SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2020 - Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
August22,2020
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
When catholic pilgrims go to Rome they look forward to visiting the tomb of St. Peter, which is under the high altar of St. Peter Basilica. Excavations since the 1940’s have definitively proved that the tomb of St. Peter is actually where we have always thought it was. Since the days of St. Peter only two churches have been built over the tomb; one by the Emperor Constantine after the legal recognition of Christianity and the present basilica in all its splendor. The original church was built over the humble burying place of St. Peter in what originally was a Roman cemetery in the Vatican section of ancient Rome. With the excavations complete, scholars and special tours can walk the streets of the ancient cemetery beneath the current basilica, passing by pagan burial places still undisturbed, and then approach the original simple tomb of St. Peter.
On the main level of the basilica pilgrims are invited to kneel at what is called the Confessio (from I believe or confess or profess) and renew in prayer the ancient Apostles’ Creed, which is printed on cards in the major languages of the world. For it is near this very spot that the earthly remains of St. Peter have been venerated from the beginning of Christianity. It is here that papal Masses continue to be celebrated at the High Altar and the Masses of simple priests are celebrated at many minor altars, including one in the Clementine chapel in the crypt beneath the pope’s altar. Catholics renew the profession of faith St. Peter made in our Lord and accept all that the Lord has to offer, especially His precious gift of the one, holy, catholic, apostolic, Church, built on the rock of St. Peter’s faith. We are heirs of that one true Church. The popes are the successors of St. Peter by the mandate of Christ Himself. Of course, the popes cannot alter the teachings of the Lord. Their duty is to hand them on unchanged. In our uncertain world, we have this certainty of faith. If we stand with St. Peter and his successors, and truly love our Holy Mother the Church, then the Kingdom of God will advance on earth in preparation for the eternal Kingdom.