Lunch with Dante in Florence. The Poet comments on consistories.

Posted on 4 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Dante can provide wisdom on most of the troubles of our lives.   His wisdom pops up just about anywhere and in timely fashion.

Thus, a wise and respected friend was lunching in Florence in the shadow of the Duomo today and, lunching, captured this image which, in advance of the upcoming Amazonian Synod – or, perhaps a future consistory or even conclave? – provided food for thought together with the darn good food for the body.

Lunch with Dante in Florence. The Poet comments on consistories.

What’s going on here?

Dante is in the Sphere of Mars in the Fifth Heaven.  He is conversing with Cacciaguida, related to Dante’s family, about the situation in Florence.  Cacciaguida blames several families for the corruption of Florence.  When you go about in Florence, by the way, you occasionally spot these plaques from the 1920s with Cacciaguida’s thoughts about these corrupting families at the places where they once lived.

With a substitution or two, it’s apt.

Così facieno i padri di coloro
che, sempre che la vostra chiesa vaca,
si fanno grassi stando a consistoro.

L’oltracotata schiatta che s’indraca
dietro a chi fugge, e a chi mostra ‘l dente
o ver la borsa, com’ agnel si placa, …

“So did the fathers of those
Who, when a vacancy comes in your church,
Fatten by stalling in the consistory.

“The overweening breed that plays the dragon
To one who runs off, but to one who shows
His teeth — or purse — is docile as a lamb….

For the record, the lunch included vitella tonnata and Vermentino.  A good combination, well chosen.

If you have never read the Divine Comedy, you should.  You could start with Anthony Esolen’s excellent translation (Part 1, Inferno US HERE – UK HERE) or perhaps with Dorothy Sayer’s fine version (Part 1, Inferno, US HERE – UK HERE).  There are many renderings to choose from.  I would very much like to teach on Dante someday.  Maybe it’ll happen.

When you make the life-changing choice to read the Divine Comedy, here are a couple tips.  First and foremost, make the decision that you will read the whole thing.  Don’t read just the Inferno.  The really great stuff comes in Purgatorio and Paradiso.

Also, read through a canto to get the line of thought and story and then go back over it looking at the notes in your edition.

Dante was, perhaps, the last guy who knew everything (with the possible exception of Erasmus).  Each Canto is dense with references.  You will need notes to help with the history, philosophy, cosmology, poetic theory, politics, theology, etc.  Really.  You will need help.

Posted in Lighter fare | Tagged ,
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Comprehensive Sexuality Education – A demonic agenda targeting children

Posted on 2 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Horrible “sex ed” agenda aimed at children.

This is pretty bad.   Get children out of the room before watching.  Really.

I won’t post the video on this blog, but GO HERE.

See what the United Nations and Planned Parenthood, etc. have in store for children.

Big Business Abortion and Big Business Sex.

Hook children on sex.  They are future customers.

This is also tied into demonic gender identity propaganda.

 

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged , ,
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ACTION ITEM! East Coast BISHOPS, PRIESTS: Pray the Litany against Hurricane #DORIAN

Posted on 2 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

ACTION ITEM! East Coast BISHOPS, PRIESTS: Pray the Litany against Hurricane #DORIANPlease retweet and share around.

Hurricane Dorian is out there.   My mother lives along the eastern coast of Florida. Hence, I’m paying attention to the track.  It’s hard to say where it’ll go, but it isn’t going to be fun even if it doesn’t make landfall.

So, I have an action item for you believing priests and bishops out there.   With confidence we can pray the prayers which the Church has designated against storms.

I believe what the Church believes.  Do you?

Therefore….

BISHOPS OF THE EAST COAST: Stand on the steps of your respective cathedral churches, dressed in cope and miter and, surrounded by clergy, with crosiers in hand, pronounce from the traditional Rituale Romanum the Litany of Saints with the deprecatory prayers against storms.  [below]   Ring the cathedral bells.  You all talk to each other: perhaps coordinate your timing.

I know that in every chancery at least one person reads this blog, probably more.  Readers, especially if you know your bishops personally, ask them to do this.

PRIESTS OF THE EAST COAST: Ditto.  Also, if you have blessed bells, ring the bells of your churches against the storm.  Bells are sacramentals.  They are “baptized” and given names.  They speak.  In valleys of mountainous countries, as storms approached, people would ring the bells and pray the Litany.  That’s one of the reasons why we have consecrated bells!

PEOPLE OF THE EAST COAST: Get on your priests about this.  The prayers of priests and bishop are powerful.  Also, ask your holy angels to protect you and to help you make prudent decisions.

Fathers, Bishops…

Use the old Roman Ritual (yes, the traditional book – you can do it! – it’s the real deal!) and pray the Litany with the deprecatory prayers against storms. A procession could be done around the grounds of the cathedral or even indoors… even with a very few.

