Rochester's original Cathedral -Saint Patrick's --NEW PICTURES

This was Rochester's first cathedral. It was at the corner of Frank Street (now called North Plymouth Avenue) and Platt Street. It was sold to Kodak in September of 1937. The other picture is of the Cathedral in ruins. The Cathedral sat about 1,200 and the Lady Chapel about 700. The Cathedral was only used on Sundays and major feasts. The Lady Chapel was used for day-to-day services.
The main altar in the Cathedral found a home at St. Francis Xavier on Bay Street.

"Sanctus" For Bishop

I like the idea.

I've designed a t-shirt for this new initiative. I hope you derive some pleasure from it.



make custom gifts at Zazzle

Holy Redeemer Church

The story of Holy Redeemer Church on Hudson Avenue begins in 1861. The parishioners of St. Joseph's Church organized an orphan asylum to support the congregation's orphans.

A large parcel of land was purchased along Hudson Avenue for the orphanage, but because of conflicting diocesan laws, it was decided to erect a church-school building on the land.

The first church structure was dedicated in 1867. The present church, at the northeast corner of Hudson and Clifford Avenues was dedicated in October of 1877.

Oscar Knebel, a native of West Germany, designed Holy Redeemer in the Italian Lombard style, but with an unusual addition of a pair of Bavarian, onion-domed towers, very characteristic of the Austrian Tyrol area and Switzerland. The tower is 196 feet high.

The sumptuous stained glass windows, depicting saints and other religious events, were made in the Franz Meyer studio in Munich, Germany.

The last church organ, installed in 1947,was in the residence of the late Andrew W. Mellon, a longtime Secretary of the Treasury.

The founding priest was Rev. Fidelis Oberholzer. He served for 33 years until 1902.

One of the assistant priest, Father Francis Xavier Kunz, founded the Order of Martha in 1911. This was not an order of nuns, but of housewives. They met once a week to sew for the young priests who were doing missionary work in the sparsely settled regions of the West and Southwest. These priests had no means of purchasing the necessary altar linens and vestments required for the celebration of Mass. So, the Order of Martha worked diligently to make, in their first year, 456 piece of altar linens. In addition to sewing, they raised money by having small card parties and social events held at the members' homes.

In July of 1922, Father Kunz was transferred to St. Francis Xavier Church on Bay Street, where he was named pastor. The Order of Martha followed him. Father Kunz died in May of 1936. While the Order of Martha keenly felt the loss of their organizer and spiritual director, they resolved to carry on for his sake. With this in mind, their crowning achievement was realized in late 1937 with the dedication of St. Francis Xavier Church in Eden, Montana. This church was built and completely furnished through the contributions and work of the local Order of Martha as a fitting memorial to Father Francis Xavier Kunz, their founder.

Musings From "Sanctus"

Here's your latest dose of "Sanctus."

"When they changed the way the altars were, so they weren't facing the right way, people just lost their minds."
"I went to Mass yesterday, and she (yes, you know who) was there. And she was wearing these skimpy little shorts! Okay, fine, you can stop the habits, but shorts? And at Mass? This is worse than when Frank showed up to Mass wearing a t-shirt with a bathing beauty on it. I saw him come into church with that thing on and I said, 'What the hell do you think you're doing, Frank?' He looked down at the gal on his shirt and said, 'enjoying myself.' Well, father saw the shirt and nearly refused him communion. Oh, and Frank's daughter was so embarrassed. I mean, really, if there's a choice between cartooned perfection on a t-shirt and elderly flab up close and personal, I'll take the shirt."
"I really liked the Latin. It's something that the Protestant churches just don't get. It was so majestic."
"That Sr. Barbara (Ms. Barbara Swiecki) always plays around with the Mass. She gets all the kids in a circle and has a talk. Geeze, you'd think the priest would smack her for that."
"When I worked at Kodak, I used to tell the guys, 'Don't talk about religion. You can have your opinions, but keep 'em to yourselves. I'm Catholic. That ain't changing.' So then they just shut up real quick. I guess they knew I had 'em licked."
"This Asian pastor and his wife live next to me, and they tried to convert me when they moved in. Well, they could have gotten a lot farther if they didn't have chickens and hens running around their property. For cripe's sake, that's not too sanitary. I don't know what they are (denomination) but they're just out-there. I told them, 'I'm Catholic. I like my Church. Keep yours to yourself.' Well, they just gave up. Guess they didn't like that I didn't convert."

A Belated Smack

I have been moved to make a belated smack of the miter to . . .

Google's "Ad Sense."

When I decided to place it on the blog, the disclaimer said that only appropriate ads would be placed on the blog. And, for the first few days, this was true. Ads for online Catholic stores, online Bible study classes etc . . . However, this morning's ad was for a free sample of a Trojan condom.

Not only has "Ad Sense" been miter-smacked, it has been excommunicated.

Nod of the Miter, Smack of the Crozier

Enjoy the new style of smack/nod.

I Have A Precious One At Home

Well, craziness has descended upon my home. A few weeks ago, I heard a small cry outside my window, so I looked out. Sitting on the sill was a tiny kitten, not any older than a couple weeks. Well, it ran off, and for the next couple weeks, I would only hear the occaisional cry.

Then a friend of mine lent a "Have-a-Heart Trap" to me that I might catch the little one and give her a safe home.

Mission accomplished.

New Videos from Cleansing Fire

The first video below is in perfect working order. The second one, putting the church photos into a video, had its audio track deleted by YouTube for a supposed copyright problem. Seriously, who bothers to renew a copyright from 1932?

If anyone cares to look for the music, just type in the words from the first slide of the movie. It's a good song and perfectly described the video. The video, as it is now, makes little sense. Don't hold me accountable for it, please.

"The Only Reverent One Is Christ Our Lord, Not Your Priest!"

