Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Why Study History?

"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity."

-Cicero

Passing the Torch to a New Generation

"Get your kids to a Latin Mass.  Then they have the best chance."  -- Anonymous

The Four Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance

 
1.  Wilful murder,

2.  The sin of Sodom,

3.  Oppression of the poor,

4. Defrauding laborers of their wages.

Abortion: the New Holocaust

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Jesus the Boy Hero, Eternal Priest

A nice Spanish tradition.  Vested statues.  Sacerdotal glory. 

Sainted Popes

My Confirmation saint. 

A great honor to once visit his birthplace, Riese Pio X, near Padua.  To visit there, just take a bus from Padua to Castel Franco and from there another bus to Riese.  Well worth the visit.

Santita', prega per noi!

Catholic Korea


Friday, January 24, 2014

Rome Quotes

"Call your parents and apologize.  Just, on general principles.  For everything."

-Anonymous

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

My Favorite Street in Rome

Everybody has their favorite street in Rome.

To each his own.

Since my first trip to  Rome, this is mine.

The Clivo di Scauro (Clivus Scauri).

Just a magical place in a magical city.

Along the Basilica of Sts. John and Paul.

My wedding reception was in the neighboring gardens.   

Providence works so many wonders - always surprises. 

Italian Nuns


When to Take Down Christmas Decorations?

Remember that the Christmas cycle continues.

The Christmas cycle has a fixed character, and the feasts of the Nativity and Epiphany fall always on December 25 and January 6.  

Currently, we are now in the season after Epiphany.  This period, which begins the day after the Octave of Epiphany, is an extension of Chrstimastide.

Jesus asserts His Divinity - not by the appearance of angels or the star of the magi, but speaking Himself as God.  He subjects our hearts to His teachings, explaining His divine doctrine with parables and manifesting the truth of His words and works by many miracles. 

Usually Catholic parishes and Christian families take down their Christmas decorations after January 13, the Commemoration of the Baptism of Our Lord.  Often, the manger scene is kept up until February 2nd, the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Feast of Candlemas, which derives its origin from the local observance of Jerusalem, marks the end of the feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the Liturgy). 

Rome Quotes

"Death that is, people nowadays seem to regard as something odd, whereas it is well known to be the commonest thing in the world."

-Belloc

Monday, January 20, 2014

Dr. Alveda King: Cultural Giant

Speaking of her uncle and today's US holiday named in his honor...

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3080034390001/martin-luther-king-jrs-niece-on-uncles-legacy/#sp=show-clips

Santo Svbito

Image from the Internet. 

John Henry Newman Quote

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.

I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place,
while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.”

Rome Quotes

We each have different gifts.  Use them.  Do not compare yourself to others.  Your gifts are unique - all in season.   

"Brethren: having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us..."

-St. Paul (Romans 12:6). 

Vestments and Clothes of Pope Pius XII

Tour the Catacombs of Priscilla: On Google Maps

Fascinating.  

See here:

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.929305%2C12.509084&cbp=%2C109.0%2C%2C0%2C-0.0&layer=c&panoid=sfiLnF1scbgAAAQJOCH0Sw&spn=0.18000000000000152%2C0.30000000000000043&output=classic&cbll=41.929305%2C12.509084

Mirabeau Wine // How to open a bottle of wine - without a corkscrew

Rare Inside Look at Pope Benedict's Home in the Vatican

And happy 90th birthday to his brother!

The glorious German pontificate lives.

All glory, honor, and praise to the Lord.  

See here: 

http://www.br.de/mediathek/video/herzlichen-glueckwunsch-georg-ratzinger-100.html#tab=share&jump=tab

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Anti Abortion Short - March For Life 2014

Rome Quotes

"Books won't stay banned.  They won't burn.  Ideas won't go to jail.  In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost.  The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas.  The source of better ideas is wisdom.  The surest path to wisdom is a liberal education." 

-Alfred Griswold

Give to Pro-Life: Online Donations Accepted

The protection of life from conception must rank first among all dedications of philanthropy.

Have you ever given to pro-life?

Give to pro-life now: http://www.lifecanada.org/.

The devil hates the pro-life movement.  

