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{]:¬)

ASK FATHER: Visible tattoos and altar service

Posted on 23 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Jose Llul Altar boys smoking From a reader…

I was at Mass today at a parish with exceptionally reverent liturgies, communion received at the communion rail kneeling and on the tongue, male-only altar servers and EMHC, but something kept catching my eye and distracting me-one of the altar servers, who was also acting as an EMHC had a rather prominent tattoo on the backside of his hand.

Albeit, nothing offensive, but it was so distracting. Every swing of the thurible all I could see was his tattoo. Receiving communion, try as I might to ignore it, I caught myself trying to read it and see what it was (three nails and the Alpha and Omega symbols). Even the most slack jobs don’t permit visible tattoos. Is this permitted by the Church, or should visible tattoos be covered up when serving at the altar!

GUEST RESPONSE: Fr. Tim Ferguson

Personally, I’ve always found tattooing to be odd. I understand that in some cultures, especially in the Pacific, it is an important thing, a rite of passage and a way of defining oneself.

In the Holy Land, there is a centuries-old practice of pilgrims getting tattooed as proof of a completed pilgrimage

In our culture, tattooing is mostly seen as a sign of rebellion. Young people flaunt their rejection of their parents’ norms by having something permanently etched into their skin. I was recently intrigued by a news story about Mark Wahlberg, who is, by fits and starts, returning to the practice of the faith (and I am not holding him up as an ideal). Mr. Wahlberg had several tattoos and was getting them removed. He took his teen children with him to witness the painful process of removal, so that they might learn from his mistakes.

Back to the question. The Church universal has no rule prohibiting the tattooed from serving at the altar. Some may cite the prohibition from tattooing in Leviticus, but that’s from the old ritual law from which Christ freed us, much like the kosher laws. It would be entirely appropriate for a parish to have a policy on the matter or even a diocese to have particular law, mindful of the sensibilities of the local populace. Absent that, a priest would be within his rights to disallow someone whose appearance was inappropriate in some way, from attending him at the altar. No one has a right to serve.

This instance, as weird as I find tattoos, seems to be not inappropriate.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged tattoos
32 Comments

Anthony Esolen makes a point – with napalm

Posted on 23 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The brilliant Anthony Esolen (how I envy his prose) makes a point – with napalm – at the increasingly useful Crisis today. The post confirmed me in my desire never to be on his bad side.

He begins…

Don’t Let A Foolish Idea Go Unchallenged

Father, I must confess: I have made comments on social media.

There is at least one thing that social media illuminate, and that is the unwillingness or the incapacity of people to reason. I attribute it in part to “critical thinking,” which turns otherwise intelligent people into perpetual sophomores, ready to play what they think is the ace of trumps, but what is actually a dog-bitten Monopoly property card for Marvin Gardens when the game is bridge. It is a plexiglass Cone of Silence over the brain; nothing gets in and nothing gets out.

A case in point. The subject today was abortion. A woman burst out, “What century are you living in? Do you actually believe”—and let’s stop right there.

The person’s implicit premise is that people grow wiser, nobler, more righteous, and kinder to puppies with each passing generation. Otherwise why bring up the business about a century?

Let us ask this person, call her Missy, to tell us about other peoples and other centuries. “Missy, are you saying that Athenians of the fourth century B.C. were better than Athenians of the fifth century B.C.? Or, to bring things closer to us, are you saying that Italians in the 1400s were better people than were Italians in the 1300s?”

Missy can now make one of several moves. She can flounce out of the room. She can say, “I am not talking about Athenians or Italians.” She can say, “I guess that they were better.”

If she flounces out of the room, you return to reading The Brothers Karamazov while you take a sip of gin and tonic.

If she says she is not talking about Athenians or Italians, you may ask what she has against Athenians and Italians, seeing as she seems to have exempted them from her rule, which is that moral progress in human affairs is smooth and inevitable, like the flow of water down a hill, with fish bones and paper wrappers and other dead things floating along with it. Were the Italians during the age of the Medici crime family, the popes with bastard children, and warlords such as Gattamelata or mercenaries such as John Hawkwood, better than the Italians of a century before?

Of course she will not know about the Medici crime family.

[…]

There’s more, and it’s great.

Esolen’s post reminded me of a talk I once heard in Rome by the late, and deeply missed, Francis Card. George. He took to pieces the lib argument that the human race has evolved beyond certain moral claims. A similar notion is embraced by lib liturgists: We don’t have to kneel anymore, because we’ve evolved out of that as a Church. We don’t have to receive with humility on the tongue anymore, because we’re all grown up now.

Just as a reminder…. Esolen translated Dante’s Divine Comedy into English and did a great job of it.

If you have never read the Divine Comedy, you should. You could start with Esolen (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 excellent 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 Liberals, The Drill | Tagged Anthony Esolen, dante, reason
15 Comments

ASK FATHER: Boys choosing female saints for confirmation names

Posted on 23 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

Today at our new parish, we had the Bishop administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. Among the girls, 2 took the name Sebastian, 3 took Luke, 1 took John, 2 took Raphael, 2 took Francis, with one Michael. The other 2 girls chose Cecilia and Katherine. Is this acceptable? Notably, none of the boys chose Felicity or any other female names. As a homeschooler, I’m very hesitant to let these catechists form my son (he wants to be a priest). My husband and I were rocked by this and the bishop never batted an eye. It just felt dark and weird. Are we being too “rigid”?

“Dark and wierd…”

Hmmm. St. Jean Marie Vianney, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini…

The custom of taking a name at the time of Confirmation is not ancient, but is nonetheless laudable. Those to be confirmed take the name of a saint as a personal patron. The custom perhaps arose in imitation of vowed religious, who often take, or are given, another name to signify that their old life is over and their new life has begun. There is also the element of personal choice. While one’s baptismal name and patron saint was given by parents usually during infancy, at the time of confirmation, being a little older (in the Latin Church at least) one could choose a patron.

Names are important, more important perhaps than we think. Patron saints are also important. Choosing a personal patron could be a moment in a young person’s life when he or she truly makes the Faith a personal commitment.

Patrons provide us with examples to follow, and also powerful intercession. If they were only to provide us with good examples to follow, it might make sense for one’s patron to be of the same sex. Since they also are chosen to provide intercession, the grounds for choice shift somewhat.

Within our tradition, particularly within religious life, there are many examples of women either receiving from their superior (once very common) or choosing male patrons and male names. Visit the cemetery of a religious order and read the tombstones of Sr. Urban, Sr. Michael, Sr. George, Sr. Hyacinth. You might remember the funny British sitcom Bless me, Father with the ominous Mother Stephen (US HERE – UK HERE). Male religious often receive or choose women’s names, almost always that of the Blessed Virgin, and often in combination with a male name, such as Br. Mary John, Fr. Michael Mary, etc.

There’s also the feminization or masculinization of names. Michelle is from Michael. Joan is from John. St. Peter as a patron for a religious would result in Sr. Petra. A man wishing to invoke St. Faustina might take the name Faustino, though Faustina is probably from Faustinus in the first place.

So, the long and short of it is that all of the saints can provide us with powerful intercession. They can also serve as good examples for young people to grow in holiness.

The choice of a patron who is of the opposite sex is not something novel. It certainly isn’t “dark and weird”, unless there are other attendant issues, such as teachers pushing some sort of demonic “gender theory” or blurring of the distinction between the sexes.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Tagged confirmation names
34 Comments

SSPX claims about permission from Rome to ordain priests

Posted on 22 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

SSPX Bishop and Superior Bernard Fellay recently made comments in a video interview which caught my attention.

At about 15:20 listen for him to say:

“Last year, I received a letter from Rome, telling me you can freely ordain your priests without the permission of the local ordinary. So if I can freely ordain that means the ordination is recognized by the Church not just as valid but in order. If I can freely do it it’s clear that this is just already recognized and accepted. So this is one more step in this acceptance that we are, let me call it, ‘normal Catholics.'”

He goes on to say that he does not see any desire on the part of Rome to interfere or “take over”.

Bishop Fellay Answer Recent Questions – April 2017 from Society of St Pius X on Vimeo.

While I am encouraged by Bp. Fellay’s words, I also am compelled to track back to public statements from the effective head of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei“, Archbishop Guido Pozzo (technically the head is the Prefect of the CDF, but Archbp. Pozzo runs the show). Last January, La Stampa recounted what Archbp. Pozzo said:

La Santa Sede – spiega il segretario di Ecclesia Dei – permette e tollera le ordinazioni sacerdotali della Fraternità San Pio X, pur continuando a ritenerle valide ma non lecite, previa comunicazione dei nomi degli ordinandi al vescovo del luogo.

The Holy See – the Secretary of Ecclesia Dei explained – permits and tolerates the priestly ordinations of the Fraternity of St. Pius X, even while continuing to consider them valid but not licit, subject to communication of the names of the ordinands to the bishop of the place.

In the absence of any subsequent statements about this matter from the Holy See, this last bit from January is the Holy See’s present position.

