Fr. Z's Blog

In today’s PODCAzT I read just a bit of a fairly recent book by Peter Kwasniewski: Noble Beauty, Transcendent Holiness: Why the Modern Age Needs the Mass of Ages US HERE – UK HERE It has a foreward by the great Martin Mosebach, author of The Heresy of Formlessness (a must read, a hard read but richly rewarding). Firstly, I could read Peter’s prose forever.  He writes with clarity and great force, which surely reflect both his deft mind and his convictions. Next, I think we may have a Vulcan Mind-Meld going on. And since a recently the world marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Guareschi, we have another installment about the fictional not-quite-saint don Camillo Tarocci, (+ A.D. … ?), tough guy and parish priest. Some time ago, I began a to read stories from The Little World of Don Camillo by Guareschi.   US HERE – UK HERE Today we hear the stories:  The Meeting and The River Bank

At Crisis there is posted an open letter from an anonymous young priest to bishops. It is a cri de coeur. Where Are the Bishops Who Will Defend Faithful Priests? I read this letter today, so that it will have greater exposure to those who don’t sit at screens to read. You should, however, always go to the ever and increasingly valuable Crisis. It is a daily stop for me. O Almighty and Eternal God, look upon the face of Thy Christ, and for the love of Him, who is the eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy priests. Remember that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them by the imposition of the Bishop’s hand. Keep them close to Thee lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation. O Jesus, I pray Thee for Thy faithful and fervent priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid priests; for Thy priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted priests; for Thy lonely priests; for Thy dying priests; for the souls of Thy priests in purgatory. But above all I commend to Thee the priests dearest to me; the priest who baptized me; the priests who absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted, and who gave me Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me, or helped and encouraged me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way, particularly N and N. O Jesus, keep them all close to Thy Heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

Here is an audio offering in which I read the post, here-under. Hopefully this will allow more people to absorb a few of my poor thoughts on this important anniversary. Let’s start with a taste of the text…  there’s some mood setting music along the way, just to get the flavor of the times. __________ 1. Humanae vitae tradendae munus gravissimum, ex quo coniuges liberam et consciam Deo Creatori tribuunt operam, magnis semper ipsos affecit gaudiis, quae tamen aliquando non paucae difficultates et angustiae sunt secutae. Quod munus sustinere si omni tempore coniugum conscientiae arduas facessivit quaestiones, at recens humanae societatis cursus eiusmodi mutationes invexit, ut novae quaestiones sint exortae, quas Ecclesiae ignorare non liceat, utpote quae cum rebus conectantur, tantopere ad hominum vitam et felicitatem pertinentibus. The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships. The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human beings. Thusly, does Paul VI begin to teach in Humanae vitae. As we close in on the 40th anniversary of the death of Pope Paul VI, 8 August 1978, we observe today, 25 July, the 50th anniversary of Paul’s seventh and last, his boldest and most controversial, encyclical Humanae vitae. The Devil is at work in attacks on Humanae vitae. Be wary. When you read or hear someone undermining Humanae vitae you have encountered an agent of Hell. Be vigilant. The Enemy, like a roaring lion, is roaming about seeking whom he may devour. Resist the attacks of Hell, strong in our sure Faith. For those of you who struggle with the Church’s teaching, remember that through suffering you can come to glory, the glory to which Christ has called us. In your fidelity, Christ will strengthen you and ready you for heaven. Some of you younger readers might not have the background on Humanae vitae even though you know that in this encyclical, Paul VI affirmed the Church’s teaching about artificial contraception for the purposes of avoiding (ending?) pregancy.  Remember that some contraceptives are really abortifacients. In 1963 John XXIII assembled a commission to study the question of artificial contraception in the light of modern times, developments, and questions. Oral contraceptives (abortifacients?) appeared in 1960. He did not want the issue discussed at Vatican II, even though the somewhat overly optimistic and rather too anthropocentric Gaudium et spes included a section on marriage. John died in 1963 and Paul was elected. He expanded the commission to 72, including physicians, women, bishops, cardinals, theologians. In 1966 the commission issued a majority report (64 of 69 voting members) and a minority report. The majority suggested to Paul that artificial birth control is NOT intrinsically evil and that couples could make their own decisions about using it. The minority included Americans, a Jesuit, Fr John Ford, and lay theologian Germain Grisez. Their report read in part: If contraception were declared not intrinsically evil, in honesty it would have to be acknowledged that the Holy Spirit in 1930, in 1951 and 1958, assisted Protestant churches, and that for half a century Pius XI, Pius XII and a great part of the Catholic hierarchy did not protect against a very serious error, one most pernicious to souls; for it would thus be suggested that they condemned most imprudently, under the pain of eternal punishment, thousands upon thousands of human acts which are now approved. Indeed, it must be neither denied nor ignored t[...]

