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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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YOUR RECENT COMMENTS
- Ariseyedead on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “As Bryan D. Boyle notes, a pickup truck. Really? A Dodge Ram pickup truck? Don’t they have proper hearses in…”
- on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “How fitting, on the back of a pickup truck, not even proceeding at a dignified speed, for the Vicar of…”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 20: Tolling and rolling: “Probably in the early 50’s, we got out of class to sing the funeral masses. I remember singing the Requiem…”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 20: Tolling and rolling: “Where did they get a Tripple Crown for the Catafalque….???”
- on Orationes pro eligendo Romano Pontifice – Prayers for the Election of a Roman Pontiff (Fr. Z’s and Card. Burke’s): “… Or, from the Missal: Collect of the Votive Mass for the Election of a Pope (Via SSPX) Orémus. SÚPPLICI,…”
- on Orationes pro eligendo Romano Pontifice – Prayers for the Election of a Roman Pontiff (Fr. Z’s and Card. Burke’s): “Thank you Fr Z for this powerful prayer. Hoping for a Marian Apparition next week in the Sistine Chapel.”
- on PASCHALCAzT 2025 – 54: Low Sunday – “scandal, hypocrisy, bland liturgies, false teaching, broken families, sin and sinners everywhere.”: “It’s nice to have a “thank you”. Thank you for that.”
- on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “Pasquino, in the anguished pose of an introvert who is eternally embarrassed for being required to live out his days…”
- on Orationes pro eligendo Romano Pontifice – Prayers for the Election of a Roman Pontiff (Fr. Z’s and Card. Burke’s): “Thank you, Father Z, for posting these and other prayers to help your readers join together to do their part…”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 19: Low Sunday – with a grand digression: “Yesterday for Low Sunday we had a wonderful Solemn Mass. We are truly blessed at our parish with currently 4…”
- on PASCHALCAzT 2025 – 54: Low Sunday – “scandal, hypocrisy, bland liturgies, false teaching, broken families, sin and sinners everywhere.”: “Thank you Father for these podcasts which have been part of my morning breakfast routine since Lent began.”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 17: Easter Friday: “For you who commented on the chess puzzle, see the main entry again for more information.”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 16: Easter Thursday: “thank you Suburbanbanshee. i looked around. i couldn’t find Clement X’s cardinalatial rank when he was elected, but with that…”
- on ROME 25/4– Day 19: Low Sunday – with a grand digression: “The rock band Rush starts a song with the 3 letter identifier for Toronto Airport in Morse Code – Y…”
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Tag Archives: vocations
These numbers suggest a seriously unhealthy Church. UPDATED
From this new study about vocations to the priesthood and ordinations in these USA: HERE I was told by a bishop that bishops say they do not hear that men have been inspired toward priesthood by Francis. Of course the … Read More
ITALY: Vocations to the priesthood waaaaaay down
From VaticanNews.va in Italian: Italy, CEI: fewer seminarians, families may be a nursery for vocations [What’s….. family?] The data of a report by the Italian Bishops’ Conference reveal that in just ten years the decline in vocations has reached 28%: … Read More
Posted in Seminarians and Seminaries, SESSIUNCULA, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices
Tagged CEI, vocations
14 Comments
14 Comments
NOVENA FOR SEMINARIANS – from Corpus Christi to Sacred Heart, with a Marian Consecration
From a priest: Dear Father, we have met several times, most recently last year at the Canon Law conference in La Crosse. I wrote a novena for seminarians to be prayed from Corpus Christi to the Sacred Heart, with a … Read More
VIDEO: A remarkable vocation story.
A remarkable vocation story. Fr. James Mawdsley, FSSP. For years I’ve written about how learning and celebrating the traditional form of Mass forms a priest. This priest touches on this transformative experience. (He mentions that blogs played a role. I … Read More
Posted in Just Too Cool, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood
Tagged FSSP, priesthood, vocations
8 Comments
8 Comments
How bad is the situation of vocations to the priesthood tragic Germany?
