Tag Archives: Travel

Can a priest offer Mass “privately”?

Posted on July 11, 2019 by

No Mass is truly private, in at least two senses: The Mass belongs to the Church and is celebrated only with her authorization; The angels and saints are present at every Mass, as well as whatever other faithful may be … Continue reading →

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Corpus Christi 2019

Posted on June 23, 2019 by

Happy Feast Day! Sion, lift thy voice and sing; Praise thy Savior and thy King; Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true. Strive thy best to praise Him well, Yet doth He all praise excel; None can ever reach His due. … Continue reading →

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The World-Famous Passion Play in Oberammergau

Posted on June 19, 2019 by

In August of 2020 I am leading a 10-day trip through Central Europe to, among other things, see the world-famous Passion Play in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany. The Passion Play has taken place there since the early 17th century, when locals … Continue reading →

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How to Fulfill the Sunday Obligation

Posted on June 17, 2019 by

I believe I have spoken to this question before in some prior post here on the blog, but I don’t remember which. In light of recent questions I’ve received, it seems worthwhile to post about it again and perhaps with … Continue reading →

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Eleven Years

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Today — June 7, 2019 — is my eleventh anniversary of ordination. Spare a prayer for me today, if you will. Thank you! And thanks be to God. This past year has been a big one… First, there was the … Continue reading →

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A (Simplistic?) Thought on Medjugorje

Posted on May 28, 2019 by

It was recently reported that Pope Francis had authorized pilgrimages to Medjugorje (they had formerly been forbidden — and that directive was widely and flagrantly disobeyed). There is a proviso (which will likely be ignored by many), that these approved … Continue reading →

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Unique Inscriptions

Posted on May 2, 2019 by

When in Europe — especially, in my experience, in Eastern Europe — it isn’t uncommon to see this or that glorious monument with an inscription on it that has this interesting combination of differently-sized capital letters. The above photo is … Continue reading →

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Other Things Priests Say

Posted on May 1, 2019 by

One of the most popular posts on this blog is entitled, The Sort of Things Priests Say, and has to do with some of the “shop talk” that a priest may encounter in conjunction with celebrating Mass. Back when there was … Continue reading →

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Where do the candles go in a procession?

Posted on March 12, 2019 by

Worship is not a DIY affair; we can all come up with ways to make it more interesting or “meaningful”, but that is not our place, for we receive it from the Church and her tradition. In recent years, of course, … Continue reading →

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Wayside Chapels

Posted on February 21, 2019 by

During my recent trip to Wisconsin I was delighted to learn of a wayside chapel near to where I was staying, which was, itself, amidst the rolling farmland — not far from a big city, but very rural. Now usually, … Continue reading →

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More Good Cloistered Nuns

Posted on February 19, 2019 by

Last week I made a retreat at the monastery of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Holy Name of Jesus in Denmark, Wisconsin. This was not my first time there, but it was the first retreat I’ve made with them. … Continue reading →

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A Meditation on One of the Requiem Chants

Posted on November 2, 2018 by

Our mid-day Mass for All Souls here at the Cathedral of St. Paul will have a simple musical accompaniment: a chant schola singing the Church’s beautiful requiem propers. In my homily, which I copy below, I reflect on a surprising … Continue reading →

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