ASK FATHER: How should good Catholics deal with homosexuals?

Posted on 5 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

Dear Fr. Thank you for the sterling work you do with your blog.
Within my circle of friends at my accommodation we have a number of practicing homosexuals. In the pass I have avoided such people like the plague, the lifestyle is part of the culture of death. However over meals I’ve gotten to know some and while not attracted to the persons sexually I’m fond of them as individual people.  How is a good catholic meant to go about dealing with such people.

A good Catholic is to treat with charity, sacrificial love, all whom we meet.  This means giving them what is due to them by justice, treating them fairly, offering works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual.   Spiritual works of mercy include instructing the ignorant and admonishing the sinner.  These two works of mercy one always applies also according to principles of fraternal correction.  Much depends on your relationship and the character of individuals.

So, we should treat people with homosexual tendencies justly and charitably, as we would any other person.

Every person has principle faults or inclinations to some sort of sin.  Every person suffers temptations by the Enemy.    Let’s never look down on those who have these tendencies, as if we were pharisees in the temple looking down on the publican.

I firmly believe that if people with same-sex attraction will, if they live chastely and persevere, have a very high place in heaven.  The burden and suffering must be heavy indeed.  Therefore, the graces God offers will be that much greater.

There is no reason why, within the bounds of decorum, we have to accept any of the homosexualist ideology.

In short, deal with homosexuals with charity, which may mean admonishment if your relationship permits.  However, avoid all temptation of rash judgment and examine your conscience.

And firmly reject demonic gender-bending theory and the homosexualist agenda, that either doesn’t uphold the need for continence or blurs the fact of the intrinsic evil of same-sex acts.

I’ve written more about homosexuality, HERE.

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ROME DAY 2: Greens and greens

Posted on 5 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today the Roman Aurora is at 6:43, Sunset at 20:48 and the Ave Maria at 19:00.

Some of you have asked about my green grocer.   She’s still at it, in the stall in the Campo de’ Fiori, every day.

One of you asked about artichokes.   Frankly, the spring is the best time for artichokes, but here are some in the process of preparation for sale.

I met a friend for lunch.  We split a portion of fettucine with tuna and little tomatoes.

Speaking of green, I was back to Gammarelli to discuss further the reproduction of some gold silk.   They’ve been cutting fabric for dalmatics and copes.  Lots of dalmatics and copes!

Always watch for the wavy flag!

Gammarelli has been producing their own fabrics.

At the request of one of the French seminarians or priests at the nearby Pontifical French College, they made a fabric with the design from the ceiling of the French church, San Luigi dei Francesi, where the famous series about Matthew by Caravaggio is to be viewed.

You can see the fleur-de-lys.

They have the main liturgical colors, but black and rose are still coming.

I stopped at Barbiconi to have a look at a suit or two.  It’s been a while.

A view during my stroll home after Mass.

This enoteca has potential!

I have a good friend who will instantly recognize these names.   But, don’t we all?

Tonight there is a “Conference to Promote Communion Kneeling and on the Tongue” at Santo Spirito in Sassia. Malcolm Card. Ranjith will contribute as will the great Msgr. Bux. There will be video messages from Card. Burke and Bp. Schneider. I have to figure out how to do this, since my regular Mass time is 6PM.

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to | Tagged
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ASK FATHER: Do Popes need permission to consecrate bishops?

Posted on 5 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

When the pope personally ordains a new bishop, does the ordination liturgy still contain the question about a mandate from the Apostolic See? This would seem redundant if the pope is present and/or the celebrant and principal consecrator.

You are right that a Pope would not need the mandate from anyone to consecrate a bishop.  He gives the mandate for bishops to be consecrated.  Any bishop who consecrates a man is automatically excommunicated if he lacks the papal mandate.

There is a different situation, however, in which the Pope does need a mandate!

In the case that the Pope is going to ordain priests for dioceses other than his own Diocese of Rome, he “needs” a mandate from the ordinand’s bishop or superior.   For example, when I was ordained by John Paul II my bishop had to send a “dimissorial letter”, indicating that the ordaining bishop (the Pope) could go ahead.  In my case, my bishop sent the letter to the Pope’s Vicar for Rome, since all the Pope’s ordinations were handled through the Diocese of Rome.