How bad is the situation of vocations to the priesthood tragic Germany? “In 2017, only 76 priests were ordained in Germany; in 2000 there were still about twice as many, namely 154. When the German Bishops’ Conference tallied this number … Read More
Posted in Liberals, Lighter fare, Seminarians and Seminaries, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices
Tagged Germany, vocations
6 Comments
6 Comments
“The solution is staring the bishops in the face”
The pastor of the parish where I came into the Church was downright disgusted with the Archdiocese’s approach to vocations and the priest shortage crisis that would follow. He used to compare the geniuses of the vocations office et al. … Read More
“The Continuing Vocation Crisis in the United States”
Recently, I posted Liturgical worship… priestly vocations… Is what we are doing working or not? Tradition = vocations – It isn’t rocket science Ireland: manmade vocation wasteland Robert Mickens is exactly wrong about priestly vocations. Here’s why. Disaster in liberal … Read More
Liturgical worship… priestly vocations… Is what we are doing working or not?
I had mentioned that I was re-reading Robert Hugh Benson’s prophetic Lord of the World. I finished it yesterday. US HERE – UK HERE Just as I finished it, I found these things. First, I want to preface with this: When you are on a journey … Read More
ASK FATHER: What can we do to get these men into seminary?
From a reader: I am a Youth Minister at a parish and have probably a dozen young men (age 12-19) who are discerning calls to the priesthood and are interested in seminary. I have young priests at the parish, but they are reluctant … Read More
Tradition = vocations – It isn’t rocket science
I contend that the shortage of vocations is a self-inflicted wound. Yesterday, here in the Diocese of Madison, the Extraordinary Ordinary and the seminarians concluded a week of praying together, talks, activities, hanging out with each other and priests. Among … Read More
UPDATED: A great Father’s Day note from a reader
UPDATE 19 June: Today I have received notes from readers saying that they have spotted this Prayer For Vocations in a couple other places as well. A comment in the combox, below, speaks of one of them. To wit: [T]he … Read More
Posted in Just Too Cool, Priests and Priesthood
Tagged prayer for vocations, priesthood, vocations
4 Comments
4 Comments
CATASTROPHIC: Pray for vocations to the priesthood
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 … Read More
Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Priests and Priesthood
Tagged priesthood, vocations
32 Comments
32 Comments
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 … Read More
“Things have gone terribly, terribly wrong.”
The other day, I posted a thought about a ridiculous claim (HERE). I wrote: There is no lack of priestly vocations where bishops are capable of projecting solid clerical identity and where they teach perennial Catholic truth in charity and in … Read More
Disaster. Vocations. Identity. Liturgy. Prayer. ACTION ITEM and Fr. Z rants.
A while back I wrote that people get the priests that they deserve. Collectively, at least. Priests don’t just spring full grown from the heads of… cabbage. Recently, a writer at hyper-liberal Commonweal suggested that vocations are down because his grand vision of … Read More
Robert Mickens is exactly wrong about priestly vocations. Here’s why.
One of the worst of the hyper-liberal catholic publications, Commonweal, publishes a regular column by long-time Rome correspondent Robert Mickens. Many readers here will recall that Mickens loathes Benedict XVI. He lost his job with The Tablet, the UK’s worst catholic … Read More
1962: Of Manners in Church, of the Vernacular, and of Vocations
One of you readers sent me a link to a video from 1962, made in Ireland, about the changes in the Ritual for administration of sacraments, especially of Marriage and Baptism. They talk about the New Ritual, the introduction of … Read More
Posted in "But Father! But Father!", Lighter fare, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Women Religious
Tagged Latin, manners, vocations
14 Comments
14 Comments
Would the young Joseph Ratzinger – or I – have had the same reaction if….
As I often write, we are our rites. In the new interview book with Peter Seewald, Benedict XVI was asked how the son of a Bavarian policeman became a priest. I have a measure of sympathy with Benedict’s answer. I, too, … Read More
Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Benedict XVI, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries, The future and our choices, Turn Towards The Lord
Tagged Benedict XVI, lack of vocations, Peter Sewald, priesthood, vocations
24 Comments
24 Comments
Vocations to the priesthood: bad numbers? Those numbers didn’t just happen by themselves.
I’ve written many times about the situation of vocations to the priesthood. We all know that there are certain parishes in dioceses which produce more priests. We all know that there are certain dioceses which produce more priests. We all … Read More
“Bless our families, bless our children. Choose from our homes those who are needed for Thy work.”
I have lately mused about vocations. Last Sunday was the Day of Prayer for Vocations. What I mean by vocations, by the way, is vocations to the priesthood. Yes, yes… I think about religious life as well. When I think … Read More
Ariseyedead on Sonnet about the papal funeral procession: “As Bryan D. Boyle notes, a pickup truck. Really? A Dodge Ram pickup truck? Don’t they have proper hearses in…”
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