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{]:¬)

MASS STIPENDS, INTENTIONS – Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on 29 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Dear readers,

Occasionally someone sends a donation but it is marked for Mass intentions.

You should never send money for Mass intentions without first discussing it with the priest involved. Perhaps sending to an order or institute, sure, you can do that: they can find a priest within the group who can say the Mass.

However, don’t assume that an individual priest is able to accept the intentions: his schedule might be full.

This has happened twice in this last week or so.

Sending money without first communicating about it places the priest in an awkward situation. If he accepts the money, knowing you sent it for Mass intentions, he is obliged either to say the Masses himself or to find another priest and give the stipend to him. There are quite strict rules about this, and for good reason.

So, please do not send Mass intentions/stipends without first contacting me (or any priest) and coming to a clear agreement about your desires and his availability.

This is a problem. With the decline in the number of priests, there is also a decline in the number of Masses. Also, priests in parishes often have little or no control over their Mass intentions or what they, personally, can accept as a stipend, because these things are regulated by their dioceses. Often there isn’t “room” in the parish Mass schedule for people’s intentions. And yet people would like to have Masses said, in particular for their lost loved ones.

Pray for an increase in vocations.

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box | Comments Off

ANNUS BISEXTILIS – Leap Year and You

Posted on 29 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The other day I had a text exchange with a priest friend asking about why, because it is a leap year, we didn’t celebrate St. Matthias. He wasn’t sure about why the leap year changed the date.

I responded that it was that it was an Ember Day in Lent, so we observed it, but I explained something about the leap year. I’ll give you a nutshell version, leaving out all the stuff about the Julian and Gregorian Calendar reform.

It has to do with the ancient dating. Matthias was/is in the Vetus Ordo calendar on 24 February in today’s way of dating. However, on the Roman calendar, which is still listed in Novus Ordo books, it was/is slated for the vi a.d. Kal Martii (the 6th day before the Kalends of March). A leap year adds a day at the end of February but it doesn’t change the date of vi a.d. Kal Martii. Instead it adds an additional vi a.d. Kal Martii… a Second Sixth… Bisextilis. That means that there are TWO 6th days before the Kalends of March. The Vigil of Matthias would be on the 24th and the Feast on the 25th.

Poor Matthias can get bumped around in the Novus Ordo, too, since his Feast can coincide with Ascension Thursday.

St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin – celebrated on iii a.d. Kal. Martii – also moves because of leap year. He is, in the Novus Ordo, on 27 February (iii a.d. Kal.). In the Vetus Ordo, on regular years St. Gabriel is on the 27th (iii a.d. Kal.) but the addition of the “Second Sixth”, this year he is on 28th (iii a.d. Kal.)

In the 2005 Roman Martyrology, we find entries today, 29 February, for the Pope St. Hilarius (+468), St. Oswald, Bl. Anthony of Florence, and in China St. August Chapdelaine a priest of the Paris Mission Society, who was arrested with many neophytes, beaten with 300 blows, partially buried, and later beheaded.

BTW… here is an page from the amazing Smithfield Decretals (France – 14th c) which is known for its fantastic marginal drawings of battling rabbits, a medieval Yoda, and Reynard the Fox – certainly inspirations for the online game base on medieval manuscript figures in which figures such as St. Hildegard of Bingen duke it out with warring marginalia – I digress. On this page, about half way down the right side column is an explanation of the leap year and St. Matthias the Leap Saint.

A standard solar year has 365 days and six hours, so in four years’ time these hours make 24 extra hours, which must be added as a new day to every fourth year. This additional day is what we call “double-sixth-day”, because, although it is counted as an addition, it stands under the same number as the previous day in the calendar, so that the two days are regarded as one and the same. The extra day is inserted in the calendar after 24 February (six days before the first day of March) so that we celebrate the memory of St Matthias the Apostle (24 February) on the next day, too.

Other points.

Bisextilis is not a Jesuit feast day.

Ember Days were often the days for ordinations.

People born on leap days are called “leaplings”.

Most of the Apostles Feasts seem to be distributed through the year toward the end of the month.

