Fr. Z's Blog | Catholic commentary by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Wherein a Cardinal waits on tables

Posted on 9 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

One of the most moving, and instructive, experiences of my life occurred one summer when I visited my boss.

One summer I took some friends with me to the Benedictine monastery of Metten, where my boss in the curia, and the former abbot of the same monastery, was passing the summer.

When we got settled in, I went to the sacristan to figure out Mass for myself with my friends. But when we came to the church, Card. Mayer had taken the place of the sacristan. He set up for Mass. Served my Mass. Asked for my blessing after Mass. And then he served me with my friends at breakfast in the refectory. It was a pivotal experience. He was full of pivotal instruction, as a matter of fact, and some day I’ll tell more.

Now I have received these pics of a meal in a seminary.

17_05_09_Burke_01

I believe the great St. Roberto Bellarmino waited on tables and washed dishes with Jesuit novices.

Posted in Mail from priests, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Card. Burke, Card. Mayer
8 Comments

I just don’t get the whoopdeedoo about Luther this year in the Catholic Church.

Posted on 9 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I received a note from priest friend. He included a PDF of an article to be published. Here is the synopsis:

Synopsis: A close analysis of Kasper’s book on Mercy reveals a powerful embrace of Luther’s theology of grace and mercy. But Luther had no moral theology since, in his eyes, human beings are incapable good, and God’s mercy replaces his justice. Beneath a panegyric to divine mercy, Kasper’s persistent theme is a diminution of divine justice against which mercy is revealed and illumined. The result is a trivialization of God’s mercy, the enormity of Christ’s sacrifice, man’s freedom of moral choice and participitation in his own salvation, and by necessity, thereby, his dignity.

Look. I’m a former Lutheran. When I was in seminary, we had to read Kasper’s Christology books, the best Lutheran Christology I ever read!

In his book on Mercy, Kasper pretty much says what the Council of Trent anathematized.

I just don’t get the whoopdeedoo about Luther in the Catholic Church.

In the Lutheran churches (not real churches according to the CDF because they don’t have Apostolic Succession, etc.), I get it completely. If they want to celebrate Martin Luther, great!

But… should we?

There are many things I don’t understand about this.

Another thing I don’t get is why lots of women and many Jews are not upset by the big celebration of Martin Luther. Just read Luther, for heaven’s sake! Why are not feminists upset? Where are the women, for pete’s sake? Is this an example of what McCarthy describes in The Grand Jihad? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Luther didn’t say exactly kind things about Jews. Where are they with this? I don’t get it. Pope Francis used an analogy the other day about Syrians and camps and lots of people were upset. Read Luther on our Jewish elder cousins someday.

I don’t see why we are suppose to celebrate the shredding of Christendom.

I know about the blah blah about things in the Church that needed reform in the 16th c and following, and even today. I’m a convert, remember?

Am I getting this wrong? Where am I wrong?

Posted in Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Martin Luther
41 Comments

CATASTROPHIC: Pray for vocations to the priesthood

Posted on 9 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’ve been writing with friends about vocation numbers.

From one of my interlocutors today:

Catastrophic (HERE):

“The past few weeks have again seen a number of ordinations of new deacons and priests in the dioceses of northwestern Europe. 24 of them, in 13 (arch)dioceses, to be exact. In total, the area in question (the countries of Germany, the Netherlands, the Flemish part of Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland) is covered by 46 dioceses or similar circumscriptions, which means that 33 of them had no deacons (permanent or transitional) or priests to ordain on or around Vocations Sunday. Of the newly ordained, 6 are permanent deacons, 14 are transitional deacons and 4 are priests.”

And in the Eternal City:

The Holy Father ordained as priests four men from Rome’s Major Seminary: three born in Rome, and one from Bologna, ages 26 to 29. Two from the Neo-Catechumenal Way: a 28-year old Italian and a 38-year-old from Mexico. The other four were: a member of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy (Italian, age 38); a member of the Family of Disciples (Peruvian, age 34); a man for the apostolic prefecture of Azerbaijan (apparently a native of that country, age 35); and a 28-year-old Italian for the diocese of Nocera.