When the SSPX ordains, the Holy See (still) considers the ordinations to be valid but illicit. That’s not quite “recognized and accepted”. [On this point, there is an interesting argument made in one of the comments which has me pondering. Check it out.]

Bishops must have permission or faculties to ordain, either by the fact that (in a nutshell) they are the diocesan bishop or equivalent or because they receive permission from another bishop through what are called “dimissorial letters”. Under normal circumstances, were a bishop to ordain without proper permissions to ordain (either because of their office or because legitimate authority granted) then that bishop could be subject to canonical penalties.*

Right now, in regard to the SSPX, it seems that the Holy See is saying, “If you ordain, you are doing so illicitly. However, we won’t punish you for it. Please let the local bishop know what you did so that there can be an official record of it.” That also says that the SSPX’s records are not the official records.

Hence, what B. Fellay said perhaps edges just a few inches farther than what the Holy See laid down.

In any event, I am pleased that there is positive movement and there are positive words on both sides. Pray for a swift and happy resolution.

The moderation queue is ON.

*In 1976, the founder of the SSXP, Archbp. Lefebvre (R.I.P.) ordained priests without the approval of the local bishop and in defiance of letters from Rome forbidding him to ordain. Though that was under the previous Code of Canon Law, the situation under the 1983 Code is pretty much the same: bishops need permission from a legitimate authority to ordain. As a result, Archbp. Lefebvre was suspended a collatione ordinum, “from conferring holy orders”. The situation degenerated and later Lefebvre was suspended a divinis, from licitly conferring any sacrament.

As an aside, to show how serious the issue of dimissorial letters is, when I was ordained a priest, my diocesan bishop had to communicate permission to the Pope’s Vicar for Rome (because I was ordained within the Diocese of Rome – St. Peter’s is within the Diocese of Rome) that I be both validly and licitly ordained. In the document I received before ordination, this is mentioned:

… per praesentes tibi facultatem largimur ut ad Sacrum Presbyteratus ordinem …ab E.mo ac Rev.mo D.no Cardinali Urbis Vicario, sive per se sive per alium (i.e., The Pope), praemissis de iure praemittendis, valide et licite promoveri possis et valeas.

As another aside, when I worked in the PCED I wrote a lot of dimissorial letters for ordinations. As a matter of fact, I recently met a priest ordained for a traditional group whose name I remembered from back in the day. Fun!

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, SSPX | Tagged Bp. Bernard Fellay
21 Comments

A young priest recounts his experience and aspirations

Posted on 22 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

For decades priests have done all sorts of goofy things to Mass and bishops did little or nothing to safeguard our sacred worship.

Almost a year ago Robert Card. Sarah called for priests to celebrate Mass ad orientem more often, where possible, prudently and with catechesis. The left had a spittle-flecked nutty. In many places bishops and others came down on the heads of the priests who took up Card. Sarah’s call.

However, inroads are being made.

The importance of ad orientem worship cannot be over emphasized.

Also, many seminarians and young priests are deeply interested in our traditional sacred liturgical worship. They want it. However, in the present climate, which I sense is slipping back into the Reign of Lib Terror that many of us (now older) men experienced into the 80s, traditional priests and seminarians who are in that vector are concerned that they will be punished for their “legitimate aspirations” as St. John Paul II called them. Libs talk about “mercy”. To borrow a phrase, I do not think that word means what they think it means.

Today I got a note from a young priest in these USA. I’ve redacted it to protect him. He has been bullied from above and fears retribution (with my emphases and comments):

I was recently asked to serve as a sacred minister in a TLM. My initial reaction was to say, “no,” in fear of what some of the ramifications might be. But after prayer, and realizing that it is something I’ve always wanted to get involved with, I’ve decided to help. I’m nervous, I’m honored, and I’m thankful to you and your blog for giving me perspective on the ancient Mass. You know, I’ve heard so much recently about, “going to the periphery.” [In fact, the realm of the traditional he been turned into a periphery by the lib left. And far from going to the periphery in charity, they continue to abuse those who simply want to be Catholic.] And when I look at my [d]iocese, I realize that the group of people that seems to be at the farthest edge of a [d]iocesan periphery is the TLM community. The community was moved around but finally received a pastor to provide for them. There are tons of programs in our diocese for all kinds of organizations and groups. However, it has always seemed that the TLM community is passed around or constantly in flux.

Even though this might be the case, I’ve found that the level of devoutness, and sincere love, and understanding of the Church is manifested fiercely and sincerely by the TLM community in general. There is so much they could teach the majority population of Catholics here in my diocese! I suppose I’m writing this to you because I want to say, “thank you.” Thank you for being open and honest about your priesthood and how the TLM has sustained it.

