Pro-Abortion Sen. Durbin declined award offered by Archbishop of a diocese he doesn’t belong to; Leo XIV briefly opines off the cuff

Posted on 1 October 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Catholic World Report:

Durbin declines Chicago Archdiocese award after global backlash over pro-abortion views

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, will decline an award from the Archdiocese of Chicago after global backlash over his strong pro-abortion views that included comments from Pope Leo XIV and criticism from U.S. bishops.

Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich announced Durbin’s decision in a Sept. 30 statement, revealing that Durbin informed the prelate that he “decided not to receive [the] award” at the archdiocesan Keep Hope Alive celebration on Nov. 5. Durbin was scheduled to receive a “Lifetime Achievement Award for support to immigrants” at the event.  [This let’s Cupich off the hook, of course.]

Cupich’s announcement brings an end to a chaotic late September in which his brother bishops in the U.S. criticized the decision to grant Durbin the award, citing the Democratic senator’s long track record of pro-abortion politics.

The controversy even reached the Vatican itself, where on Sept. 30 Pope Leo XIV — responding to a question from EWTN News — said it was “important to look at the overall work that a senator has done [during] 40 years of service in the United States Senate.”  [This seems to have been an off-the-cuff remark]

“I understand the difficulty and the tensions,” the Holy Father said. “But I think as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teachings of the Church.”

Multiple U.S. bishops and archbishops criticized the decision. Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, who presides over Durbin’s home diocese, described the senator as “unfit to receive any Catholic honor.”

[…]

Read the rest there.

Here’s the video of the Q&A between EWTN and Pope Leo:

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

TRANSCRIPT (my emphases):

EWTN: Can I ask a question in English just quickly? One question in English. Thank you. Thank you for speaking with us. I just wanted to ask one thing that has become a bit of a divisive subject in the US right now with Cardinal Sup giving an award to Senator Durbin. Some people of faith are having a hard time understanding this because he is for legalized abortion. How would you help people of faith right now decipher that, feel about that? And how do you feel about that?

LEO XIV: I’m not terribly familiar with the particular case. I think that it’s very important to look at the overall work that a senator has done during, if I’m not mistaken, 40 years of service in the United States Senate. I understand the difficulty and the tensions, but I think, as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to what is the teaching of the Church. Someone who says, “I’m against abortion,” but says, “I’m in favor of the death penalty,” is not really pro-life. So, someone who says, “I’m against abortion,” but is in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States—I don’t know if that’s pro-life. So, they’re very complex issues. I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them, but I would ask first and foremost that there be greater respect for one another and that we search together both as human beings—in that case as American citizens or citizens of the state of Illinois—as well as as Catholics, to say we need to really look closely at all of these ethical issues and to find the way forward as Church. The Church’s teaching on each one of those issues is very clear.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Speaking of the Church’s teaching, very soon St. John Henry Newman will be declared to be a Doctor of the Church.

Again at Catholic World Report we find a piece by Edward Feser, an expert on the Church’s teaching about capital punishment.

After clarifying that the teachings of Doctors are not coterminous with the official doctrinal declarations of the Church though they are of highly value, Feser exposes what Newman thought about capital punishment. He includes an overview of Catholic writers who have written in defense of capital punishment. He goes through what Newman thought. Here is the conclusion.

Newman on capital punishment

[…]

Similarly, to say that the death penalty is intrinsically wrong, or that it is not sanctioned by scripture, or that it is never permitted by the higher standards of Christian morality, would contradict and reverse what scripture and tradition have consistently said. Hence, to teach such things would, by Newman’s criteria, not count as a development of doctrine, but rather as what he calls a “corruption” of doctrine that attempts to “correct” rather than corroborate it, and which “obscures” rather than illuminates it.

Newman, then, gives no aid and comfort whatsoever to Catholics who would like a doctrinal reversal on this matter. On the contrary, his words clearly condemn them.