Italian journalist Vittorio Messori once asked John Paul II if he was perhaps "obsessive" in his preaching against abortion.  The Holy Father responded: "The legalization of the termination of pregnancy is none other than the authorization given to an adult, with the approval of an established law, to take the lives of children yet unborn and thus incapable of defending themselves.  It is difficult to imagine a more unjust situation, and it is very difficult to speak of obsession in a matter such as this, where we are dealing with a fundamental imperative of every good conscience - the defense of the right to life of an innocent and defenseless human being." 

The legalization of human abortion was a titanic victory for evil.  And an equal loss for modern civilization and the Christian social order. 

When you make it legal to kill human babies, a lot of evil begins roistering in the wake. 

We have given a civilized gloss to an industry that makes money butchering our own. 

The legalization of abortion in the USA in January of 1973 brought a fusillade of cultural rot and we are just now beginning to see the echo of its wake.

A deadly staccato of growing public violence with random wanton shootings and other acts of public deviltry and gun play - of men and boys - we are witnessing the unfolding of.  The foreboding impending influx of violence continues to grow on the screen, in school, in the family, and in public.     

Meanwhile, the abortion providers take umbrage at any suggestion of restraint.

Pray, fast, and do penance.  And support pro-life.  We stand in the face of the 1960s monomania of the abortion dragon. 

Meet America's Newest Bishop

A super nice guy.

The first time yours truly saw him was when he gave a talk in Denver on the main stage at World Youth Day 1993.  He did an amazing job. 

Shortly after I had lunch with him in Highland village along with Bishop Carlson and a small group of Catholic youth.  Hopefully, this fine new bishop will do for the Twin Cities what Bishop Carlson did for us in the 1980s - he brought new life with a super focus on youth and vocations.  It would even be nice to see him as president of the University of St. Thomas.

At his doctoral defense in Rome, I had the pleasure to meet his sweet mother, a pro-life warrior. Thank You, Lord, for the grace of the episcopal dignity.  This prelate will do great things.    

Read the Roman Martyrology



"In Morocco Africa, the passion of the five proto-martyrs of the Order of Friars Minor, namely, Berard, Peter and Otho, priests, and Accursius and Adjutus, lay-brethren; who for preaching the Catholic fiath and because of their rejection of the Mohammedan Law, after divers torments and mockeries, were beheaded by the Saracen king."  

-From The Roman Martyrology, The Sixteenth Day of January

Pat Buchanan on Death

Image from the Internet. 

Portraits of Pastors


The New Generation of Bishop

Nice to see a return to nice mitres and crosiers.  Sculptural values instead of just functionalism, seen in recent decades. 

Truly artistic achievements. Created in accordance with a sense of place. The crosier looks awesome.   

Beauty in the liturgy is primarily a vernacular art: it exists first and foremost as a process of arrangements in which every normal person may participate.  All indicate the greatness and holiness of God.  

Rome Quotes

"...amore Antiqui ritus, alto sub numine Romae."

-Hilaire Belloc

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Requiem for a Deacon

One of the finest men I have ever known.

A convert to the Catholic Faith.

A great devotee of the Roman rite.

A military veteran, a twin, a civil servant, high school teacher, volunteer, father, husband, brother, uncle, grandfather, friend to many.  A speaker of French.    

An enthusiast of all things good, true, and beautiful.   

A close and personal friend he will be missed by all.  

A permanent deacon at the Church of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minnesota.

He gave a son to the Church as priest.  

Please pray for the repose of his soul.

Saints abound.  Be inspired.  Great men are amongst us.

I will always remember the joy of seeing him in Rome at the catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria.  Warm Roman memories.    

Bernie, I will love you forever.  Thank you for having taught us the Roman Liturgy according to the mind of the Church.  You were always nice to us and helped make the sacristy a welcoming place.    

Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship

Abortion in America

Rome Quotes

"I experience the greatest degree of pleasure in having contact with works of art."

-Albert Einstein

Monday, January 6, 2014

Winter in Rome


Theologian of the Pontifical Household: Fr. Wojciech Giertych, O.P.

A living legend, he was our professor at the Angelicum.  We were in his class the day his appointment was announced in 2005.  God reward him always.  A meek and humble man, he can sometimes be seen on the 40 express bus or even on the train to the countryside of Ladispoli.

