November 18 2020 - Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul

On June 29 every year we celebrate the feast of the martyrdoms of Saints Peter and Paul. Today’s feast commemorates the dedication of the Roman Basilicas built in their honor: the basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican in the year 350 and the dedication of the basilica of St. Paul in 390.  

Both of these edifices now stand very near the places where it is traditionally believed Saints Peter and Paul were martyred. Peter, we know, was said to have been crucified upside-down in the Circus of Nero, located on the mons Vaticanus, the Vatican Hill. Paul, was martyred outside the walls of the ancient city, at a place now called the abbazia delle tre fontane, the abbey of the three fountains, called such, because it is said, that when Paul was decapitated, his head bounced three times, from which, springs of water began to flow.

Each were buried near the place of their martyrdom. Again, Peter in a roman cemetery on Vatican Hill. And Paul, in a Roman Necropolis outside the ancient walls, in the tomb of a devout roman Noblewoman named Lucilla. 

When Christianity was eventually legalized in the Roman Empire, basilicas were built over the burial places of these two foundation stones for the Church. Though pilgrimage to their tombs was already occurring before the edict of Milan. Christians in fact risked imprisonment in order to make pilgrimage to pray at the tombs of Peter and Paul. 

Neither of the original basilicas still stand, in fact St. Paul’s has been subject to numerous fires. The new basilica of St. Paul’s was consecrated by Pius IX in 1854 and St. Peter’s Basillica was consecrated on this day, November 18 in 1626 by Pope Urban VIII—the altar of St. Peter’s basilica standing directly over the burial place of the apostle.

We can certainly see homages to these two great basilicas in the architecture of St. Ignatius, and yet, we aren’t really celebrated architectural achievement today, are we? Rather, the entire Catholic world today celebrates these two buildings in Rome,  in order to show our honor to the Apostles, and to remember that we belong to a Church that spans the entire globe, several millennia, which is built on the apostolic foundation. 

In an age where so many are tempted to sever themselves from the past and from authentic Church teaching, this feast is an important dimension of our Catholic faith. We unite ourselves to the great efforts of the apostles, to the millions of Catholics who have suffered persecution for our faith, for the efforts of missionaries and evangelists and teachers who have spent their lives passing on our faith, without whom we would not be here today. 

May our lives continue to be built upon the apostolic faith, courage and strength of Peter and Paul. May the love for the Lord which animated their lives animate ours, that we may serve him generously, if not heroically, like them, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the purification of Holy Church, that the Pope and Bishops and clergy may be filled with Apostolic Zeal, and that all the Christian faithful may discover and nurture their spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.

For those who have left the Church, for those who have grown lukewarm, for those in mortal sin, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For the healing of all those afflicted with physical, mental, emotional illness, for those in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, those struggling with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

 

August 5 2019 - St. Mary Major Basilica - Christmas in August

My pilgrimage to Rome at the end of May took me to the beautiful basilica whose dedication we celebrate today. The present basilica of St. Mary Major was built in the fifth century, not long after the Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary’s title as “Mother of God.”  The basilica is the largest and oldest church in the world honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It stands atop one of Rome’s seven hills, and despite many restorations, still has the character of an early Roman basilica, in fact, it inspired the architectural design of this Church of St. Ignatius in many ways.

For four hundred years today’s feast was called “Our Lady of the Snows”.  According to legend, the basilica was constructed on the site where the Mother of God produced a miraculous mid-summer snow fall and left her footprints as a sign.  The legend has been long celebrated by releasing a shower of white rose petals from the dome of the basilica every August 5.

Below the Basilica’s main altar are relics from the manger of Bethlehem, in which Mary laid the newborn Savior of the World.  At the Basilica, in a sense, it is Christmas every day as groups of pilgrims will approach the manger and sing the beautiful Christmas hymn “Silent Night”. And I can say that it was deeply moving to sing “silent night” in this roman basilica, with 25 other priests from the diocese of Cleveland and our Bishop, and to imagine that the Christ Child was laid in this very manger.

