"Don" Zuhl$dorf's sacrilegious and immoral blog post

There is a blogger on the internet who styles himself 'Fr. Z'.  On his blog, Fr. Z's Blog Once named: What Does The Prayer Really Say?, he recently told readers the Pope could order a priest to break the seal of confession!  The entry was titled, Seal of Confession under threat by the State: follow-up, and an achive of it can be read by clicking here.  Thankfully, the post has been pulled down since, but to our knowledge "Don" Zuhl$dorf didn't apologize to his readers nor to the author he quoted, Aaron Taylor, nor to either St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Augustine for his error.  There was no retraction. Instead, the story was removed from the blog and sent down the memory hole.  For more on this see Novus Ordo Wire's “Fr.” Zuhlsdorf: “Pope could give a Priest Permission to ‘Break’ the Seal of Confession”.  Reading this piqued our interest and we checked out this supposed religious blog.  Before we get to our critique of a recent entry written by "Don" Zuhl$dorf, a brief background on the man.   We are using the word "Don" instead of "Father" as Zuhlsdorf is incardinated in the Suburbicarian Diocese of Velletri-Segni in Italy.  For some strange reason "Don" Zuhl$dorf lives in the Diocese of Madison, Wisconson where he claims he is researching his doctoral thesis, blogging, and writing articles for publication.  If one is interested in what "Don" Zuhl$dorf has to say about himself on this matter, one can read this entry at his blog, Waiting for Zagano. 

A 3rd class relic being made?

Saint John Paul II performed the laying of hands on "Don" Zuhl$dorf in the Novus Ordo's New Rite of Ordination hence the quotation marks around the word Don.  "Don" Zuhl$dorf often jokes he is a 3rd class or is it 4th class or 5th class relic because of this. (See, 2nd miracle for John Paul II takes another step forward)  If this is correct, this would also make his classmate John Corapi a relic also as he was "ordained" in the same ceremony.  The 3rd class relic, Corapi, was under suspension by his superior for illlegal drug abuse, alcohol abuse, having an affair with a prostitute, and for violating his vow of poverty.  Corapi denied all the allegations and  resigned from the Novus Ordo church 17 June 2011.

I resigned because the process used by the church is grossly unjust, and, hence, immoral. I resigned because I had no chance from the beginning of a fair and just hearing. As I have indicated from the beginning of all this, I am not extinguished! If I were to commit to the suggestion of the society, then I would essentially crawl under a rock and wait to die.

We bring this up only to show the caliber of Zuhl$dorf's classmates and "Don" Zuhl$dorf like Corapi loves to live the high life. We add the $ to his name, Zuhlsdrof, because he is constantly seeking money for himself on his blog.  We cannot claim to be avid readers of "Don" Zuhl$dorf but do come across his writings from time to time and he is always pandering for money.  It is as if his calling is to earn money for himself through blogging and his hobby is to play "priest".

Shaking a saint's hand!

Now that we have covered the background, onto the disturbing post.  Call Me Jorge... read the entry, An Important Anniversary, which was supposedly announcing the 7th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum.  Dear reader, if you were to write a column on Summorum Pontificum how would you start it?  With a story about the Tridentine Mass or one about Benedict XVI?  Neither if you are "Don" Zuhl$dorf.  Let's look at a screenshot from his entry, An Important Anniversary.

Wait a minute!  Isn't this supposed to be about Summorum Pontificum?  Instead "Don" Zuhl$dorf is writing about the immoral movie of John Boorman.  For those who don't know about this film, Deliverance, it is infamous for its scene of sodomy.  Ever heard the quote "squeal like a pig" used?  It's from the same notorious scene.   As if that isn't bad enough, several people are also murdered in the film.  Why would a 'priest' blog about a piece of music from this film?  Why introduce your readers to a film this perverse?  Are there not other films having their anniversary this day?  This isn't the first time he has written of an immoral film in his blog.  Who could forget, The Lives of Others? Thankfully this time, "Don" Zuhl$dorf didn't put an amazon link to this film for his readers to purchase in the post.  One last thing about the clip "Don" Zuhl$dorf chose to embed on his website, it uses God's name in vain not once but twice!  This can be heard at the 3 minutes 59 seconds and the 4 minutes 6 seconds marks of the clip.  This man calls himself a priest?  What were they teaching in the seminary he attended?

