Today the Roman Station should be St. John Lateran for the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Last Supper. Today we hear more from Scott Hahn about John 6 and the Passover Sacrifice.
The text I used was a collection of Lenten Reflections from A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture.
The Sun rise for Rome came at 06:26. The sun will set beyond the Gianicolo at 19:55.
The Ave Maria Bell is set to ring at 20:15.
Happy Birthday, Papa Ratzinger (1927)
Today is the “birthday” (dies natalis) of St. Benedetto Giuseppe Labre (+1783). He died on the evening of Holy Wednesday (today) and is buried at S. Maria dei Monti. St. Benedict Joseph Labre was not, I believe, fully a member of the Archconfraternity of Ss. Trinità, but he was always around the place, perhaps partaking of its charity. He was a poor man, French, a Franciscan Tertiary, who wandered much as a pilgrim to different shrines, eventually coming to Rome. He had ecstasies when contemplating the crown of thorns and he would levitate or bilocate. In the last years of his life, he lived in Rome, for a time living in the ruins of the Colosseum. He was famous as the “saint of the Forty Hours” (Quarant’ Ore) and Eucharistic adoration. One of the works of the Archconfraternity at Ss. Trinità was monthly Quarant’ Ore. It was the Eucharistic devotion of the confreres that fueled their charitable works of feeding and housing the pilgrims, the sick and the poor.
St. Benedict Joseph Labre lived by begging. He is, therefore, dear to my heart.
Here is The Parish’s™ painting of him in the chapel dedicated to St. Philip. As I write, this side of the church is closed off in scaffolding for restoration.
He is patron of the homeless. His Mass texts are in the appendix of the Missale Romanum for “aliquibus locis”, this locus being Rome. However, today being Holy Wednesday, he can only be commemorated.
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Crooked Castle 1391
Another saint who died on this day is St. Bernadette Soubirous (+1879). Her Novus Ordo feast is today, the day of her death, but in the older calendar it is in February. Watching The Song of Bernadette might be a good thing today.
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.
Not much of an appetite. Some pizza bianca and mortadella. Classic.
White to move and mate in 2. HOWEVER… do it without the first move being a check. The first move cannot be check. (Not hard.)
[NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.]
Support the wonderful Summit Dominicans.
At Crisis there is a piece that would make the coldest stone-flint heart, like my own, perhaps miss a beat, which it already does. HERE
It’s about … well… I’m not going to tell you, but you can trust me and Crisis.
A hint…
The cancerous tumor in Fr. Hollowell’s head was slowly growing when bishops gathered in Baltimore that autumn in 2018 for their plenary assembly, when they voted down—by a nearly two-to-one margin—a proposal that simply asked the Vatican to release all documents related to the numerous criminal allegations against Theodore McCarrick.
The wonderful nuns of Gower Abbey, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, have a disc and digital download:
These are the RESPONSORIES of Tenebrae for all three days of the Triduum. They are, arguably, the most beautiful chants of the entire liturgical year.
Today’s Roman Station is St. Mary Major. Scott Hahn reflects on the 4th Cup of wine, which Jesus did NOT drink at the Last Supper, but rather on the Cross, completing the Last Supper.
The text I used was a collection of Lenten Reflections from A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture.
UPDATE 16 APRIL:
The Archbishop of Detroit has responded to the firestorm. I was sent this from Detroit.
My emphases and comments. If I’ve put my foot wrong here, I want to know how and why.
 |
Unbelievable.
I am told that there are TLMs in some 30 locations. Is this accurate? I bow to local wisdom.
I am informed by a priest that at the meeting with priests the Archbp. told them what was on the parish website, not anything about his “intended” (see above) plans. He told them everything was going to be cancelled in parishes, and didn’t say that he was considering other options. To have included that on the diocesan website… he would have had to have told them.
It’s everyone else’s fault! Not mine! I didn’t want to do it before Easter (but I did) and they are immature and adolescent and they didn’t tell you what they didn’t know and let’s pray that THEY aren’t angry and creating disunity!
The Archbishop was in … OK City and Salina and Tucson before he went to Detroit.
Didn’t he in a meeting of the USCCB call for the excommunication of US Border Patrol agents who tried to do their jobs and enforce the law? I may be wrong about that. Please correct me if I am.
O Lord, I hate this. Please please wash us all with your Most Precious Blood and, with the help of Angel Guardians, bring this to a healthy result.