You don’t have to be directly in the line of the storm to pray for others!

PROCESSION FOR AVERTING TEMPEST [Better in Latin, but here is the English from Sancta Missa.]

The church bells are rung, and all who can assemble in church. Then the Litany of the Saints is said, during which – at the right moment, namely, after the invocation, “That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, etc.”, the following invocation is said twice:

From lightning and tempest, Lord, deliver us.

At the end of the litany the following is added:

P: Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)
P: And lead us not into temptation.
All: But deliver us from evil.
Psalm 147
P: Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem; * praise your God, O Sion.
All: For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; * He has blessed your children within you.
P: He has granted peace in your borders; * with the best of wheat He fills you.
All: He sends forth His command to the earth; * swiftly runs His word!
P: He spreads snow like wool; * He strews frost like ashes.
All: He scatters His hail like crumbs; * the waters freeze before His cold.
P: He sends His word and melts them; * He lets His breeze blow and the waters run.
All: He has proclaimed His word to Jacob, * His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.
P: He has not done thus for any other nation; * He has not made known His ordinances to them.
All: Glory be to the Father.
P: As it was in the beginning.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: Lord, show us your mercy.
All: And grant us your salvation.
P: Help us, O God, our Savior.
All: And deliver us, O Lord, for your name’s sake.
P: Let the enemy have no power over us.
All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm us.
P: May your mercy, Lord, remain with us always.
All: For we put our whole trust in you.
P: Save your faithful people, Lord.
All: Bless all who belong to you.
P: You withhold no good thing from those who walk in sincerity.
All: Lord of hosts, happy the men who trust in you.
P: Lord, heed my prayer.
All: And let my cry be heard by you.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.

Let us pray.
God, who are offended by our sins but appeased by our penances, may it please you to hear the entreaties of your people and to turn away the stripes that our transgressions rightly deserve.

We beg you, Lord, to repel the wicked spirits from your family, and to ward off the destructive tempestuous winds.

Almighty everlasting God, spare us in our anxiety and take pity on us in our abasement, so that after the lightning in the skies and the force of the storm have calmed, even the very threat of tempest may be an occasion for us to offer you praise.

Lord Jesus, who uttered a word of command to the raging tempest of wind and sea and there came a great calm; hear the prayers of your family, and grant that by this sign of the holy cross all ferocity of the elements may abate.

Almighty and merciful God, who heal us by your chastisement and save us by your forgiveness; grant that we, your suppliants, may be heartened and consoled by the tranquil weather we desire, and so may ever profit from your gracious favors; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.
He sprinkles the surroundings with holy water.

Bishops, priests!

You don’t have to advertise this or call in the TV cameras (though that would be great, too).  JUST DO IT.

‘CMON!  What do you have to lose?

Posted in ACTION ITEM!, Semper Paratus, The Coming Storm | Tagged , ,
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2 Sept 1859: The Carrington Event

Posted on 2 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

2 Sept 1859: The Carrington EventOn this date, 2 September 1859 your planet was struck by a massive solar storm which caused the Carrington Event.

Read about it.  A powerful solar wind struck the Earth.  The “Northern Lights” were visible in the Caribbean.  You could read by them at night.  Telegraph wires melted.

Life was not affected much at that time, because so few things used electricity.

But, today?

One of these days, once again, there will be a huge coronal mass ejection from your planet’s yellow star that strikes your planet square on.  The result will be a vast electromagnetic pulse which fries almost all your electronic stuff.  You will be plunged in an instant back to something like the 19th century.  Within months, the larger part of the world’s population would probably be dead in the horrifying aftermath.

Will you have what it takes to survive?

On the other hand, perhaps there will be nuclear attacks that cause EMPs, or perhaps there will be a pandemic or other natural events which brings down the world’s economy, resulting in much the same.

Here are a few books you can try out, just to scare the stuffing out of you.

Lights Out by David Crawford

2 Sept 1859: The Carrington Event

One Second After by William R. Forstchen (a sequel – One Year After)

2 Sept 1859: The Carrington Event

Dark Grid by David. C. Waldron

2 Sept 1859: The Carrington Event

The following isn’t a CME/EMP scenario, but the effects are in many respects the same.

Patriots by James Wesley Rawles.

2 Sept 1859: The Carrington Event

It is really good to think about these things, especially if you are responsible for others.
Something for you hams out there to think about, too.
73
Posted in Global Killer Asteroid Questions, Look! Up in the sky!, Semper Paratus, TEOTWAWKI, The Coming Storm | Tagged , ,
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Observations about the newly named Cardinals. Fr Z briefly rants.

Posted on 1 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Observations about the newly named Cardinals. Fr Z briefly rants.You know what an atomizer is, right?  Think of those bottles of perfume with little squeeze bulbs that send out poofs.