Of course, in the case of a dimissorial letter to the Pope’s vicar, it’s more of a case of “This guy’s in good order, don’t worry!”, rather than, “I give you, Vicar of Christ, my permission.”  It amounts to the same thing in the end, but there are proprieties to be followed.

Similarly, if, in Rome, a bishop from the outside is to ordain to the diaconate or priesthood, he will need the mandate to ordain from the Pope’s Vicar and also from the bishops of the men who will be ordained.  For example, the other day, the Bishop of Portland ordained deacons in St. Peter’s Basilica.  He had to have permission to ordain within the Diocese of Rome and in the Basilica, and each bishop of the men to be ordained had to send dimissorial letters.

However, a bishop in good standing in his own diocese doesn’t need permission from anyone to ordain, unless, of course, some guy from outside the diocese needs ordaining.  For example, in the Diocese of Black Duck, Bp. Noble is going to ordain priests.  However, over in the Diocese of Libville, Bp. Faty McButterpants was scheduled to ordain, but, unfortunately (or not), the bishop’s somewhat deformed dog Chester had an accident in the kitchen, Fatty slipped and threw out his back.   So as to not disappoint everyone, from his hospital bed Fatty asked Bp. Noble to lend a hand (to the unending delight of the ordinand and family).

I think you get how it works now.

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ASK FATHER: Blessing of pets and of stuffed animals

Posted on 4 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest…

QUAERITUR:

Today on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi many parishes and schools will have a blessing of pets. We did ours this morning at our school and it went well. There were horses, a goat, many dogs and cats, turtles, lizards, fish and some other “creeping things.” It went very well and was reverent. I am seeing pictures of other parishes from around the country and I see a few of blessings of stuffed animals. I think that is rather stupid. Stuffed animals are not pets, I consider them toys. I think it diminishes the beauty of animals on the feast of St. Francis. Animals certainly do have a certain dignity because they are created by God and are considered “good.” What is your take on it? Do the blessings of teddy bears that I am seeing circulating cheapening the meaning of the blessing of animals and pets?? Or am too “rigid?”

Are you “too rigid”?  Good question.  Do you have a saturno?

The blessing of animals is a good practice.  In times past, a much larger percentage of the population depended on their animals for work and for food.  They needed their critters to be healthy.  And, for the most part, they couldn’t afford to sentimentalize them.  Puppies were cute, but dogs worked.  Kittens were cute, but they killed rodents.  Colt and calves… etc.  Their cattle (domesticated animals) kept them alive.   Of course they sought the Church’s blessings for them.

Today, however, it strikes me that more and more people have the notion that critters have immortal souls.   And so there are places that might have a huge pet blessing day, and maybe put out information about rescuing animals, but perhaps not a parish pro-life initiative.

Teddy bears?  It doesn’t harm anything or anyone to bless a little child’s stuffed animal.  After all, demons can attach to things.   And little ones form strong bonds that form them even later.

However, the difference in the way people are blessed and, on the other hand, the way that critters and stuffed animals are blessed, must be clear.

Let’s preach clearly about the differences between human beings, made in God’s imagine and likeness, and good, wonderful, amazing critters!  When they are gone, they are gone.  We, on the other hand, have immortal souls to attend to.

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1st FRIDAY – Pre-Synod Stations of the Cross

Posted on 4 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There are many devotions we can use before the Synod.   However, since it is a 1st Friday, perhaps you might use the Way of the Cross.

Here also are a few of my audio projects of the Way of the Cross.

On 1st Fridays, do please pray the Act of Reparation.

What we need right now is PRAYER, especially now.

And remember to GO TO CONFESSION!

For priests, especially, try The Way Of The Cross For Priests from the Benedictines of Silverstream Priory.  HERE.  Would you consider getting copies of this for your priests where you are?  Lay people: pray it for priests.

Below are readings of the Via Crucis, the Way of the Cross, composed by

  • Joseph Card. Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, for the 2005 Good Friday observance at the Colosseum in Rome
  • St. Alphonus Liguori
  • Bl. John Henry Newman

There are two versions of the Way by St. Alphonsus Liguori. One is plain with just my voice. The other is the same voice recording but with the Gregorian chant Sequence Stabat Mater interlaced between the stations.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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You can gain a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions of confession and Communion within a few days of the work and detachment even from venial sin.  From the Handbook of Indulgences:

63. Exercise of the Way of the Cross (Viae Crucis exercitium)

A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful, who make the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross.

