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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Recent Comments
- R2D on Leo XIV has written to the SSPX: “I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!”: “Unrelated to the most recent back and forth: a friend pointed out that a way to read Leo XIV’s actions…”
- on Leo XIV has written to the SSPX: “I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!”: “@Fr Jackson: I’m left of center on politics, but right of center on stuff related to the Church. These comboxes…”
- on Daily Rome Shot 1653: Procession with the chains of St. Paul: “There are services that will liquidate the contents of a home for you: I often visit estatesales.net to find old…”
- on SSPX Superior Fr. Pagliarani’s homily for the 1 July 2026 consecration of bishops: “Thank you, Father, for this summary. There is much to admire in Fr. Pagliarani’s sermon, but this statement seems self-contradictory:…”
- on Leo XIV has written to the SSPX: “I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!”: “I can’t say I’m surprised that the Decree from the Vatican was about as harsh as possible. So far as…”
- on SSPX Superior Fr. Pagliarani’s homily for the 1 July 2026 consecration of bishops: “If the SSPX truly desires to be united with Rome, these consecrations would have been conducted simply and without fanfare.…”
- on SSPX Superior Fr. Pagliarani’s homily for the 1 July 2026 consecration of bishops: “Third Order SSPX here. As we heard from last Sunday’s homily from our SSPX priest: “Remain at peace. There is…”
- on SSPX Superior Fr. Pagliarani’s homily for the 1 July 2026 consecration of bishops: “Thank you Father Z for providing this sermon information. I could not watch the ceremony as I was at work.…”
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Tag Archives: J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien to his son in the 60’s about the Church and bad or stupid priests
I saw – HERE – an excerpt from a letter of J.R.R. Tolkien to his son in the 60’s, about the time of the Council. He writes about the Church and bad or stupid priests. You speak of ‘sagging faith’, … Read More
Thoughts on the Synod: Saruman v. Ents, Orcs v. Fangorn
I am receiving one cri de coeur after another. Lots of people are confused and angry and sad about what they are hearing. Instead of firm foundations from bishops, we got sand. Yes, can can make cement with sand, but … Read More
Cool WOTD – “maril” (Tolkien connection!)
From the OED Online’s Word of the Day: Your word for today is: maril, n. Your word for today is: maril, n. maril, n. [‘ An ornamental binding material with a variegated grain, made from scraps of coloured leather mixed … Read More
Have you read Tolkien’s books? What can they teach?
Reading The Hobbit was a pivotal moment in my young life. I saw at the blog The Art of Manliness a great post about this influential book. Here is are the bullet points. You can read the rest there. The Hobbit has … Read More
A new book from J.R.R. Tolkien (+ 1973)
For all you fans of The Professor, J.R.R. Tolkien, … he has a new book! The Fall of Arthur US link HERE US Kindle HERE UK link HERE UK Kindle HERE Here is the blurb from amazon: The Fall of … Read More
Did this inspire Tolkien to write about The Precioussssss?
We have had a couple serious weeks around here, and so I am having a little fun with my blog today. Therefore, please go to read this VERY COOL piece at the History blog. HERE. It has to do with … Read More
“In foramine terrae habitabat hobbitus.”
Reading The Hobbit was one of the most important things I did in my life. In another book, Tolkien used the image of the pebble that starts the avalanche. That is what The Hobbit was for me. Among the rocks The … Read More
Some reflections on a life changing book
Today is Bilbo Baggins’s Birthday and yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit. I found an image of the edition that I first read. I first read The Hobbit when I was in 7th grade. I … Read More
Of things canicular and stellar, haedine and sabine
We are in “the dog days of summer”. This phrase, for what is supposed to be the hottest part of the summer, believed by the ancients to be a time of bad omens, stems from the name of the bright … Read More
Bishops Conferences and Fangorn Forest
A comment from a reader in my email: This talk of the bishops, and lots of talking, and going to war somehow calls to my mind the Ents. If our Entish bishops were to rouse themselves to war, they could … Read More
R2D on Leo XIV has written to the SSPX: “I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!”: “Unrelated to the most recent back and forth: a friend pointed out that a way to read Leo XIV’s actions…”
