Beta
This website is in beta. For the full experience, download the app.
This website is in beta. For the full experience, download the app.
Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Rite. It is the commemoration of the day when the Ark of the New Covenant first entered into the earthly temple. When King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem in 1 Kings 8, he prayed remembering all that God had done with his mighty arm to rescue his people from Egypt, bring them into the land, and give his father, David, victory over their enemies. There was festal singing and rejoicing, the offering of many sacrifices to the Lord, and a great feast for the people. When the Ark of the New Covenant entered the temple with Ss. Joachim and Anne, there was no such reaction from the people. What she was to be was veiled from their eyes and would not be known till after her Fiat and the completion of her divine Son’s mission of redemption. Yet the history of the liturgy and the writings of the saints tell us that the angels in heaven rejoiced more than King Solomon and all the people of Israel upon witnessing she who would bear the Word of God, the Bread from Heaven, and the true High Priest enter into the temple.
Attached please find our Christmas schedule, as well as my Christmas message to the parish.
The title of this post is a joke. There’s no saint named “John Lateran.” Today is the feast of the dedication of the Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran. The universal Church celebrates the dedication of this church, commonly referred to as St. John Lateran, because it is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and thus the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, that is, the Pope. It is thus rightly known as “Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World.” The celebration of the dedication of a church is really a celebration of Our Lord. As today’s gospel says, his body is the true temple. Thus every church building represents Christ. We celebrate St. John Lateran because, as the Pope’s Cathedral, it represents Christ uniting his Church through our communion with the Holy Father. Let us pray today for our Holy Father, Pope Francis. May the Lord bless him and keep him. May the Lord make his face to shine upon him. May he be blessed upon the earth and not delivered over to the hands of his enemies. Amen.
“The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice” (Matthew 33: 2–3). Our Lord here draws a distinction between the person and the office. A person who holds an office with authority can command our obedience, even if they are not a good person, as long as their commands do not go against the law of God. Now, it is certainly better that a leader of any kind be good and wise. But the authority they receive is not from themselves. So why are we told not to call anyone teacher, doctor, father, etc.? After all, we call teachers “teacher.” We call doctors “doctor.” We call our fathers “father,” or some equivalent like “dad,” “pa,” “pops,” etc. Our Lord is reminding us that all authority comes from above. We should not puff ourselves up because we hold an office, be it in the Church or in the world. Rather, we should recognize that all authority comes from God and use it accordingly: “Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above’” (John 19: 11).
Today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, an important figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. A true reformer (unlike so many of those false “reformers” to whom history has falsely given the title), he was dedicated to the reform and education of the clergy, implementing many of the reforms of the Council of Trent, including founding seminaries to educate and form priests. He was also zealous in his desire to educate his faithful, especially the youth. He brought in the newly founded Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) and began some of the first “Sunday schools” to educate children in the Faith and prepare them to receive the Sacraments. Because of his work founding seminaries and implementing CCD, he is the patron of seminarians, catechumens, and catechisms. St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!
Those who piously visit a church on 2 November and pray at least an Our Father and the Creed can obtain a plenary indulgence (in this case, applicable only to the faithful departed). Until 8 November, those who visit a cemetery and pray for the faithful departed, even if only mentally, can obtain a plenary indulgence. Conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence: 1. Complete the indulgenced act. 2. Confession. (Within 20 days. One confession can be applicable to multiple indulgences.) 3. Worthy reception of Holy Communion. (Within 20 days. Received once for each indulgence.) 4. Prayers for the intentions of our Holy Father. (Within 20 days. Prayed once for each indulgence.) 5. Detachment from sin. (Essentially, eliminating near occasions of sin from our lives.) Indulgences can be applied to oneself or one of the faithful departed unless specified otherwise. One cannot gain an indulgence for another living person.
Any young trick-or-treaters should be sure to come to Mass this evening or tomorrow. I’m not sure if there will be any tricks, but each one can have a treat!
Reminder that the Solemnity of All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation. The following Masses at St. Ursula will fulfill this obligation: Tuesday, 31 October: 5:15 P.M. Wednesday, 1 November: 8:00 A.M., 6:00 P.M.
Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Rite. It is the commemoration of the day when the Ark of the New Covenant first entered into the earthly temple. When King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem in 1 Kings 8, he prayed remembering all that God had done with his mighty arm to rescue his people from Egypt, bring them into the land, and give his father, David, victory over their enemies. There was festal singing and rejoicing, the offering of many sacrifices to the Lord, and a great feast for the people. When the Ark of the New Covenant entered the temple with Ss. Joachim and Anne, there was no such reaction from the people. What she was to be was veiled from their eyes and would not be known till after her Fiat and the completion of her divine Son’s mission of redemption. Yet the history of the liturgy and the writings of the saints tell us that the angels in heaven rejoiced more than King Solomon and all the people of Israel upon witnessing she who would bear the Word of God, the Bread from Heaven, and the true High Priest enter into the temple.
Attached please find our Christmas schedule, as well as my Christmas message to the parish.
The title of this post is a joke. There’s no saint named “John Lateran.” Today is the feast of the dedication of the Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran. The universal Church celebrates the dedication of this church, commonly referred to as St. John Lateran, because it is the Cathedral Church of Rome, and thus the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, that is, the Pope. It is thus rightly known as “Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World.” The celebration of the dedication of a church is really a celebration of Our Lord. As today’s gospel says, his body is the true temple. Thus every church building represents Christ. We celebrate St. John Lateran because, as the Pope’s Cathedral, it represents Christ uniting his Church through our communion with the Holy Father. Let us pray today for our Holy Father, Pope Francis. May the Lord bless him and keep him. May the Lord make his face to shine upon him. May he be blessed upon the earth and not delivered over to the hands of his enemies. Amen.
“The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice” (Matthew 33: 2–3). Our Lord here draws a distinction between the person and the office. A person who holds an office with authority can command our obedience, even if they are not a good person, as long as their commands do not go against the law of God. Now, it is certainly better that a leader of any kind be good and wise. But the authority they receive is not from themselves. So why are we told not to call anyone teacher, doctor, father, etc.? After all, we call teachers “teacher.” We call doctors “doctor.” We call our fathers “father,” or some equivalent like “dad,” “pa,” “pops,” etc. Our Lord is reminding us that all authority comes from above. We should not puff ourselves up because we hold an office, be it in the Church or in the world. Rather, we should recognize that all authority comes from God and use it accordingly: “Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above’” (John 19: 11).
Today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, an important figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. A true reformer (unlike so many of those false “reformers” to whom history has falsely given the title), he was dedicated to the reform and education of the clergy, implementing many of the reforms of the Council of Trent, including founding seminaries to educate and form priests. He was also zealous in his desire to educate his faithful, especially the youth. He brought in the newly founded Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) and began some of the first “Sunday schools” to educate children in the Faith and prepare them to receive the Sacraments. Because of his work founding seminaries and implementing CCD, he is the patron of seminarians, catechumens, and catechisms. St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!
Those who piously visit a church on 2 November and pray at least an Our Father and the Creed can obtain a plenary indulgence (in this case, applicable only to the faithful departed). Until 8 November, those who visit a cemetery and pray for the faithful departed, even if only mentally, can obtain a plenary indulgence. Conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence: 1. Complete the indulgenced act. 2. Confession. (Within 20 days. One confession can be applicable to multiple indulgences.) 3. Worthy reception of Holy Communion. (Within 20 days. Received once for each indulgence.) 4. Prayers for the intentions of our Holy Father. (Within 20 days. Prayed once for each indulgence.) 5. Detachment from sin. (Essentially, eliminating near occasions of sin from our lives.) Indulgences can be applied to oneself or one of the faithful departed unless specified otherwise. One cannot gain an indulgence for another living person.
Any young trick-or-treaters should be sure to come to Mass this evening or tomorrow. I’m not sure if there will be any tricks, but each one can have a treat!
Reminder that the Solemnity of All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation. The following Masses at St. Ursula will fulfill this obligation: Tuesday, 31 October: 5:15 P.M. Wednesday, 1 November: 8:00 A.M., 6:00 P.M.
