Mary Immaculate
On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us join together with the Angels and the Saints of all ages in singing the praises of the Mother of God.
» Read more
Ambrose
Today is the feast of the great Doctor of the Church, Saint Ambrose of Milan (340-397). Rather than prattle on about this great saint, I thought I’d post the second reading from today’s Office. Although Ambrose is specifically addressing bishops in this letter, his call to evangelization is for all of us, for all time. You have entered upon the […]
» Read moreI Saw Santa Punching Arius…
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas!
Happy Saint Nicholas Day! How Saint Nicholas was transmogrified into Santa Claus, I’ll never know. “Jolly Old Saint Nick” was by all accounts a thin man, most famous for giving gifts to prostitutes and punching heretics. That whole “eight tiny reindeer” thing seems like a bit of a come down. Wait, prostitutes? Well, almost. That was the plan of the […]
» Read moreFor the Crime of Being a Priest
In addition to being the first Thursday of Advent this year, today is also historically the memorial of Saint Edmund Campion. If the paintings of him are to be believed, he is a man to whom I bear more than a passing resemblance. We are approaching the five hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation this year. Many continue to see […]
» Read moreFeast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
Andrew, son of Jonah, fisherman of Bethsaida in Galilee. Follower of John the Baptist. The first apostle called by Christ, who told him and his brother, Simon, to “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men”. After the Resurrection, Andrew preached along the coasts of the Black Sea, both north and south, founding churches that included one […]
» Read moreAdvent Vespers
This Advent, my parish of Holy Rosary in Tacoma will be celebrating Vespers in the church on Sundays at 6:00 PM. Please join us! There’s noting like chanted Vespers in a beautiful, echoing church to pull the heart and mind towards the Lord. Please note that due to last minute changes in Fr. Wichert’s schedule, we will only have solemn […]
» Read moreAdvent Already!
Advent began with last night’s vespers, and today is the First Sunday of Advent. Behold, the Name of the Lord comes from afar, and His glory fills all the earth. (Magnificat Antiphon for I Vespers on the First Sunday of Advent, Monastic Diurnal) Not sure exactly what Advent is? Here’s a two-minute snapshot. Meanwhile, I’m fumbling to remember how to […]
» Read moreNews from Norcia
From the earthquake-ravaged Monastery of Norcia, we have news that the founding Prior, Rev. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., has resigned. The earthquakes of the past several months have presented us with incredible challenges, which require vigorous, creative leadership. While I am in good health at the moment, I do not have the strength or energy necessary to meet these challenges. Therefore […]
» Read moreThe First Thanksgiving
Fifty-six years before the English Puritan refugees at Plymouth celebrated their “first Thanksgiving”, Spanish explorers and their Timucua allies celebrated one in Saint Augustine, in what is now Florida. They had bean soup.
» Read moreMisericordia et Miseria
For the close of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has released an Apostolic Letter Misericordia et Miseria, “Mercy and Misery”. MISERICORDIA ET MISERA is a phrase used by Saint Augustine in recounting the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman taken in adultery (cf. Jn 8:1-11). It would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful or apt […]
» Read moreChristus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat!
Yesterday, on the great feast of Christ the King, we held our annual feast of thanksgiving at Pistachio House as we do every year. Daughter Raine and I went to the Noon Mass at Holy Rosary. There were some additions to the Mass, as we closed out the great Jubilee Year of Mercy. In the afternoon and evening, we had […]
» Read moreThank you, Fr. Insco
Before, during, and after last night’s vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Christ the King, Rev. Caleb Insco, F.S.S.P., heard Confessions at Holy Rosary. Fr. Insco is a newly-minted priest serving at St Joseph. I am grateful for Fr. Insco’s zeal and charity, and I would like to publicly thank him for his service to the Lord and to the […]
» Read moreBlessed Lucy of Narnia
The Catholic Herald published an article this morning on one of today’s saints that absolutely delights me: Of all the great characters from children’s literature, who better to have a namesake to intercede for us in heaven? (At least, in the absence of a St Bofa of Sofa.) After all, it was she, of all the Pevensie children, who first […]
» Read moreCamino Photo of the Day: Friar
Over at my Camino blog, I’ve been posting a “Camino photo of the day” since early July. If you haven’t seen them, check them out! Today’s photo and short explanation may be more relevant here than usual. Today’s photo requires some backstory. One year ago today, I sent my application to the Archdiocese of Seattle to discern for the diaconate. […]
» Read moreThe World is Quiet Here
My friends, it has been a rough couple of weeks. You may have noticed that my posts here of late have been few and far between. For this I apologize. I have been in the grips of a mild depression, which may have even risen to the sin of acedia. Certainly I plan to Confess the same a little later […]
» Read moreGunpowder, Treason, and Plot
Today in 1605, a cabal of Catholic plotters, hoping to turn back the tides of reformation and restore a Catholic monarch to Great Britain, attempted to assassinate the very Protestant King James. Their plan – if you can dignify it by calling it a plan – was to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of England’s […]
» Read more