So hawked the Protestant throngs outside HSBC Arena on Saturday, August 15th for the Fr. Corapi Conference. I'll start at the very beginning, for it's a very good place to start:

I (and an army of priests, seminarians and acolytes) stayed the night before the conference at the Doubletree Club Hotel, on High Street. Complimentary cookies at check-in were amazing. Beds were very comfortable with five pillows piled high for "sweet dreams," as the embroidered pillows declared. Side note: I could see the spire of St. Louis' Catholic Church from my room. Dinner and the next morning's breakfast were in the "Au Bon Pain" restuarant downstairs. I dined with a father and daughter from Georgia who are both going through RCIA. The daughter is finishing upcollege and wants to join, hopefully, Mother Angelica's order of religious nuns. So then, this is where it gets interesting: the hotel's promised shutlle busses never showed up in the morning to take us to the conference. 200 cranky Catholics on the streets of Buffalo - not a good thing. I was standing next to a Brooklyn lady who, upon seeing an oncoming taxi, rushed out and seized it, comandeering it for immediate "Corapi use." So, eight of us piled into this one taxi and were off.

So then we arrived at HSBC Arena about 7:30, half an hour before the first sermon. My seat was about 45 feet from the stage, looking down upon it. Looking around at the people flooding in I recalled the number of attendees which "Miss Georgia" told me: 19,000 people. Yes, 19,000 people. Now, I forgot to mention that there was a throng of Bible-thumping Protestants outside, trying to convert this army of 19,000 Catholics. I mean, really? You really think you're going to convert a Catholic who is going to the Fr. Corapi Conference? Poor misguided souls. The Catholic reaction to the cries of "only the Lord has authority, only the Lord is reverent" was either laughing, indifference or yelling back, "Yeah, and that's why you guys should come in and listen to our padre!"

The sermons themselves where absolutely amazing. There were two before Mass, and three after, one of which was given by Raymond Arroyo. Fr. Corapi's talks were about the Holy Spirit: "It's not a timid fire." I suppose it could be said that this is our Imprimatur? They will be selling CD's and DVD's of this conference on his website once the footage is edited (camera boom knocked over flowers onto the podium) and when the backgroudn noise is filtered out (of 19,000 Catholics, 1,000 were under 2 years old). I'll write more at length on the sermons later, once I see the footage and remember actual lines. One theme was "Those who obey receive the Spirit." He added, "but you have a duty to disobey and fight against evil and indifferent leaders in state, society and Church." His general message was, "Oh dear God, we've got the democrats in. Run for your lives! And on your way into your bunkers of Catholicity, trample under foot heresy and corrupt clergy and laity!" I think we've been doing our best to keep his message alive, yes?

Now to the Mass:

The main celebrant was Bishop Kmiec of Buffalo, with nearly 200 priests concelebrating, and throngs of deacons assisting. Several seminarians wserved as acolytes etc . . . and only one lay person (aside from the servers) helped. The woman simply read the readinsg which were not edited or neutered of their masculine pronouns. The music was generally written by Mr. Haugen, but was performed with an almost polyphonic manner. The servers wore cassocks, the priests did nothing out of line, no nuns or laypeople preached, and Bishop Kmiec's "assistant" was not some white-haired she-priest in an alb, but rather, a monsignior. The bishop acted with peity and dignity, without being either aloof or disingenuine. Let's pray that all bishops (wink, wink) learn from his pious and kindly example. How emotion-packed was the Mass? Try listening to 19,000 singing the Lourdes Hymn (aka Immaculate Mary) and not being moved with a great dose of Catholic pride. No, this does not mean we are going to have a Cleansing Fire float next year at Rochester's "Pride Week." I think the Episcopalians take up too much room anyways . . .

The food was tolderable at the arena, renamed "Holy Spirit Blessed Church" by Bishop Kmiec. I will let it rest by saying that my lunch was supplied by Perry's Ice Cream. Soft-served twist rocks my Catholic mind. Evidently the concessions people underestimated the turn-out, because they all closed by 1:30 and Tim Hortons (all 8,000 stands) ran out of coffee. However, I didn't go because of the food. I went because of the example of faith shown by all in attendance and by all who said Mass, and by he who preached. That's the amazing thing: 19,000 people all of the same mind, all catholic in the "lower-case 'c'" meaning.

The whole thing was amazing. Wish you could have all come. Maybe next time there will be a Cleansing Fire charter bus?

And a most definite "wow" goes to the fact that we were given a further Imprimatur by the area's Catholic radio station. Wow. Deo Gratias.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, 'Tis Off to Buffalo We Go

I will be leaving for Buffalo in about an hour to attend the "Corapi Conference," whose theme this year is "Lord and Giver of Life," aka, "Holy Spirit." Below is the description of the event from Fr. Corapi's site:

Father Corapi will be preaching what he says will be one of his most powerful presentations ever on the person and power of the Holy Spirit. He will be delivering four exciting and moving sermons for the first and only time at this special conference. Topics will include, "The Theology of the Person and Power of the Holy Spirit," "The Gift that Contains All Gifts," "The Holy Spirit is Given to Those that Obey," and "The Spirit We Have Been Given is No Cowardly Spirit!" More Info

Looks like someone's been reading Cleansing Fire . . .

Why Socialism Fails

From a friend:

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before,
but had once failed an entire class.

--------------------------------------------

That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.


The professor then said, "OK,
we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan".


All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.


After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.


As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.


When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering,
blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.


All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Can You Hear Me Now?

I was touring a few churches with a priest friend of mine today, and he noted how, in every "renovated" "church" even the speakers for the sound system are given more prominence than the Blessed Sacrament. Upon entering one locale he declared, "That's just obscene."

I couldn't agree more. I struggled for a few minutes trying to discern where the tabernacle was. We finally found it, off to the side, deep into what used to be a side altar. We hadn't looked there before because of the maze of pipes and banners cluttering the area. The wooden tabernacle, which looked more like doodled-on cardboard, was guarded by a sanctuary lamp, which is also called, "the red thing with a candle" according to some of our liberal brethren (sistren?).

So, yes, evidently many Catholics are now forced to worship, not God in His Most Blessed Sacrament, but rather, music and sound coming from mysterious boxes placed prominently in their churches. St. Bose, pray for us.

