Transportation...

Say hello to the new (to me...) set of wheels. The Kia was beginning to show her age, and we had a tearful farewell. I traded her in while I could still get a reasonable value for the trade-in (I put 130,000 miles on her during my tenure in Meade County alone - a pastor of two parishes outside of the city does a LOT of driving, let me assure you).

The new mode of transportation is an '06 Nissan Frontier. I had a topper put on her (yes, the truck is a female), and just today finished equipping the inside of the bed. I cut a piece of plywood to fit, carpeted it, and then made some built-in shelving for storage. Not bad for an amateur, if I do say so myself:



Check out the license plate, oh yeah!:

Sunday within the Octave of Christmas...

A short video of today's Mass. Stay tuned through the end of the video for the postlude of the Mass, as well as a look into the sacristy...

Mass for Christmas...

Here's a video of Mass for Christmas Day at St. Martin's. The Mass celebrated was the "Mass during the day," of which the gospel for the Mass is the prologue of John, usually the last gospel of the Mass. As usual, the choir did a wonderful job. This video is of the offertory, for which they sang a beautiful version of the "Ave Maria."

Fourth Sunday of Advent...

Mass today from St. Martin of Tours:

Christmas Break...

Finals are over; another semester is completed. I am now officially at the half-way mark with the JCL: 3 semesters down, 3 more to go. Made the 9 1/2 hour drive yesterday through the (thankfully) non-snowy mountains. Now I'm looking forward to three weeks at home. I've got the 12:30 Mass this Sunday (4th Advent) and Christmas day at St. Martin of Tours... in anticipation of the great music provided by the choir of St. Martin's, here's a video of my favorite carol:

The Final Latin Class...

OK, our final Latin class was this evening. Faithful followers of "The Ultramontanist" will know that my JCL class here at the Catholic University is a bit, shall we say, "different." We like to have a good time. Sometimes we're a little over the top. Anyway, we have fun doing it. The Canon Law program requires that we have three semesters of Latin (on top of however much you might have had before). This would seem at first to be a burden, but in fact it has been a wonderful class. Our professor has had a lot to do with that. So we couldn't let our final class pass by without marking the occasion appropriately. In classic JCL II fashion, we had to come up with something that was over the top. Surprise our professor by bringing cookies and drinks to class? Are you kidding!!! No, no, no. That wouldn't work at all. One of the guys had an inspiration: hire a Mariachi band to come to class unannounced! Now THAT'S more like it! Enjoy:

End of the Semester...

It's getting on to the end of the semester. The next two weeks will be going quick with papers coming due and final exams to prepare for. The weather is going to be turning nasty too. They are predicting a chance of snow here in the District over the weekend. Today was THE day, then, to get away for what will most likely be the last fishing outing of the year. No luck today, though. The river was up and running fast from the recent rains. Now I need to finish two papers and get ready for exams in a week and a half...



(This is the same spot where I caught that big brown trout last month. Maybe one of these days I'll actually have the camera on when I catch a fish...)

Vocational Video...

Came across this vocations video produced by the Dominicans in the early sixties...



Time for dinner & laundry: getting ready for my drive home for the thanksgiving holiday tomorrow morning.

A Sunday Morning Tradition...

Breakfast is a Sunday morning tradition around the house here. After Masses, the guys gather to fix a hearty breakfast, each with their own specialty: Fr. Yves ("The Egg Man"), Dr. Teodore ("The Baconator"), Fr. Chris the coffee expert, etc. So far, I'm allowed to fix the toast...

"The Egg Man" in action:


A hungry Fr. Ernesto:

Candidacy...

Just getting back from St. Mary's Seminary where one of our seminarians, Matt H., was admitted to Candidacy: the last step before Ordination to Diaconate and Priesthood. Celebrated a nice Mass in the seminary chapel, which was followed by a meal in the refectory. Congratulations to Matt as he approaches his Diaconate Ordination next year.

Trout...

A few months ago I posted a pic of the biggest trout I had caught on the Gunpowder. Today I think I topped it. A good 18 incher took my streamer (an imitation of a small bait fish - in this instance a small rainbow trout) this afternoon:



Now, back to work (need to get a paper done by Sunday evening...).

Visit of the Supreme Court...