Ash Wednesday has not yet fallen on a 29 February and it won’t until 2096.

Tidal friction in the system of your planet and its moon slows your planet’s rotation down so that a day is lengthened by some 1.4 milliseconds per century. In about 4 million years, we can stop with the bisextilis correction.

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Saints: Stories & Symbols | Tagged calendar, Leap Year | 10 Comments

VIDEO INTERVIEW with a Canon Lawyer specialized in penal law who defends priests

Posted on 28 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is a valuable, highly instructive interview with Dr. Michael Mazza, a civil lawyer and canon lawyer who defends priests in canonical processes.

His workload? “Swamped.” Consider the implications of that.

Some of the things he deals with.

Above all: JUSTICE

Rights of priests who are falsely (or justly) accused.
Daily fear of priests to be falsely accused.
The disconnect of trust between priests and bishops.
The difference between an Anglo-Saxon view of “law” and Roman view. Lex and Ius. Important. (20:48)
Dallas Charter and Norms
Problem with slogans
Break down in the in the USA in the system of priest’s rights and how they are treated (1:18:00 ff)
Priests being bullied out of ministry without process
Judicial process or administrative process (1:28:00)
The initial days
Book 6 (1:45:00)
Solicitation in the confessional (means more than the mere obvious!)
Priests from different cultures
Financial crimes
Restorative Justice v Retributive (2:01:00)
Spanish Inquisition v. Protestants

I’ve known Michael Mazza for almost 30 years. He’s an upright guy.

As I write, there are 95 views. Let’s change that. Send this out to people to watch.

One thing that struck me toward the beginning when he was in his “biography” section of the interview, he spoke about how, when their youngest child (of 8 kids) was bigger and ready to move out, he and his wife considered how they could thereafter better serve the Church. Just recently I wrote of a book letters of St. Jerome to people who were in mourning. One of his counsels is that, now that you are a – for example – a widow, now that your life has changed, you consider what can you do to serve the Church.

In the Preface for the Dead we have a phrase, “life is changed, not ended”. That’s true for those who die. That’s true for those who are still alive!

Anyway, this interview is extremely instructive about an important aspect the Church’s life.

There is an organization called Men of Melchizedek, which you might look at. Dr. Mazza is on the board and I know one other board member, who is an upright guy.

Posted in 1983 CIC can. 915, Cancelled Priests, Priests and Priesthood, The Drill | Tagged canon law | 6 Comments

DAILY ROME SHOT 953

Posted on 28 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – UK HERE WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

WELCOME REGISTRANTS:

KathleenB
SuperFlumina

Yesterday, in chessy news, in the Team Chess Battle, where pairs of players who can discuss moves battle it out, Hikaru Nakamura and Levy Rozman (aka Gotham Chess on YouTube) defeated Jorden van Foreest and Eric Hansen 2-1. Next, they face off with Daniel Naroditsky and Robert Hess. It is interesting to hear the thoughts of the players as they analyze the positions and come up with moves.

Meanwhile, white to move. Mate in 3.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com. Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Do you have to move? Looking to relocate? They hook you up with realtors who give a portion of the fee to a pro-life cause.

Also, if you have a some online presence or business, Church or otherwise, and you are paying for various SaaS (Software as a Service), you should look into Federated Computer. If I were running a DIOCESE I’d shift to Federated. Why use companies that hate us and mine our data?

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Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged noad | 6 Comments

DAILY ROME SHOT 952 – And a book

Posted on 27 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Welcome registrants:

semper et ubique
psalms119

NB: A couple items arrived from my wishlist, but there were no packing slips. I don’t know whom to thank. So, thank you, whoever you are.

Yesterday, in chessy news, hostilities/pleasantries resumed in the Team Chess Battle, where pairs of players who can discuss moves battle it out. Robert Hess and Daniel Naroditsky (who had a 48 game win streak the other day) were matched against Peter Svidler and Jan Gustafsson. Today there should be Eric Hanson and Jorden van Forrest against #2 ranked Fabiano Caruana and his podcasting partner Cristian Chirila. It is interesting to hear the thoughts of the players as they analyze the positions and come up with moves. Also, in chessy news, British Bodhana Sivanandan is now the 3rd highest rated 8-year-old ever

Meanwhile, white to move. How to proceed? What’s the key move?