Originally published on: Apr 15, 2025 at 18:30
The more I see things like this, the more I am persuaded that these bishops loathe the people who desire the Traditional Latin Mass. They dislike the people even more than the form of Mass itself, which they don’t know. They don’t know the people, either.
But they know what both of them stand for.
He has been Archbishop of Detroit for less than a month. He was installed on 18 March.
It’s like he couldn’t wait.
And… wait until just before Easter.
A link to that parish. HERE
Today the Sun rose upon Rome at 6:28. It will inevitably set at 19:53.
The Ave Maria Bell has now moved to a new cycle: 20:15.
The Roman Station is Santa Prisca on the Aventine Hill.
It is Holy Tuesday.
I have little to report today. It was mostly a chore day.
I did stop to pick up a toaster. Exciting, right? I can now toast bread more easily. Woo hoo!
I had a BEAST of a time with the program I use to make podcasts. It is maddeningly annoying, but has certain features which, when it loads, make what I do easier. However, the damn thing refuses to recognize that I actually bought a license for it. Hence, it thinks I have the free version which won’t let me do anything. The website is horrible. NEVER buy anything from Magix, especially Music Maker. EVER. I had made several LENTCAzTs in advance while still at home so my first days here wouldn’t be to oppressive. Now they are oppressive anyway.
So, I had to make today’s and tomorrow’s using Blender, which it is really not meant for. I managed. Sooooo annoying when tech is your obstacle.
I went over the Chiesa Nuova today to find St. Philip. He’s there.
Then I went around the corner to a legatoria, a book binder, to have him repair two small prayer books which are quite rare. He asked €40 for both, which I thought was a little high, but… hey. I want them fixed. He’ll do a good job and I like artisans like this.
Lunch and breakfast were comprised of a single small thing of yogurt. Nothing interesting to see there.
I went out the back way of the sacristy today and there was the “tomb” which will be set up for the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday.
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.
This has been out a day. Since we are in Holy Week, it seems appropriate to post it.
I note in particular the references to the Triduum and “Mass of the Lord’s Supper” and Vigil. This is a decidedly Catholic view.
From the site of The White House.
Presidential Message on Holy Week, 2025
This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.
Beginning with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and culminating in the Paschal Triduum, which begins on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, followed by Good Friday, and reaching its pinnacle in the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion—and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead.
During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life. On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word.
This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government. We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.
As we focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we look to His love, humility, and obedience—even in life’s most difficult and uncertain moments. This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven.
May God bless you and your family during this special time of year and may He continue to bless the United States of America.
Quite a contrast from last year.
The Roman Station is Santa Prisca on the Aventine Hill. The identity of St Prisca is uncertain. One tradition claims that she is identical with Priscilla, who is mentioned in the New Testament.
Cardinal Bacci reflects on the change from joy of the Lord’s entrance in Jerusalem and the reality of the looming Cross… also in our lives.
Fulton Sheen helps us out about our inner crosses.
I was up and around before sunrise at 6:29 and by 19:52 sunset is long in the rear view mirror.
The Ave Maria is still slated int he 20:00 slot.
It it Holy Monday. Mercifully short readings today, but profound. The story is being told. The mysteries are being made present. All is unfolding.
The full Moon is still with us, but it’s fullness was yesterday. Therefore….
The Roman Station is Santa Prassede on the Aventine Hill. Marvelous church. The chapel of St. Zeno and the arch are splendid.
This morning was … weird. The streets were virtually empty. It was raining, but that wasn’t it. There was an oppressive feeling. It’s smelled … wrong. There was an overly warm deep humidity that had nothing to do April.
As I walked past the Palazzo Farnese, a long-serving security guard I chat with called the day “uggioso”, which is oppressive, sad, a downer.
I got to The Parish™ and The World’s Best Sacristan™ said that he got up in the morning and felt down and that there was a bad rumor in the air.
I saw this on the cars and thought… scirocco, the warm wind from N Africa bringing sand to dump on Rome.
Scirocco. I’m pretty sure that we had a mini. All I wanted to do today was sleep, which is par for the course with the scirocco. I think in Germany they lament… the Föhn.
Today, (14. H N LVDI)) in the Fasti of Ovid we read:
Luce secutura tutos pete navata, portus:
ventus ab occasu gradine mixtus erit.
sit licet ut fuerit, tamen hac Mutinensia Caesar
grandine militia perculit arma sua.