In response to our question, "Can you hear me now," I suppose we can. We can hear the prayers. And the folk music. And the chewing/gnawing of the host. And the slurping of the Precious Blood. And the various other digestion noises. And the frenzied, whispered directions to incompetent servers.

More From "Sanctus"

I'm sure that some of you who read this will recall the musings of a 92-year-old gentleman whom I call "Sanctus." Everyone seemed to like his original thoughts, so I decided to share with you a story he recently shared with me.

I praphrase:

"The only priest I ever became really close to was Bishop Casey (an 'assistant bishop' in Rochester a long while back). He was a great guy. He used to pick me up from my house on Flower City Parkway and bring me with him when he'd visit parishioners of Sacred Heart. There was this one time where he said, 'come on, we're going somewhere.' So I got in the car and we drove and drove and finally we got to the county jail. We went inside and I guess he had a Mass or something, but he gave me a book and put me in a cell and said, 'stay there. I'll be back later.' I was sitting there and then I looked up and saw three friends behind bars in the next cell over. 'For cripe's sake,' I said, 'what did you guys do to get in here?' 'What did we do? What did you do?' Well, a long time went by and Bishop Casey came back to get me. Did you know he was the one who did the renovation of the cathedral?' (Here, I informed him of the contemporary "renovation.") Why the heck did they do that? I mean, really, why did they need to do that junk? Geeze, you'd think the bishop would listen to the people in the pews."

Well, we can pray that he does. After all, if the recommendation of the planning group goes ahead, we need to pray that the bishop would choose to sell to a religious order rather than to a Muslim group. I'm all for religious freedom, but I'd rather see a Catholic church stay Catholic. I should think you'd all agree. Anyways, we need to pray. "Sanctus" said that he has a table set up at his house that has the following things: dozens of old prayer cards in piles, a couple statues, a crucifix, a candle or two, and a bottle of holy water from Lourdes. He prays often and devotedly, as I hope we do too. Prayers are, ultimately, the only thing which can resolve the current situations in the DoR. Indeed, without prayer, any effort fails. (On that note, the Novena of Fortitude's last two days are completed, but YouTube has been temperamental lately. I'm just waiting till it's more stable.)

In Honor of 10000 Hits: A Dose of Merriment

Need Volunteers

I have been working on a project as of late, and desperately need some people to assist in accomplishing it. I am looking for people who have the following:

• musical experience (vocal/polyphonic)
• a sense of humor (necessary)
• a desire to sing
• the ability to match pitch, possibly harmonize (if you are able)

All I will say right now is that, if this materializes, it will be the most entertaining thing ever to come from one of the Rochester-area Catholic blogs.

Please respond to cleansingfire@live.com. Even if you're not entirely certain, please, please, please send an email.

Slight Change at Cleansing Fire?

I've been mulling this over lately, and thought I should extend my question to you, the readers. Should I make it so that only registered members of blogger can post comments? Some anonymous users are genuinely trying to learn, and I am honored that they have chosen this place to learn from others. Some are absolutely hysterical. Others are blatantly hate-mongering and critical in a way which is blinded by what I construe as blind hatred for "this our glorious cause." Another option would be for a "review board" of sorts to "approve" comments which appear on the site. I am hesitant to do either of these options, however, because I just love free-flowing banter. I suppose it's too much to ask that we just behave ourselves? (Please note, my annoyance, and I am sure the annoyance of many, is not directed at people who genuinely seek to learn real answers to real questions, i.e. our recent cruelty discussion. Rather, it is directed towards those who try to cause blatant and obvious problems.)

What are your opinions? I'm very interested to hear from you all.

Veni Creator Spiritus

As more and more adverse events come to pass in the Diocese of Rochester, one has to wonder, "is the Holy Spirit at work here or is He not?" I should like to say that, yes, He is most definitely at work. Each time that a school is closed, more children find their way to traditional Catholic schools such as John Bosco and Archangel. Each time a parish is closed or "clustered," more people make their way to Our Lady of Victory and St. Stanislaus. Each time a "progresive lay reformer" becomes an administrator in a parish, more people dedicate themselves to fighting against this infection which has so weakened the local Church.

The Church's history is filled with destructions and desecrations which are then promptly met with graceful renaissance. The Romans persecuted the Church. Then the Church toppled the Roman Empire. The barbarians launched Europe and the Church into the Dark Ages. Then the Church flourished as a refuge of Faith and learning. The Church became corrupted by power and greed, then weakened by the Protestant Reformation. Then the Church refocused and saved Europe from becoming completely over-run by heresy. The Church was weakened by misinterpretations of Vatican II.

Then what?

Then we have a core of true believers, strengthened by adversity.

Then we have dedicated young men answering calls to the priesthood.

Then we have religious orders being founded with the sole purpose of restroing the Liturgy.

Then we have faithful who, though less in numbers, are even more zealous in defending the Faith.

Look around you. Amid the ruins of failed experimentation are the beautiful remnants of what "Church" was. Indeed, the remnants of what "Church" is. The Church is timeless, "ever ancient, ever new." If it weren't, it would have died with so many martyrs in Ancient Rome. The Church is resilient in the face of tribulation. If it weren't, it would have yielded to the Protestants rather than fought back with dedication for the ultimate Truth of the Eucharist. Indeed, when one considers what has besieged our Holy Mother Church, our current woes seem almost inconsequential.

However, every time that the Blessed Sacrament is desecrated, every time the Liturgy is de-sanctified, every time our priests are vilified, every time our parishes give way to passing fads of liberalism, a travesty is committed against the dignity of the Church and Her Divine Founder, Jesus Christ.

Will we continue to permit his perpetual crucifixion at the hands of contemprary centurions in almost every sanctuary in Rochester? I should think not.

