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{]:¬)

#ASonnetADay – 45. “The other two, slight air and purging fire…” Humorous!

Posted on 25 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

#ASonnetADay – 45. “The other two, slight air and purging fire…” Humorous! pic.twitter.com/Vgk6c6pDnv

— Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (@fatherz) September 26, 2020

Posted in Poetry, Sonnet A Day | Tagged humours
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@MassimoFaggioli attacks Judge Amy Coney Barrett and has his “beans” handed back to him

Posted on 25 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Even if Judge Amy Coney Barrett is NOT nominated by POTUS (in fulfillment of his duties and rights under the US Constitution), she is already being attacked by the catholic Left. She deserves a good name, but catholic lefties have sold themselves to the Dark Side, including Big Business Abortion.

One attack on Judge ACB came from Massimo “Beans” Faggioli.

Beans is a professional bomb thrower on the faculty of Villanova. Beans hails from a deeply Communist region of Italy. His M.O. is to launch flaming bags of poo at people and then watch the clicks roll in on his social media. He aspires to capture glances from the high ups of what I call the New catholic Red Guards. His uncritical papalotry reflects a longing for acceptance among the cadres. Perhaps, who knows, he may one day receive his own little mandarin hat and dicasterial desk one day.

While Beans lives in these USA – no, rather, lives off of these USA – he expends a lot of ink tearing this nation down, opining about how things ought to be here. If he has ever sought or obtained American citizenship, I have not heard about it.

The more he writes and speaks, the less credible he will in the long run be. Si tacuisses, Maxime…. I should add that Bean blocks me on Twitter, through he doesn’t hesitate to attack me there.

Beans had a despicable piece about Judge ACB at Politico. Faggioli thinks that Judge ACB should endure a religious test, should be grilled about her religious beliefs. He would not say that about Biden or Pelosi or Durkin. He says this about ACB because he doesn’t like her or her strong Catholic identity or the POTUS. Therefore, he – such a famous catholic wonk – has attempted to give cover to the members of the Senate whom he hopes will go on the attack with the ammunition he tried to provide at Politico.

The problem is, he botched it. As usual, Beans issued errors and inuendos.

Excellent responses were posted by

Ramesh Ponnuru at National Review:

Faggioli’s Dishonest Questions about Judge Barrett

and

Sohrab Ahmari at New York Post:

Politico’s pretentious, error-filled hit against Amy Coney Barrett

I warmly suggest you read these responses to Beans.

Beans deserves the drubbing he received. Sadly, he will probably shrug it off, since what he really wants is attention.

Posted in Green Inkers, Liberals, The Coming Storm, The Drill | Tagged Amy Coney Barrett, Massimo Faggioli, SCOTUS
16 Comments

Wherein Fr. Z is proud of you readers who helped this monastic vocation.

Posted on 25 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

“Why do I do this?”, I sometimes ask myself. “Does this make any difference at all?”

Then an answer arrives out of the blue.

In 2015 I asked for your financial help for a young man who aspired to join the great, traditional Benedictine monks of Norcia (NB: BEER!). HERE

This is the essence of being bene factores.

I can tell you that I teared up. I am unspeakably proud of you readers who helped this Benedictine monk in his vocation.

Thank you.

Posted in Just Too Cool, Reader Feedback, SESSIUNCULA, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged Benedictine Monks, Labouré Society, Norcia
7 Comments

Fr. Z’s Kitchen: Gnocchi “Becciu” and a song that has nothing to do with him

Posted on 24 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Former Cardinal Becciu – whom I suspect will soon be indicted and perhaps extradited – was sacked on Thursday. I was so glad that it was Thursday, and not Wednesday or Friday… which are Ember Days. Instead, it was the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom, which is also Our Lady of Walsingham. Since it was a feast, I thought it proper to observe the feast, and the development, with a meal, something special.

Gnocchi sardi!

Hmmm… If I want gnocchi sardi I’ll have to make them from scratch.

Happily, I had some semolina flour on hand as well as various bits and pieces of sausage and pork and beef in the archive.

The addition of saffron infused water.

Knead the dough.

Wrap and rest.

Meanwhile, time to prepare the ragù. Rosemary from my garden. Saffron in the little mortar which I brought back from the Holy Land.

I browned chopped onion, ground pork, a few ground up “eyetalian” meatballs, with fennel seeds and black pepper. In went tomato sauce. Here goes more saffron.

Time to make the gnocchi. I don’t have a gnocchi sardi board. So I experimented.

I thought, “Becciu, a Sardo, is twisty and turny… how about this?”

And the fork method.

Not the very best malloreddus, but not bad in a pinch. Next time, better.

I bagged and put into the archive to freeze most of them and divided up the ragù in small containers.

With ragù, pecorino, and a splash of first press olive oil.

With some Cannonau.

Good? You Becciu!

They were gnice.

I had to resist the temptation to take a bag out of the freezer and a container of sauce and make another portion. This was really good.

All inspired, tonight, by the resignation of Becciu.