The gaining of the plenary indulgence is regulated by the following norms:

  1. The pious exercise must be made before stations of the Way of the Cross legitimately erected.

  2. For the erection of the Way of the Cross fourteen crosses are required, to which it is customary to add fourteen pictures or images, which represent the stations of Jerusalem.

  3. According to the more common practice, the pious exercise consists of fourteen pious readings, to which some vocal prayers are added. However, nothing more is required than a pious meditation on the Passion and Death of the Lord, which need not be a particular consideration of the individual mysteries of the stations.

  4. A movement from one station to the next is required.

I believe that if you follow the Holy Father’s Way of the Cross on Good Friday, even by television, the indulgence is available.

If the pious exercise is made publicly and if it is not possible for all taking part to go in an orderly way from station to station, it suffices if at least the one conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the others remaining in their place.

Those who are “impeded” can gain the same indulgence, if they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those belonging to Eastern Rites, among whom this pious exercise is not practiced, the respective Patriarchs can determine some other pious exercise in memory of the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ for the gaining of this indulgence.

Meanwhile, from a reader last year…

Just a quick note to say thank you for providing your recordings of the Stations of the Cross. I am completely blind and had committed to making this part of my Lenten practices, only to have the Braille display from which I read promptly die. I had been struggling to find a recording of St. Alphonsus’ version. May God bless you!

If these recordings are helpful to you, please say a prayer for me, especially if you use the Way Of The Cross For Priests.

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ROME DAY 1: Cleaning, clerical shops, and cardinalatial gear

Posted on 4 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Another days dawns.  I brought a portion of my curial calendar along with an old backing.  My calendar informs me that today, in Rome, that sunset is at 18:50, and the Ave Maria is at 19:00.

The morning of the first full day found me heading early to the shops to get, inter alia, cleaning stuff.   The apartment I am in was not my first choice.   The far better choice got cancelled out from under my just a few days before I was to arrive, which added to my stress levels.   In any event, I am doing some cleaning here at the monolocale non-immacolato.  I have saved photos for before and after.  A little each day and I’ll have the place in order.   Frankly, they ought to be paying me.

But I digress.  Once some cleaning was accomplished, it was time to head for some food stuffs.  To the Campo!

This lovely madonna is at the corner, above where I shot the above and next to the great bakery which changed Nancy Silverton’s understanding of bread.

To wit.

Some things you don’t see often in stores back home.

I had business to do at Gammarelli.  Through the P.za Navona, where so many Christian martyrs died.  Probably more here than at the Colosseum.  In the church at the middle, one of those dedicated to the important saint of the Roman Canon, you find the skull of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr.

I brought to Gammarelli a chalice veil for the gold silk Pontifical set.  We hope we can match the fabric and have an antependium and gremial made.  Then to Barbiconi, which does better in matters of shirts, etc.

Someone asked me what, if anything, the guys at Gammarelli thought of the new batch of cardinals.   They, and rightly so, are discreet.  You want your tailors to be discreet.  However, in the window, we have a bit of a statement.   Note that, on the left, you see what Cardinal Burke wore when he came for Mass.

Perhaps this will inspire a new generation of rigid, psychologically disturbed priests (read: unintimidated and doctrinally sound).

You would not believe some of the undiplomatic things young priests here, and older too, are saying in reaction to Francis’ remarks about young priests in cassocks and saturnos.  And one of the shopkeepers in the clerical row near the Pantheon said that saturnos are saucering out the doors.

Speaking of diplomacy, in the left is the Pontifical Academy where clerics destined for nunciatures are trained.  In the center, the backside of the Pantheon and one of the 13 Egyptian obelisks with the little elephant by Bernini and Co.  The elephant’s rear points to the door of what was once the Dominican residence next to Santa Maria sopra Minerva (out of view).  This place eventually became the first North American College before the whole shebang was transferred to the Gianicolo hill.

You can tell what is most heavily in demand by young and older clergy alike by what is in the windows of the clerical shops.  In this particular shop, back in the day, the window was always a little “out there” with lots of stuff by Slabink, etc.   They pushed modern, even though the trend was back to traditional.  They seem to be throwing in the towel in the face of market forces.