Who can do a translation? It isn’t that hard, so long as you the reference to Modena.
It is an observation about weather on this day, but also that Caesar defeated his enemies at modern Modena… which fits with the next part.
Today I had lunch with a flamboyant blogist. Tongue with homemade mayo, a magnificent green herb sauce and pizza bianca. (Not mine, but I ought to have.)
We went to a place I like. My bucatini , alas, swam for their lives in the over abundance of sauce which was, truth be told, not all it should have been. I must have a chat with the chef. I’m not a tourist.
In the afternoon, for my third walk to The Parish™, and thus my 3rd mile of the day, I presided at the ceremonial washing of feet of pilgrims who have come for the Jubilee. This is what St. Philip Neri founded in this very place in the 16th c. and which has been revived.
The Great Roman™.
In great Jubilees hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descended on Rome. The Archconfraternity managed to house, feed and take of the sick of more than a third… every single one having his or her feet washed on arrival at The Parish™. The same ritual is used today.
The linen aprons are from the time of Pius IX (who himself was a member of the Archconfraternity and who came himself to wash the feet of pilgrims as did cardinals and bishops who belonged). It was NOT A PUBLICITY STUNT.
Here is an apron exactly like those of St. Philip Neri’s day. This, however, is one of the old ones from the time of Pius IX.
I could, if you want, share something about prayers that accompany the ritual of washing the feet of pilgrims. I won’t force them on you.
If you come to Rome as a pilgrim, you can experience this. There is a way to sign up in advance. Email:
arciconfraternitatrinita@gmail.com
The pastor is a go getter. He has had restored almost all the paintings of the church. The painting for the altar of the sacristy was a miserable dark mess. It will be back in place at Easter!
Antonio Gaudi, the architect of the famous Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona has been declared Venerable by the Catholic Church.
Info: Holy See Press Office pic.twitter.com/ru7LMx40zN
— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) April 14, 2025
In chessy news…
Magnus won the Freestyle challenge in Paris. Is that news? Yesterday Hikaru committed an unthinkable blunder in the end game and lost, so Magnus only needed a draw.
I’m so tired… but this might give you a challenge…
White to win or draw.
In the scheme of things, daybreak was at 06:31. The scheme lead to sunset a little while ago at 1951.
The Ave Maria ought to ring at 20:00.
The Moon was Full at 02:22. You know what that means.
The Roman Station is St. John Lateran.
It is the Feast of St. Martin I (+656).
It is Palm Sunday.
I had the deep pleasure today of celebrating Holy Mass for the 1st Anniversary of the passing away of the wife of one of you readers. It is a tradition to have Masses 7 days, 30, and 1 year after death. Of course every day in between is great too.
I am able to take some intentions right now. HERE
The church was jammed for the Palm Sunday blessing of palms and olive branches, the procession and the Mass. Renovation on one side of the nave meant squeezing on the other side. A couple of priests also heard confessions. Many members of the Archconfraternity were there (but there were more who weren’t).
Here is the end of the procession, come back to church.
After Mass members of the Archconfraternity knelt for a blessing.
I have some great news for you readers who like to participate in liturgical projects. The Parish™ needs a new darker purple, violet set that can cover the pre-55 Palm Sunday rites. Therefore it will need folded chasubles, the broad-stole, tabernacle veil, antependium, dalmatics, etc. It is going to be very nice. Not Gammarelli this time.
It’s not all liturgy. This is a wonderful sauté of mussels and clams.
Turbot from the oven with veg.
Holy Week begins. The Roman Station is at Rome’s cathedral St. John Lateran.
Fr. Parsch, wisely, makes a point I’ve been making for years: our liturgical rites are not mere memories of past events. They make us present to the mysteries past … and future.
It was 6:04 when the sun rose here. I beat it by a few minutes. It was 19:50 when it set. I was by that time home and getting supper together.
The Roman Station is St. John at the Latin Gate.
I did some shopping for small useful things for the apartment, stuff like tape.
I had a desire for caprese tonight. Therefore….
My first mozzarella since I have been back.
Breakfast this morning with The World’s Best Sacristan™.
Which held to supper.
You can tell that it is ARTICHOKE season!
Amazing.