Posted in The Drill | Tagged
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ROME 25/10 – Day 3: Farming and salty little fish

Posted on 30 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The day brightened considerably at 7:04.

It will darken considerably at 18:55.

In other times the 19:15 Ave Maria Bell would give us information about the dealings of the Curia. But, no. It ringeth not, except at The Parish™.

It is the Feast of St. Jerome, patron of curmudgeons.  His tomb is somewhere in Santa Maria Maggiore.

It is also the Feast of St. Francis Borgia, a remarkable early Jesuit.  Although he died in Rome in 1572, his body was moved first to Madrid and then to Valencia.

Speaking of The Parish™…

Wavy flag says “Salvete omnes!”

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Noteworthy: Fr. MacTeigue is having a fundraiser for his show and station. He did a live video segment answering questions. HERE

Also noteworthy:  TAN Books has Latin Grammar: For the Reading of the Missal and Breviary, by Charles L. Scanlon, on the Sept. $5 sale  HERE  – last day!

Quite noteworthy: An initiative for priests who have been persecuted by their bishops. HERE

This news is getting around, but I want as many people as possible to understand what this bishop has done.  In his letter to the faithful whom he has oppressed, he says that he knows that the chapel isn’t going to be big enough.  “I am the good shepherd!”

Breakfast of champions. Casareccio bread, with butter and anchovies.

From last night – figs and prosciutto!

Interesting!

 

Figures…

In chessy news… this is pretty big.

Recently, Hikaru Nakamura [World #2 after Magnus] was a bunch of games short of the number he had to play in order to qualify (by his rating) for the Candidates (to challenge the World Champ, Gukesh). He played in a coupled of regional tournaments where he cleaned up and gained rating to boot. This is called “farming”. The world’s governing body for chess has stepped in.  Naturally, this has sparked controversy.

From chess.com and FIDE:

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced a change to its rating regulations that will already take effect on October 1, removing the so-called 400-point rule for players rated above 2650. The change was triggered by GM Hikaru Nakamura’s race to qualify for the Candidates, but will affect around 70 of the world’s top grandmasters.

FIDE’s rating system continues to be a heavily debated topic in the chess world. Today, the governing chess body has announced a significant change that will go into effect from October 1, intended to address what is known as “farming” by top players. The final decision was made by the FIDE Council after a proposal by the Qualification Committee, FIDE said.

“This amendment ensures that rating adjustments at the highest level accurately reflect a player’s performance against a pool of statistically equal opponents, safeguarding professional standards set by FIDE,” they said in a statement.

Since the last change in 2024, a player was never treated as more than 400 rating points higher-rated than their opponent. That meant that a top player could earn the minimum 0.8 rating points for every win against significantly weaker players.

Under the new rule, the full rating gap will always be applied for players rated above 2650. Instead of a rating gain of 0.8 per win, their expected score can now be as high as 99 percent, which equals a rating gain of 0.1 point, or 100 percent, and zero points gained if the rating difference is more than 735 points.

In other words: For the very best players, games against much lower-rated opposition will now be almost completely “rating-free” on the upside, but highly punishing in case of a draw or a loss.

The timing of the change has raised eyebrows, as it comes just weeks after Nakamura gained nine rating points from his 11 wins against players rated as low as 1800 in the Iowa Open and the Louisana State Championship this month.

[…]

There’s more. HERE

 

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Another TLM suppressed: Brooklyn? There may be more to this.

Posted on 30 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

News is out that the TLM at St. Cecilia’s in Brooklyn will be suppressed on 12 October.  Rorate has the bare bones HERE.

However, as I understand things the Institute may/will get an additional location.

This could be an instance of a window slamming shut but a door opening in another part of the house.   And if true, that the Institute will get another place, that would mean “full service” as it were, not just Mass.

I think this is a developing story and we should watch it carefully and calmly.  For the time being.