"Kiss Me Sweet and Kill Me"

Thus wrote John Dowland under the persecution of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

It seems as if there are numerous parallels between our situation today in certain dioceses and the situation under the Protestant Tudors of so long ago. Although we Catholics no longer lose our lives in Western New York, several of us have had our souls ripped out and desecrated by those who claim to do the Lord's bidding. Names will not be mentioned, for you know those of whom I write.

It seems to me that left-leaning Catholics who gain leadership roles are seldom passive in their approach to administration, while those who are right-leaning (right as in both conservative and correct) are much more docile and humble. Of course, there are exceptions in both. However, how many people have fled parishes because the priest did what he was supposed to? My guess: considerably less than have left because of liberal shenanigans. Before the "new ways" were ingrained into the minds of our religious, nuns were contented to be nuns and priests were proud to be priests. Now, we have nuns who look with contempt upon their femininity and wish to become priests, and we have priests who are ashamed of their vocation. When was the last time you saw a priest, other than the priests favored here, wearing a collar or a cassock in public? I myself ran into Fr. Gary Tyman at Barnes and Noble during a recent stay. His apparel: polo shirt, khakis and dress shoes. I pray that our local church learns to appreciate the masculinity of the priesthood and the femininity of "nunhood." After all, even in the first few centuries of our Church, women stepped forward, not to be priests, but to serve as an early form of religious. They visited the sick, buried the dead, helped to lead underground faith communities. The key word there: helped. They did not preside at early liturgies, and if so, did so as illicitly and invalidly as certain women do now.

"Kiss me sweet, and kill me." If we are to die for the Holy Mother Church in a "white martyrdom of faith," so to speak, then let us make the most of it. Let our sufferings be used to bring attention to those who perpetuate error and heterodoxy. When we are chastised for orthodoxy and preserving tradition, then let us strike back with our words and our education. After all, liberlaism is, at it score, naive. It looks only at the present and forsakes the future and the past as irrelevent to present desires. Just look at our mounting national debt for proof of this. We need to give our young people the desire to stand up for the Church, and we need to make sure that our adults and elderly are firm in the Faith, unwilling to buy into the falsities of this modernist heresy. We are the Church. Let us not permit it be desecrated without a fight.

Novena of Fortitude - Day 7

We Have Bumper Stickers!

It's true. We've now got bumper stickers and t-shirts. Talk about living large . . .

I must thank a Rochester reader for supplying the designed products.


make custom gifts at Zazzle

Save St. Thomas the Apostle

Please, readers, pray for the success of our efforts in regards to St. Thomas the Apostle. The parish is one that deserves not to be punished for its orthodoxy and adherence to Rome's norms as opposed to Bishop Clark's. Pray and act.

Novena of Fortitude - Day 6

Today's theme is "blessed are the persecuted."

Novena of Fortitude Returns Monday

I apologize for not keeping as up-to-date with your doses of fortitude, but time is a resource most lacking in my week/weekend. I will post Day 6's video on Monday.

However, on a random note, a priest gave me the following psalm in reference to the Diocese of Rochester's plight of liberalism:

¹ In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
"Flee like a bird to your mountain.

² For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

³ When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?

⁴ The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.

⁵ The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.

⁶ On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷ For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

Six Christians Burned to Death

Lahore, Pakistan, Aug 2, 2009 / 11:31 am (CNA).- Religious extremists struck again in Pakistan on Saturday when a violent mob of Muslims looted and burned a Christian neighborhood, killing six Christians by burning them to death. The attacks took place in reaction to a rumor that the Koran was desecrated in a nearby village.

The violence, which took place in the central Punjab town of Gorja City, occurred early on Saturday when a throng of Muslims surged into the Christian quarter, setting all 40 of the Christian houses and two churches aflame.

As the crowd of Muslims approached Gojra City, Christians fired shots at them in self-defense.

Six Christians—four women, a man and a 7 year-old child—were burned to death in the attacks.

The rioters were enraged by the alleged desecration of the Koran in the village of Koriyan, about two miles away.

However, Rana Sanaullah, provincial minister for law, who is also responsible for security matters of Punjab, said that an initial investigation found there was no desecration of the Koran. "It was just a rumor which was exploited by anti-state elements to create chaos," he said.

According to locals, the police observed the looting and burning, but took no action. “Though police was present at the time of attack, miscreants were not stopped by them,” local Christians complained. After some time, the police tried to stop the protesters, but the mob turned on the police, resulting in some injuries.

According to Minorities Concern of Pakistan, “this is the third incident in the last two months of this kind in Punjab province in which Christian localities were attacked due to alleged blasphemy.”

Christians make up just 1.5 percent of the total population of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Thus is the world. Thus have they made it. If there is such outcry that a text, albeit sacred to a people, is desecrated, is it not worse that six human beings have been mutilated? The body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. A book is not.

Nod of the Miter, Smack of the Crozier

This week, Cleansing Fire gives out the following Nods and Smacks:

A Nod of the Miter goes out to Ray Grosswirth for showing us all how valuable our sanity is.

Another Nod of the Miter goes to the people of St. Thomas the Apostle for proving to be tenacious defenders of the Faith. There's just something about the phrase "canonical lawsuit" that sets me all a quiver.

A Smack of the Crozier goes to Ray Grosswirth's yawning crevasse seen at 3:42. I didn't know that Ray was taking liberalism into R-rated waters.

Another Nod of the Miter goes to the user who pointed this out. No one should have to see what you've seen. Now we all know when to avert our eyes "for the sake of decency."

Another Smack of the Crozier goes to anyone who refers to a rosary as "Jesus bling." Seriously? You can't just say "rosary?" And, no, I'm not making this up.

Look for the next installment of Cleansing Fire's Nod of the Miter, Smack of the Crozier next week. Let's hope we all retain our lunches next time.

The Fruit of Fruits

Such eloquent and rational thinking from our left-wing comrades . . .

"Geeze, You'd Think The Guy Would Take a Hint."

Thus was the statement of a ninety-two year old DoR parishioner. I often have breakfast with this gentleman, whom I shall call "Sanctus." He has been displaced from his parish, but because some feel I "harp" on this parish, I won't name it. He is planning on going to St. Boniface, closer to downtown Rochester than . . . the other parish.

