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About this blog…
“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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“Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops.”
- Fulton Sheen
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Fr John Zuhlsdorf
Tridentine Mass Society of Madison
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“The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender's inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for every one else the proper pleasure of ritual.”
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YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- Felipe: Father, is there a website you could recommend as an alternativ e?
- Marion Ancilla Mariae II: Congratula tions, Father Z. Thank you so much for all you do for us. In a world in which many seem to have forgotten Christ, or to have recreated Him in their own image,...
- jaykay: Many happy returns to the blog, and many thanks to you, Father.
- Glennonite: —Bis hops agree with scientists : Homosexual ity is something normalR 30;— And the default setting and fitting end for humanity 8217;s fallen state̷ 0;is hell. The...
- Semper Gumby: Speaking of rubbish from the German bishops and the 2016 election there may be a solution to our predicamen t… https://wd tprs.com/2 019/07/pre s-trump-ru nning-for- pope/ Thank...
- Marc in Eugene: Many thanks for all your good work here and elsewhere! Ad multos annos!
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- Irish Timothy: Congratula tions and thank you for this blog and all you do for us Father Z!
- robtbrown: Reg says, Yes, homosexual ity is from nature. As are two headed calves, cancer, hemophilia , any number of maladies and events that are not good for the individual or our species. I am...
- Lurker 59: This blog has been a font of water in the deserts of life that I have passed through. It is a refreshmen t for a parched soul.
- Benedict Joseph: Experts exactly in what? The Gospel or rectal intimacy? The German episcopate appears to have the most contrary interests. What is their motivation ?
- Tamara T.: Happy Birthday!! A very big thank you to you Father, for your tireless efforts to keep us informed. You have helped me tremendous ly. Tammy
- DebbieInCT: YAY!!!! And what a tremendous blessing your blog has been for me in my conversion and continuing formation. Celebratin g Our Lady’ ;s Feast and God’ s awesome providence with...
- grateful: Another beautiful tribute to Our Lady https://ww w.youtube. com/watch? v=14LcvpXm b74
- Ms. M-S: A happy anniversar y indeed! Just recalling the words in your podcast about guardian angels seeding their anonymous suggestion s in our thoughts and leaving us to bring the work to fruit...
- Clinton R.: Thank you for this beautiful reflection on Our Lady, Father. May the Virgin Mary pray for all of us, and especially the priests of the Church, who are always under attack from the...
- Leonius: Bishop Sheen did not use the word homosexual he used the correct word which is sodomite.
- Leonius: Feminism wants women fat, depressed, angry and weak. If a woman actually takes ownership for her physical fitness and starts to work out she will gain confidence and happiness, cease...
- JabbaPapa: The argument of “hom osexual activities are observable in brute beasts, therefore they are natural 221; is specious rubbish. First, it falsely supposes that deviations from the...
- Rev. Paul L. Vasquez: These vestments are truly lovely. Requiescan t in pace.
- iPadre: My response to people who ask me similar questions is is does it really matter to you. In the Middle Ages they know there was a Pope, they didn’ ;t hear from him much. What we all need...
- Matthew: Just the definition of the word normal (even in German) shows that it is a perversion . The German bishops don’ t want to lose that sweet tax money they get by ignoring the Church&...
- rcg: Yes, homosexual ity is from nature. As are two headed calves, cancer, hemophilia , any number of maladies and events that are not good for the individual or our species. I am sure that low-s...
- JesusFreak84: For my part, I’ve found the idea of “Ben evanctism& #8221; insulting to the very man the proponents thereof claim to support. If one insists that Benedict resigned under...
- youngcatholicgirl: Thank you, Father. Like Ms. M-S, I don’ t always get the chance to comment, but I’ve listened faithfully while doing the supper dishes all week.
As for Latin…
"But if, in any layman who is indeed imbued with literature, ignorance of the Latin language, which we can truly call the 'catholic' language, indicates a certain sluggishness in his love toward the Church, how much more fitting it is that each and every cleric should be adequately practiced and skilled in that language!" - Pius XI
"Let us realize that this remark of Cicero (Brutus 37, 140) can be in a certain way referred to [young lay people]: 'It is not so much a matter of distinction to know Latin as it is disgraceful not to know it.'" - St. John Paul IICLICK and say your daily offerings!
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Recent Posts
- Happy 14th Birthday, Blog!
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 08: “How beautiful thou art, O Lady”
- More homosexualist rubbish from – wait for it! – German bishops!
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 07: “O Come Redeemer of the Earth”
- ASK FATHER: Do I sin if I think that Benedict XVI on purpose didn’t resign the papacy?
- Reflections on the symbolism of the altar rail or Communion rail and some practical suggestions
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 06: “Jesus thirsts for us to thirst for Him.”
- Stepping on the Third Gear
- Newly Received! Challenge Coin – Coloring Books – Bibles – 2020 Ordo
- ASK FATHER: Are vestments made of materials other than silk tolerated for Mass in the Extraordinary Form?
- APR [Abortion Pill Reversal] 1,000 babies saved since 2012
- Sending snail-mail 2019 Christmas cards
- Solemn Requiem Mass for the late Bp. Robert C. Morlino, prayers also for Bp. Paul Sirba – VIDEO/AUDIO sermon
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 05: Angelic suggestions or our own thoughts?
- MADISON – 4 Dec – 6:30PM – Solemn Requiem Mass for Bp. Robert C. Morlino
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 04: When liturgical participation became “doing”
- Fulton Sheen’s Beatification put on hold at the request of “some bishops”.
