Fr. Z's PODCAzTs

Today’s selection is from Letter 14 by St. Jerome to his friend Heliodorus. Jerome (c. 347–420), born at Stridon on the Dalmatian frontier, was one of the most learned Latin Fathers of the Church. Educated in Rome, he mastered classical rhetoric before turning decisively to ascetic Christianity. After travels in Gaul and the East, he lived as a hermit near Chalcis in Syria, studying Greek and some...

Today we hear an excerpt from The Pilgrimage or Travels of Egeria. It is the earliest extant graphic account of a Christian pilgrimage. Egeria was a late fourth-century Christian pilgrim, probably from the Iberian Peninsula or southern Gaul, whose travel diary, commonly called the Itinerarium Egeriae, provides an invaluable eyewitness account of the Holy Land between about 381 and 384. Writing in...

Voices of the Fathers 03 – Tertullian on attending public games by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I was recently going through some old books and found a slim volume entitled The Osterley Selection from the Latin Fathers, edited by Joseph Crehan of Heythrop College, was compiled chiefly for seminarians, especially late vocations, at Campion College, Osterley, a Jesuit formation house in the Archdiocese of Westminster that closed in 2004. The 1949 preface praises the great classical authors—Cae...

I was recently going through some old books and found a slim volume entitled The Osterley Selection from the Latin Fathers, edited by Joseph Crehan of Heythrop College, was compiled chiefly for seminarians, especially late vocations, at Campion College, Osterley, a Jesuit formation house in the Archdiocese of Westminster that closed in 2004. The 1949 preface praises the great classical authors—Cae...

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today 6 minutes instead of 5. Today we hear from Joseph Ratzinger in the 1st Anniversary of his death. We pray.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today we hear from St. Alphonsus about the the way Baby Jesus slept.  Benedict XVI delves into the manger.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. It's a 7 minute, rather than 5 minute podcast this time. Today, we hear the Christmas Day Sermon by Archbishop Thomas from T.S. Eliot's Murder In The Cathedral.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Pius Parsch sets the stage. St. Augustine gets to the point of their rapid life. A prayer.

It's 27 December 2023 and it is the Wednesday in the Octave of Christmas and the Feast of St John the Evangelist. Some time ago, I saw a movie called News of the World in which years after the Civil War a former confederate officer eeks out a living going about and reading to people who pay a dime a head (about $2.50 today) various newspaper stories from all over. The idea caught my imagination an...

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today we hear about "Hide and Seek".  Then, Fr. Troadec explains the three gifts to John which Christ gave in His "three states." (Fascinating.)

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Bl. Ildefonso describes the papal doings in the ancient Roman Church.  We hear the account of the martyrdom of Stephen.  Fr. Troadec prays.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, we are sticking with one of the very best for the whole thing.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Schuster on the humility of Joseph. Fulton Sheen reminds us of the ongoing action of Christ. The Collect.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today Bl. Ildefonso describes how our ancient Roman forebears observed this day.  And we hear the last O Antiphon.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Bl. Ildefonso Schuster's on our Marian devotion, even in time of penance. Fulton Sheen smacks us in the face with the truth.

An audio "gazette" of Catholic things. 00:12 - Init - Winter Solstice 02:50 - Latin Liturgy Newsletter - - 03:08 Detroit - Prayer in Protestant Cemeteries - 04:57 FSSP News - 08:20 Floriani - 10:23 Children's Book on Purgatory. New Friends Now and Forever [US HERE -UK HERE] - 12:20 Why Latin? An answer 14:45 - A Christmas Letter from a family 20:23 - The Wanderer - 7 Dec 2023 - Plenary Indulgence...

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Fr. Troadec drills into the constant cry of "Come!" that we have during Advent. Then a great saint and doctor of the Church prays from the heart.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, St. Paul gives us our marching orders. Fulton Sheen reminds us that we have to trust God. Card. Bacci explains Christ's infant tears.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, St. Alphonsus Liguori reflect on Christ as our redeemer and healer of our souls and then raises his heart to God in prayer. O Deus, ego amo te, Nec amo te ut salves me, Nec quod qui te non diligunt, Æterno igne pereunt.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Card. Bacci describes gratitude and Fr. Troadec describes Mary and what we ought to me. Meek, not pushovers... meek in the proper sense.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, because we are our rites, we go back in time to hear something of how our forebears celebrated in St. Peter's.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, we read from the Imitation of Christ, Benedict Baur talks about the future after confession and Fulton Sheen agrees.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Joseph Ratzinger and Fr. Troadec help us along the Advent road.

A series of 5 minute daily podcasts for Advent and Christmas 2023. Today, Cardinal Bacci talks about resolve and intentions.  Herein, also, a prayer for priests. You will hear from the wonderful nuns of Gower Abbey.