His conversations usually repeat themselves, with anecdotes from WWII, Kodak employment and a quaint cottage in the thousand-islands thrown in. However, lately his true colors of tradition and faith have begun to fly proudly. The following are quotes from recent conversations:

"Why'd they get rid of the altar rails? I mean, really, why get rid of them? They just made sense and made people stop and say, 'This is something really special.' they just elevated the whole Mass."

"Why don't we get to say the 'Confiteor' anymore?"

"Geeze, you'd think the guy would take a hint that people think he's doing a lousy job. I mean, for cripe's sake, he's ticked off everyone in the diocese." (Three guesses as to who this references.)

"The Latin Mass was just so holy. I mean, geeze, it was a holy language. I don't mind the new Mass, but the English just doesn't feel right."

"Why doesn't the bishop just leave the parishes alone and let them survive if they can and when they can't, that's when they should close? It just makes no sense at all. He's just backwards."

"These nuns don't have any right to run a parish that way. They don't even show any respect for the Church."

"Sanctus" certainly asks the right questions. If only we had the answers. It seems as if the people that are genuinely pious, genuinely educated (in a liturgical sense) and genuinely devoted to the Church all have one thing to say: "We want our Tradition back." From 10 years to 100, people want "the good old way."

Novena of Fortitude - Day 5

Today's theme: desecration of the holy sanctuary.

Novena of Fortitude - Day 4

Today's theme is "exile," as in, "exiled for orthodoxy." I am fairly certain that if you are reading this, you have either had a parish ripped out from under you or are in the midst of watching that happen.

In today's video, I quote Lamentations, chapter one. I strongly urge you to read the entirety of that chapter, if not the entire Book of Lamentations. Very moving and very telling, all of it.

I Doff My Cap To Thee, Oh DMV of NY State

I had to go down to the local DMV today for some paperwork etc . . . and saw the following question on a form. Please note, I'm not quoting it directly because I'm fairly certain that that would be frowned upon by the New York State "government."

"Assaulting someone while driving a vehicle is considered:
a. a crime punishable by law.
b. a felony, but only if you're apprehended
c. morally reprehensible, but not a crime."

Looking at the choices, I thought the question would have been, "Assaulting a lay preacher during the Mass is considered . . . "

Sr. Mary Know-It-All

While in Rochester for a short sojourn, I was graced with hearing a superb homily on the "surprising" amount of "experts" out there. The priest (yes, Virginia, there are priests who give their own homilies) explained how a nun at his first assignment interpreted this past weekend's Gospel:

"She told the children that the real miracle wasn't the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, but rather, the fact that everyone on the hillside got along in good harmony."

I should like officially to name this kind of modernist thinking as "Woodstock Theology."

Anyways, when he witnessed this occurring, he said nothing, for to speak out as a young priest is quite dangerous indeed in certain places. He wrote a letter to the nun, explaining how the Scriptures aren't open to interpretation, and that the miracles of Our Lord should not be belittled for the sake of "inclusivity." She wrote back:

"You are free to have your own opinion, as am I. After all, both points are equally valid."

Reminds me of that commercial on right now, which is embedded below.

Novena Will Continue on Monday

I won't be able to have the next Novena video done until Sunday afternoon, so I'll be continuing it on Monday. Sorry for any inconvenience.

However, here is something to sate your appetites for sardonic orthodoxy.

Novena of Fortitude - Day 3

We stand for God and for His glory
The Lord Supreme and God of all.
Against his foes, we raise His standard,
Around His cross, we hear His call.
Strengthen our faith, Redeemer,
Guard us when danger is neigh
To Thee we pledge our lives and service,
Strong in a trust that ne'er shall die.
To Thee we pledge our lives and service
Strong in a trust that ne'er shall die.`

Mass Appeal

Just out of curiosity, what is your favorite setting of the Mass? Is it plainchant or orchestral? Anything goes, just so long as it doesn't have gender-confused pronouns.

Novena of Fortitude - Day 2

Novena of Fortitude - Day 1

Contagious Disease Alert

The CF hotline has received a flurry of calls reporting a contamination of the Rochester area. Evidently, at least two DoR-affiliated people have confirmed cases, with numerous more people suspected of being infected.

The disease is called "It's The Parish's Fault, Not The Bishop's." The two confirmed cases are Fr. Hart, who stated that the people of St. Anne Church brought their situation upon themselves because they haven't "produced a priest," and "Persis," a new Rochester blogger who states that the closing of St. Thomas is because they are a "cold-hearted" people who are quite "self-righteous." The two people, both affiliated with the diocese and, thus, Bishop Clark, are in need of our prayers and a possible vaccination. And yet, they both seem to know what it is that ails the diocese. What is it, pray tell?

All I have to say is: Physician, heal thyself.

No parish should be blamed for becoming a victim of ecclesiastic politicking.

Novena of Fortitude

I thought that it is about time that Cleansing Fire had a "retreat," if you will. Therefore, starting tomorrow, I will be posting videos daily for the Novena of Fortitude. It is an abbreviated and edited version of a novena for Our Lady of Victory, but I have assigned each day a different theme:

Day 1 - Humility in Serving the Lord
Day 2 - "For a Day In Your Courts, O Lord, is Better Than a Thousand Elsewhere"
Day 3 - The Betrayal of Our Lord by Judas and His Subsequent Minions of Evil
Day 4 - Exile
Day 5 - Worthiness
Day 6 - "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness . . ."
Day 7 - "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice . . ."
Day 8 - "Blessed are they who mourn . . ."
Day 9 - Final Judgment and Our Lord's Victory Over Earthly Corruption

Each video will be about 7 minutes long, and features a scriptural lesson, litany of Our Lady, sacred music etc . . . I hope that, if you are able, you can attempt to go to Mass on the last day of the Novena. After all, receiving the same Lord to whom we pray can't hurt our orations and supplications.

Want Some Free Ice Cream?