Next he mentions Billie Jean King winning the 1972 Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.  What is so important to "Don" Zuhl$dorf about 42 years ago?  We could let this slide if it were not for his mention of Deliverance.   Billie Jean King is a pro-sodomite and pro-lesbian activist who openly lives the sinful life of a lesbian!  Again, why on a blog about religion is a 'priest' bringing up this stuff?   Why not prayers or something on the spiritual life?  Is "Don" Zuhl$dorf bringing readers closer to God by exposing them to items which could lead them into sin?  He seems to be hung up on sex as he also recently used sexual innuendo to sell generators in another post.  See, New Low for “Fr.” Zuhl$dorf: “Use Protection!” for more.

Next "Don" Zuhl$dorf talks about memories from his Lutheran childhood.  Playing chess, watching Julia Child cook, listening to NASA missions, meeting a baseball pitcher, riding bicycles, etc... filled the summer of '72 for "Don" Zuhl$dorf.  Why not choose another summer?  Were there not movies and tennis played in them?  Or better yet, could he have mentioned a great event from Church history which took place on this day or something from the life of a saint? 

Here is where "Don" Zuhl$dorf gets to the purpose of his blog post.  It is the 7th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum!  One would think a priest would write something about Summorum Pontificum and how he is grateful for it.  Oh, but "Don" Zuhl$dorf does not the way a pious person would!  Here is the sacrilegious photo he posted with his comments.

Does this convey respect?  Did he really chill Veuve Clicquot Brut NV champagene with Benedict XVI?  We don't think so but, who knows, maybe "Don" Zuhl$dorf imagined this in his mind and decided to photoshop his memory?  We ask again is this respectful of Benedict XVI?  It appears the book on the picnic table is a 1962 Altar Missal.  Was "Don" Zuhl$dorf not properly taught in the seminary what sacrilegious means?  

Sacrilegious behavior is acceptable in the Novus Ordo church!

We do have to applaud "Don" Zuhl$dorf for not linking to the Veuve Clicquot Brut NV.  At $55.00, (according to wine.com) he could have made a fat commission off of it.  The commision for the 1962 Altar Missal would have been even heftier as they retail in the ballpark around $285.00 (according to New Liturgical Movement).  We almost forgot, a cardboard cutout of Benedict XVI can be found on amazon for $50.00.  Either "Don" Zuhl$dorf was in a rush when he was writing the post or he couldn't find the items for sale on amazon to link to.  Who knows, could he have for once been showing restraint? 

Why did "Don" Zuhl$dorf put all these things together in a post?  We at Call Me Jorge... are really stretching it here to make this all fit together.  Is "Don" Zuhl$dorf saying that Summorum Pontificum was Deliverance from the Novus Ordo Missae he was ordained under?  If so, why not come out and say it?  Why not play a clip of communist Michael King, Jr. saying, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" ?  It makes about as much sense!



"Don" Zuhl$dorf is considered one of the star "priests" of the Novus Ordo church and is a perfect reflection of the man-made Novus Ordo Missae & the Second Vatican Council.  If you are looking for prayer or spiritual life "Don" Zuhl$dorf's blog isn't the place to go.  If you are looking to see where he is flying, what bigwigs he rubbed shoulders with at the Vatican, want to see photos of what gourmet meal he just consumed, know what books he is reading, ad nausea...  and to help him live this lifestyle by purchasing items he recommends such as coffee, generators, immoral movies, etc... on his blog - then it is the place for you.  One Catholic commentator wrote, "He shouldn't call himself Father Z. but Fr. Me!"

Zuhl$dorf like Francis is all about glorifying himself!

Soon to be relic

In just a few days Francis will declare two new saints, John XXIII & John Paul II.  Dan Sheehan of The Morning Call, writes an interesting article, on how one Allentown church ended up with a soon to be 2nd class relic.

An Allentown church plans a saintly display

Skullcap of soon-to-be St. Pope John XXIII is at St. Stephen of Hungary Church.

As Christians around the world celebrate Easter — the faith's most important holiday, marking the resurrection of Christ — Catholics are looking ahead a week to another joyous event.

Next Sunday, two of the most popular and influential popes in church history, John XXIII and John Paul II, will become saints in the first-ever simultaneous canonization of pontiffs.

While the festivities happen in Rome, people in the Lehigh Valley will be able to get close to one of the new saints, theologically speaking. At St. Stephen of Hungary Church in Allentown, a zucchetto, or skullcap, worn by John XXIII will be on display near the sanctuary.

How that came to pass is a story involving — naturally — Max Hess Jr., the department store king and publicity genius who probably made a bigger impact on Allentown than anyone but Harry Trexler.