Posted in The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged
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ROME 25/10 – Day 2: Beautiful day

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I was still dozing today when the sun rose over the City at 7:03 because my phone was still on silent from Vespers the day before. The sun set at 18:57.

The Ave Maria bell would ring at 19:15.

It has been the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael.

As such, I had the gift of a nice chat with a Australian seminarian named Michael, as we walked along at my slow pace from having said Mass this evening.

I had tried to stream the Mass out to me regular list, but it didn’t work. Back to the drawing board.

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Today was lovely, classic October weather. Amazing blue sky. Unique golden light toward sunset. Cool mornings and evenings.

Heading home last night.

Today in the market.  I went for…

… fresh figs!  For figs and prosciutto!

Picking up some bread at the Antico Forno which changed the legendary Nancy Silverton’s direction.

My shopping bag after the bakery.   I stopped at Pippo’s for alstroemeria, but it was lacking.  I scored some fresh herbs.

I have some superb taleggio and gorgonzola for tomorrow.  I think tomorrow… what… chicken?  A steak?

Today I ordered some little shades and pressure drapery rods for small windows which open into my space.  Also, I ordered up a hand-held transceiver to connect to my Pi-Star hotspot to get ZEDNET back up!

I see there were some orders from the wonderful Summit Dominicans, the “soap sisters”.  Help them with your orders!  Great gift ideas.

Find the best move for white.  There may be a mate in a few moves.

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

Psssst. You might need to sac to be able to remove a defender. Just sayin’.

Interested in learning?  Try THIS.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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Meanwhile… TLM in St. Peter’s Basilica…

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The bishops of Charlotte, Detroit and Monterey/Austin are snuffing people out, but…

Posted in I'm just askin'..., The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice |
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Diocese of Charlotte: Salve Regina at the LAST TLM and the Bishop’s “consoling” letter.

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Bishop Martin’s letter to the flock whose joy he crushed, about the generous, single TLM in the boonies, in a tiny chapel, without community life or other sacraments… in his compassion.  HERE  (And don’t forget to pay at your territorial parish.)

These poor people.  My heart aches for them.

Some highlights:

Pope Francis determined that while both are equally sacramentally efficacious, promoting two forms of the same rite was instead furthering division in the liturgical discipline of the Church. He therefore rescinded, as was his right, the possibility of more widespread celebration of the TLM and restricted it to non-parish churches.

Yeah… “as was his right” as a sheer act of power, but an act nevertheless based on a falsehood (not to use a stronger word, like “fraud”).  Evidence has come forth that the “survey” which was alleged to the basis of the decision was not as described.  In fact, it indicated the contrary.

In 2023 Bishop Jugis took the flrst step…

Blame your predecessor?

…it is now appropriate for our diocese to come into full compliance with the Church’s discipline on this issue.

Why, exactly, is it appropriate?  It could be deemed appropriate to do many other things.

As your bishop, I recognize the challenge that these past four years have presented to you.

It seems to me that they might think that the bishop has been the challenge.  I can’t speak for them.

I also know that God’s grace is not limited by our sacramental celebrations.

Yeah… who needs sacraments?  Okay, he isn’t saying that… but he sort of is.

This chapel holds approximately 350 people and has been recently renovated specifically for the celebration of the TLM. Understand that the chapel is not meant to be able to accommodate all who are currently attending the TLM in their respective parishes.

Yeah… too bad for the rest of you.

While I recognize that for many of you there is still uncertainty regarding the future of the TLM, Jesus calls us to live fully in this moment as His Church.  As such this is a moment for letting go and may therefore be a moment of grief for some. I understand that and commit to walk with you through that experience toward a greater glory that is always found in Jesus.

“Jesus calls us…”.   I’m not sure what he is saying here.  Jesus wants this?  Jesus wants this for those people because the bishop is doing it to them?

And “I… commit to walk with you…”.   How, exactly is he going to do that?  What is he going to do?  Is he going to go to that chapel and celebrate the TLM for them himself?  Anything short of that is just… vapor.