Just getting back from a visit of the Supreme Court this afternoon, where we listened to oral arguments and did a behind the scenes tour of the building:



The "Supreme Court Bar." They weren't serving drinks, unfortunately:

All Souls Day...

Today being All Souls Day, I was thinking back to my days in the parish. One of the parishes I served had a very beautiful outdoor altar in the parish cemetery. Each year I took the opportunity to celebrate Mass there for All Souls, especially for those in the parish who had passed away in the previous year. Many of their family members would gather for the special remembrance. I found a few pics of it in a dusty corner of the old hard drive:





One of my favorite hymns: the "Dies Irae:"



"Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord"

Friday on the Gunpowder River...

With the CLSA convention, the trip home last weekend for the Archbishop's visit to the Latin Mass, and with all the work of the middle of the semester, I haven't been fishing for a while. Got the chance yesterday, and made the most of it. Caught several trout in the 8-10 inch range. In the middle of the afternoon a good hatch occurred and I happenned to have the right fly tied on.

Visit of Archbishop Kurtz to the Latin Mass Community...

Yesterday was a wonderful day for the Latin Mass Community at St. Martin's in Louisville. Our Archbishop attended in choir and preached at the 12:30 Mass. It was wonderful to have the support of the archdiocese visibly present, as it was also nice that two of the others (besides myself) who help celebrate this Mass were also present in choir. Especially nice was the presence of Fr. Charles Schoenbaechler - 93 years and still going strong: "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus!"

This Mass was begun in the archdiocese back in the late 80's under the indult Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, and has continued with the help of many good and holy priests. I have had the privilege of celebrating it for almost five years now.

As promised, here's a short video of yesterday's Mass. The choir did a spectacular job (as you hear in the video: the "Christus Vincit," one of my favorites...), the servers "remembered the altar cards" (inside joke...), and everything went smoothly. Thanks to Eddie for helping with the creative photo angles. This video may be revised and improved, once I can figure out how to get my editing software to read the video from a camera which was located in the choir loft... wrong format, I think. Anyway, enjoy:

Extraordinary Form "Going's On..."

Some remarkable news from the Eternal City: a Mass in the Extraordinary Form was celebrated in the Vatican Basilica this past Sunday by Archbishop Burke, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura. The Mass took place in the Eucharistic chapel of the Basilica. A brief video of this Mass was posted on YouTube:



Tomorrow morning I'm flying home for the weekend. Archbishop Kurtz will be making a pastoral visit to the Latin Mass community at St. Martin's in Louisville. He will be attending in choir at the 12:30 Mass on Sunday. I'll be posting something early next week, be sure.

On a related (liturgical) topic, this afternoon is the annual McManus Lecture, sponsored by the School of Canon Law. The speaker this year is Bishop Trautman of Erie, speaking on the new translation of the Roman Missal. This one ought to be interesting...

Convention Week at Home...

My week at home for the CLSA National Conference is coming to an end. Tomorrow I celebrate the 12:30 Mass at St. Martin's and then fly back to DC. A quick report on my activities...

The convention was an interesting experience. I made it to a few of the conferences. Mainly, my purpose there was to serve as the driver who shuttled many of the speakers and other dignitaries back and forth from the airport. I spent a LOT of time at the airport this week. So much so that the shoe-shine guy near the security check-point and I were on a first name basis. Interesting, but glad it is over. I used to associate airports with the excitement one experiences when leaving for / returning from a vacation. This week there was no such association, only tedious waiting for the delayed flights of those I was responsible for picking up. A little ink was spilled over some of my words in the diocesan paper this week "The Record." The poor reporter wandered out of one of the conferences with her head spinning. Before I knew it she was jotting down notes when I was talking with her. That's not usually a good thing when it happens with me... Oh well, check out the short article HERE.

Certainly, a highlight of the week was the machine gun shoot at Knob Creek... All I can say is "WOW!" The caucaphony of automatic gunfire that was unleashed by 75-80 individuals at once elicits a strange, almost giddy, sensation in the observer. While I am a staunch believer in the second ammendment of the Constitution, and enjoy hunting and shooting myself, I must say that it was at least mildly alarming that such weaponry is available. I was able to set aside any conflicted feelings, however, to simply take in the pageantry (yes, that is how I would describe it) of the event. Check out some of the damage inflicted:

A southern rock band belts out the tunes while the lead flies:

Yes, that's a CANNON:

Home for the CLSA Convention...