Stopped to visit the vegetable stand and then Pippo the Florist before heading back to my digs and some work on my weekly offering at the other place.
This afternoon I went on a walk that wound up being about 3 miles, along with the 1 mile this morning.
Among other places.
On my to the chess guys at the P.za der Fico.
In chessy news, I didn’t follow Paris yesterday, but I understand there were announcements about the next battle of Freestyle.
Black to move and mate in 6
The Roman Station is St. John at the Latin Gate.
St. John the Apostle and Evangelist is celebrated as a martyr, though he lived to old age. We hear about the different kinds of martyrdom, red, white and blue/green. Card. Bacci encourages us, who wind up sometimes failing.
At 06:34 the sun rose over the Eternal city. It will set at 19:49.
The Ave Maria Bell, were it better times, would ring at 20:20 for the Curia.
It is the Feast of St. Gemma Galgani (+1903). She was a mystic who probably had stigmata and visions of her angel guardian. She died of tuberculosis on Holy Saturday after great suffering.
The Cesi chapel in S.M. della Pace. Above, frescoes of the creation of Eve and the expulsion from Paradise. The painting Holy Family with St. Anne by Carlo Cesi.
This church is where there was once a church called St. Andrea Aquareariis. It was by the “water-sellers”. People bought water back then because there weren’t as many fountains flowing with the waters brought from ancient or papal aqueducts. The water-sellers got water from the Tiber and then filtered out the sand, etc., and sold it.
Did you know the way you place your fork and knife after a meal sends a clear message to the waiter? pic.twitter.com/U71F4noNob
— Culture Explorer (@CultureExploreX) April 11, 2025
And…
This is Mars!
140 million miles away from us! pic.twitter.com/WofcPJIQAD
— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) April 9, 2025
Chess Champ Bobby Fischer died Catholic:
MASTER OF PATTERN RECOGNITION“In his final years, Fischer’s only hope for salvation was through the Catholic Church, according to a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. ‘He was reading a catechism and Chesterton, and told me the only… pic.twitter.com/tLKWlkB0SA
— Dr Taylor Marshall™? (@TaylorRMarshall) April 11, 2025
And… have you seen this movie?
Filmed on location during the halcyon days of Catholicism in Quebec. But were they really? The rapid secularization of the so-called “Quiet Revolution”—and the collapse of Catholic practice—suggests otherwise. https://t.co/VMRM5mR50K
— Father V (@father_rmv) April 10, 2025
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.
Today’s Station is Santo Stefano Rotondo.
We are one week from Good Friday. It is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Roman day was made brighter by the rising of the sun at 06:47. It will rapidly get darker after 19:48.
The Ave Maria Bell should ring at 20:00.
Today the Roman Station is at Sant’ Apollinare.
Welcome Registrant:
monica13
The Crucifixion as Trinitarian Revelation
This miniature opens a 15th-century manuscript of St. Augustine’s works, placing the Crucifixion front and center. Above the cross, we see God the Father and the Holy Spirit as a dove, forming a powerful visual Trinity with the crucified… pic.twitter.com/MRKiiCgjxY— Vir Desideriorum (@VirDesideriorum) April 10, 2025
I’m getting my legs under me.
Today I did shopping for necessities in The Hobbit Hole™.
ALERT: The beautiful apartment I had before IS AVAILABLE NOW. THROUGH MAY (maybe). t is a GREAT place. I was so happy there. And, I think they very much want to rent it. Very close to The Parish™. You won’t be disappointed. HERE To email… HERE Tell them “don John” sent you.
Francis went into the Basilica today to pray at the tomb of Pius X.
I used to say Mass at that altar back in the day. Often. And whenever I see or think of it, I remember dear Fr. Goswin Habets, who was a brilliant prof at the Gregorian University. He was there EVERY DAY. Then we lived together for a while. I helped him to bed the night he died.
In chessy news, something fun happened yesterday in the big “Freestyle” tournament in Paris. HERE
The Roman Station is Sant’Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine close to the famed P.za Navona. Last year we heard from Pope Benedict XVI about St. Benedict on his feast. This year Fr. Troadec brings alive the Gospel of the Mass in the Vetus Ordo: St. Mary Magdalen washes Christ’s feet with her tears.
Today the sun rose over Rome at 06:37, shortly before my arrival, and it will set at 19:47.
The Ave Maria Bell ought to ring at 20:00.
