Fr. Z's Blog

"This blog combines the elegance of a Baroque ‘salon’, where refined gatherings took place around a beautifully tuned harpsichord, with the lively atmosphere of a Wild West ‘saloon’, filled with an out-of-tune piano and open doors, where everyone has a story to share. Despite this mix, our focus remains on exploring what it means to be Catholic in today's challenging world, fostering a love for God, and discussing the path to heaven."

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ROME 25/5- Day 35: The papal “We”?!?

1 day ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

The Eternal City became noticeably brighter with the rising of the sun at 5:48. The light will diminish significantly at 20:26. The Ave Maria Bell is in the 20:45 cycle right now. It is Feast of St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle in the older calendar and of St. Isidore the Farmer in the newer. Welcome registrants:DeaconRPsm1367Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – UK HERE WHY?
ROME 25/5- Day 34: Heat death of the universe

2 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

On this Feast of St Michele Garicoïts, the Sun rose at 05:49 and it will set at 20:25. Pushed by the ever later sunset, the Ave Maria Bell, which you know know all about (more than you wanted to know) should ring for the Curia at 20:45. I was sent a link to news that the heat death and total stillness of the known cosmos is now projected to happen in 1078 years rather than in 101100 years. HERE Entropy.
ROME 25/5- Day 33: languid

2 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

Sunrise in Rome was at 5:50 and sunset will be at 20:24. The Ave Maria is in the 20:45 cycle. It is the traditional Feast of St. Robert Bellarmine and the Feast of the Dedication of Santa Maris “ad Martyres” (the Pantheon) in 609. ‘Tis also the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Welcome registrants:blackscholescatCatulus dominiHillbilly PappySpeculum IustitiaeIn Afghanistan, the Taliban has outlawed chess because they consider it to be gambling. This was a problem in the Church for a while, too.
ROME 13 May 609 - Exorcism, screaming demons, terrified people fainting - Dedication of the Pantheon as a church

3 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

Dear readers, this is the sort of thing that Popes do! They fight against the forces of Hell and they work for the salvation of souls. When the ancient obelisk that was in the Circus of Caligula off to the side of St. Peter’s Basilica was moved to the center of the piazza in 1586, Pope Sixtus V caused to be inscribed on its base words from the Rite of Exorcism. And he exorcized the thing to stand against the approach to the basilica of demons and the possessed.
ROME 25/5- Day 32: The Ave Maria Bell Explained and “If you are a woke Catholic, you aren’t Catholic anymore.”

3 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

When the sun rose on this lovely Roman morning it was 5:51. The lovely Roman evening commences with the setting of the sun at 20:23. The Ave Maria Bell should ring at 20:45. It is the Feast of Sts. Nereus, Achilleus and Pancratius (304). As it does inevitably happen the question came in: “What is the Ave Maria Bell you keep mentioning?” I wrote about that in greater detail HERE. Here’s a compressed version.
ASK FATHER: Did Leo XIV use an older, traditional form of the “Urbi et Orbi” Blessing?

4 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

From a priest…QUAERITUR:I have not had time, and will probably not any time soon to go back to footage of previous last handful of Roman Pontiff to confirm, but I heard that apparently Pope Leo XIV when he gave us first Papal blessing in Latin on this past Thursday from the balcony, the formula of blessing that he used was used for first time since Pope Pius XII. Is this correct?
ASK FATHER: If Father must say Mass AFTER the new Pope’s election is announced but BEFORE we know his name…?

4 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader…QUAERITUR:Our pastor had a rare situation with the election of the Pope. The white smoke went up, indicating that we had a new Pope, but before who the new Pope was announced, he had to go say Mass, thus not having a name for the Eucharistic prayer. He handled it, but just curious if there is anything official that covers this unique situation. Just when you think you’ve heard it all. This is only possible in today’s world of instantaneous, real time information. Right?
ROME 25/5- Day 30-31:

4 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

Today, the 11th of the month saw the sunrise on the 3rd day of a new pontificate at 5:52. It duly set at 20:22. The Ave Maria Bell should ring at 20:45. A new cycle as of today. Yesterday, 10 May, was the Feast of St. Job of the Old Testament and of St. John of God, Doctor of the Church. Today, is the 3rd Sunday after Easter. The Feast of Sant’Antimo. Near my place. Lovely scent of jasmine and cooking fills the street. At The Parish™ we don’t waste candle stubs. They to to the side altars.
Your Sunday Sermon Notes - 3rd Sunday after Easter 2025 (N.O. 4th Sunday of Easter)

5 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff. It is the 4th Sunday of Easter in the Novus Ordo and the 3rd Sunday after Easter in the Vetus Ordo. In the Novus Ordo this Sunday is “Good Shepherd Sunday”. In the Vetus Ordo, Good Shepherd Sunday was last week. 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.
Leo XIV - relax | Fr. Z's Blog

5 days ago | wdtprs.com | John Zuhlsdorf

I think we can relax a little. I think the Church’s “East Germany” is going to diminish. My people, some know the new Pope, affirm that he prays and that he believes. This counts for a lot. I don’t want to give up personal information, but what I know and what I have understood in the last couple days, lead me to think that the Church is no longer going to be “East Germany”.