And now a Sardinian song… dedicated tonight to a friend of mine in Italy, Venetian Sardinian, cancer survivor. I first heard this in the Roman apartment of her late husband and hers, filled with old masters… Bernini, Reni, Caravaggio, Velasquez, Artemesia, El Greco, Poussin… over great meals and brilliant conversation.

Over a great supper, I remember being captivated by this tune. Those were great evenings. She has a new husband and great career track going and I pray for complete victory over the disease. I have no doubt she’ll win. As it was said of Maureen O’Hara in one of the greatest films ever, The Quiet Man, that red hair is no lie!

And on the Sardinian theme, the last set of vestments the TMSM bought, were made by a Sardinian, who has the wonderful Sacra Domus Aurea.

As a matter of fact, Fr. Z’s liturgical kitchen has a new set coming… VIOLET.

Back to the song… the band is called Tazenda. They do a sort of “throat singing” thing which has quite the effect. Cantu a tenore. It is ancient and cthonic and disturbingly wonderful.

This song has a bit of a cult following, as does the singer… who died of cancer.

The song goes back to a poem of 1915 by Badore Sini. “A diosa” set to music by Giuseppe Rachel.

No potho reposare amore ‘e coro,
Pensende a tie sò onzi momentu.
No istes in tristura prenda ‘e oro,
Ne in dispraghere o pessamentu.
T’asseguro chi a tie solu bramo,
Ca t’amo forte t’amo, t’amo e t’amo.
Si m’esseret possibile d’anghelu
S’ispiritu invisibile piccabo
T’asseguro chi a tie solu bramo,
Ca t’amo forte t’amo, t’amo e t’amo.
Sas formas ka furabo dae chelu
Su sole e sos isteddos e formabo
Unu mundu bellissimu pro tene,
Pro poder dispensare cada bene.
Unu mundu bellissimu pro tene,
Pro poder dispensare cada bene.
No potho reposare amore ‘e coro,
Pensende a tie sò onzi momentu.
T’asseguro chi a tie solu bramo,
Ca t’amo forte t’amo, t’amo e t’amo.
T’asseguro chi a tie solu bramo,
Ca t’amo forte t’amo, t’amo e t’amo

His last concert. HERE

I dare you to try not to choke up.

I triple dog dare you.

Posted in Fr. Z's Kitchen | Tagged Becciu, gnocchi, Tazenda
5 Comments

#ASonnetADay – 44. “If the dull substance of my flesh were thought…”

Posted on 24 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

#ASonnetADay – 44. “If the dull substance of my flesh were thought…” pic.twitter.com/M3r3Hb0pDv

— Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (@fatherz) September 25, 2020

Posted in Poetry, Sonnet A Day |
1 Comment

HUGE! Now Card. Becciu not just resigned, but sacked

Posted on 24 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE: 25 Sept:

It seems that Becciu was O’Brien-ed… he will not vote in an upcoming conclave, but he retains the honor of being a Cardinal.

ORIGINALLY POSTED on: Sep 24, 2020

Getting dropped from the Cardinalate is a big deal. The other shoe is still to drop, of course.

An appendage to the Bolletino – released at the unusual time of 8 PM ROME TIME! – says that ~~now-FORMER~~ Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu “resigned” ~~both~~ his role as Prefect of Saints ~~and the Cardinalate~~

HERE

HOWEVER… my spies tell me – I still have them – that Francis called in Becciu and FIRED him. Becciu wasn’t even back to his apartment before the Bolletino came out.

The other shoes have yet to drop.

Some indictment, maybe extradition?

Meanwhile … Card. Pell is returning to Rome, to his old digs.

May I remind the readership that Becciu was a special enemy of the Cardinal Burke.

Also, Becciu was very much behind the persecution of Eugenio Hasler.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Becciu
21 Comments

‘c’atholic Pelosi with Sr. Simone trashes the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast and AG Barr

Posted on 24 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Yesterday at the National Catholic Prayer (virtual) Breakfast, Attorney General William Barr was honored with an award and he gave a brief speech, online. The President also gave a video speech.

At The Right Scoop we see a video of the disaster who is pro-abortion Nancy Pelosi ridicule the NCPB and AG Barr. She is talking to St. Simone of Nuns On The Bus, who promoted the pro-abortion Obamacare.

I join you in expressing dismay that that National Catholic Prayer Breakfast would be honoring someone who doesn’t, you know – what would Christ do? We always say that. There’s a big difference in between what Christ would do and what they’re honoring this morning.

I wonder if Pelosi – a living argument for term limits – has been so long separated from a page of any catechism, or from any decent sermon, that she has now, in her highly advanced years, actually forgotten what it is to be Catholic.

Is that possible?

As a youngster Nancy Pelosi probably get her catechism and, since she is really old now, it might have been pretty good catechism, decent formation in the Faith. But the Faith, the fides quae, is like a language: use it or lose it.

An analogy.

People who grow up in their native country, speaking their native language, can transplant to a new place and, over time, start to forget their mother tongue. They retain the accent, but when you speak to them in their first language, they will freeze up (except in some standard, common phrases), or even respond in a mix or in the tongue of their last decades of life rather than their first.