I Flew home yesterday morning for the Canon Law Society of America annual convention, which happens to be in Louisville this year. I'll be helping the Tribunal in playing host. Celebrating the 12:30 Mass at St. Martin's tomorrow, then handling the shuttle service from the airport to the conference on Monday morning.

It just so happens that this weekend is the bi-annual "machine gun shoot" at Knob Creek! Woo-hoo! What a masterpiece of timing (I don't think it was intentional on the part of the CLSA, however...)! Heading out there this afternoon. For those of you unfamiliar with Knob Creek, let me just say that the place is so red-neck it even makes me a bit nervous, and this weekend is when the place really shines...

Check out some select parts of the official website for the shoot (any event that has such warnings/advertisements is definitely worth attending in my book!):

"All Visitors enter Knob Creek Property at their own risk. It is public knowledge that pyrotechnic charges sometimes blow debris into the spectator area. Hearing and eye protection are strongly recommended at all shooting areas on Knob Creek Property. Knob Creek Range Inc. will not be held responsible for injuries to you or damage to your personal property while at Knob Creek."

"Flamethrower rentals available Friday, Saturday & Sunday"

JCL II Fall Field Trip...

Let's face it, my canon law class has earned a certain reputation around the university here. And I won't claim that I haven't had anything to do with it either, mind you. If there is one thing that everyone on campus knows it's this: canon law students know how to throw a party... we know how to have fun. Last year something of a tradition was begun. Once a semester, we take what we have begun referring to as "a field trip." Thursday evening after classes found us doing just that: duckpin bowling. A couple of our professors were even brave enough to go along, too. An evening of fun, enlightening canonical conversation, and amazing feats of athletic prowess was enjoyed by all. Thanks to Fr. Vince, our official class photographer, for the pics:

A last-minute bribe is offered to the official tournament scorekeeper:

Fr. Rich: the "Kingpin" of JCL II:

The second year canon law class:

Solemn High Mass at the Shrine...

Just getting back from attending a Solemn High Mass across the street at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The Mass was celebrated as part of the pilgrimage of the National Church Music Association of America, who provided the music for the Mass (which, as you can tell in the video below, was very well done). The ministers for the Mass came compliments of St. John the Beloved Parish, which is located across the river in McLean, VA (Diocese of Arlington). You'll recall that I helped some there last semester, serving as subdeacon for two Solemn High Masses on Palm Sunday and Easter:

The Mass took place in the crypt church, which in my opinion is the nicest part of the Basilica. Unfortunately, the lighting is quite dark there, however. The crowd was sizeable, filling the pews, and the choir was huddled in the space to the right of the altar around the pipe organ. Being that the majority of those present for the Mass were musicians themselves who were there for the pilgrimage, many of the congregation joined in the chanting of the ordinary parts of the Mass. As is typical with Extraordinary Form Masses, the congregation was quite young, and well versed in this form of the Mass. The "nay-sayers" of the Latin Mass often harp on their notion that this Mass does not permit participation of the faithful. I beg to differ, however, and offer tonight's Mass as evidence to the contrary. The ordinary of the Mass was eminently "sing-able" by the congregation, and many, in fact, did just that. Now, you will say, that was precisely because all those present were musicians! Well, I will grant you that that was the case, HOWEVER, while they may have been more apt to sing since they were musicians, the melodies of the Mass were certainly no more difficult than the "gather and praise" stuff that is played at most parishes these days. With but minimal acclimation, a congregation could easily learn this form of music (a treasure of the Church, in my opinion). One need not look any further than the classical music aisles of any music store to see the popularity of Gregorian Chant CDs among a broad spectrum of the population. Look no farther than iTunes and see how many CDs are available of classical Church music. There is something inherently compelling to this music that attracts people and draws their minds and spirits upwards... oh well, I'll get off my soap-box. Suffice it to say that full, active, and conscious participation was clearly evidenced.

And you thought YOUR Ordination class was large...

The class one year ahead of me for the archdiocese was an unusually large one for us: six guys. It had been some thirty years since so large a class had been ordained for Louisville. Things returned to normal the following year, as I was the sole priest ordained that year. Thankfully, with vocations on the rise across the country, nowadays it is not all that unusual for several priests to be Ordained at once. Still, four or five at a time is a good number in most dioceses.