Happy feast of St. Liborius.
Passport check went alright, quickly. As it turns out, the fellow sitting next to me on the plane saw I was posting to this blog. He works for a Catholic information entity and he recognized it.
Taxi, right away. Nice driver. We had a good chat coming in.
Things went smoothly. However, had I arrived later in the day…
Due to the national air transport strike announced for 9th April, from 10:30am to 2:30pm, some flights could be delayed or cancelled.
Passengers are therefore invited to check the status of their flight with their airline. pic.twitter.com/vGjD3XVlW1— Aeroporti di Roma (@AeroportidiRoma) April 8, 2025
And there is a national railway strike coming up.
So, Roman streets are bumpy, what can I say.
Again, from a moving cab. The side of the Church of San Nicola in carcere, built into an ancient temple. Though the cab window.
Time for some breakfast.
They didn’t have any of my preferred simple cornetti, so I got one with some pistachio cream.
Here’s the visual jasmine report (and I don’t mean the Jesuit).
WORK has started in The Parish™! I didn’t think it would start until long after Easter. This restricts the use of the nave, but it will be worth it. I’ve seen some photos of what is being uncovered as years… lots of years… of smoke, etc., is being gently removed. No one is better at this than Italians.
Back in the Campo again…
Tonight for supper I had due spaghetti and a little roulade of chicken and prosciutto, rosemary and veal filling accompanied by a lovely “bio” Chianti with no additives. The artichokes are in, but I’ll probably go to one of my favorite restos for those. Rosina near The Parish™ does an incomparable job. And right now FAVE (“fá-vey”)! Raw fave, fave beans, out of the pods with pecorino and cold white wine… heaven. And there’s fave in tegame! So many options. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have liver and with fave and that nice Chianti.
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
waalaw on LENTCAzT 2025 – 44: Holy Thursday: “Checking the passage more carefully, this seems to be Bl. Maria Agreda’s own disquisition on God’s charity — and does…” on LENTCAzT 2025 – 44: Holy Thursday: “This being Holy Thursday, it is not inappropriate to comment on a possible origin of the “pro multis” mis-translation. In…”
on ROME 25/4– Day 7: Annoyed: “Thank you for the effort you put into making the daily podcasts for Lent. Truly appreciated, each and every day.”
on UPDATED – IMPORTANT: Archd. Detroit: New Archbp crushes the people who frequent the TLM within one month.: “I got some more information for you Fr. Z: Here is a statement posted by the Archdiocese of Detroit. Doesn’t…”
on Stop what you are doing and read this. No, really.: ““How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings… “Who says to Zion, ‘Your God…”
on UPDATED – IMPORTANT: Archd. Detroit: New Archbp crushes the people who frequent the TLM within one month.: “Wow. The bishop really made things much, much worse by throwing an immature hissy fit in the form of a…”
on UPDATED – IMPORTANT: Archd. Detroit: New Archbp crushes the people who frequent the TLM within one month.: “Does this hireling not realize that he has given an Easter GIFT to the SSPX chapel there??? If the Bishops…”
on Pres. Trump’s Message on Holy Week, 2025: “Every day we thank God for President Trump. Americans should be exceedingly grateful for him. Biden’s 2024 “Easter Trans Day…”
on Stop what you are doing and read this. No, really.: “thank you, Father, for making this known. so incredibly fitting for Holy Week.” on ROME 25/4– Day 8: Holy Wednesday Birthdays: “Not hard at all. A welcome change from Mate in 6. 1. R-b5 . . K-a8 2. R-a6#”
on Stop what you are doing and read this. No, really.: “It’s hard to put in words what the heart feels. Thank you Fr. Hollowell. Also thank you to the parents…”
on UPDATED – IMPORTANT: Archd. Detroit: New Archbp crushes the people who frequent the TLM within one month.: “Unfortunately, this underscores why SSPX must maintain their “Catholic but non-canonical” status indefinitely. Fortunately, there are 4 SSPX chapels in…”
on UPDATED – IMPORTANT: Archd. Detroit: New Archbp crushes the people who frequent the TLM within one month.: “https://www.aod.org/announcements-newsroom/newsroom/2025/april/update-on-traditionis-custodes-in-the-archdiocese-of-detroit Maybe we’ll get the TLM once a month in a school gym. Sigh. Pray for our priests who are…”
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A Daily Prayer for Priests
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