I do enjoy these “NO DUMPING!” signs.   Get caught, 10 gold scudi and maybe other penalties besides.

Mass was at Ss. Trinità in the evening.  If you are around in Rome, I’ll probably be there in the neighborhood of 6PM for Mass, depending on the varying circumstances of the sacristy.

Supper, after a long day.  It’s a three-milk Robiola from a stand in the Campo that does organic stuff.

Today, lunch with a friend and a meet up with a tailor.

BTW… I want to bring up a project with all of you.  Ss. Trinita needs something.  More on that later.

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ROME Day 0: Rain, Dubia Cardinal, and the Great Roman

Posted on 3 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I have found that uploading photos on the fly, literally, can be difficult.  Hence, thin posting.

On the way into Rome, there were some rather ominous clouds piling up.

Sure enough.  I got settled into the monolocale macolato and headed out to find initial supplies.  BAM!  With cracks of lightning and thunder for a while it came down as if the Tiber had been upended.  And I, without umbrella.

The dove eventually found a mountaintop and I got some errands done.

Later, to Ss. Trinita for my own Mass – I said the first Mass of my stay for benefactors! – and then a Pontifical Mass at the Faldstool followed by Exposition until midnight.  I sat in choro.  The celebrant was Card. Burke.

The celebrant says his prayers before being vested.

I know that there are out there the half-informed who think that all this ceremony and finery is either outdated or a manifestation of pride or clericalism or whatever the hell thing they make up.  It needs to be seen and grasped through the prayers that are said for each vestment and also the significance of preparing the celebrant.

Some of this developed from the “court” being around the bishop.  Why?  Because every Mass of the bishop was really seen as the entire diocese being present and celebrating in his person.  That’s why you had all these extras, such as the guys in black, who were notaries in the chancery.

Meanwhile, the bishop has to just stand there and endure it all.   Why?  Because it is not about him.  It’s about HIM.  The bishop is going to be the priest and the victim at the altar.  Hence, he is treated like the sacrificial lamb before the slaughter, carefully prepared.

He even has to submit to being divested.

The ministers line up in order with the vestments which the deacon and subdeacon put on the celebrant.

Eventually, things get underway.

Exposition after Mass.

Interesting.  They have all the plate out this time!

After Exposition I was able to exchange cordial greetings with the Cardinal (we’ve known each other since long before he was appointed bishop).  A little chat with Ed Pentin and Diane Montagna on the steps in front.   Then it was off to supper with The Great Roman.   Not being as young as we once were, we split some Pasta alla Norma.

Then, orata in white wine.   I forgot to order the spinach rather than potatoes.

And thus, I returned to the monolocale macolato, tired.

More errandy sorts of things today.

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First, Francis on “Hockey Rules” and now this?!?

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The other day Francis addressed an international ice hockey group about the importance of rules.

And now this.

He spoke about the importance of Gregorian chant.

“Together you can better engage in singing as an integral part of the liturgy, inspired by the first model, Gregorian chant. Together you take care of the artistic and liturgical preparation, and you promote the presence of the schola cantorum in every parish community. The choir guides the assembly and – with its specific repertoires – is a qualified voice of spirituality, communion, tradition and liturgical culture.” 

Every parish?

What’s next?

Let’s keep everyone guessing.

Posted in Francis, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 |
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My View For Awhile: All Roads Edition

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’m off to Rome for a prolonged sojourn.

The last couple days have been spent in Brooklyn looking at churches and spending time with priest friends.

Sample,

And there were a couple meals.

Which drink is mine?

It has been great seeing more of this borough.

And now off we go out of JFK.

BTW … I haven’t done these MVFA posts in some time. This returns as a favor to Fr SC.

Posted in On the road, What Fr. Z is up to |
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Wherein Fr. Hunwicke amuses

Posted on 1 October 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today at his engaging spot, Mutual Enrichment, Fr. Hunwicke amuses.

He begins with a riff on the stole Benedict XVI wore when he visited England.

He ends with a suggestion that if Francis is really interested in “the peripheries” would would name both Archbishops Chaput and Viganò to the College of Cardinals.

May I add that, for a long time, those who simply want to have traditional worship and doctrine have been the most maligned and marginalized in the Church?   If you are looking for a periphery, you don’t have to look very far.

Posted in Lighter fare, Mail from priests | Tagged ,
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