And that “walk with you”… how “synodal” was the process.  I don’t recall that it involved meetings with lay people who attend the TLM.  I may be wrong about that.

Regina Magazine has produced a film about the plight of the faithful in the Diocese of Charlotte, where the local bishop has conducted what amounts to a pogrom against those who desire traditional expressions of their Catholic Faith.

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

The film, “removes the polemics and simply shows real people, with real names and faces who are suffering”.

Spread this around. Share it. Use the share buttons.

This film touches on so many themes which we’ve explored on this blog for… decades, now. It’s as if this blog wrote the story board about the knock on effects of the Traditional Latin Mass on priests and the faithful.

Reverence
Silence
Ad orientem
A birthright stolen
Conversions to the Church
Priests not the same after learning the TLM
Going deeper
Processions
Unity of groups in Latin
Sense of peace
Young people, families
Vocations
Disruption caused by suppression
Heartbreak

Posted in Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged
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Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, and old project, and a plot

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It being the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, I am minded of a project a few years ago during the Amazonian Together Walking when the demon idol was venerated in the Vatican Gardens and the demonic idol bowl was ordered by Francis to be placed on the altar above the bones of St. Peter.

There was an initiative to get priests world-wide to recite – at a fixed time – Leo XIII’s Prayer of Exorcism (the so-called long prayer to St Michael – Chapter 3 of Title XI in the Rituale Romanum.) with the intention of expelling diabolical influence from the Vatican.

I fully believe that this is still necessary.

Priests can recite Chapter 3 privately without special permission.  That is not what it will say in your old Rituale.  The Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” wrote (my emphases) in 2018 to Bp. Dewayne of Venice, FL, that “this prayer should not be used publicly or privately over persons without express permission of the local Ordinary. Further, public use over places or objects is also prohibited without the permission of the Ordinary.  The prayer may be said privately by priests as part of their personal prayer.”  This draws on the 29 Sept 1985 letter from the CDF concerning exorcisms.

This prayer can be prayed publicly over places, etc., specifically as rite of exorcism, but that would require the permission of the local Ordinary.  This project, on the other hand, was private recitation by priests who happen to have gathered in the same place – and they can be in other places, too – for the sake of praying against demonic influence in the Vatican.

Who can doubt that the Devil is constantly on the attack? Who can doubt that prayer by priests against the Devil’s attack is a good thing?

I’ve posted before that I made recordings of the Latin of Chapter 3, the long Prayer to St. Michael for the use of priests and bishops to work on their pronunciation. HERE

NB: Lay People!  Do NOT use this prayer!  Instead, pray the beautiful Lorica of St. Patrick.  PRAYERCAzT: The Lorica of St. Patrick – text and recording

That said, and in view of the events in the Diocese of Libville recently, here’s a rendering of what that proposal might look like were it to become a regular practice in the Eternal City, to give spiritual support to the Holy Father by praying for the purification of the environs in which he must carry out his heavy mandate.   But such an initiative would not be appreciated by the Enemy.

Nor the Enemy’s clerical agents.

Rome.

Afternoon’s hanging crooked, shadows stretching like jailhouse stripes. The church looms over the small square, poker-faced, not talking. Beyond the Tiber, the Cupola surveys the City like the boss you don’t cross.

The World’s Best Sacristan shows up early. Half an hour on the clock that isn’t his. He cracks the side door to the sacristy.  Scans left, scans right.  A few tourists.  A few locals.  Cobbles. Shop doors. He thumbs his phone, pockets it, ducks inside.

That’s the signal.

In the neighborhood around the church priests leak out of alleys and corners. Cassocks like trench coats. Saturnos pulled low. Rosaries like brass knuckles. Satchels gripped tight. They walk determined, deliberate, eyes cutting the street. Cars. Faces. Maybe tails from the Vicariate. Maybe nothing. Hats tip at the polite. Stone stares at the punks. One by one, they disappear into the church.  The Great Roman takes a watchful place by the door.