The Christmas Creche is such a powerful symbol of our faith. It’s a symbol that our Good God chose to be born in the poverty of our world, that his mother who embraced him with such tender love, embraces us as well, and teaches us how to embrace her son, as well. And then to be make pilgrimage to this ornate basilica, to see the Creche adorned with gold and jewels, is to share in the Church’s veneration throughout the centuries. Christians have made the basilica so immensely beautiful, they’ve adorned the Creche so beautifully, because our faith is beautiful, and that beauty leads us to love, it leads us to God.

At the beginning of the Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis opened the holy doors at St. Mary Major and said, “Let us allow Mary to lead us to the rediscovery of the beauty of an encounter with her Son Jesus.

May Our Lady help us live out our beautiful faith, lived in the poverty of the world, that it may lead many to an encounter with Christ the Savior, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Our Lady may lead all people to the love of Christ, protect the Church from all evil, and aid us in the mission of the Gospel.

That all government leaders may be awakened to the supreme dignity of every human life, and that all people of our nation may work together for an end to the culture of death.

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, hatred, violence, and cruelty will cease in the world, especially today, we pray for the victims of the mass shootings around our country.

That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Our Lady, who
intercedes for us from her place in heaven.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.

Homily: Nov 18 2016 - The Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

On June 29 every year we celebrate the feast of the martyrdoms of Saints Peter and Paul. Today’s feast commemorates the dedication of the Roman Basilicas built in their honor.

Peter, the unrefined fisherman whom Jesus named the rock on whom the Church is built, and the educated Paul, reformed persecutor of Christians, Roman citizen and missionary to the Gentiles.  Peter, that Pillar of Unity for the Church—the rock of the Church; and Paul, who underwent untold sufferings for the love of Jesus Christ and the spread of His Gospel. Different in many ways, and yet, united by their faith and love for Jesus Christ.

A major similarity in their faith journey was their journey’s end: both, according to tradition, died a martyr’s death in Rome—Peter on a cross and Paul beneath the sword. Their witness and their courage shaped the early Church, and believers have prayed at their tombs from the earliest days.  Today, the tomb of St. Peter lies about 100 meters directly below the main altar in St. Peter’s basilica, and the remains of Saint Paul are also underneath the main altar of the basilica of St. Paul.

Making a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Rome began at an early time in the Church.  Pilgrims came to Rome when it was still illegal to practice Christianity to adorn the tombs of the martyrs. The two great pilgrimage sites were exactly as today—the tombs of St. Peter upon the Vatican Hill and the tomb of St. Paul off the Ostian Way, at the southern extremity of the city.

The Basilica of Saint Peter stands on the hill of Rome called Mons Vaticanus in Latin, across the Tiber river from the traditional seven hills of Rome. It was at the order the Emperor Constantine that the first basilica was built around the year 350 which stood for a 1000 years before the Popes began making plans for a new basilica in the 15th century. Bernini’s colonnade stretches out like a mother’s arms to gather the 7 million people who make pilgrimage to St. Peter’s every year.  The basilica’s main altar stands directly over the tomb of St. Peter. It is the largest church in the world and probably the most easily recognized due to its magnificent dome, also directly over the Apostle’s tomb.

The Basilica of Saint Paul, also built at the order of Constantine, outside the city walls, is located where St. Paul’s body was buried after he had been beheaded by Nero.

The entire Catholic world celebrates these two buildings in Rome, to show our honor to the Apostles, but also to remember that we do belong to a Church that spans the entire globe, several millennia, which is built on the apostolic foundation.

In an age where so many are tempted to sever themselves from the past, and from authentic Church teaching, this feast is an important dimension of our Catholic faith. We unite ourselves to the great efforts of the apostles, to the millions of Catholics around the world, to the countless souls who have gone before us and to those who will come after, that we may be faithful to all the Lord commands, that we may serve him generously and courageously, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.