The interesting thing is that they can recover it… provided they have again some constant exposure.

I cannot draw hard conclusions about what Nancy Pelosi truly believes. I can draw some conclusions about the despicable things she says and does even while claiming outwardly to be a devout Catholic. She has retained an accent, but she doesn’t seem to have an active use of the content of her Faith.

Perhaps we could pray for Guardian Angel to prompt her to quit public role, to retire quietly, and to reflect on the state of her soul and the damage she has inflicted on our collective Catholic identity as Americans and Catholics.

AG Barr’s speech begins after 00:47.

Posted in ACTION ITEM!, Liberals, Our Catholic Identity, The Coming Storm, The Drill | Tagged Nancy Pelosi, National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Sr. Simone Campbell, William Barr
21 Comments

#ASonnetADay – 43. GUEST SONNET by Elizabeth Barrett Browning – “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Posted on 23 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

#ASonnetADay – 43. GUEST SONNET by Elizabeth Barrett Browning – “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” pic.twitter.com/slTe3qveS3

— Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (@fatherz) September 23, 2020

Posted in Poetry, Sonnet A Day |
1 Comment

REVIEW: New “Red Book” for use at the Traditional Latin Mass?

Posted on 23 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In these USA and elsewhere, many people who have frequented the Traditional Latin Mass, for the first time or over years, have far and wide seen the “Red Book”.

The Red Book was put together by the Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei. It was first printed in 1990. It was relatively inexpensive, helpful, and – in some ways – flawed. It was constructed, in part, based on some personal memories and not all things were precise. NEVERTHELESS, it was a tremendously useful resource for people coming into church for the TLM.

The Canons of St. John Cantius in Chicago have taken it on themselves to produce a new sort of “Red Book”. Perhaps a “Brick Red Book”. HERE

The chief difference is the inclusion of the Proper Prayers (those which change according to the day).

Let’s see some photos.

Notice the inclusion of a prayer by the late Msgr. Hellriegel, a priest of St. Louis and, with men like Msgr. Richard Schuler, warriors for sacred worship and especially sacred music, in the horror show of post-Conciliar chaos. The founder of the Canons of St. John, Fr. Frank Phillips – so unjustly mistreated by the Archdiocese of Chicago – was profoundly influenced by Msgr. Hellriegel.

One thing you will note is the paucity of directions for what the faithful are to do… stand, sit, kneel. This is a contrast to the older “Red Book”.

The old art work, from old liturgical books, is excellent.

Here are the propers.

And the Prefaces.

And the last page… lovely.

It is a little bigger than the older “Red Book” and bound differently (not stapled).

For scale.

There are a few curious features. I am not sure why it was thought good to repeat the same texts at the top of both Latin and English sides in some places.

Also, some might find that this booklet isn’t quite as helpful for the standing and kneeling, etc. HOWEVER… those were and are things much influenced by custom.

I also want to remind you of a stunning resource. Quite simply amazing.

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Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, REVIEWS | Tagged Canons of St. John Cantius
6 Comments

Wacko New York City Jesuits – UPDATED – Glen Beck comments

Posted on 23 September 2020 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE 23 September 2020

When Glen Beck starts warning us, how far things have gone bad?

Originally Published on: Sep 2, 2020

New York Jesuits.

I am reminded of the lines from Sonnet 94 by Shakespeare:

For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.

Corruptio optimi pessima.

Jesuit utters ideological rubbish during Mass:

A tipster sent me this revolting BLM prayer at St Xavier Catholic Church in NYC yesterday: “Do you affirm that white privilege is unfair…will you commit to helping transform our church culture” and worship daily at altar of “racial justice.” St. George Floyd replaces Jesus. pic.twitter.com/P3IoXj3GsX

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) August 31, 2020

This is what he said:

“I now invite you to stand, and in joining us in the prayer for racial justice, by responding ‘yes’ to each of the following statements,” Pastor Boller told the congregation.

The rest of the prayer went as follows:

Do you support racial justice, equity, and compassion in human relations? Yes.

Do you affirm that white privilege is unfair and harmful to those who have it and to those who do not? Yes.

Do you affirm that white privilege and the culture of white supremacy must be dismantled where it is present? Yes.

Do you support racial equity justice and liberation for every person? Yes.

Do you affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person? Yes.

Therefore, from this day forward, will you strive to understand more deeply the injustice and suffering white privilege and white supremacy cause? Yes.

Will you commit to help transform our Church culture to one that is actively engaged in seeking racial justice and equity for all, for everyone? Yes.

Will you make a greater effort to treat all people with the same respect you expect to receive? Yes.

Will you commit to developing the courage to live your beliefs and values of racial justice and equality? Yes.

Will you strive to eliminate racial prejudice from your thoughts and actions so that you can better promote the racial justice efforts of our Church? Yes.

Will you renew and honor this pledge daily knowing that our Church and our community, our nation, and our world will be better places because of our efforts? Yes.