Tag Archives: Catholic Culture

Holy Days of Obligation, 2019-2020 Edition

Posted on November 15, 2019 by

The task of figuring out which Holy Days are “of Obligation” each year can be confusing and frustrating. One of them — Ascension — is transferred to Sunday in most parts of the country, except for the states of Maine, … Continue reading →

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Christmas Gifts for Priests, 2019 Edition

Posted on November 11, 2019 by

Each year around this time, folks start arriving at this blog looking for Christmas gift ideas for priests (based on the search terms that the site stats track). I would like to offer some ideas for this year. (My previous … Continue reading →

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When Can We Decorate for Christmas?

Posted on November 7, 2019 by

One of the controversies that one encounters nowadays among conscientious, tradition-minded Catholics concerns the question of when it is “correct” to decorate for Christmas. Stores put out the Christmas items earlier and earlier each year; in many places the local … Continue reading →

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Our Response to Unworthy Priests and Bishops

Posted on October 4, 2019 by

I have begun in earnest to read Cardinal Sarah’s latest book. His writings and discourses are always chock full of wisdom, doctrine, and the saints. He is a walking encyclopedia. But more than a source of information, it is evident that … Continue reading →

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The Churching of Women

Posted on September 29, 2019 by

Today, after our solemn Mass, a nice family that was visiting asked me if I would give the “Blessing of a Woman after Childbirth” from the traditional (1962) Roman Ritual — also known as “the churching of women”. Read the … Continue reading →

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Learning How to Serve the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) – Unit 1 Home Study

Posted on September 16, 2019 by

I will soon be learning how to serve the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) myself — something I never learned to do; I only learned how to celebrate it. And I will also be training some boys how to serve. In … Continue reading →

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Fat Priests

Posted on August 31, 2019 by

“The last thing the Church needs is more fat priests!” — a (now deceased) priest whom I had the privilege of knowing in college (when I weighed about 90 lbs less…) It’s easy enough for priests today to resign ourselves … Continue reading →

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Some Problems with Whole Wheat Hosts

Posted on August 30, 2019 by

It didn’t take long after I was ordained for me to start disliking whole wheat hosts. For one, I noticed that when I fractured them, they tended to produce more crumbs or particles than regular white hosts. After communion, it … Continue reading →

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Home Chapels

Posted on August 24, 2019 by

I posted almost two years ago to the day on the topic of home chapels: see the post, Having a Home Chapel. For those who have the space and the creativity, it’s a wonderful way to honor the Lord in one’s home … Continue reading →

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The Options That Divide Us

Posted on August 21, 2019 by

There can be rather drastic liturgical differences between parishes — most of us have experienced this. Some of us have chosen to attend a parish precisely because of the way it “does liturgy”. But does that necessarily mean that the … Continue reading →

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Blessing of Herbs for the Assumption

Posted on August 14, 2019 by

This evening, on the Vigil of the Assumption, I offered the traditional Blessing of Herbs that is affiliated with this feast day. This is the first time as a priest I had done so. This blessing has mostly fallen off … Continue reading →

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Sanctifying Holy Days of Obligation

Posted on August 12, 2019 by

Last November 1, I posted a blog about work on Holy Days of Obligation. Since we have a Holy Day this week — the Solemnity of the Assumption — I again want to direct people to that post and encourage them to … Continue reading →

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