Well, try this one on for size: in 1952, in connection with the 35th International Eucharistic Congress in Barcelona, Spain, 842 priests were ordained at ONCE! Now THAT is a large Ordination class! Check out the story HERE from the NLM.

Ordaining ONE at a time:


Ordaining 842 at a time:

Fr. Anthony Perez, SS

The suddenness of death always leaves a stinging emptiness in the heart. This has certainly been the case this week. I am just returning from St. Mary's Seminary - Baltimore and the memorial Mass of a great professor, spiritual director, liturgist, and friend: Fr. Anthony Perez, SS. Fr. Tony went to his reward suddenly this past weekend.

He was completely devoted to his ministry - the formation of seminarians - and touched the lives of a great number of us who have gone on to the priesthood. He was a man of quiet humility, who possessed a great love of the Church's liturgy, and above all, possessed a "priestly heart." I experienced this personally: he was my spiritual director through four years of major seminary. His life was marked by a great zeal and joy in being a priest. He died, somewhat appropriately, surrounded by seminarians on Saturday morning of a massive heart attack. A native of Guam, he had been in the United States teaching since the early nineties: first at St. Patrick's in Menlo Park, and then in Baltimore, at St. Mary's. A Mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul today in the seminary chapel, after which his body was taken to Guam for burial. The sheer number of those in attendance - roughly seventy to eighty priest alumni of the seminary along with many others - was a testament to the effectiveness of his ministry and the powerful example he set.

I was fortunate to have had him as a friend after Ordination as well, and to have the fond memories of having travelled together with him to Italy on several occasions. Archbishop O'Brien, celebrant of the Mass, made a nice comment: "while he has passed from us, Fr. Tony's influence extends throughout the Church in the ministry of those of us who were so influenced by his witness to what it is to be a priest of Jesus Christ." May he receive the reward of his goodness to us. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

Read Fr. Barre's Homily for the Mass HERE.

Ireland...

Doing some more searching through that old lap-top's hard drive and came across a bunch of photos/videos collected from over the course of three trips to Ireland. These come from the time period 2003-2007.

Nuptial Mass in the Extraordinary Form...

Recently, while rummaging around the hard-drive of my old lap-top, I came across some pictures that were taken of a Nuptial Mass I celebrated during the summer of '08. Credit it to me (ok, I doubt it...) that they are still happily married!

CUA: Mass Beginning the New Semester...

A special Mass was celebrated yesterday in the Shrine for the beginning of the new semester here at Catholic University. Turn-out was impressive, as the upper church was pretty full. LOTS of students showed-up (voluntarily), along with a good number of priests-concelebrants (both faculty and graduate students, such as yours truly). It's yet another little sign of spiritual life and vitality: of the Church in general, and the University in particular. Check out the story HERE.

Back at the Gunpowder...

A new semester means I'm back at the Gunpowder River in Maryland, doing some fishing on Fridays, when no classes are in session. Today was a beautiful day on the river: mid-70's and mostly sunny. Got the new year started off right too: four fish caught, all good size trout in the 10-12 inch range, with one real "whopper" - a 16 inch brown. Easily the biggest fish I've caught on this river.

Here he is:


He is living (still - it's catch and release...) in this nice deep pool at the tail end of a small rapids:

Homily on the web...

I was just notified by a former parishioner of mine that he has been making audio recordings of the weekend homilies and posting them to the parish website (he used to just post the text). Having returned for a weekend of fill-in help before I returned to Washington for the new semester, he wanted to let me know that my homily had been posted as well. It's always humbling to actually hear what you sound like. I didn't realize I had such a "twang"... Check it out HERE.

Getting off to a good start...

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here, due in large part to the upheaval of moving back to Washington, DC for the start of another semester (my third now - time flies...). A nine hour drive last Tuesday (nine hours and ten minutes, to be exact); played host to my sister Katie, who came along for the drive and several days' visit to Washington (see the picture below: as a librarian, she was WAY too excited about visiting the Library of Congress... sheesh); and now two days of classes are in the history books.