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com. Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Possible name: St. Teresa of Avila Chess Society

She is, you know, the patroness of chess and chess players.

I direct the readership’s attention to a podcast by my friend Robert Royal of The Catholic Thing. He interviewed the editor of a FANTASTIC little book put out by Sophia Institute Press

Jerome’s Tears: Letters to Friends in Mourning (US HERE – UK HERE) by David Bonagura.

As a patristicist, this was an excellent idea and I could kick myself that I didn’t think of it first.

The volume has a brief biography of Jerome, a great deal briefer than J.N.D. Kelly’s, for sure.

Among ancient writers there was a genre of literature: consolatio. That is what it looks like. Consolation literature. It could include different forms, including personal letters. A good deal of consolation literature dives into philosophy, which was considered an antidote to the ever-pervasive “fear of death” (which Augustine called “our daily winter”). For example, Cicero’s Tusculan Disputations and much later Boethius’ Consolation of Philisophy are in this category. Ambrose wrote On the death of his brother. In any event, it is interesting to see how the irascible and sometimes venomous Jerome has a sweeter edge, though he is not one to advise mourning, but rather rejoicing that someone has exited this vale of tears for something better.

Here’s the video interview I mentioned, above.

Ceterum censeo Alirezam esse delendum.

Posted in Patristiblogging, SESSIUNCULA | 4 Comments

DAILY ROME SHOT 951

Posted on 26 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

NB: A couple things came recently (a book, a table) from my wish list but there were no slips to let me know who sent them. Whoever you are… thank you.

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 3.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com. Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Lent doesn’t last forever. Even if you have given up on things like wine or coffee or beer during Lent, Easter will soon arrive! Order now and help the communities.

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Posted in SESSIUNCULA | 3 Comments

Card. Burke invites everyone to join in a Nine Month Novena to culminate on 12 December 2024

Posted on 25 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’m calling on every Catholic in America to return to Our Lady and join in prayer.

– RAYMOND LEO CARDINAL BURKE

The website is HERE

This video is also at the site I linked, above.

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Our Solitary Boast, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged Card. Burke, novena | 8 Comments

Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 2nd Sunday of Lent 2024

Posted on 25 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.

It is the2nd Sunday of Lent. The Roman Station is St. Santa Maria in Domnica “alla Navicella”.

Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Sunday Mass of obligation?

Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass. I hear that it is growing. Of COURSE.

Any local changes or (hopefully good) news? We all have heard the bad news. How about good news?

I have a few thoughts about the orations in the Vetus Ordo for this Sunday: HERE

A taste…

Our days are not so unlike the pagan times. These are again pagan times, with all the resultant impurity. I just read a story from Religion News Service about how Catholics in Rome are sick of the Church and have started up pseudo-cultic worship of the ancient Roman gods. Everywhere impurity is not just tolerated, it is celebrated. Through the might of those who control mass media, it is imposed nearly everywhere. Its ubiquity can obscure hearts and minds and mire them in the earthly, the flesh. This is not just in society at large; these forces are at work within the Church herself.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged Sunday sermons | 4 Comments

DAILY ROME SHOT 950 & Fr. Z’s Kitchen

Posted on 24 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I heard Patrick Madrid handle the objections of “Billy” from Indiana, a Bible-thumping but Bible-challenged anti-Catholic Protestant convinced of all manner of kooky things about Catholics, who are all going to Hell. He throws one loopy thing at Patrick after another. Deftly handled. The recording is HERE.

It is incredible what this guy thinks.

In chessy news, the players set to play in all the events of the Grand Chess Tour were identified Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Anish, Giri, and Alireza “Puer” Firouzja. The first event starts on 6 May in Warsaw, Poland. I didn’t see Magnus in there.