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged priesthood, vocations
32 Comments

Ladrillo por ladrillo: Roman Breviary in Latin and SPANISH

Posted on 9 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

For your Brick by Brick File.

There is now available an edition of the older, traditional Breviarium Romanum in Latin and SPANISH.

So far it looks like VOLUME I.

HERE

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Latin, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, New Evangelization | Tagged Roman Breviary, Spanish
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CHICAGO: Sat 13 May – O.L. Fatima 100th Anniv. Procession

Posted on 8 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

My friends at St. John Cantius sent this:

This Saturday, May 13th, in the streets of Chicago, thousands will peacefully walk one mile praying for an end to violence—following Mary’s request to pray for peace, forgiveness, and conversion.

Beginning at St. John Cantius at 7 pm, this Saturday, May 13th, there will be a presentation followed by a candlelight procession to St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

Posted in Our Solitary Boast | Tagged Chicago, Our Lady of Fatima, St. John Cantius
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Brick by Brick: Priests learning the TLM

Posted on 8 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I had an interesting email today.

I got an e-mail today from Fr. Joshua, at St. John Cantius Church, who was good enough to share a group photo of several priests at their TLM workshop.
Facebook tells me that this is embedded code.
As you may recall, you helped make this happen.
I asked Fr. Joshua, and my editor, Beverly Stevens to pass along this information. I think I’ll send it to Fr. Heilman as well.
Thank you so much Father. I hope you post it for justified bragging rights.

Frankly, I was a little confused about this (I get lots of half-explained email and hard to use or absent links), so I asked what it was all about. I got the response:

This, refers to a post you wrote. Specifically, this one HERE.

That post has turned into this.

The photo is helpfully included as well.

Thank you so much, Fr. Z. I just thought you might want to pass along these results.

Anyway, brick by brick.

Friends, it can be done. But YOU need to step up and make it happen!

UPDATE:

More coherent information…

This week 12 priests from across the USA and Canada are with the Canons Regular learning the ceremonies of the Latin Mass.

The priests participated in Solemn High Mass for the feast of Mary, Queen of Poland (May 3rd) at Saint John Cantius Church.

Since being asked by Cardinal Francis George in 2007 the Canons Regular have hosted 65 workshops in the Latin Mass in Chicago and locations around the world, helping over 1,000 priests to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Posted in ¡Hagan lío!, Brick by Brick | Tagged St. John Cantius, TLM
3 Comments

Rome: Mass for Benefactors

Posted on 8 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am going to celebrate Mass for the intention of my kind benefactors while I am here in Rome where I also do not forget to pray for them at the altars and tombs of many great saints. So, Tuesday afternoon, shortly after 5 PM Rome time, I will say Mass for you.

It is my duty and honor to pray for benefactors.

Always on my mind, GS, KA, DY.

UPDATE:

One kind reader helped today and I was able to order a new cassock. Thanks.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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Important research with implications for feminist geography

Posted on 7 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Allow me to preface this with the reminder that I hate squirrels.

That said, I promise you I am not making this up.

I was alerted to this from the – no… really… Journal of Feminist Geography.

No… really.

Here is an abstract of a contribution to the – I just marvel at this – Journal of Feminist Geography.

If you are more comfortable by… no, wait… less triggered by reading it in either Spanish or Chinese, the abstracts are available in those languages. Not that I’m judging you.