Each day during Lent of 2018 and the Triduum I provided a 5 minute podcast to urge you on.  Today, I provide a supplement to those LENTCAzTs. Because of the controversies roused up by alleged comments of the Holy Father made to an unreliable source and because of the loony headlines they sparked, and because today is Holy Saturday, we need a review of Hell The Harrowing of Hell Along the way you may detect a bit of Veni dilecte by Gesualdo. US HERE – UK HERE At the end, you can enjoy some bells which I recorded while standing on a street in Paris, at Saint-Nicholas du Chardonnet, where there is a beautiful chapel and Confraternity of Our Lady of the Clergy.

Today is Holy Saturday.  The Roman Station is … ooops!  Tricked you.  There isn’t any until the Vigil, which traditionally ought to start at Midnight.   GO TO CHURCH! Participate in the sacred rites.  We are our rites.  Let God give you what He wants to give through the sacred liturgical signs and actions which make present the mysteries they renew. I made these podcasts this year in gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog.  Thank you, everyone, for listening. Today we hear of the harrowing of Hell, when the Lord descended to the dead to find the righteous in the “hell” which is also called the Bosom of Abraham.  He left the damned where they must remain for eternity, in the Hell of the damned. Today, just a tiny little bit of amazing chant from Good Friday.  Like an echo. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Good Friday.  The Roman Station is Santa Croce.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. Fulton Sheen tells us that it isn’t over yet. Today, spectacular chant for Good Friday. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today Holy Thursday.  The Triduum begins.  The Roman Station is Saint John Lateran.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. Benedict XVI teaches about the Lord’s hands and the priesthood. Also, during a time of hardship for them, perhaps get some great music for Holy Week from St. John Cantius in Chicago.  Amazing choir and album. Miserere: Music For Holy Week. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is “Spy” Wednesday of Holy Week.  The Roman Station is Santa Maria Maggiore.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. Benedict XVI teaches about different kinds of remorse, that which leads to conversion and that which leads to despair. Also, during a time of hardship for them, perhaps get some great music for Holy Week from St. John Cantius in Chicago.  Amazing choir and album. Miserere: Music For Holy Week. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Tuesday of Holy Week.  The Roman Station is Santa Prisca.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. Benedict XVI teaches about Also, during a time of hardship for them, perhaps get some great music for Holy Week from St. John Cantius in Chicago.  Amazing choir and album. Miserere: Music For Holy Week. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Monday of Holy Week.  The Roman Station is Santa Prassede al Esquilino.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. Benedict XVI teaches us about why we celebrate an instrument of torture. The Benedictines of Mary give us music today. Also, during a time of hardship for them, perhaps get some great music for Holy Week from St. John Cantius in Chicago.  Amazing choir and album. Miserere: Music For Holy Week. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Palm Sunday. Holy Week begins.  The Roman Station is San Giovanni in Laterano.   In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. You’ll here something from one of the best chant discs I’ve ever heard, a little hard to get now. I muse a bit about what’s been going on all during Lent. If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Saturday in the 5th Week of Lent, Passiontide.  The Roman Station is San Giovanni a Porta Latina.  Holy Week begins tomorrow. In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. Robert Card. Sarah helps us to understand why we suffer.  His great book  The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise is a must.  Make sure that your priests and seminarians have it. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Friday in the 5th Week of Lent, Passiontide.  The Roman Station Santo Stefano Rotondo. In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. Venerable Louis of Granada give us a great tip about health and sickness. If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Thursday in the 5th Week of Lent, Passiontide.  The Roman Station San Apollinare. In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. Fulton Sheen talks about understanding the mystery of the empty tomb. US HERE – UK HERE   If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.

Today is Wednesday in the 5th Week of Lent, Passiontide.  The Roman Station S. Marcello al Corso. In gratitude especially to benefactors who help me and this blog, during Lent I’m once again offering 5 minute daily podcasts to encourage you in your own use of this holy season. The late and lamented Fr Thomas Dubay teaches us today about our Christian madness in his outstanding book Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment.   There’s a lot of goofy talk about “discernment” these days.  Dubay always cuts through the fog. US HERE – UK HERE If these podcasts are useful to you and yours, perhaps you might consider making a donation.