It’s given me the courage to start this journey and I hope to offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form sooner than later… for my family, for the TLM community who sit at the periphery of my [d]iocese, and for the greater glory of God.

(Fr. Z, please do not use my name or [d]iocese. I’ve only been a priest for [a few] years, and my love for Tradition is a thorn in the side of those who run my [d]iocese. They have a lot of power and pull, and it has already impacted my assignments. You should have seen the uproar I caused when I offered the Mass Ad Orientem. I was threatened if I didn’t stop. … Thanks for all you do. And pray for me…its hard out here for a young priest.)

I assure you of my prayers, young Jedi.

I know that the readers here will stop and say a prayer to Mary, Queen of the Clergy, for you right now:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Priests and seminarians: I’ll always defend your anonymity.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Be The Maquis, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liberals, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged ad orientem, tradition
16 Comments

ASK FATHER: Is having a “straw subdeacon” for a Solemn TLM okay?

Posted on 21 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

I’ve been to Solemn High Masses where a seminarian (perhaps having been instituted as an acolyte) was acting as Subdeacon (a “straw” subdeacon, I think, since he’s not ordained). Other than ordained men, who can act as the subdeacon in this way?

Yes, there can be a “straw subdeacon”. As a matter of fact we had one this morning: an officially installed acolyte took the role. There were slight adjustments to the rite as a result.

There is support for this. The Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei“ once responded to a question posed by the Australian Ecclesia Dei Society in the early nineties about this very issued. The reference for this PCED letter is 7 June 1993, Prot. 24/92 to the Australian Ecclesia Dei Society. The PCED said then that, yes, an officially installed acolyte could take the role of the subdeacon in a Solemn Mass if a cleric wasn’t there to take the role.

Also, as recently as 2013 the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” responded to a question about this. They responded, though not in an official public way, that

“[T]his Pontifical Commission would limit itself to saying that the function of Subdeacon can be legitimately assumed by an acolyte suitably instituted by a Bishop, but with the particular appropriate ritual differences.”

What would those “appropriate ritual differences” be? First, they wouldn’t be to the institution of the acolyte, which is how you could read the letter. They concern differences for what the subdeacon does. For example, he doesn’t wear the maniple and the offertory is a little different for his role.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged straw subdeacon, subdeacon
11 Comments

Pope Francis sets date for Consistory for new Cardinals – short, odd list

Posted on 21 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

At the English site of Vatican Radio we find the names of the soon-to-be Cardinals. There is something rather odd in the list.

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday announced a consistory for the creation of new Cardinals. He made the announcement at the end of the Regina Caeli in St Peter’s Square.

The new Cardinals come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador. The Consistory will take place on June 28th.

Find below the list of new Cardinal designates:

Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali.

Archbishop Juan José Omella of Barcelona, Spain.

Bishop Anders Arborelius, Bishop of Stockholm, Sweden.

Archbishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun Apostolic Vicar of Paksé, Laos.

Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chávez – Auxillary[!] Bishop in the Archdiocese of San Salvador, El Salvador.

This is pretty strange.

My take is that Francis intends to move the now-Auxiliary Bishop almost immediately after the consistory, if not before. Remember that he made the Archbishop of Indianapolis a Cardinal and then moved him right away.

These men are all under 80, so they will be electors. Popes often name some cardinals who are over 80 as an honor. Right now there are 116 electors. Card. Vegliò, an Italian, turns 80 next February, so the College will have 121 electors for the time being.

Once again a notable American prelate is absent from the list.

Stockholm… In 2014 the Diocese of Stockholm had a population of 9.6 million, of whom 1.1% are Catholic, for some 106k Catholics, and 159 priests, both diocesan and religious. The Pope was recently in Sweden, in Lund, to celebrate Martin Luther. Arborelius played a key role in organizing the visit.

Paksé, in Communist Laos, is an Apostolic Vicariate, not a diocese. In 2014 there were 1.2 million there, with 1.3% Catholics, for a total of 15702 Catholics, and a total of 7 priests. In 2015, Pope Francis authorized the beatification of 17 Laotians “Joseph Tien and companions” killed between 1954 and 1970 by Communist Pathet Lao forces.

The Archdiocese of Bamako in 2014 had a population of 4.4 million, with 136k Catholics, 3.1% of the population, with 54 priests.

Posted in The Coming Storm, The Drill | Tagged cardinals, College of Cardinals, consistory
30 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes

Posted on 21 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Was there a good point made during the sermon you heard for your Mass of Sunday obligation? Let us know what it was!