- ACTION ITEM! #GivingTuesday suggestions from @FatherZ
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 03: “Make straight the path”
- New gear from Rome: Vimpae and BUCKLES!
- D. Grand Rapids – Priest denies Communion to Lesbian judge married to a woman. He’s now under attack.
- VIDEO: Transit of Mercury
- VIDEO: Bp. Hying of @MadisonDiocese – “Let Advent Be Advent”
- Two good commentaries today on the works of @JamesMartinSJ
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 02: When a friend harms you, it hurts all the more.
- PRAYER REQUEST: Bp. Paul Sirba, R.I.P.
- Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 1st Sunday of Advent 2019
- ADVENTCAzT 2019 01: “If we love Him, He will come to us”
- Strange business this: a non-blessing blessing. A Fr. Z mini-rant to priests.
- Advent is here again. ACTION ITEM!
Let us pray…
Grant unto thy Church, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that She, being gathered together by the Holy Ghost, may be in no wise troubled by attack from her foes. O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication unto Thee,and turn away the scourges of Thine anger which we deserve for our sins. Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Christian people that the heathen nations who trust in the fierceness of their own might may be crushed by the power of thine Arm. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.Yes, Fr. Z is taking ads…
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Tag Archives: altar boys
ASK FATHER: Can a deacon serve as acolyte in the Extraordinary Form Mass?
From a reader… QUAERITUR: Can a deacon serve as acolyte in the Extraordinary Form Mass? Sure. If there are not enough servers for the sake of a Solemn Mass, and for some reason you have a plethora of deacons and … Continue reading
ASK FATHER: Color of altar boys’ cassocks
From a reader… QUAERITUR: I grew up in the 1950’s. All the illustrated “Children’s Missals” had photos showing altar servers wearing red cassocks and white surplices. I never saw red cassocks in person, however. Now, they seem to be making … Continue reading
Bad priesthood vocations numbers? Not by accident. Wherein Fr. Z rants.
I posted this last year, to the day. Any additional thoughts? ___ Originally Published on: May 3, 2016 ___ And yet, do other parishes and dioceses and religious groups change what they are doing? Not much. It is if they really … Continue reading
ASK FATHER: “Today I was an Alter Server at Mass…”
I confess that I initially sent back a terse note to this one: “You are wrong.” Having Reconsidered, more can be said… From a reader… QUAERITUR: Today I was an Alter [sigh] Server at Mass and upon returning home … Continue reading
Altar girls and liturgy dominated by women: bad ideas
I’m Fr. Z.. and I endorse this essay by Rachel Lu at Crisis! My emphases and comments: In 1994, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued a letter officially specifying that it is licit for females to serve the altar in … Continue reading
ASK FATHER: Liturgy director tries to forbid altar boys from wearing cassock and surplice.
From a reader… QUAERITUR: Our diocesan liturgical director is trying to prevent parishes from having altar servers wear cassocks and surplices, claiming they’re “clerical garb,” so lay people can’t wear them. Is his claim legitimate? Is there any official statement … Continue reading
ASK FATHER: How to talk to other mothers about male only altar service?
From a reader… Our parish priest does not care for girl servers but allows it. Today we went to daily Mass and a new girl was serving (which was arranged by one of the moms, I don’t believe Father knew about it), … Continue reading
The Last Altar Boy
The often amusing Eye of the Tiber has this: The last male altar server in the United States has officially called it quits, the boy’s family is reporting this morning. The 3-year altar server veteran, who remained at his post as cross bearer despite pressure … Continue reading
Posted in Lighter fare, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000
Tagged altar boys, altar girls, servers, vocations
12 Comments
Key stats for vocations to the priesthood – POLLS
The USCCB released survey results of the 2014 class of ordinands (from Latin, ordinandi, or “men to be ordained”). HERE 82% were altar boys 73% attended adoration of the Blessed Sacrament regularly Suggestion to parish priests… heck… let’s include bishops, too: … Continue reading
Airsoft Altar Boys
From a reader: Howdy from the heart of Texas Fr. Z! We decided to get our Altar Boy group together to play airsoft (military simulation that fires plastic pellets) at a local airsoft field. This is why we’re referred to … Continue reading
D. Trenton: Guardians of the Altar
Watch the libs have a spittle-flecked nutty about this one! I see that at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Trenton, where Bp. David O’Connell reigns, there is a group called the “Guardians of the Altar”. This, according to the … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity, Semper Paratus, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice
Tagged altar boys, Bp. David O'Connell, D. Trenton, Guardians of the Altar, LEOs, vocations
44 Comments
Why don’t as many men go to church as women?
Today is the 50th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium. What great fruits the liturgical reforms have produced! Jammed churches, long confession lines, full schools, lots of weddings and baptisms, convents bursting, seminaries churning out priests as fast as they can be … Continue reading
Altar Boy Stats FOLLOW UP (and fun photo)
Remember the post about the number of altar boys increasing when there are no girls on the team? HERE A reader sent this: I’ve attached as proof a “sacristy selfie” the rascally rascals (including our #2 son) took yesterday ~ … Continue reading
ACTION ITEM! All male altar service prompts increases in numbers of altar boys.
I have some homework for all you readers, below. But first, this introduction. A friend sent a link to On This Rock where there is a post about how the number of altar boys increases dramatically once all-male service at … Continue reading
QUAERITUR: Something that should be heard in every sacristy in the world.
From a reader: I’ve been having a friendly disagreement with a priest that I know, and maybe you can give me an answer: at the end of Mass, the priest will say the word “Prosit,” and the servers respond “Pro … Continue reading