If you do, be sure to stop by St. Anne Church, Rochester, NY around 8:15 on July 25th. It has been a tradition at that parish that, on the last official day of the Novena to St. Anne, there is an ice cream social. The thing is that it is only for people who have been praying the novena to St. Anne.

Something tells me that we've all been doing this, if only in our hearts . . . In that case, I think we deserve a little ice cream.

(Disclaimer: I am NOT saying that you should all go down to St. Anne Church and indulge at the cost of Sr. Joan Sobala. I would never ever ever do that. However, what I would do is accept the hospitality of a kindly old soul who enjoys lay preaching and long walks on the beach.)

Diocese of Rochester's "New Spin on Things"

I have friends "on the inside" who tell me that the Diocese of Rochester is trying to "make the Mass more exciting and fun." In order to help the diocese along, we made a poster for parishes to use.

Studying About the "Good Old Way"

I felt that we needed a "centering video" after our recent bits of hilarity and jocularity.

Liturgical Creativity Expert

So is the title in the Diocese of Rockville Centre for a nun who ordered a priest to stop giving communion in the hand.

Note: video is not mine. I just happened to find it.

Behold the video:

The Religiosity of Starbucks

I was asked by a friend: Why would God be a Caramel Machiatto?

My response:

Because a Caramel Machiatto contains a metaphor for the Roman Catholic Church, aka, "the Church."

First, you start off with a shot of syrup in the bottom of the cup: a small, but concentrated group of believers first worshiped deep down in the catacombs.

Second, you put in the milk: Missionaries spread the faith, diffusing the concentrated core of believers and sending the faith all over the world.

Third, three shots of espresso: Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

You can add a fourth shot in "Affogatto Style": One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic.

After that, the foam is put on the top: like the zuchetto of the pope.

Finally, there is a sheet of caramel sauce drizzled over the whole thing: the clergy add sweetness and vibrancy to the Church, and without them, the Church wouldn't be "Church." Without this caramel glaze, it wouldn't be a Caramel Machiatto.

Ergo, a Caramel Machiatto is the Church.

Protestants would be a chai laté: made from concentrate, and from a box. Just like their theology.

Schismatic Catholics (aka "yeah, Protestants") would be a Decaf Caramel Machiatto: it sort of tastes the same, but there's no real kick to it. Why get coffee when you don't get the fulfillment?

Atheists would be Green Tea Frappucino: doesn't acknowledge the existence of taste.

Time for Another "Wrist Strong Campaign"

Fate draws another parallel between us here at Cleansing Fire and Stephen Colbert. For watchers of the Colbert Report, their papa-bear was injured a couple years ago when in the studio, breaking his wrist. Afterward, he started a "Wrist Strong Campaign," whose proceeds went to veterans and injured soldiers. Well, our dear Pope Benedict fell this morning and broke his wrist. Details are still coming out, so I will provide updates as they are released. All indications are that he is already back to normal, save the use of one wrist/hand.

Update: ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI was briefly hospitalized after suffering a minor fracture to his right wrist, the Vatican said Friday.

The pope, 82, fell Thursday night in his room in Val d'Aosta, a mountainous region of northwestern Italy where the pope spends his summer holidays, the Vatican said.

He was taken to the hospital in the region's central town of Aosta on Friday morning after celebrating his daily private Mass, the Vatican said.

Big "O" Bombs Out

Yes, a weak play on words, I admit. "O" bombs out = Obamsa. Yes. Weak.

Anyways, it's true. Look at the following from facebook:

Do you approve or disappove of Obama's job in office?

Strongly approve 22,661 (17.5%)

Approve 13,216 (10.2%)

Neutral / no opinion 3,905 (3.0%)

Disapprove 13,761 (10.6%)

Strongly disapprove 76,219 (58.7%)

That's 59% of people on facebook saying he's doing a lousy job. And facebook is most decidedly not a "conservative" or "traditional" institution. It looks like the youth and tech-savy adults have spoken.

AP Calculus - Who Would Have Guessed?

"What went wrong?"


I was talking with a nun-friend of mine the other day, and she was telling me all about her days as a teacher, wearing the full habit, teaching the children how to use ink wells and chant the Mass. In talking with her, she brought up many nuns, some living, some deceased, who really changed after the habit was removed. One such case is one dear to all of our hearts. Below, see the photo of Sr. Kostka, a mathematically-inclined teacher at St. Agnes. Her non-habited name was, and is now, Sr. Joan Sobala.




(I must thank a devoted reader for supplying the photos.)

Nod of the Miter, Smack of the Crozier

I've been a fan of Stephen Colbert for a while and, while he may not be the most conservative voice out there, he always defends the unborn, the Church, and the right to life. His shows often have a segment called "Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger," in which he approves or disapproves of an official, an event, a political party etc . . .

Well, I got to thinking, if he can do it, why can't we? So, thus is born a weekly article called "Nod of the Miter, Smack of the Crozier." Obviously, a nod of the miter is a good and favorable thing. A smack of the crozier is most decidedly not.

______________________

Today finds Cleansing Fire giving out a Nod of the Miter to . . .

the priests of the Irondequoit Cluster.

These men have a lot of work cut out for them, so we must acknowledge their efforts thus far, and pray for their continued health of mind and body. A heart-felt "thank you" goes out to Frs. William Leone, Timothy Horan, Norm Tanck, Joseph Trovato and Richard Beligotti.

However, we also are giving out a Smack of the Crozier to . . .

Ray Grosswirth. What's happened to the steady stream of entertaining videos? We in the Catholic community (Catholic, as in, "not schismatically Protestant") rely on his videos as one relies on a flu vaccination. We need a little bit of exposure to disease to enable us to more readily fight it off. I can feel a little tickle in my throat already. Cough.

Just a Quiz Result

I took a quiz on facebook this morning and this was my result:

"Blunt and forceful. Blatant and to the point. You get stuff done, and you get it done in a hurry."

How did they know about Cleansing Fire?

Beleaguered Christian Minority

No, not us.