I'm convincing myself that the class schedule for this semester is a good one: basically all day Monday and Wednesday - 8:45 AM to 4:00 PM with an hour or so break for lunch - and one class on Tuesday and Thursday (Latin - 5:45 to 7:00 PM translating Rotal decisions and other exciting things...). Fridays, again this year, are "reading days" (ok, who am I kidding... I will be going fishing on most Fridays until the workload of the semester forbids it!). There are some new faces this year - seventeen new people in the JCL program: a bumper crop of potential canon lawyers for CUA. Tomorrow is our opening of the year BBQ for the Canon Law School, and Thursday is the opening of the year Mass for the University at the Shrine. So, we're getting off to a good start...

End of Summer...

The summer is quickly coming to a close, and I will be returning to Washington, D.C. (aka "la-la land") in but a few days. I am looking forward to getting back and getting the new semester started. I'm even looking forward to the nine-hour drive. It has been a great summer: I have made a few road trips, enjoyed filling-in at several parishes around the archdiocese, and have been working at the tribunal office. One goal for the summer was to do some research into finding a possible thesis topic or two, and I think I've settled on one that interests me and will be do-able. I'm sure it will be refined and more focused by a faculty member's review.

The return is softened, as well, by the fact that it will only be a month and a half until I'm back home, since this year's Canon Law Society annual convention is in Louisville and I'll be helping the archdiocesan tribunal play host to the event.

Returning to Washington also means the chance to get some fishing in between classes at CUA at the Gunpowder River in Maryland:



Before I leave, however, I have this last weekend to fill-in at my "old stomping grounds" in Meade County: St. John's and St. Martin's. Next post from Washington, DC...

Another Video of Mass...

Mass for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The choir really outdid themselves with a beautiful Mass setting. Enjoy:

5 Minutes of Torture...

5 Minutes of torture... otherwise known as a vacation video from our Colorado trip. Check it out:

Requiem Mass...

The Colorado trip is over, and the return to Washington is getting closer and closer. Today I was the celebrant of a Requiem Mass for a member of the Latin Mass community here in Louisville who just passed away. I always have liked the sequence for the requiem: the "Dies Irae." It, along with the use of the color black for funerals, is often "poo-poo'd" as being too harsh for our modern spiritual sensibilities, but I disagree. I think it touches upon many of the emotions which are too often overlooked or dismissed at death. People are touched by sadness and grief at the death of a loved one. While it would be unrealistic to be too focused on grief and loss, I also think that it would be too unrealistic to do nothing but sing "alleluia's." It seems to me that some balance needs to be struck: maintaining that our faith ultimately gives hope in the face of death, while also admitting to the very real fact that the family of the deceased is experiencing grief. It reinforces as well, in my estimation, the need to pray for the deceased as they face the judgment seat of God. Just my thoughts...

"Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord. May perpetual light shine upon her."

Durango & Silverton...

A video of a train ride last week on the Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad in Southwestern Colorado. An absolutely fantastic ride through some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. A real highlight of last week's Colorado trip...

Colorado, day III & IV...

Fly fishing the Gunnison and Animas rivers in Southwestern Colorado. Spectacular scenery, and I actually caught a few fish (rainbow trout). Unbeleivably scenic, especially the Black Canyon area of the Gunnison River near Montrose, CO. Check it out:





A decent 10" Rainbow from the Gunnison River:

Colorado, day II...

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad:




Silverton, Colorado:

Colorado...

Am currently in Colorado on a trip with the guys. Fly fishing, seeing the sights of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Yesterday we came across this view. Pretty spectacular:



Another shot of the mountains:

Metropolitan Tribunal Conference...

Just getting back from spending a couple of days in Covington, KY at the annual meeting of the Tribunals of the province of Louisville. Fr. Phillip and I drove the hour and a half to Covington, and couldn't help but laugh when we passed this bakery truck. Check out the picture:



Yes, the name of the place is "Bimbo Bakery." Amazing. We had to get a picture as we drove by. You'd have thought their logo would be something more exciting than just a bear wearing a baker's hat... oh well!

Smoky Mountains National Park...

For several years now, a group of us - all Ordained around the same time - have been taking a week's trip together during the summertime. The purpose was originally to go whitewater rafting, risk our lives, and live to tell the story. However, with age comes a certain amount of wisdom... Now that we're getting older, the focus of our summer trip has shifted. Once it was about "staring death in the face," but now it's more about getting away: taking a break from our pastoral assignments, relaxing, and fostering priestly fraternity. Instead of paddling through class V rapids, we're taking things a bit more slowly these days.

