Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Born in AD 1897: During the Reign of Leo XIII!

Now 116 years of age.

Today the oldest living man.  

Happy birthday, dear Jiroemon Kimura!

 http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/last-living-man-born-19th-century-likely-genes-181224235.html

Bring Back the Sedia Gestatoria

L'ultimo ad usarla.

The last time the sedia gestatoria was seen in St. Peter's Basilica.  

John Paul I in 1978. 

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

What It's Like Entering the Apostolic Palace





I have only been in here about four times in my life.  

Each time is a thrill.  

You feel like you are back in the days of Pius IX or Gregory XVI or Pius VI, etc.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Sacra Liturgia 2013 Conference in Rome: Culmen Et Fons Vitae Et Missionis Ecclesiae

How Christ Died on the Cross

According to the holy Shroud of Turin.  

Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusaleme. 

Pectoral Cross of an Abbot in Rome


Roman Faldstool

In Rome, just about every parish had one.  You see them everywhere. 

Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica

One of the last things Pope John Paul II did before his passing was to appoint this man Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica. 

Set As Desktop Background

Romae.   

Catholic Culture: the Catholic Artist

Datum Romae. 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

How to Deisgn an Antipendium




A fine example and model design.

Simply staple the damask to a wood frame.  Fabric glue the trim according to this pattern.

Seen at the Sacrosancta Patriarchalis Basilica Liberiana. 

Teach Your Kids to Read Music

Every child ought to learn to read music and play and instrument.  

Then, they can more easily sing the Church's music. 

Fulton Sheen on Contraception

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Archbishop Sheen Lying in State

AD 1979.

America's Greatest Pastor: Rev. Dr. George Welzbacher


He is one of the very last of the last.

Ordained priest in 1951.

An intellectual.  A scholar.  A saintly priest.  He was my pastor. 

His parish, St. John's on the East Side, is an old Irish parish founded in 1886.

He always has a spirit of priestly hospitality.  I will always remember the time I joined him at the Lex for brunch after I was recovering from surgery or the time he brought me and another friend to the theater in downtown Minneapolis.  His special care was for college students.  His love was for history.  He always reminded me of what was best in the Caesars of old.  And the time he invited me over to the rectory for root beer floats will always be a cherished memory.  His messy desk was a testimony to his genius.  A scholar priest like I have never seen, it should have been him and not Terry Murphy that got the presidency of St. Thomas College.  In fact, they should name a building after him at UST.

See his brilliant writings here: http://www.stjstp.org/Pastors_Page.html.

From a parishioner:

Father Welzbacher will be retiring from full-time ministry at the end of June.  He has expressed the wish that this occasion will be marked with much prayer.  We are confident that you will want to help make Father’s wish come true.  
The people of the  Church  of  St. John , Father Welzbacher’s current pastorate, invite you to participate in the preparation of a massive spiritual bouquet.   You can do so by sending your contribution of prayers for Father Welzbacher to Duane Kaczmarek (trustee of St. John’s), 13094 Danube Lane, Rosemount, MN 55068.  It is vital that we receive your prayer contribution NO LATER THAN JUNE 9 so that the spiritual bouquet can be presented at the June 15 event marking Father’s retirement.
Thank you for helping to honor the long, faithful service of a brilliant and holy priest.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bishop Sheen in Rome

Basilica of Sts. John and Paul. 

This is the one church in Rome where I have always felt the most peaceful.  Here and in the old chapel of the little house on Humility Street.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Pius XII of Holy, Happy, and Blessed Memory

Goldene Hochzeit Prinz Leopold von Bayern, 1923. Ganz links außen, hinten, Kronprinz Rupprecht. Der Bischof ist Nuntius Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII.) und rechts neben ihm Prinz Georg von Bayern als Priester.

Thanks, Francisco!

Thank You to Our Saintly Priests!

"Do you know why he has so much peace of soul?  Because he has placed all his trust in the Most Holy Virgin and because he interests himself as little as possible in the problems of the world that you consider so important."

-Padre Pio

The Sublime Beauty of Classic Autos

A.D. 1936 Ford Motor Company.

When in Rome: Dine on the Sea!

For a fine dinning experience, just north of Rome, along the seashore. 

Many times yours truly has enjoyed a nice afternoon here.

Premier Pro-Life Dinner in Canada


This is how it's done.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

To Die


Catholic Culture: Beguines

Ladies, is this your vocation?

The last one, from the Belgian Congo, just passed away in Belgium.  

"Beguines pursued a vocation different from that offered by either marriage or the convent: the ability to earn one’s own living while caring for the disadvantaged 'in the world' rather than sequestered from it."

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10062339/Marcella-Pattyn.html

Magnetism of the Extraordinary Form

The classical templates always affirm what is sempiternal in the midst of change.

And the griccia alb is always a nice touch. 

Photo caption in Latin: Missa quotidiana a venerabili Pio Papa Duodecimo in sacello privato lecta.

Thanks, Rodolfo!

Teaching Our Men to Be Christian Fathers

Men, check out this site and discover your cherished fatherhood.

Motherhood is instinctual.  Fatherhood has to be taught and learned.

Bad dads are a dime and dozen and contribute to the uglification of society.

How would the world be better if so many dads did not suffer from alcoholism, gambling and wandering eyes?
  
Men, be be the column, colonnade and steps of the family!

 http://www.dads.org/

Wisdom of the Pagan Greeks


Future Pope: Lolek!


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Global Efforts for the Canonization of Venerable Pius XII

From Barcelona, Spain.  

Thanks, Rodolfo!

In Memoriam: Giulio Andreotti (RIP 1919-2013)

Yours truly was privileged to have met him a few times.  A very nice man.  A daily communicant at San Giovanni dei Fiorentini.  And very devoted to all things Catholic, including the cause for canonization of his friend, Venerable Pius XII.  His magazine, 30 Giorni, was a favorite.  I will always remember the time I saw him at the Solemn Pontifical High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St. Ivo, in downtown Rome.  Despite his venerable age, he knelt for Holy Communion.

March for Life British Columbia




March for Life British Columbia