent photo from APOD. This is a solar analemma above the Temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth. The Sun’s position is at the upper mid-point. This was made from exposures through the year on a single piece of film at the same time of day from 7 January to 20 December 2003.

Paul would certainly have stood in the sun’s shine and seen this temple with his own eyes.

Lesson from the first letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 1:4-8)

Brethren: I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, because in everything you have been enriched in Him, in all utterance and in all knowledge; even as the witness to the Christ has been made so firm in you that you lack no grace, while awaiting the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will also keep you secure unto the end, unimpeachable in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

R. Thanks be to God.

Time marches on.

GO TO CONFESSION!

Posted in Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged Autumnal Equinox
1 Comment

My View For Awhile: Southbound

Posted on 21 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’m on the hoof today, heading home after a great trip to the freezing cold north. It was only 86 yesterday.

Last night my hosts and I had some classics. That’s not Norcia beer in that Norcia beer glass, but it was good anyway. The dip: something right out of childhood and hardly to be improved upon: sour cream and onion soup mix. Remember that one?

This isn’t something from the Museum of Modern Art. Rather, Italian sausage.

How Pope Clement XIV the Second “Ganganelli” will deal with the Jesuits.

I said classics. Being in Chicago, it was necessary to sauté peppers with garlic.

In between waves of a pretty serious storm front…

Grilled Italian Sausage and Peppers on a roll.

With that, it’s time to roll to the gate.

Posted in Fr. Z's Kitchen, On the road, SESSIUNCULA |
13 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 569, etc.

Posted on 21 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Someone watched the consistory.

My daily plea…. Please remember me when shopping online via Amazon. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE

Black to move.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 568, etc.

Posted on 20 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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

Chess news. The Julius Baer Generation Cup recently got underway with top players. Magnus Carlsen was slated to play Hans Niemann. As you remember, in St. Louis a little while ago, Magnus dropped out of a round robin tournament and posted something which left a strong sense of an accusation of cheating. The chess world exploded. Niemann had been in cheat in online chess when he was younger (he’s young now!) and admitted it. It is harder, but not impossible to cheat OTB… over the board.

As I said, today the new tournament was underway and Magnus was slated black against Niemann’s white.

The full game score: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4, 1-0.

After Niemann’s second move, Magnus resigned.

This is nuts.

In other news at the 2022 Chess.com Global Championship on Chess.com/TV, the Americans Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Jeffery Xiong, won the last of the round of 64 matches on day five.

Meanwhile, after my meeting tonight, some of us went for pizza. I had thought about a sandwich but all pizzas were 50% off!

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

19 September 2022: The Blood of San Genaro

Posted on 19 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The blood of San Genaro, St. Januarius, liquified today in Naples, Italy, on the saint’s feast.

There is video of the event. It’s a bit strange because it also includes pre-Mass warm ups and an open mic. Then you get to see how in typical Italian Novus Ordo style, people are simply bombarded with constant chatter and noise.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged St. Januarius
6 Comments

Fr. Z’s Kitchen: Supper with friends

Posted on 19 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Still in (near) the Windy City. Yesterday my hosts and I met up with a mutual friend of many years for lunch at the iconic SUPERDAWG. I’ve featured them here before.

However, for supper we dined in. Primo: spaghetti all’arabbiata.

The little tomatoes were for the salad dressing, a vinaigrette. Minced garlic, white wine vinegar, salt, olive oil. Macerate for a while. A mix of baby greens and romaine.

For the pasta sauce, I left the garlic in fairly large chunks just in case the others didn’t want to ingest it all. Start gently in the olive oil. Never burn garlic. Brrrrr.

In go the whole San Marzano tomatoes, which I broke down with the edge of a spatula.

You can bring to temp quickly and serve or you can reduce to intensify the experience. That’s what I do. Gauge that carefully if you have several people to feed. What this produced: five adult portions with one, entire package of bronze cut spaghetti alla chitarra.

Meanwhile, the main show. Boneless ribeyes.

One of the pre-prandials involving the wonderful Cedrata which some of you readers deigned to send me from my wishlist a while back. It needs some fresh herbs. We found this cocktail in Basilicata a couple years ago.

Everything was family style so I left the pasta in the pot for service at the table.

Meanwhile, the coals were settling down and the steaks had been dry-rubbed with white pepper, salt and oregano.

Ecco. Consumed with olive oil, salt and squeezes of lemon.

Few things rival the pleasure of a leisurely meal with friends, especially when you haven’t been together for a long time.

I get to drive north for a meeting today and then back tomorrow before the return trip home.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
7 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 567, etc.

Posted on 19 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In Napoli, the blood of St. Januarius, San Genaro, liquified on his feast day, to the relief of Neapolitans everywhere.

Be sure to check out the good monks of Le Barroux who are making wine from the ancient papal vineyards in S. France.

White to move. You should get this one pretty quickly.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.

US HERE – UK HERE

Now that we have a king, these sorts of events will all take much longer, since he can only move along the floor one square at a time. #queensfuneral pic.twitter.com/3MJ0FS2ch0

— David Smith (@David_Strathdee) September 19, 2022

UPDATE:

I obtained this. Note well the text in the “crawl” at the bottom. It is a snip from coverage of a Trump rally a couple days ago in Ohio. The crawl mentions the recent pilgrimage in D.C. in favor of the Vetus Ordo.

“Catholics march as Pope, Cardinal try to end the Latin Mass”

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

Daily Rome Shot 566, etc.

Posted on 18 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Travel is tough these says but seeing friends worth it.

Black to move. Tricky.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
6 Comments

Fr. Z’s Kitchen: A bit of Rome in Chicago

Posted on 18 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’m visiting friends and we decided on saltimbocca alla romana. Happily, even with chain supply problems, since we are in a heavily Italian neighborhood, there was plenty of veal and good prosciutto.

There was a lot more than this.

The basics. Prosciutto di Parma,

A slight dusting a flour to help thicken the juices when done.

I did these in batches and then removed to a tented platter. It worked in two pans. Thereafter I combined all the juices and clarified butter and oil and let it reduce.

Back into the pan for serving.

One of my hosts prepared the spinach and garlic.

Roasted potatoes with rosemary and salt.

Food doesn’t have to be complicated. The best part is being with friends for leisurely meal and

Posted in Fr. Z's Kitchen, On the road, SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

My View For Awhile: Society Edition

Posted on 17 September 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A couple of hops and I’ll be … not in but near the Windy City. That sad sad city, civilly and ecclesially. It ain’t my kinda town right now. Thence northward for meetings and personal chores and a glimpse of people from whom I was sundered.

I don’t think there will be an opportunity for a blognik. Remember those?

I’ve noticed of late that flights are jammed, probably because of reduction of flights. Thanks Dems. Good job all around! Ergo, if any of you are planning travel, don’t procrastinate in arranging flights, etc.

UPDATE:

Since I hadn’t been to this concourse for a while, I tried a burger place which I used to like. The burgers are still pretty good, though way more expensive now. Thanks Dems. And the yung’uns “working” there… were, let’s say, less than focused on their jobs than one might expect.