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
13 Comments

GOOD BOOKS: For LutherFest 500 and for the TLM

Posted on 20 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I get quite a few books for review. I can’t handle all of them, but this one, for sure, I will recommend even before I read it… and I will read it. This is timely.

Luther and His Progeny: 500 Years of Protestantism and Its Consequences for Church, State, and Society

US HERE – UK HERE

To give you a sense of the thrust of the book, the Introduction is entitled: “Half a Millennium of Total Depravity (1517-2017): A Critique of Luther’s Impact in the Year of His ‘Catholic’ Apotheosis”. In other words, this is not an unqualified “RAH! RAH! FOR THE REFORMATION!”

In a way, I wish that I had 30 copies of this, to give to the seminarians and deacons of the diocese in August. Instead I chose Tracey Rowland’s terrific new book Catholic Theology.

US HERE – UK HERE

But I digress.

Next, as a perfect counterpoint to the LutherFest book, a kind reader sent something about which I have already written and which is also advertised on the side bar.

This is a truly lovely book, informative and engaging. A great tool for learning about our Latin liturgical tradition and the older, traditional form of Holy Mass.

This is Treasure and Tradition: The Ultimate Guide to the Latin Mass

Some pics. Remember, that reverent and faithful sacred worship is doctrine, a great counter to heresy.

The illustrations are plentiful and lush and interesting. It would be a great gift to someone who may be thinking about the TLM. Or… if you are going to invite someone to a TLM for the first time, perhaps get them a copy of this book.

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, REVIEWS, The Campus Telephone Pole | Tagged books, Luther, Reformation, Tracey Rowland
11 Comments

Wherein Fr. Z relates a brutal tale of sudden realization and horror

Posted on 20 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

in S. California, in the exotic periphery of Bakersfield, a priest friend zoomed up to the door of where I was staying and gruffly said, “Get in the car!”.

“Ralph!”, quoth I, “Is something wrong?”

“Just get in the car!”, he grumped.

I was used to this, since he occasionally did this sort of thing and in this sort of way. I, compliant, grabbed what I knew I might need for a longish Adventure With Ralph and, obediently, got into the car.

Off we went. I tried to wheedle our destination and mission from him, but he was stoic.

Soon we pulled into the driveway of the Kern County Juvenile Detention Center.

“So someone is in trouble after all,” I thought in my innocence.

Little did I realize that my innocence was about to be deluded.

“Get out of the car,” he growled, as his own door swung open. I, dutiful, obeyed.

“Take a good look,” he snarled. I, docile, looked.

I intently studied the Kern County Juvenile Detention Center.

“Get in the car!”, he barked.

“Ralph!”, quoth I, “What…?”

“Just get in the car!”, he grumped.

Off we went, down the drive, through side streets, on to southbound I-5 towards the Grapevine and smoggy Los Angeles beyond.

It’s not a short drive to LA so I had ample time to contemplate my recent visual experience of the architectural splendors of the Kern County Juvenile Detention Center.

Ralph, as his name suggests, was a pretty good conversationalist, God rest his soul. So we chatted about many things, except where we were going and why we were going there.

Over the Grapevine and down into the hot sprawl of that ghastly city we drove, reaching the city center. Having wound through various streets Ralph plunged the car down into an underground lot.

Mere minutes later we were escalated back into the heat and sunshine onto a largish open paved square. Turning, I beheld it for the first time in my life.

The sight took the breath from my lungs. It was, quite simply, one of the ugliest buildings I have ever seen.

The RogMahal. The TajMahony. The Yellow Armadillo. The Cathedral of Los Angeles, Our Lady of the Angels.

“What do you see?”, Ralph rumbled.

It was obvious. Inescapable.

“The Kern County Juvenile Detention Center.”

___

I write this today, for the record, because I saw at the site Gloria Romanorum some photos of the LA Cathedral in all its brutality. My experience flooded back.

Just so that you know what I am talking about….

The Kern County Juvenile Detention Center

The LA Cathedral.

Epilogue:

Ralph, mischievous, then brought me to gaze upon the horrors of the LA Opera House.

By now, you are wondering if he had a heart at all.

Subsequent to my brutally eye-opening treatment, we visited the LA County Museum, took a look at the Union Station, visited a couple of charming old churches, and then had supper at a place he knew would serve me my first authentic taste of mole. Thus, the blows to my soul were salved.

But never will I forget my first glimpse of, quite simply, one of the ugliest buildings I have ever seen. It will forever be fused in my mind with growling Ralph and The Kern County Juvenile Detention Center.