John Zuhlsdorf

Ordination denomination = Catholic ordained deacon by = Paul Augustin Mayer broadcasting a daily Tridentine Mass and issuing commentary on individuals and events from a traditionalist Catholic perspective.

Life Zuhlsdorf was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1959. He studied classical languages and theatre at the University of Minnesota. Formerly a Lutheran, he says his conversion to Catholicism was set into motion after hearing a piece of sacred polyphony on the radio. He was ordained a priest in Rome by Pope John Paul II on May 26, 1991.

After ordination, Zuhlsdorf attended the Patristic Institute Augustinianum, which conferred a Licentiate of Sacred Theology.

Later, Zuhlsdorf became a weekly columnist for the traditionalist newspaper The Wanderer, and has appeared on EWTN and the Fox News Channel. Since 2011 he has written a weekly column for the Catholic Herald in the United Kingdom. He is best known for his blog Fr. Z's Blog (previously named: What Does the Prayer Really Say?), in which he comments on Catholic tradition and current church events, advocates for reverent celebration of both authorized forms of the Roman Rite liturgy of the Mass (i.e., the post-Vatican II form and the 1962 Tridentine form), and for the growth of the sacrament of Penance.

In September 2017, Zuhlsdorf wrote a post titled "Should a seminary headline a homosexualist activist as a speaker?" about a then-upcoming talk Fr James Martin, SJ at Theological College, a seminary located at but independent of the Catholic University of America. Martin became the subject of online criticism, and two days after the post was published, Theological College withdrew their invitation to Martin. The Catholic University of America meanwhile issued a statement denouncing the decision to cancel his appearance.

In January 2021, Zuhlsdorf became involved in a public dispute over live-streaming an exorcism against participants in the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count. He said he had received the permission of his local ordinary Donald J. Hying, the Bishop of Madison, to do the exorcism as it related to the election. However, Hying disputed that statement, saying he had granted Zuhlsdorf permission for the exorcism against the COVID-19 pandemic, and not for political activity.

On January 16, 2021, the Diocese of Madison announced that Zuhlsdorf had reached a mutual decision with Bishop Hying to leave his position of ministry there, and transfer to an undisclosed location. He intended to continue writing his blog.

Zuhlsdorf is president of the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison, Wisconsin.