To atomize means to break down into discreet parts, to separate something into tiny bits.

That’s what is happening to the College of Cardinals.

The last few consistories point to the possibility that Francis is trying purposely to atomize the College.

Today the names of the new members of the College were announced.  They were a mixture of the unremarkable.  The list is a combination of the expected and the seemingly random, as if a dart were thrown at map with the light switched off. [UPDATE: A reader sent a positive remark by email about the Archbp Jean Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg.]

How does atomization enter into this?

One Cardinal told me some time ago that the cardinals don’t know each other anymore.

It was always going to be the case that not every cardinal knew all the others.  However, there were always a goodly number who had worked in the Curia, who had studied in Rome and met others.  There were many more occasions when the College was brought to Rome and they had a chance to meet each other.

Hence, when a cardinal says that the members don’t know each other, that means that College is being atomized.  That means that previous blocks have been broken down.

Also, the fact that men to whom Rome is truly a foreign concept are being made cardinals, who don’t have their own sense of the Roman thing, of Romanità, of how things work and how to network, power blocks will coalesce around well-known, even famous, cardinals, whose names are in the news all the time, movers and shakers: Tagle, Marx, Maradiaga, Baldisieri, etc.   The newbies and relative outsiders will gather magnetically to the Big Names in the College.  It stands to reason.

The seemingly random – dart in the dark – method is described as an attempt to reflect the missionary dimension of the Church.  Okay.  The result within the College is that no one knows the others.  Atomization.

There are other matters in the list which prompt concern.   One popped – or rather poofed – out at me.

It is not at all usual that the Italian see of Bologna would have a cardinal’s hat.  Remember that the late Dubia Cardinal Caffarra was in Bologna.  As if to snuff out the very memory of the man who sent in the Dubia and who had, previously, founded the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and the Family, and who had received the note from Sr. Lucia saying that the Enemies last battleground was the family, a certain Archbp. Matteo Zuppi was appointed to Bologna.

Zuppi wrote the forward to the Italian translation of the infamous homosexualist manifesto by the Jesuit James Martin.

He also called for the building of mosques and Islamic celebrations in schools.

So, what we have now is a rather odd, seemingly random – and yet not – poofing of the College into ever smaller fragments.  And just as in the case of an atomizer which is poofed upon a mirror on the wall, the droplets will eventually coalesce into the bigger drops.

As soon as I started to pen something about this, I received an email from a smart priest who made the same observations I intended now to add.  For his sake, I won’t name him here, but here’s the gist of our common concern.

My priestly correspondent noted, “the revolution now is secure for at least another century – with worse to follow.”

I am reminded of the definitions of a Pessimist and an Optimist.

The Pessimist is one who says, “Things can’t possibly get any worse!”, while the Optimist brightly responds, “Oh, yes they can!”

Ohhhhh… yes.  They can.  As the Fat Man put it in The House of God, “They can always hurt you more.” (Law VIII)

In the matter of the College, and therefore as far as any future conclave is concerned, I place the Church where the Church has always really been: in the glorious nail-gouged hands of Christ.

Christ went through His fearful Passion. Therefore, it is necessary that the Church go through a fearful Passion.

Pain wracked every joint and nerve and limb of the Lord. Therefore, it is necessary that the Church too be agonized in every member.

The weight of sins was loaded upon His shoulders in propitiation for the foreseen days in which we are now living.

I say, therefore, since it seems to be God’s will that we will not avoid this chalice which we are to receive in the near future, then…

…BRING IT ON.

We have our spiritual weapons for this spiritual warfare.

This means that more and more people will start to see what is going on and will rise up to our new spiritual challenge.   The rest will choke in the dust of their errors and, eventually, will be left behind on the field.

Go to confession and gird up your loins.

This isn’t going to be pretty.

It won’t be pretty, but in the end it will be beautiful.

Posted in Pò sì jiù, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices |
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Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Posted on 1 September 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Was there a good point made in the sermon of the Mass you heard to fulfill your Sunday obligation?

Let us know.

For my part, I drilled into the details of the Lord’s parable about the Good Samaritan, explaining a bit what parables are and then getting into a few key terms which help us to unlock its riddle.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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“Dario Viganò is getting bigger now. No, not that Viganò who is in hiding now!”

Posted on 31 August 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

"Dario Viganò is getting bigger now. No, not that Viganò who is in hiding now!"As a quondam but not-too-dedicated vaticanista, I watch now the goings on “oltratevere” (see… I can still bring the yiddish when I want to) in a combination of morbid fascination, as with glancing at road kill, and amusement, as with opera buffa.

These are the lenses with which I take in the news today.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Francis named Msgr. Dario Edoardo Viganò as Vice-Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, with a specific competency in the area of communication.