The Roman parish of Santa Barbara, located near the FSSP parish, had been the titular church of the ordinary priest and not-cardinal, Master of the Sacred Palaces (the Dominican Father who is the pope's official theologian).

"Selfie" in the Vatican


E.M. Lohmann Co.

As a boy we shopped here in downtown Saint Paul.  I always wore Lohmann cassocks as did my father and grandfathers before me.  A pity they were bought out after the Holy Year 2000.  Such quality.  Our neighbor had been the previous owner, Adolf Block.   

We Stand In Support of Padre Stefano Manelli

Un vero santo e basta. 

A Little Humor Now and Then

Image from the Internet. 

Winter Walks in St. Peter's Square


Reading Theology Books in Latin, French, German


Mantle Portraits


Port of Rome Civitavecchia


The Delict of Heresy

A fascinating read of a fascinating and much neglected subject. 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Catholic Culture Lives

Papal Portrait in Your Home

This is the work station of yours truly.

Have team spirit and pray for the popes.

Teach the Faith, pray, fast, do penance, and pray for the Roman Pontiffs.  If you are not doing this, then you are not doing enough.

Support the Body of Christ and lift it up.  Never tear it down.  Frequent the Sacraments.  Be holy.  Try not to complain.  Lead a good example.  Raise your kids to be the finest Christians.  Stay in the state of grace.

Be fiercely loyal to Holy Mother Church.  Do not bitch about the Church or popes.  Do your part.  Raise the new generation.  Influence for the better.  Pray you will be worthy on the last day.  Do not point fingers.  Be obedient.  The future is here.  Give your life to Christ.      

Kids Can Be Taught Our Music

Wiener Sängerknaben (1962) Omnes de Saba venient (Graduale)...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjABCqIvpNE

Just Thomism

From a North Star State graduate of Thomas Aquinas College who studied in Rome at Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University:

http://thomism.wordpress.com/.

New Year Resolution: Begin to Contemplate the Holy Face of Jesus

Make this a part of your spirituality.

Contemplate the holy face of Our Blessed Lord.

As did the Madonna, his mother.

So fortunate are we to have the likeness of the Christ, from his own burial cloth, the Shroud of Turin.

I have seen this relic of inestimable value with my own eyes and have photographed it in Turin.  As I have the Veil of Veronica at Manoppello.  The Father has revealed the Son.  Even in a photo.     

In Epiphania Domini Celebrations in Rome: La Befana and Zampogna

Epiphany celebrations in Rome.

Sunday afternoon everybody with kids heads to Piazza Navona.

The arrival of the Magi.  The kids get their presents and candies. 

Christmas Cheer in Rome

Reading the "Twelth Night or What You Will" by William Shakespeare, the ideal reading for tonight.

Quality Vestments

From the good old days. 

One thing we really need to improve upon in the Latin Church is our vestments. We do not really see quality like this anymore.

What a "Restauravit" Plaque Looks Like

Romae. 

How to Keep Warm in Roman Winter: Latium


Under the Roman Sun


Bronze Roman She-Wolf

Aventine Hill. 

La Rinascente in Rome


This is said to be Rome's first department store.

La Rinascente ("she who is born again"), founded in Milan in 1865, was founded in Rome in 1887.

Every Christmas in Rome yours truly has walked around here to enjoy the holiday cheer and to see the decorations and to enjoy the moment.

This place has been renovated many times over the years.  The last renovation revealed all the beautiful old original ceilings and restored capitals. 

Winter in Rome


Orbis Catholicus Secundus - Liturgia et mores Curiae Romanae [A.D. 2013]

Attend University in London

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Lay Students in Rome Site

For all your needs.

Lots of questions answered.

A great service.

Many thanks to the Principessa Maria Colonna for this.  

https://sites.google.com/site/laystudentsinrome2/.

Rome Christmas Spirit


Mass in Crypt of St. Peter's Basilica


What the Old Cotta Griccia Looked Like

Sadly over the years with hot Roman summers and damp wet winters a lot of these old items have acquired mold and so have been discarded. 

Modern Rome

The ancients never could have imagined.