Fr. Z's Blog

UPDATE 17 Oct:

WE DID IT.

“For Luigi!”

Last night an American woman dropped in at the sacristy, knowing I would be there, with an envelope full of Euro. The pastor was there too, so she put it directly into his hands.  It was quite a bit.  Thanks, D!  You did a beautiful thing for a concrete project.

Between that and what we raised online, we have hit the goal. Hopefully, I’ll get a final figure.  Even if there is a little extra, the money will be used on that baptismal font somehow. (I suspect their estimate will turn out to be a little low.)  It’ll take a while to get it installed, and we will surely get photographic updates.

Happily, the dollar is strong, so your US donations were potent.

Meanwhile, the pastor of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini send me this message to pass on you all of you who contributed.

As Pastor of the Parish of Trinità dei Pellegrini I would like to sincerely thank all the readers of Fr Z’s blog who donated funds for the new baptismal font for our Parish. The generosity and speed with which you have responded to our call has been tremendous. Be sure that news of the installation and inauguration of the completed font will be posted to the blog in due course (probably in a few months’ time).
I would also like to express my thanks to Fr Z himself, who has been a great friend of our Parish over the years.
Please do not hesitate to drop by at Trinità dei Pellegrini if you are ever in Rome. May God bless you all.
Rev. Jean-Cyrille Sow, fssp
Pastor, Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, Rome

GENEROSITY AND SPEED!

I am so proud of you that even my black non-monsignor socks are tempted to roll up and down.

Of course I have another project ready in the wings… a helmet for a Swiss Guard. More to follow.

UPDATE 14 Oct:

I have a progress report.   From the USA we’ve raised so far about $5000.  From the UK, then amount is, frankly, pretty small.

This is what has to be replaced.    I came into church the other day and a baptism was concluding.

See that bronze urn?

No.  Just… No.

C’MON FOLKS!

Let’s get this over the top!

I know you can do it.

Remember that the traditional parish in Rome needs to set a standard.

Originally Published on: Oct 7

nce upon a time , as a seminarian in Rome, I came to know a young man, about my same age, who grew up in the neighborhood between San Carlo ai Catinari and Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, between the Campo de’ Fiori and the Ghetto, on the Piazza del Monte di Pietà.  He was deeply traditional and loved the Church and desired to be a priest.

In those years the church now held by the Fraternity of St. Peter, Ss. Trinità, was in bad shape and Tradition was being crushed in Rome on every side.  Neglected for years, the ultra-liberal Sant’Egidio community was encroaching.  Nevertheless Luigi did his part to keep alive the ancient Confraternity founded by St. Philip Neri.  He had the keys to the place and did his best, thanklessly, to tidy and preserve.

I developed a strong connection to that church before my ordination in 1991.  And it came to pass that I was ordained on 26 May, the feast of St. Philip Neri, who is Rome’s co-patron with Peter.  Therefore, I celebrated my third Mass at the main altar of Ss. Trinità, beneath the great painting by Guido Reni.  In a few short years, I would bury Luigi’s mother from the church, Elena, at his request, with the Traditional Rite.

Luigi overcame many obstacles, persecutions, and was eventually accepted as a seminarian for Rome at the Major Seminary at the Lateran.  Ordained in 2001, he was mistreated by his superiors for his traditional leanings and he was persecuted and his well-being neglected, though his health wasn’t good.   Don Luigi died in 2011 at 50 years of age, some 10 years a priest.

This is all a preamble to ask for your help for something that my friend don Luigi would have loved to see in life.

The church Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini was historically the church of a confraternity.  It was not a parish church.  As a result, there was never a baptistery or baptismal font. 

However, it is now the Traditional Parish in Rome.  As a parish, it needs – precisely – a baptismal font!

11 years since its canonical founding and there’s no font.   And now, as a sign of great life, there are young families and children and baptisms.  Exactly as you would expect from traditional worship and Catholic life.

Here’s where you come in.

The parish is raising money to install a baptismal font from the 1600’s which they obtained in France.   They want 9000 euro for this, though I think that is a little optimistic.  That would provide for installation, etc.    I think we can do a little better.

So far, they’ve only scratched the surface of the campaign, but – in Rome, believe me – it’s hard going to raise money.

Friends, if we want Tradition to be alive where we are, let’s help the birth into new Christian life in the parish in Rome where a great example is being set to confound all naysayers.

We have to help.

I have spoken with the pastor of Ss. Trinità, and the other priests, about this project.

You can contribute to this project by making donations to the Fraternity of St. Peter.  If you are in the United States, go

HERE  

Donate to the US District.  At the bottom of the form there is a place for a comment.  Earmark the donation for

BAPTISMAL FONT FOR ROME PARISH

If you are in the UK go HERE.  Same deal.  Earmark.

Be sure to state that this is for the BAPTISMAL FONT FOR ROME PARISH.

Also the IBAN of the parish:
IT51A0200805205000105064222 – Account n° 706 105064222 for Parrocchia SS. Trinità dei Pellegrini with UniCredit, Largo di Torre Argentina, 14, 00186. BIC SWIFT è: UNCRITM1706

I’m not sure how, but I’ll try to collect progress reports.

As the Amazon Synod revs up, let’s make our own spiritual counter strike and with the battle cry “FOR LUIGI!” get this done.