Inside, the Sacristan is lighting up. Switches flipped. Candles sparked.  Thurible scorching.

They sense St. Michael’s already here, sword out, staring mean, ready to go.

A priest steps in, gold cope and humeral veil shining like on coming headlights through the fog. Blessed Sacrament exposed. More cassocks roll in, knees bend, pews lined. Some stick to the aisles, statues in black.

Silence.

A bell chimes like a starter pistol.

Rosaries drop on wood. Black books slide out like heaters before a job. The scrap is on.

Latin pours out like bourbon, smooth and golden. Every voice a different edge, accent, but cut clean. This ain’t mumbling. This is battle.

It fades slow. One voice, then another. Some still whisper.

Four priests head for the confessionals.

Violet stoles drip with grace. Heavy priestly hearts go in. Light ones come out. Business handled.

Door keeps swinging. More cassocks, more prayer. A delayed priest leans in, whispers to his brother: “Amice, non est mihi liber. Tuum, ut recitam…?” A smile, a handoff. The Rituale slides across the wood like contraband.

The war machine keeps grinding. Time ticking, prayers smoking like the thurible in the sanctuary.

Then the bell again. Benediction. Chant thick in the vault, Divine Praises rising through the haze.  Tabernacle closes, key tucked, curtains straight.

Genuflections.  Sunlight.

Back on the street, they make their way, alone, pairs, groups. Scattered routes, scattered shadows.

One cleric crosses the nearby bridge over the Tiber on the Ponte Sisto with its great circular water path yawning like an exit wound.  Shops, cars, gates.  His eyes cut the corners.  The Vicariate.  He heeds the advice.  Priests have been burned before.

Then the coffee bar. Doors open ushering the smell of coffee grounds, floor cleaner. He stops dead, Rosary vanishing into a pocket.

His free hand flexes. Knuckles tight. Knuckles loose again. He steps inside.

“Tracer.”

At the counter, the only client tosses off his doppio caffè corretto al vetro. With a lift of his fedora’s brim he rotates from the bar toward the cassocked silhouette framed against the light.

“Monsignore.”

HERE

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Lighter fare | Tagged , , ,
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The Devil, the Enemy of the soul, always tells us what he is up to: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There are lots of “signs” these days.

The Devil, the Enemy of the soul, always tells us what he is up to. He puts small hints and indications right in front of our faces woven together with other things that appear to be innocent or beautiful.

Sometimes the signs the Foe reveals are compulsive. He, demons, and human agents can’t help but show them.

Other times, it’s a sort of gloating, a “Look at what I’ve done!” sign.

As for human agents, some higher ups in satanism do all they can to hide their affiliation while the lower echelon members show it off.

Nonetheless, the upper ranks still reveal something of their affiliation without thinking they are doing so.

It has ever been so, but now it seems to be accelerating.

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude.

Amen.

St. Michael by Daniel Mitsui

 

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged
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Since 28 May 28 2020, at least 528 attacks against US Catholic churches, damaged or destroyed historic churches

Posted on 29 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Is this issue important to you?

This is a short video about hardening church security. I am sure that you can find others.

HERE

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

To you suffering in Monterey, Detroit, Charlotte, Jefferson City, etc.

Posted on 28 September 2025 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today during the Sunday Solemn Mass I took my own advice.

At the offertory, I prayerfully joined all of you who have lately suffered at the hands of your bishops, suppressors of the TLM and those who desire it, to the drops of water that went into the chalice to mingle with the wine (symbols of the humanity of Christ in unity with His Divinity).

The water disappears into the substance of the wine which is changed at the behest of the priests into Christ’s Most Precious Blood.   My intent was to raise you up to the Father, in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I feel for all of you and I pray for you.   May God bring you healing relief – through subtle or dramatic means  – according to His will.

Meantime, may you receive consolations as you strive to live your vocations with perseverance and confidence.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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