Homily Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran (2020)
Homily Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran (2020)
The church of St. John Lateran is one of the four major basilicas of Rome. The others are St. Peter, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls. It is custom that one makes pilgrimage to Rome that they visit these four churches.
St. John Lateran is the oldest of these churches (324 AD). It sits in the middle of the city. Next to it is the Lateran Palace which was the home of the Pope for hundreds of years. Most Catholics don’t realize that St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome not St Peter’s. The cathedra for the Bishop of Rome is there. Because of this church it is said to be the mother church of all Chrysostom.
The Feast we celebrate today commemorates the unity of the worldwide church under the Bishop of Rome. The Pope is first and foremost the Bishop of Rome. Pope Francis alluded to that on the night he was elected Pope. When he was standing on the balcony at St. Peter’s, he commented to the people of Rome about how they had been given a Pope from halfway across the world.
This is a good time to remember the unity of the church. The Pope is the spokesperson for our religion. When he makes a statement the world listens because Catholicism has over a billion adherents.
Every Pope has controversies to deal with. Our present Pope is no exception. He came to the papacy in the middle of the sex abuse scandal. Corruption has also been a problem at the highest level of the church’s governance. Pope Francis has been asked to set things right.
He is a Pope from the Southern hemisphere. The first Pope to come from there. He has seen much poverty and suffering and that has affected his outlook. His preaching is in line with that of Jesus who was concerned with justice and for those in most need. Pope Francis believes that money and power should not determine who oversees the church. No, holiness is what counts the most. He challenges us all to be holier people.
Reflection Questions:
- When I reflect on what is important about my Catholicism, do I see unity with the church as important? Are the bishops the successors of the Apostles?
- Pope Francis challenges us to be more charitable. Do I resent his teaching? Is it in tune with Jesus or not?
Dear Parishioners,
COVID 19 has hindered a priest’s ability to minister to the sick. I
have written about this several times over the last eight months. A priest can still anoint those who are at home or those who present themselves after Mass, but it is harder to get into hospitals and nursing homes.
As COVID 19 cases increase it is more likely that I may be asked to anoint a patient that has the disease. I have been instructed to let priest’s who are younger and who are specifically trained in using PPE to anoint Coronavirus patients.
If I am exposed this will mean that I must quarantine for fourteen days. All this puts me in a difficult position. Priest’s have had to shut down their parishes for two weeks while they were quarantined. That is a bad situation
I will try to make sound choices. I would hate to have to suspend sacraments. I feel like we all need sacramental grace right now.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark