Updates on Challenge Coins, Gregorian Masses, Birettas, blog nuts and bolts

Posted on 18 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

17_06_26_coin_obverse_02_det-200Firstly, I am having a great time with my Challenge Coins.  I’ve been sending them out to a select group of military, LEOs, and others, including NASA and CIA types.  I’m getting notes back that they’ve been received.  I have another going out today to a cop in my native place who was just promoted.  Other coins have gone to priest friends.  I sent a few out to some long-time benefactors and also one to a fellow who used the donation link on the sidebar where the Challenge Coin image is: it is a specific amount and those donations will hopefully, eventually, offset the cost of making the coins.  Anyway, it’s fun sending them out.  I hope to have some good exchanges.  All the coins are numbered and I’m keeping track of where they go.

Also, it seems that suddenly people who wanted Gregorian Masses said for their loved ones woke up!  Channeling my inner yenta I have facilitated connections between priests and people to get these Masses arranged.  That is deeply satisfying.  More on that HERE.  I usually have a link for this on the upper menu.  So, if you are looking at the blog on a mobile device, check the full version too.

17_07_08_biretta_seminarian_anon_03Remember to pay attention to the BIRETTAS FOR SEMINARIANS PROJECT!  Summer is passing.  There will be new crops of seminarians.  Birettas are required.  Do you part!

Please donate generously to our Pontifical Vestment Project.  I want to get those folded chasubles made in time for them to be used.  We also are going to have eventually new black, rose and even BLUE sets for Pontifical Masses.

Today I corrected (I hope) a redirect problem from the main domain page.  I hope it works better now.  fatherzonline.com comes straight to the main page of this blog.  wdtprs.com goes to a page that redirects.  It was “hanging”.  The blog needs an overhaul.  Also, there are problems with search engines that mystify me… but also don’t mystify me.

Don’t forget ALWAYS to use my Amazon search box on the sidebar when you shop online.  That helps enormously.  Repeat to yourselves before shopping… “Must help Fr. Z… Must help Fr. Z…”

If you are regularly using the blog, please consider subscribing to a monthly donation.  Even small amounts help.  I regularly offer Masses for the intention of benefactors and I remember you all in my prayers daily, with gratitude.

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Mass “facing the people” and priest control freaks

Posted on 18 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

ORIENTEM CAR 01The other day I had the privilege of meeting with a group of the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulcher to talk about the Novus Ordo, the TLM and so forth. In talking about celebration of Mass I brought up Jewish mizrah, or “East”, the direction of prayer for the Jews, “oriented” toward where the Temple of Jerusalem was. The misrach is also the east wall in synagogue where the rabbi is, and in a home. Also, their Torah “ark” containing the Scriptures is usually there, in the East, covered with a curtain.

Today His Hermeneuticalness has an interesting post about similarities of Catholic and Jewish liturgical worship. HERE

He made an insightful point about the orientation of the priest whereby he has, or does not have, the sight of the people in the congregation.  One of his points concerned where people sit in some synagogues, men on one side women on the other, as well as other customs such as arrival time and bowing and so forth.   He comments:

4. reminds me of the practice I heard about once, in which the congregation were told to remain standing in their place after they had received Holy Communion, wait until the last person had received, and then all sit down together. The experience of the traditional Latin Mass is not as freeform as Judaism 101’s description of Orthodox Jewish liturgy, but in fact there are no rubrics for the people, only customs. [NB] I think that whether the priest is facing the people or turned to the East has an influence on how closely he tries to control what everyone does. If you are focussed on the altar and the crucifix, rather than trying to make eye-contact with everyone, you are less likely to be bothered if people choose to occupy the rearmost pews.

Did you get that?  It could be that there is a correlation between versus populum celebration and attempts of priests to control the participation of the congregation.  I think Fr. Finigan is on to something here.

I, for example, could care less whether people sit or stand for most of Mass.  Of course there are times when it is most appropriate to kneel.  I think people properly kneel for the consecration, etc.

I could care less about when people come forward for Holy Communion.  Frankly, I’d like the practice of row-by-row Communion to fade away, and the psychological pressure to go forward when you shouldn’t along with it.  So Communion time is a little messy. Okay.

In my experience liberals are far more controlling than traditionals in certain aspects of worship.  Of course we all know some relaxed libs and some controlling trads, no question.  However, in the main, my experience has been that trads – at least those in communities which have finally gotten comfortable and don’t fear persecution any longer – are pretty laid back, while libs are control freaks.

Perhaps the greater structure of the liturgical rites gives trads space to “be”?

Click!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Mail from priests | Tagged , , ,
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UK Catholic weekly critiques ‘Inciviltà cattolica’ v. Americans

Posted on 17 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

spadaro stairsAt the UK’s best Catholic weekly, there are not one but two … two critiques of Jesuit Fr. Antonio “2+2=5” Spadaro’s attack on Americans in Inciviltà cattolica.

They are useful because they are not in an American source.

Antonio Spadaro has discovered a brand of Protestantism he doesn’t like by Stephen White

Sample:

Sadly, that seems to be the recipe for most of the piece: present a parade of horribles in a way that suggests to the reader that they’re related even if they’re not, drop in a gratuitous jab at George W. Bush for zest, sprinkle Donald Trump’s name generously, add one dash of Steve Bannon, and then contrast the whole thing to Pope Francis and voilà!

Why is Civiltà Cattolica attacking American Christians? I have a theory by Tim Stanley

Sample:

The Jesuit magazine La Civiltà Cattolica has just published an essay on US religious politics that beggars belief. I cannot comment on the theology, but I know my American history – and this article is full of so many errors that it’s impossible to keep silent about it. It matters because one of the authors, Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ, the magazine’s editor, is said to be a confidant of the Pope. [Spadaro is also so interested in the life and works of Pier Vittorio Tondelli that he created his own website about him (HERE).]

[…]

My biggest gripe with the article is its lack of clarity. It makes sweeping generalisations that are untrue. Not all evangelicals are fundamentalists, for instance, and not all evangelical fundamentalists are Right-wing activists.

[…]

The essay makes a number of statements about American Protestantism that are inaccurate.

[…]

The essay betrays a European’s take on America, forcing the template by which we might read European history on to the United States. It doesn’t fit. For instance, far from being a 99 per cent white movement, as the essay suggests, some of the most outspoken religious conservatives in America are black. Fundamentalists in the Twenties often denounced Darwinism because they linked it to eugenics. Until the Seventies, fundamentalists withdrew entirely from politics on the grounds that saving souls was all that mattered; many opposed prayer in schools. And yet, in a fine example of reductio ad absurdum, this essay goes so far as to equate George W Bush with Osama bin Laden, because both were influenced by philosophies that divide the world between good and evil:

“At heart, the narrative of terror shapes the world-views of jihadists and the new crusaders and is imbibed from wells that are not too far apart. We must not forget that the theopolitics spread by Isis is based on the same cult of an apocalypse that needs to be brought about as soon as possible. So, it is not just accidental that George W Bush was seen as a ‘great crusader’ by Osama bin Laden.”

This is offensive. I suspect I know what’s behind it. If the essayists are allowed to engage in corny psychoanalysis, then permit me to do the same. Many Europeans and Latin Americans, ashamed of their countries’ dalliance with fascism, often try to implicate America in the same historical forces. But it’s more a more complex job than they think. There is such a thing as American fascism: slavery and segregation are its most obvious outward signs, and Catholics engaged in both alongside Protestants. But in the Thirties, democracy held out in the US in the way that it didn’t in Europe. And part of the reason for that was a history of resistance to state power and corporatism that is part of the DNA of America’s vibrant, violent, sometimes quite insane religious culture. American history is complicated. It defies lazy caricatures.

 

Posted in Liberals, The Drill | Tagged , ,
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Have you ever heard of, or heard from, a “Notation Knife”?

Posted on 17 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Enjoy this fascinating video!  Biretta tip to The Catholic Thing.

This is about a “notation knife”, which could be called a Benediction or Blessing Knife.  At the end, they have worked out parts to match the notation and have a little group sing it.  Beautiful.  What a great custom this would be.

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

12,248 views

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Mickens tries to pull a fast one as he attempts, again, to insult Pope Benedict

Posted on 17 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

140325TabletMickensTweetAt far-left-leaning Commonweal, long-time Rome-based writer Robert Mickens has a new insinuation piece.

Context: To review Mickens a bit, he dislikes Benedict XVI so much that, in social media, he rooted for his death, which got him fired from the ultra-liberal UK weekly The Tablet. HERE.  He is out of the so-called “closet”.  HERE He is terrified of the new generation of priests, who have Papa Wojtyla and Ratzinger in their marrow.  HERE He thinks that the laity should elect bishops.  HERE

When you read Micken’s musings, you need to park your logic and door and also read for what he leaves out.

In the latest Commonweal piece he strives once more to smear Benedict XVI.  Here’s how he does that.  This is distasteful, but these are the problems arising in Rome and they are the coinage in which the catholic Left peddles their wares.

[…]

Then there’s the case of at least two priest-officials in the Roman Curia who were recently reported to be engaging in scandalous homosexual behavior, [scandalous … is there any other kind?] a perennial dark side of clerical life in the Eternal City.

One was denounced for “cruising” St. Peter’s Square in search of sex with young men. The culprit is said to be a member of an important religious order and an archbishop in a major Vatican office. [NB] There are only five such people that fit the description: two are Jesuits, another two are Dominicans, and one is a Legionary of Christ.  [The problem here is that this is unsubstantiated rumor.]

The other cleric reportedly caught in a gay sex scandal has been identified as a monsignor who serves as personal secretary to one of Pope Francis’s most important curia allies. The incident involving this priest supposedly included the use of cocaine. Some “journalists” have embellished their accounts of this sordid tale with sensationalized and factually erroneous details, including the assertion that the said cardinal knew (or should have known) what naughty business his secretary was up to. [There are variants in the reporting but it is clear that it did happen.  Vatican Gendarmes were involved.  The priest in question was institutionalized.  It has been substantiated.]

Vatican employees and Church commentators who are not especially keen on Papa Francesco have seized upon this series of “bad news” and have tried to throw it like mud at the pope. But, most likely, it won’t stick.

First of all, the religious-archbishop accused of cruising for gay sex and the cardinal who allegedly turned a blind eye to his priest-secretary’s drug-fuelled sexcapades were both appointed by Benedict XVI. So you can’t blame Bergoglio for showing bad judgment in personnel matters, at least not these appointments.

[…]

This is a piece of nasty, to be sure.  But, horrid as it is, let’s pull it apart and get some daylight on it.

Note that Mickens is framing this in terms of people who don’t like Pope Francis, hence. Mickens is against how they “throw mud” at the Pope he favors.

He is guilty of the same unfair mud throwing.

To whom is Mickens referring?  Who are these “five” Archbishops who are religious?

“two are Jesuits”… that means, Ladaria Ferrer, until recently Secretary of the CDF and now Prefect or Vasil, Secretary at the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

“two are Dominicans”… that means, DiNoia, also at the CDF, or Bruguès, the Vatican Archivist and Librarian.

“one is a Legionary of Christ”… that means Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, though he is a Bishop.

All of these men were appointed by Pope Benedict… get it?  HUH?!?  Get it?  That’s the mud.

However, pace Mickens, there are not only five Archbishops in the Curia who are religious.

There is also the conspicuous Archbishop José Rodriguez Carballo, O.F.M., Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, clearly one of the more important dicasteries of the Holy See.

Why would Mickens – purposely – leave him out?  Someone as experienced in Rome as Mickens doesn’t usually make these mistakes.

Rodriguez Carballo was appointed to his position by Pope Francis in 2013.   He wasn’t just some invisible Spanish Franciscan before his appointment.  He was the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, one of the three major families of Franciscans.  He was known.

Why would Mickens leave him out?  Was it just a lapse?  I don’t think so.  Mickens is almost always wrong about everything, but he knows who is in the Roman Curia.

[UPDATE: There’s also Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, S.D.B., (Salesian) Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.]

Let’s get something clear.  We shouldn’t smear people, especially highly placed pastors of the Church – to the delight of the Devil and Hell – with mere rumors especially unsubstantiated rumors of that disgusting nature.  So, it is especially distasteful that Mickens should traffic in this sort of thing.

Finally, what Mickens is peddling about curial Archbishops is from an unsubstantiated blogger and no eyewitnesses to such “cruising” have been identified.  No one has been detained or charged with anything.  On the other hand, the “cocaine party thing” and Card. Coccopalmerio’s (a favorite of Mickens) secretary is substantiated.

What Mickens did was doubly crafty, and that had to be pointed out.

The moderation queue is ON.

Posted in Liberals, Sin That Cries To Heaven, The Drill |
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Robert Royal on the anti-American Spadaro/Figueroa smear

Posted on 17 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The well-deserved fallout continues for the vicious anti-American attack piece penned at Inciviltà cattolica by Jesuit Fr Antonio “2+2=5” Spadaro, who is also so interested in the life and works of Pier Vittorio Tondelli that he created his own website about him (HERE).

Today I read at The Catholic Thing a great commentary by Robert Royal, called “Are Americans from Mars?”

At first I thought he was going in the direction of “Americans are from Mars, Jesuits are from Venus”. Which could be true… unless they are from Ganymede.

Prof. Royal, whose mind was surely honed on Dante (US HERE – UK HERE) rather than on Tondelli, makes a great analogy using the mysterious Red Planet and Spadaro/Figueroa’s long-distance viewing of these USA.

Here are a few amuse-bouches with my usual treatment:

Percival Lowell was a member of the distinguished Boston Lowell family, graduate of Harvard, founder of the Lowell Observatory, the most prominent American astronomer – some say – until Carl Sagan. He also believed, on the basis of what he thought careful scientific observation, that there were canals on Mars, and wrote several books about what might have driven Martians to such a vast undertaking.

Unfortunately, his “observations” were an optical illusion (as several scientists already knew in Lowell’s day). Recent Mars probes have discovered no signs of the civilization Lowell thought once existed there.

Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, and Marcelo Figueroa, a Presbyterian hand-picked by Pope Francis to be editor on the Argentinian edition of L’Osservatore Romano, have recently made quite controversial observations about America in “Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism in the USA: A Surprising Ecumenism.”

They are, with good reason, destined to suffer the fate of poor Percival Lowell.

It’s not that they don’t have some data. But like many distant observers who know little of the concrete reality they are describing, they mistake the relative size and significance of almost everything.

[…]

Their main fear is that the collaboration of Catholics and Evangelicals in fighting the culture war is really a bid to create a theocracy in America. You usually hear a charge like that from Planned Parenthood or gay-rights groups or fringe academics. Not from the Vatican.  [Could the alliance between Catholics and Evangelicals have resulted in the fact that WE are the ones under attack rather than we being the ones on the attack?]

Further, the authors opine, the participants in this “surprising ecumenism” indulge in a “Manichean” view of Good vs. Evil that sees America as the Promised Land and her enemies as enemies of God whom it’s only right to destroy, literally, with our armed forces.

Taking this as the heart of the Evangelical-Catholic alliance is so delusional that a Catholic must feel embarrassed that a journal supposedly reviewed and authorized by the Vatican would run such slanderous nonsense. The authors would have done better to get out and see some of America rather than, it seems, spending so much time with left-wing sociologists of religion.

[…]

Go read the rest of his piece over there.  It will not disappoint, unto the end.

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Fr. Z’s Kitchen: Supper For the Promotion of Clericalism and a NOTE to MS. Winters – UPDATED

Posted on 16 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

UPDATE 17 July 2017:

Some of you are writing to me to ask for CCW cards.  I’m not the guy.  However, I passed the word to Fr. Heilman, who responded:

They’ll be available at romancatholicgear.com within the week. They must possess a “Combat Rosary” to purchase a card.

I don’t know exactly how they’ll work that out, but – hey!

___

Originally Published on: Jul 16, 2017

Last night I invited the bishop and some priests for another Supper For The Promotion of Clericalism.  The priests are in the regular TLM rotation for Sundays at St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff, where my friend Fr. Richard Heilman is pastor. You will recall that Fr. Heilman moved his parish to ad orientem worship, put in an altar rail, and integrated the Extraordinary Form into the regular schedule side by side with the Novus Ordo.  Great things are happening there.  Fr. Heilman is also responsible, inter alia, for the now legendary “Combat Rosary“ which is now being carried by all of the Pontifical Swiss Guards.

Anyway, during the supper, Fr. Heilman unveiled of his new fun item for future distribution with the Combat Rosaries.

wile e coyote knife forkI bring this up in light of the snarky attack on my person and on all you readers of this blog made by the Wile E. Coyote of the catholic Left, MS. Winters of the Fishwrap (aka National Schismatic Reporter).

MS. “Wile E.” Winters arose from his fainting couch to engage in a celebratory chicken dance in the wake of the attack on Americans by the Jesuit-run Incività cattolica.  Among Wile. E.’s comments (my emphases, comments):

Finally, someone took on Church Militant by name and called it out for its “shocking rhetoric.” I am tired of those in positions of authority hiding behind the rationale that they don’t want to “elevate” a fringe group like Church Militant by even calling attention to it, when they really just do not want the flak that will now descend upon Fr. Spadaro and Rev. Figueroa. Hundreds of thousands of people [That’s “fringe”?  That’s more than read MS. Winters!] watch that garbage, and it is not just them: [NB] Yesterday morning, Fr. Zuhlsdorf had an article with the headline “ASK FATHER: Can I wear a Rosary like warriors wear weapons?” [HERE] That kind of militaristic, and profane, language is not uncommon at right-wing Catholic websites, all of which feed into the mainstream through less outrageous, but decidedly conservative, media outlets like EWTN and the National Catholic Register.

[…]

I find it hilarious that he wants “authority” to do something, when for decades the entire purpose of the Fishwrap has been to defy authority.

Wile. E. Winters ignored my response to the questioner, of course.   I responded that the questioner should consider carrying his weapon/Rosary concealed.  Get it?  Concealed carry?  The very fact that someone might ask about the Rosary as a weapon was enough to freak him out. The Rosary as weapon?!?  Oh deary me!  That’s militaristic! That’s outrageous!  That’s … that’s… shocking!

What comes to mind is what St. Padre Pio said, namely, that , “The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.”  He also said, “Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today.” St. Josemaria Escriva said, “The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.”  St. Jose Maria also said, “For those who use their intelligence and their study as a weapon, the Rosary is most effective. Because that apparently monotonous way of beseeching Our Lady as children do their Mother, can destroy every seed of vainglory and pride.” [I wonder if MS Winters prays the Rosary. He uses his intelligence and study as a weapon, after all.]  Pius XI wrote that, “The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.”  [You have to believe in demons, acknowledge that there are sins, and love your country to get this.  Again, I wonder of MS. Winters prays the Rosary.]  Bl. Columba Marmion said, “Here is an example to help you understand the efficacy of the Rosary. You remember the story of David who vanquished Goliath. [Uh oh!  Didn’t David use a … a.. weapon?!?] What steps did the young Israelite take to overthrow the giant? He struck him in the middle of the forehead with a pebble from his sling. If we regard the Philistine as representing evil and all its powers: heresy, impurity, pride, we can consider the little stones from the sling capable of overthrowing the enemy as symbolizing the Aves of the Rosary.”

Well, here’s a little something for Wile E.’s next case of the vapors after all this shocking, outrageous, militaristic imagery.

This is what Fr. Heilman trotted out last night.

Behold the Combat Rosary Concealed Carry Card.

IMG_2555

In your wallet, this could go next to your old “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” membership card.

I would be delighted to send  to MS Winters both a Combat Rosary and one of these Rosary “Concealed Carry License” cards.  All I need is a good postal address.

As far as the Clerical Supper went, it was a great success.  Clericalism (properly understood) was heavily promoted.

IMG_2552We started with our pre-prandials (nuts, chips and refreshing Mules).

The primo was “Whore-style Priest-stranglers” (aka Strozzapreti alla Putanesca).  Thanks to the reader who, quite a while back now, sent the pasta from my wishlist! I remembered you while preparing the meal.

The secondo was frenched-ribeye steaks, which I dry-rubbed with salt, white pepper and oregano.  (Biretta trip to K&MA for that preparation.) They went on the grill at about 700° – just to get their attention – after which I backed the temp down to finish.  After resting for a while they were just as I wanted, butter-knife tender, dressed in a red-wine and shallot reduction and accompanied by green salad with tomatoes macerated in balsamic vinegar and touch of dry vermouth.  Wines included a super sturdy Chalbis and a Malbec that you could have mistaken for a Petite Sirah.

IMG_2554

Afterwards we tried my homemade limoncello, which is strong enough that I was tempted to extinguish the candles when I brought it out.

Great clerical fun was had by all.

I am dedicated to the custom of priests having steaks together on a regular basis.

