Fr. Z's Blog

Sunrise… sunset… sunrise… sunset…. not many more!   5:34 and 20:52 & AV@2115.

It is the feast of, inter alios, St. Proper of Aquitaine (+455 in Rome).

In other news, in Madrid nudius tertius, for Round 8 Nepo threw a Reti at Duda.

Of course I could have written out, “Ian Nepomniachtchi started with an unexpected Réti Opening against Jan-Krzysztof Duda”, but, dude, that could have been yawn inducing. Besides, I just don’t get to write things like that very often and I couldn’t resist.  It reminds me a little of the terse, “Nebula go to Zandar.  Get me the orb.”

It’s nothing like, “Fishwrap threw a nutty at SCOTUS.” Did you see their howl of virtue signaling? They blamed Trump. They blamed the bishops.

These unholy alliances have led some Catholics to distance themselves from the pro-life movement. For others, this acquiescence to Trump’s dictatorial tenure in the Oval Office was deemed a necessary evil, since criminalizing abortion has been named the “preeminent” priority by the U.S. bishops and by many in the pro-life movement. Yet the term “pro-life” may not be the best name for a movement that has too often embraced anti-life positions on other policies that do not deal with women or sexuality.

[…]

The murders of the 19 children in Uvalde, Texas, still cry out to heaven for justice and sensible gun control measures remain, as yet, out of reach. Thousands of migrants die each year at the U.S.-Mexico border, and immigration reform is, for all purposes, without legislative hope. And the death penalty remains active in 20 states. That’s just to start.

Prolonging the abortion fight will not be helpful. The country is broken, caused at least in part by polarization and culture wars supported — even led — by Catholic bishops and pro-life activists. Are these same leaders also capable of the dialogue and encounter our country and church so desperately need now?

This one-issue obsession has compounded the hit on the church’s credibility caused by the sex abuse crisis.

Talk about yawn inducing.

Who knows what high drama today will bring to Madrid. It looks like Nepo, 31 years old, could prevail, since he’s 4.5 after 8, which might in turn mean that Magnus – dude, all you have to do is use his first name – might refuse to defend his championship… ring, or belt, or whatever they have. Magnus, 31 years old, doesn’t want to play someone from his “generation”. Chinese Ding is 29. So is American/Italian Caruana. Polish Duda is only 24. Iranian Firouza is 19 but struggling.

I’m not sure what Magnus means when “talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation”. However, the things happening on the boards in Madrid look awful c-c-cold. Except, perhaps to Magnus, who took a pretty nasty swipe at American Hikaru Nakamura commenting on the Round Five match against Russian Nepo… Naka v Nepo … and Naka, who had an advantage, offered Nepo a draw. Magnus: “Smell the blood in the water, dude, be a shark!”

Speaking of blood and water, yesterday was the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Many of Rome’s churches are enriched with paintings of the Sacred Heart, mostly copies of Batoni’s in the Gesù.   For example, in S.M. Scala…

Here’s one which is not a copy of Batoni, in my adoptive parish church Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, or as I like to call it sometimes, Trinity Pilgrim Church.

The Roman churches, even though they are in the hands of shlubs are still usually packed with holy, devotional images before which one can pray at length or briefly, spontaneously or premeditatedly, but earnestly.  I have, lately, made my way to a few churches where I know their to be the tombs of certain saints or images that appeal to me and I have prayed hard for somethings.  Some with concern, others with gratitude: friends in pain or for my wonderful benefactors, especially those who helped me to come here, which is like home in many ways.

Also in Trinity Pilgrim is this lovely crowned image.  It isn’t the Immaculate Heart of Mary, but rather Our Lady under the title “Help of the Miserable”.

I suppose we could render that as “Help of Wretches”, like the Victor Hugo novel, “The Wretches”.

It’s edifying to see how many people kneel here and pray and light candles.  There is an old prayer that accompanies this image.  Right click for larger and open in a new tab.

Victor “the winner” Hugo aside, one cannot but help to think of Aeneid I when Dido greets Aeneas and crew, saying “Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco… I, no stranger to misfortune, have learned to give help to those those who suffer.”

Our own sufferings can be a school of charity.  They can crack the youthful illusion of immortality, the coldness of disregard for others, the blindness of self-interest.

Here’s a good Roman sight for you.  It has all the elements, and it is a little weird.

Why do you think that I think that it’s weird?

A detail: the altar painting is the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.

Our Lady is thinking about the consistory list.

The last days are flying by.  I am entering into the phase of tidying things up in the apartment, sorting what I’ll pack (I was given a lovely but heavy chessboard, which must go back to the USA) and what I will leave.

I’ve started making arrangements for October.  Among the things I want to do in Rome in October, in addition to the “Summorum” pilgrimage, is finally get my chalice refurbished.

I wanted to do it for my 30th, but… COVID.  I have to have the bottom plate redone to include a new donor who might like to help with the project.  This is a case in which, perhaps, one might be best.

Because St. Terese pretty much saved my vocation, I had a wreath of roses placed on a node.

It has spots for little gem stones for the flowers that I never filled.  I’d also like to liberate to the light of day, the stones on the main node, which don’t do their job because they have no light from behind. Both the chalice and paten have to be replated.   So, it’ll need a good week in Rome.

Meanwhile, please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE   I cling to the model of “many hands make light work”. Every purchase gives me a small percentage at no extra cost to yourself. It adds up.

Sunset was at 20:52 and, somewhere the Ave Maria may have rung at 21:15.  The sunrise was at a distant 5:33.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance, it’s really important for me. US HERE – UK HERE

And please let any mothers in distress know about the Abortion Pill Reversal hotline (877) 558-0333 and about Heartbeat International that handles it.  So many lives saved.

I’ll keep this brief since I am late.

This photo has interesting features.  There is a “littering” sign from The Most Illustrious Monsignor President of the Streets” and there are three rione or region signs.  This is where three intersect.

Supper last night.  I opted for chicken with very sweet onion and tomato dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and basil.

Earlier in the day I resisted this.

For a while.

Keeping hydrated is important when it is so hot.

I wouldn’t drink from this one.   The famous turtle fountain from Alexander VII (Chigi).

And to think, they cleaned it just a few years ago.

Sad, closed, Santa Catarina.

However, Santa Maria in Campitelli is not closed.

Because you like confessionals.

Interesting chapel with two fascinating monuments.

This poor little putto saw the consistory list.

Yum.