Such was the case this past week. For our yearly trip, we rented a cabin overlooking the Smoky Mountains National Park. With an abundance of good fishing opportunities, two of us (Fr. John and myself) took to the rivers and creeks of the park in search of rainbow trout. We found ample numbers, with Fr. John taking the first (and largest) fish of the trip: a 15" rainbow that was hiding under the first rapid we cast to. Our guide Brad, from Smoky Mountain Angler, ran us up and down the river: over boulders, through rapids, and across the mountainous terrain to find a good number of beautiful rainbow trout. It was a week of beautiful scenery, good food, and good company. I'm already looking forward to next year...

Summer Road Trip: Wrigley Field...

Summer is now a bit more than half over. With my canon law classes taking the summer off, I have been keeping busy with several things here at home: working at the Tribunal office, filling-in at various parishes (Immaculate Conception in LaGrange last weekend...), and various other activities. This past Spring, thinking about what I would like to do over the break, I came up with a kind of "bucket list" for my Summer. Being a baseball fan, one item was to take the opportunity to catch a few baseball games here and there. So far it has materialized into one trip to Cincinnati (Reds lost to the Phillies) and one trip to St. Louis (Cardinals beat the Royals in interleague play).

Yesterday we checked another one off that list: the Cubs beat the Braves 4-2 at the "friendly confines" of Wrigley Field. I had been there before, back in high school on a family trip, but I forgot just how cool Wrigley Field is: quaint, old-fashioned, representing everything that is "good and holy" in the game. The fans armed with their gloves, standing along Waveland Avenue just beyond the left field wall waiting to catch homeruns during batting practice; the people wearing t-shirts decrying the evils of night games; the cool breeze coming-in off Lake Michigan and thinking that the term "southpaw" was coined on that mound. Babe Ruth stood at that plate in 1932 and called his shot! Why, O why, did baseball ever abandon such places for Astroturf and the designated hitter?

-Catching batting practice homeruns along Waveland Avenue with the classic hand-operated scoreboard in the distance:


-A pre-game beer at Harry Caray's:


Wrigley, unlike other parks, isn't as pricey as you'd first think (it ain't as cheap as Cincinnati, though). 30 bucks bought a seat directly behind home plate on the lower level, not more than 100 feet from the plate - and there was only one support beam that just barely blocked my view of the right field corner. Concession prices weren't outrageous either (like St. Louis!): a beer and a dog cost $10. Heck, they even have a well-organized score card to keep track of the game with (I'm getting back into the routine of keeping score during ball games this summer - a practice I had quit). I have to hand it to Cubs fans too (as much as I would prefer not to...). While they can be a bit obnoxious, you have to say that they are truly fan-atical. I forgot just how loud a Wrigley Field crowd is. They pack the park for a Monday evening game, and it seemed that every single one of them was dressed in some Cub paraphernalia. No doubt - they are into the game. And I assure you, unlike most other parks I've been to, not a soul left that game until the final out was made. Even with my allegiance as a Reds fan, Wrigley has my vote as baseball heaven.


-The Classic Wrigley Scene; A Classic Baseball Scene:


-"The Sign" Cubs Win:


With roughly another month and a half of the summer left, where will I end up next? All indications are that I will probably be catching a Rockies game while on an upcoming trip to Denver, as well as a Red Sox game at Fenway with my sister Katie.

Hats, Hats, Hats...

I have always liked to wear a hat... just a habit I've gotten into, I guess (covering my increasingly bald head). Lots of people have noticed, and I've gotten a lot of hats as gifts: mostly baseball hats - which I normally wear - but every once in a while I mix it up a bit. A straw panama during the summer; a black fedora; and don't forget the biretta for ecclesiastical wear!



Well, check out this website recently recommended by a friend (thanks, Fr. John...) featuring a most disturbing collection of ecclesiastical and academic head wear. Hold on to your biretta and click HERE! It helps if you can read German...

The trusty old fedora:


The "Biretta Padua" (an apparent variation upon the trusty old biretta):


You're a monsignor and want to wear the house cassock and biretta to the ballgame? NO PROBLEM!!!