Also, in chessy news… this is pretty cool and it gives older guys some encouragement… five time world chamo Vishy Anand defeated one of the 2024 candidates, the guy who is taking Carlsen’s slot, Nijat Abasov (2641) of Azerbajian. With that win, Anand returns to the world top 10 in the live ratings. (I have a widget with that on the sidebar of this blog). The game was part of the German Bundesliga. HERE

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 4.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Interested in learning? Try THIS.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com. Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE

Have a Catholic site or concern to build or maintain? ANY business Catholic or not? Make a bee line to… FEDERATED COMPUTER

Safer. Cheaper. Better support. Can’t be “cancelled”.

Today with the way “Big Tech” is openly hostile to customers like us, why – other than habit or false convenience – anyone continues to use Google, Zoom, Dropbox, Office365, or Apple software services to run a team or business. SaaS = expensive.

Each of these companies supports really horrible social policies, they throw folks off their system if they support the “wrong” causes, they use our data for training their AI stomping on our privacy. The lists goes on and on.

It is common to hear: “What’s the alternative!”

More HERE

You can help the wonderful Summit Dominicans by visiting their shop.

I haven’t been doing much cooking. As a matter of fact, right now I’m down to a single meal a day. Friday night I dumped some frozen mixed vegetables in to a pot of broth and added some left over chopped salad from one of those pre-washed bags you can often get BOGO at the grocer. A little parmigiano and – ecco –sort of minstrone. Sometimes its scrambled eggs or a piece of sausage and kimchi.

However, I did recently have to make a little room in the freezer and decided to use a marinated pork loin. What to do?

First, I gave it some color with a little sizzle in a dutch oven.

Chop some onion. And put them into the pan for some color also.

Add chunks of apples and juniper berries and put the loin back in.

Now… sour Kraut. This is the company that makes the really good kimchi I’ve been eating a lot of. Time to try it out.

A spash of a dry white wine. Sauvignon blanc.

Cover and cook for a while.

This would have been a great meal for cold wintery day, though it isn’t particularly cold where I am these days.

My comments on this. Yum and yum. There was sweet and sour and tangy and soft and crunchy and savory and the occasional blast from a juniper berry. It hit the spot.

So easy. I have enough for at least one more meal, probably two, but I think I’ll take the left over over to my mom. I ask your prayers for her, too. Thanks.

Finally, I must post this. Hilarious.

Sheer genius https://t.co/eZCNbQ99Rp

— Damian Thompson (@holysmoke) February 22, 2024

Ceterum censeo Alirezam delendum esse.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged noad | 14 Comments

Friday of the 1st Week (after the 1st Sunday) in Lent: Feast of the Holy Lance and Nails

Posted on 23 February 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Before I forget, this is Ember Friday of Lent, but as the Friday of the 1st Week of Lent it is also the Feast of the Holy Lance (Spear of Longinus) and the Nails. It was established by Pope Innocent VI (+1362).

The Spear of Longinus is kept at St. Peter’s Basilica and the Nails were in France with the Crown of Thorns but were lost during the Revolution. There are other fragments of the nails.

There are various Feasts concerning the Passion of the Lord found in the appendix of the Roman Missal, “In aliquibus locis” before 1962. In other words another post-55 loss.

For example, the Feasts of the Prayer of Our Lord in the Garden (Tuesday after Septuagesima), of the Crown of Thorns (Friday after Ash-Wednesday), of the Holy Winding Sheet (Friday of the 2nd Week, of the Five Wounds (Friday of the 3rd Week, and the Precious Blood of Christ (Friday of the 4th Week.).

COLLECT:

Deus, qui in assumptae carnis infirmitate Clavis affigi, et Lancea vulnerari pro mundi salute voluisti: concede propitius; ut, qui eorundem Clavorum, et Lanceae solemnia veneremur in terris, de glorioso victoriae tuae triumpho gratulemur in caelis: Qui vivis et regnas.

O God, who in the weakness of the flesh that was assumed willed to be pierced by nails and wounded by a lance for the salvation of the world, graciously grant we beg, that we who venerate the feast of the same nails and lance on earth, may rejoice over the glorious triumph of your victory in Heaven.

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | 3 Comments