Remember Dario Viganò?  Not Archbp. Viganò, but the other Viganò?  This Viganò, Dario, doctored up a letter of Benedict XVI so as to give a false impression of approval of a series of books cobbled up in praise of Francis’ theological contributions.  Dario was subsequently eviscerated in the press for his blatant mendacity, then sort of but not quite fired from his post at the Vatican comm’s office.  Immediately a new position appeared, miraculously, and Dario was fired, laterally, into it.  He has now been promoted.

This sort of thing, like road kill, is not the sort of thing you want to see, but you still look it.  And, like opera buffa, all you can do is sit back in enjoy the impending disaster.  It’s all sort of like an episode of Fawlty Towers, come to think about it.

"Dario Viganò is getting bigger now. No, not that Viganò who is in hiding now!"In any event, the official Paradohymnodist here has once again come through.

This is to be sung to the aria “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s Barber (not Rabbit) of Seville.  You know the one… “Figaro… Figaro… Figaro…”.   Remember that “the City… la Città” is most certainly, the Vatican City!

Dario Viganò is getting bigger now.
No, not that Viganò, who is in hiding now.
Pietro Viganò’s not the right Viganò.
Dario Viganò’s running the show.
He is vice chancellor, he is the answerer,
He’s a world traveler, a memo matador.
No one is fancier, or extravascular.
Salome danced for her reward you know.
He’s now factotum de la Città!
He’s now factotum de la Città!
De la Città! De la Città! The whole Città!

Play video

Play video

Some seriously unctuous maneuvering is going on.

 

Posted in Parody Songs, You must be joking! | Tagged ,
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VIDEO: Trailer for Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Benedict XVI and Francis in upcoming ‘The Two Popes’

Posted on 30 August 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Well, this is going to be … interesting.

Play video

It will be interesting to see if their portrayal of Benedict (Hopkins is a great actor) is anything like the real Benedict. Back in the day, I had an awful lot of good conversations with Card. Ratzinger and we were friendly. From this trailer, I am not optimistic about accuracy of character.

Also, you might remember the day after Francis was elected and he went back (spontaneously?) to his “hotel” to pay his own bill. Well, I lived in that residence for years. Bergoglio would stay there (never with Jesuits). I’ve had numerous meals, back in the day, with Card. Bergoglio. We’ll see if he portrayed well. I didn’t get to know him as well as I did Ratzinger.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t help thinking of Francis whenever that Grand Sparrow, or whatever the title was, was the video episodes of Game Of Thrones. I always thought that they were consciously riffing on Francis in that character. Now it turns out that that actor is the one playing Bergoglio. The type casting is spot on. Hopkins is a good choice, too… a good choice it is a good idea to make something like this at all.

___

UPDATE

Before too long, you should all get your hands on a couple of books to help understand the thought of the men in the movie.

First, Tracey Rowland’s Ratzinger’s Faith.  

US HERE – UK HERE

VIDEO: Trailer for Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Benedict XVI and Francis in upcoming ‘The Two Popes’

Also, from the same, this splendid “state of the question” book.  In the last section she explores Bergoglio’s theological stance, as far as it can be deciphered.

 Catholic Theology.  

VIDEO: Trailer for Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Benedict XVI and Francis in upcoming ‘The Two Popes’US HERE – UK HERE

VIDEO: Trailer for Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Benedict XVI and Francis in upcoming ‘The Two Popes’

Posted in ¡Hagan lío! | Tagged ,
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Support a project of evangelization through beauty, music and the TLM

Posted on 30 August 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I thought y’all might want to know about this.

This comes from the choir director at Sacred Heart Church in Grand Rapids, MI… which has an amazing school and a great liturgical program.  I have visited the parish and celebrated Mass there several times, and given conferences.  It’s terrific.

I have a “brick-by-brick” project that I humbly ask you to promote on your blog:
Gaudete Grand Rapids is a professional choral ensemble devoted to singing the venerable music of the Roman Rite in the context for which it was written, the Traditional Latin Mass, in the diocese of Grand Rapids, MI.  Our mission is to evangelize through beauty and spread the TLM to parishes not yet familiar with the form, as well as fortify the traditional communities already established here.
We need $6,000 to fund an inaugural season. The five founding members of Gaudete have recorded a promotional album titled “Woman, Behold Thy Son, which we’re selling it at gaudetegr.bandcamp.com — $15 for a digital copy, $20 for a CD.
Readers of WDTPRS can use the promo code “frzblog” to get 10% off their order.

How’s’bout it?

You could at least click and visit the site, right?

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged
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NB: new registrations approved after a delay

Posted on 30 August 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’ve been on the road for a couple of days, and so not able to review and approve registrations.

This morning I approved a whole raft of them.  Thanks!

BTW… I get emails from people who say that they’ve tried several times to register.  Invariably, they already are registered and approved and they just need a new password.    I assign a temporary password – which can be changed – and they are good to go.

FWIW.

 

 

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes |
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