Cowardly villains in Iraq have bombed a Catholic church, killing three Catholics and one Muslim after Mass had concluded. All the news sources cover stories about sectarian violence, with Shiite and Sunni striking blows back and forth, but you never hear about the persecution of the Christian Church in the Middle East. Yes, all religions have a degree of Truth, and, yes, Islam is a religion which has its inception in the same land as Jews and Christians. However, you do not see Catholics targeting Episcopalians in suicide bombings, nor do you see Lutherans blowing up Israeli ambulances.

The Muslim world has consistently and relentlessly targeted the Christian community. While now both sides, ideally, work towards tolerance and friendship, many Muslims still feel that the way to spread their faith is to force it physically and violently upon others. This is not faith, this is fear. And where there is fear there is no room for true conversion. Bombing one's neighbors is not a way of proselytizing. It is a coward's way to dominance. If the radical Muslims want dominance, let them put aside weapons and deal in terms of peace.

Cowardice such as this will not, on any day in any place on this world, yield eternity with 72 virgins. While these terrorist thugs dispatched the innocent to the next life, they fail to realize that we Catholics do not need their 72 virgins. We need only one.

Our Lady of Good Remedy, pray for us!

Avert Thine Eyes, Lest Impure Thoughts Entre Into Ye

Whenever I make a video, I tend to look at it from a strictly "churchy" perspective. In so doing, I occasionally miss photos, words, gestures etc . . . that convey double meanings of a less-than-pious nature. In reviewing the musical, I decided to cover any possible impropriety with a bar which calls your mind elsewhere and serves to keep the dignity of our blog intact.

Chalk it up to a pure upbringing and a naive, trusting view I have towards the human race. We shouldn't have to worry about others' indecency, should we?

_________________________________

Anyways . . .

Now that this little bit of house-keeping is out of the way, we can get back to business. I should like, very much, to support the good people of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome in some way. I will, of course, be putting up a video shortly. However, I want to do something a bit more unique and sweeping. My ideas include either a postcard campaign or, at least, something along those lines. I should think that other Catholic bloggers in this area would help with the effort, so that we may profit from our negative experiences and pool our resources, as varied and as precious as they are. Please, let us discuss this in the comments.

The Musical is Running - Get Your Tickets Quickly

I promised not to disappoint:

We Have Aparel!

A couple of us designed a T-shirt for those who read and support this blog. Feel free to take a look.

Cleansing Fire Blog T-Shirt by genjlcgettys


I'll bet the gift shop at Sacred Heart will have these in stock come next week.

Gotta Pick a Pocket or Two!

It's unfortunate the the DoR didn't realize the breadth and depth of Catholic contributions this year. Then again, in the words of Fr. Hart, "all the Catholics are leaving and becoming Mennonites in Canandaigua."

I think not.

Pope Joan the Movie

No joke. They're making a movie about the medieval myth of Pope Joan. No, we're not talking about Sr. Joan Sobala. We're talking about the story that, I am certain, Dan Brown will warp and twist and "fact"-ify for his new novels.

Here is the link to the IMDB article about the movie. It's going to be released in Europe first, at the end of October this year. I can't wait till it comes to New York. I know I'll be the first in line to see it, right behind Fr. Antinarelli, of course.

Alter Christi

Thus is a priest supposed to be, another Christ, alter Christi. However, when shackled by diocesan politics this seems to become a very difficult thing to be. It is, of course, not the priest's fault. It is his bishop's or his ordinary's.

Anyways, I thought that it would be appropriate to share with you an experience I happened to see once in a Rochester parish. I'll leave it to your imagination to guess which one. I could see that the nun was all dressed for some preaching, and all was on track for Mass to begin. About five minutes before Mass, the priest, who is retired, entered the sacristy and noted the nun's attire. Again, I leave it to your imagination to guess what the attire was. He looked at her and said, "Sister, what are you doing today?" She responded, "Why, J___, I'm giving the homily."

"No, you're not. You never asked my permission. And if you had, I would not have given it to you."

"You're forgetting I'm your boss now."

"Not out there." (The sanctuary)

This priest truly acted as he ought to have, being another Christ and, at the same time, a defender for Him as well. God Bless. Fr. J___ for his unflinching attitude towards what Liturgy should be.

Alter-ation of the Unfortunate Norm

He who is "in the Choir Loft" pointed this out to me, and I thought that I should share it with you. I rather enjoyed it, myself, and hope that you will, as well, as this is the fiftieth, yes FIFTIETH, post on this fledgling site.

"Struck a Spiritual Tone"

Such was the description of the Michael Jackson memorial service. I watched it, myself, being off today, and I must agree wholly. Various ministers were present, each advocating for life, the value of purity and the unborn. Yes, one man mentioned the unborn specifically. And the best part: there was rapturous applause. No matter what Michael Jackson may or may not have done, good or bad, his memorial service was a truly amazing display of the general Christian faith, holding aloft the values of life and the family. I think that, whatever we think of this man and his life, we should pray for him and his family, in particular his three children who now have no true father figure to whom they may look for reliable guidance.

I don't care what you think this man did, what he may have done. Pray for him and pray for his family. For any who may not have seen the final moments of the memorial service, here is a video clip from CNN showing Jackson's daughter, Paris, talking about her father. If your heart is stone in this matter, perhaps this will turn it more closely to the realm of Christian charity.


"Requiem aeternam dona eis, domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis."

"I'm a Catholic. In Case of Emergency . . ."

" . . . contact a priest."

Or so the traditional medal/prayer card/visor pin says. In talking with a Basilian today, I found out there's a little edit which is popular in Rochester. Evidently he used to be a Basilian there, but left because of the politics under Clark. He told me thus:

"I'm a Catholic priest. In case of emergency, contact a bishop, but not this bishop, another one."

Hitler Fails to Make a More Inclusive Church

(The original clip is from a movie called "Der Untergang" which chronicles the final week of Hitler's life, as well as that of Nazi Germany.)

Oh No! We've Been Blocked!

Sorry for the rapidity of posts. Be sure to read the articles below this!