Hess was Jewish but had a close relationship to the Diocese of Allentown and its first bishop, Joseph McShea. He also was a major supporter of capital campaigns in the diocese, which had been created in 1961 out of the northern sections of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Hess' contributions helped with construction of a number of Catholic high schools and with Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales, now DeSales University.

McShea was grateful. In 1963, he was in Rome for Vatican II, the council summoned by John XXIII that had opened the year before and would fundamentally change the church's relationship with the modern world.

The bishop bought a zucchetto from the Vatican's tailor and traded it for the one the pope was wearing. It's not an uncommon practice — Pope Francis has swapped his zucchetto any number of times while greeting the faithful in St. Peter's Square.

When McShea returned to Pennsylvania, he presented the skullcap as a gift to Hess.

Hess's son, Tom, was a boy at the time but remembered the episode.

"There was a picture in The Morning Call with my dad and the bishop near the escalators in the store," he said. "In the picture he was handing [the bishop] a check [for $25,000]. … I don't know how much time passed after that, but the bishop came back and gave him [the zucchetto] as a present."

The Rev. William Seifert, pastor of St. Stephen's, said McShea's gift to Hess spoke volumes about the relationship between the two men.

"The fact that he surrendered something from the founding pontiff of the diocese says something of the esteem he held for Max," Seifert said.

Hess had an illuminated glass-and-bronze case built for the zucchetto and displayed it for several years. After selling the store to Philip Berman in 1968, he took home the zucchetto and case. When he died later that year, it passed to his son.

Fast-forward to 1996, when Tom Hess converted to Catholicism and joined the National Coalition for Clergy and Laity, an organization founded in 1978 by a number of prominent Catholics.

The group is now directed by Greg Lloyd of Whitehall Township. Lloyd's wife, Susie, a well-known Catholic author, was visiting the Hess' Allentown home one day and saw the zucchetto in the garage, where Tom had been keeping it while deciding on a proper place to display it.

"I'd love to have something like that," Lloyd thought.

Soon enough, she did. Hess donated the zucchetto to the coalition. The idea was to sell the piece to raise money for the organization, which runs on donations and, among many other things, conducts a large religious pilgrimage to upstate New York every year.

The Lloyds never sold the zucchetto. It remained on display in their house. But when the Vatican announced that John XXIII would be canonized, they agreed to lend it to St. Stephen's. The church is the diocese's center for the traditional Latin Mass, which uses a missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962.

Seifert said the zucchetto, which will sit atop a pillar next to the statue of the Virgin Mary at the front of the church, is a second-class relic — an object worn or used by a saint. First-class relics are actual pieces of their bodies — teeth, hair, bone.

The church encourages the display of such objects as part of the veneration of saints, who are held to be models of Christian sanctity and virtue. Canonization is a formal declaration that the person has achieved heaven.

"The purpose is to allow the faithful to know the person can be imitated," Greg Lloyd said. "If I follow this person, I will not be led away from Christ, but to Christ."

Imitated, Seifert added, but not duplicated. For example, modern society would likely frown on the way St. Francis renounced his family wealth — by publicly stripping naked and presenting his clothing and other belongings to his father.

The church has used different means over the centuries to bestow sainthood. Many of the early saints earned the title through martyrdom. But rules and standards evolved over the years.

In the case of the two popes, some of these rules were altered. Church law normally requires that a person proposed for sainthood be credited with two miraculous interventions after death. John XXIII is only credited with one such miracle, but because of his reputation for virtue, Pope Francis waived the requirement of a second.

Francis' predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, likewise waived the standard five-year waiting period to begin John Paul II's canonization process.

John Paul, born Karol Wojtyla, had an epic pontificate. Elected in 1978 at age 58, the handsome and athletic Pole became the most widely traveled pope in history, drawing millions to his appearances in a reign that lasted nearly 27 years. When he died in 2005, crowds in St. Peter's Square chanted "Santo Subito!", meaning "Make him a saint now!"

John XXIII was the good-humored son of Italian peasants. Born Angelo Roncalli, he was the fourth of 14 children. Because he was 76 at his election in 1958, he wasn't expected to accomplish much as pope, but his summoning of Vatican II led to significant and lasting changes in the church, especially in its relation to other faiths.

Seifert said John XXIII was famous for his wit. When a reporter asked the pope how many people worked in the Vatican, he replied "About half of them."

Known as "the Good Pope" because of his holiness and affability, John XXIII died of stomach cancer in 1963. He was beatified — the last step before canonization — by John Paul II in 2000.

Seifert and Lloyd said the zucchetto is on loan to St. Stephen's for an undetermined period. It will be unveiled next Sunday, when the church will serve brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. and remain open until 4 p.m.