Abstract

Eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), reddish-brown tree squirrels native to the eastern and southeastern United States, were introduced to and now thrive in suburban/urban California. As a result, many residents in the greater Los Angeles region are grappling with living amongst tree squirrels, particularly because the state’s native western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is less tolerant of human beings and, as a result, has historically been absent from most sections of the greater Los Angeles area. ‘Easties,’ as they are colloquially referred to in the popular press, are willing to feed on trash and have an ‘appetite for everything.’ Given that the shift in tree squirrel demographics is a relatively recent phenomenon, this case presents a unique opportunity to question and re-theorize the ontological given of ‘otherness’ that manifests, in part, through a politics whereby animal food choices ‘[come] to stand in for both compliance and resistance to the dominant forces in [human] culture’. I, therefore, juxtapose feminist posthumanist theories and feminist food studies scholarship to demonstrate how eastern fox squirrels are subjected to gendered, racialized, and speciesist thinking in the popular news media as a result of their feeding/eating practices, their unique and unfixed spatial arrangements in the greater Los Angeles region, and the western, modernist human frame through which humans interpret these actions. I conclude by drawing out the implications of this research for the fields of animal geography and feminist geography.

I think a blind squirrel wouldn’t have to look too hard, if you get my drift.

Posted in Lighter fare, You must be joking! | Tagged feminism, feminist geography, Tracer Bullet
51 Comments

Rome – Day 4: Caprese, Carbonara and Consecration

Posted on 7 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It has been a quiet Sunday in the Eternal City, with perfect weather. This is exactly what you expect of Rome right now.

ikeunchtime… which glass is mine?

This entire Caprese is mine.

Each strand of this is mine, also.

The motto is on the bottle (I helped to keep it there… long story).

If the stuff before was all mine, this is for everyone.

As a matter of fact, I will celebrate Holy Mass for my benefactors on Tuesday in the afternoon at Ss. Trinità.

UPDATE:

Mass offered, errands accomplished and meetings prepared and held, now it’s time to meet friends, including The Great Roman™ and his wife, for supper.

On the way, a stop at Chiesa Nuova to visit Pippo Bono.

At the restaurant.

Vignarola. Yumm.

Artichokes, a material proof that God loves us.

The flat thing is like a croquette made from broad beans, or fave, with pecorino and fried. This is a variation on what we had the other day. And that’s a zucchini flower stuffed with cheese and acciughe off the grill.

Spaghetti with beloved telline! I have a story about telline going back to when I blessed a fresh fish shop. But I digress.

“Finger-burners.”

On the way home, the alarmingly graceful facade of the once Oratory.

A good Sunday in Rome, with perfect days with great friends. It doesn’t get better than that.

Posted in On the road, SESSIUNCULA, What Fr. Z is up to |
2 Comments

Rome – Day 3: Beheadings and Swearings

Posted on 7 May 2017 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

It was a full day yesterday. After Mass yesterday we broke the fast and then headed off the the Palazzo Braschi for the Artemesia exhibit.

Artemesia Gentileschi was the daughter of Orazio Gentileschi and a fine painter in her own right, a rare female painter in the 17th century. It was the time of Caravaggio and Galileo, whom she knew. Marino writing poems about new art works as they appeared in salons. Painters were swaggering, sword toting rockstars. Artemesia had a tough time of things, as a woman in that business, including being raped by a painting tutor whom her father had hired. There was a humiliating prosecution of her attacker afterward.

Perhaps it is just a coincidence, but some of Artemesia’s best work involved the theme of women killing men. I say “coincidence” because other painters of the period were often depicted the popular themes of, for example, Judith beheading Holofernes. She also has great versions of Jael serenely hammering a spike through Sisera’s head as he slept.

She has such a calm expression, focused and unhurried with her hammer raised for the blow.

Her Judiths are similarly calm, but focused. Holofernes is focused too, but not in a calm way.

A couple versions side by side, which was a treat.

Another moment in the process, Judith and faithful Abra are on their way out when they hear something. Alas, not a great shot from this angle. You can find better online. This is closer to the version in Detroit.

David with the head of Goliath was popular in the period, as were penitent Magdalen, dying Lucretia, and Cleopatra.

Later in the day, we had the great pleasure of attending the annual swearing in ceremony for the new recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

Some of you will recall that we of this blog had a wonderful project of having custom armor made for one the Corporals. Engraved on his breastplate are St. Joseph and St. Joan of Arc. It does get cooler than that.

Here is a close up of our guy and his armor.