Ray Grosswirth has blocked any interaction with me on YouTube. The new "Beta" version allows a user to block all communication, while before it was just limited to messages and comments. I discovered this when I attempted to subscribe to Mr. Grosswirth's video channel, in order that I may "know that which one fights." Blocked users can't even subscribe to the blocker's channel. Something tells me that I've been blocked for a very long while, but still, the notification I reived when I clicked "subscribe" was brand new.

Funny, I haven't had to block a single comment or user on YouTube . . . Perhaps the Holy Spirit has spoken? I don't presume to know.

I thought those who work for an "inclusive Church" want "open and honest dialogue." You can't have dialogue when you don't let people speak.

O Ruby Blood

"O rubor sanguinis,
qui de excelso illo fluxisti,
quod divinitas tetigit,
tu flos es,
quem hiems de flatu serpentis
num quam lesit."

"O ruby blood
which flowed from on high
where divinity touched.You are a flower
that the winter
of the serpent's breath
can never injure."

I was browsing my collection of sacred music, and stumbled onto this antiphon written by St. Hildegard von Bingen. Sometimes there is a piece of religious writing, poetry, a hymn or a reading from the Scriptures which truly grips you. I thought I should share this with you seeing as how today is the Fourth of July, our national Day of Independence, and a day upon which much blood hung in the balance, and seeing as how we are all also called to be martyrs, in one way or another, for Our Lord. I hate to get preachy on you, but at least I'm not an alb-sporting nun "homilizing" at Mass.

Anyways, this antiphon of St. Hildegard points out to us that the Blood which flowed from Our Savior's side is a source of unimaginable grace and spiritual comfort. In it one can find all nourishment and all satisfaction, for what is more all-satisfying than that which the blanket of our base lives of sin cannot cover or obscure? The serpent's breath of which Hildegard wrote is something which comes in many forms, with which some of us in Western New York are very well acquainted, indeed. The "smoke of Satan" leeks into our lives whenever truth is perverted. This festering of truth, indeed, the Truth, comes, ultimately, from the profanity seen in our sanctuaries and upon our altars. We must pray that the blood which has been shed by the Church's martyr's be not wasted on the roots of the tree of progressivism. For only a tree of righteousness and strength has the right to be nourished by such sweet a nectar.

The winter of evil which was referenced is, in my opinion, no specific event or date. Rather, it is the times which sin enters inot our lives in a freely-chosen manner. Its chilling and pentrating effect is undeniable, for we have all seen how, in time of spiritual weakness, the devil may enter in. It appears as if the Holy Spirit loses the battle and Satan has St. Michael under tread rather tha

n the other way around. However, no sin is unaviodable, for all sin is a choice. We choose to do evil, and we choose to embrace it rather than to place our trust in He whom we ought. Our founding fathers realized this and, while only one or two of the signers of the Declrataion were Catholic, the vast majority were at least "Deists." These men of faith could see the dangers lurking for the people of the colonies and they could see just as well the abuses of power coming from across the Atlantic. Let us learn from the example of these patriots, that we may find the courage to stand up against the tyanies which confront us. Name them and

combat them with all resolve, for to do anything but would be to breath the winter of the serpent's tongue into our midst and, thus, into the Church.

The Sweet Nectar of Tradition

1000 Hits in Under Seven Days

Wow. I didn't expect the Cleansing to be so popular. When I started this just a short while ago, I thought I'd get maybe 1 comment here and there, a couple of articles a week, etc . . . But it's grown quite well, indeed. I'm grasping for a parallel for our successful and pomp-filled first six days (with the counter at the bottom of the page) but the only metaphor I can grasp is that of God's Creation, so I won't try to steal His thunder.

Thanks for the prayerful support.

Consider Our Lady of Victory "Fertilized," Sr. Sobala

It was a year ago to the day today when Sr. Sobala remarked, "If they disagree, let them fertilize other parishes." Well, they most certainly have, sister.



Let's compare two bulletins, shall we? I'll let you decide which is which:

Bulletin 1:
Collection- ~$4500
Remarks from the administrator on liturgy, the year of the priest

Bulletin 2:
Collection- ~$3400
Remarks from the administrator on the Fourth of July, graduations, and "evolving society."
Numerous typos - ex. "Have a great summer1"

Some additional information for your ponderance:
Bulletin 1 comes from a parish that is firmly placed in Tradition and attracts people from all over the diocese. Bulletin 1 has seen an increase in collection money grow steadily and surely since last summer when "new administrations" began. Bulletin 2 comes from a parish that was once firm in Tradition, bringing in well over $8000 per weekend, often times much higher. Bulletin 2 comes from a parish which boasted almost 500 attendees. Bulletin 1 is from a parish that usually has a little less than that per weekend.

Have you guessed the parishes yet? Give up?

Bulletin 1 = Our Lady of Victory, Rochester, NY
Bulletin 2 = St. Anne Church, Rochester, NY

Sr. Sobala, I think that you hold more influence than you give yourself credit for. The people of your parish have most definitely fertilized another one. Keep up the good work, for it is making secure the parishes that ought to be made secure. In this humble blogger's opinion, St. Anne is more likely to close (and vastly more likely, at that,) than is Our Lady of Victory.

We Receive the Bishop's Endorsement

Yes, folks, it's true. Bishop Matthew Clark has given us his endorsement, if not his imprimatur. In the latest Catholic Courier, he tells his flock to do a search for "dioceseofrochester" in You Tube. Well, most normal people would then type "Diocese of Rochester" into the box. In doing so, the first result is . . . The Vacant Chair! Yes, it's true. Try it right now and laugh as hard as I did when a reader and friend notified me. And, even when grammar is torn to shreds and "dioceseofrochester" is typed in, my video is still in the top 10. In fact, it's number six.

The Year of the Priest - Ecce Sacerdos Magnus

"I throw myself at the foot of the Tabernacle like a dog at the foot of his Master."

- St. John Vianney

"All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man."

- St. John Vianney

For your consideration.