And let’s get those Rosaries carried, concealed, and then USED!  And please say one for the Fishwrap, along with this prayer HERE.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Fr. Z's Kitchen, Liberals, Lighter fare | Tagged , , , , ,
28 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Posted on 16 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Was there a good point made in the sermon you heard during the Holy Mass in fulfillment your of Sunday Obligation? Let us know.

Also, please take a  look at this!  It has a helpful tip.  HERE

 

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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Benedict XVI’s words for Card. Meisner’s funeral

Posted on 15 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Benedict XVI sent a message for the funeral of the late Joachim Card. Meisner, emeritus of Cologne.  For the German, HERE

His words include:

Was mich an den letzten Gesprächen mit dem heimgegangenen Kardinal besonders beeindruckt hat, war die gelöste Heiterkeit, die innere Freude und die Zuversicht, zu der er gefunden hatte. Wir wissen, dass es ihm, dem leidenschaftlichen Hirten und Seelsorger, schwerfiel, sein Amt zu lassen und dies gerade in einer Zeit, in der die Kirche besonders dringend überzeugender Hirten bedarf, die der Diktatur des Zeitgeistes widerstehen und ganz entschieden aus dem Glauben leben und denken. Aber um so mehr hat es mich bewegt, dass er in dieser letzten Periode seines Lebens loszulassen gelernt hat und immer mehr aus der tiefen Gewissheit lebte, dass der Herr seine Kirche nicht verlässt, auch wenn manchmal das Boot schon fast zum Kentern angefüllt ist.

What struck me particularly me in the last talks with the departed Cardinal was the relaxed cheerfulness, the inner joy, and the confidence he had found. We know that it was difficult for him, the passionate shepherd and pastor, to leave his office, and especially at a time when the Church needs dedicated pastors who resist the dictatorship of the Zeitgeist (spirit of the times), and who resolutely live and think from the Faith. But it moved me all the more that he had learned at this last period of his life to let go and he lived ever more out of the deep certainty that the Lord does not abandon His Church, even if the boat is filled to the point of capsizing.

He used that image in 2005 in his Stations of the Cross.

And…

Als an seinem letzten Morgen Kardinal Meisner nicht zur Messe erschien, wurde er in seinem Zimmer tot aufgefunden. Das Brevier war seinen Händen entglitten: Er war betend gestorben, im Blick auf den Herrn, im Gespräch mit dem Herrn. Die Art des Sterbens, die ihm geschenkt wurde, zeigt noch einmal auf, wie er gelebt hat: Im Blick auf den Herrn und im Gespräch mit ihm.

When, on his last morning, Cardinal Meisner did not appear at Mass, he was found dead in his room. The breviary had slipped out of his hands: he had died praying, looking at the Lord, talking with the Lord. The manner of dying that was given as a gift to him shows once again how he had lived: Looking at the Lord and talking with Him.

Everyone… Fathers, you especially…  two things.

First, it’s all hands on deck now.  The boat is taking on water to the point of capsizing.  We know that the Lord is in the boat and that the boat is His.  That doesn’t mean that we should not do our part when it is clearly taking on water.

Also, we don’t know the time or place or circumstances of our upcoming death and meeting with the High Priest who is Just Judge and King of Fearful Majesty.  So, consider your state in life, examine your conscience and

… GO TO CONFESSION!

Posted in Benedict XVI, Four Last Things, GO TO CONFESSION, Mail from priests |
26 Comments

Jesuit Fr. Spadaro’s ‘Apologia pro nugis suis’

Posted on 15 July 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Jesuit Fr Antonio Spadaro must be feeling the heat resulting from his poorly conceived anti-American hit piece in Civiltà Cattolica (now aka Inciviltà cattolica) HERE.

He gave an interview to Jesuit-run Amerika Magazine (no, this isn’t at all incestuous) in which he tries – unconvincingly – to back away a bit from the anti-Americanism of his article, which he co-authored with an Argentinian Presbyterian.

So you are focusing on the phenomenon rather than the country?

Exactly! But, I should add that it is the tradition of La Civiltà Cattolica to reflect on ecclesial phenomena that can concern various countries in the world. … In this edition, we wanted to underline a phenomenon and tried to understand it, not to focus on a nation. […]

I’m not buying it.

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