The Feast of the Dedication of the St. John Lateran Basilica

The Feast of the Dedication of the St. John Lateran Basilica is unusual in the Church's calendar because it is a feast for a building rather than a saint or an event in salvation history. The Basilica of St. John-dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist-is the cathedral of Rome, the mother church of the mother diocese of the world. Most people think St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is the cathedral of Rome, but it is not. St. John's church, located on the Lateran Hill (thus the name St. John Lateran), holds the cathedra or "throne" of the Pope as bishop of Rome, the "chair of Saint Peter."

The Bible readings for this feast help us to move from gratitude for beautiful buildings, like the Lateran Basilica, or our own Saint Francis Church, to reflection on the true nature of being the Church. Although we call places of worship "churches," in actual fact, the true sanctuary or place of worship is the Body of Christ, both in the sense of Christ's personal body and in his Mystical Body, which consists of every Christian united to him by faith and the sacraments.

Our beautiful church here, under the patronage of Saint Francis, was dedicated 14 years ago, and I am so happy to announce that our debt has been paid!  Thank you to everyone who has helped build and pay for this house of God where the mission of Jesus continues for 137 years and counting!  Please join us on Thanksgiving Day for Mass at 8:00 AM and then the “burning of the mortgage”! 

And, as we wrap up our formal Stewardship Renewal Weekends, I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has returned a Commitment Card. Your willingness to be God’s building in faith and service is deeply appreciated. My prayer is that your commitments in the coming year lead you to a richer relationship with Jesus, a stronger bond with your family, and a deeper connection to the Church. I’m excited to witness the many ways this will unfold in your lives and in the life of our parish in the coming year.

Even though our official Renewal Weekends have come to a close, it’s never too late to take that step. If you haven’t yet completed a Commitment Card, I encourage you to do so. Take a moment this week to discern how God is calling you to share your time in prayer, talents in ministry, and treasure in financial giving to the mission of our parish. Extra cards are available in the pews, or you can fill one out online through our parish website.

May Jesus continue to bless you as you grow His building, His Body, the Church!

Fr. Mark Zacker

Pastor

La fiesta de la Dedicación de la Basílica de San Juan de Letrán es inusual en el calendario de la Iglesia, ya que es una fiesta dedicada a un edificio y no a un santo o a un evento de la historia de la salvación. La Basílica de San Juan, dedicada tanto a San Juan Bautista como a San Juan Evangelista, es la catedral de Roma, la iglesia madre de la diócesis madre del mundo. La mayoría de la gente piensa que la basílica de San Pedro en el Vaticano es la catedral de Roma, pero no es así. La iglesia de San Juan, situada en la colina de Letrán (de ahí el nombre de San Juan de Letrán), alberga la cátedra o «trono» del Papa, obispo de Roma, la «silla de San Pedro».

Las lecturas bíblicas de esta fiesta nos ayudan a pasar de la gratitud por los hermosos edificios, como la basílica de Letrán o nuestra propia iglesia de San Francisco, a la reflexión sobre la verdadera naturaleza de ser Iglesia. Aunque llamamos «iglesias» a los lugares de culto, en realidad, el verdadero santuario o lugar de culto es el Cuerpo de Cristo, tanto en el sentido del cuerpo personal de Cristo como en su Cuerpo Místico, que está formado por todos los cristianos unidos a él por la fe y los sacramentos.

Nuestra hermosa iglesia aquí, San Francisco, fue consagrada hace 14 años, y me complace anunciar que nuestra deuda ha sido pagada. Gracias a todos los que han ayudado a construir y pagar esta casa de Dios, donde la misión de Jesús, bajo el patrocinio de San Francisco, continúa desde hace 137 años y sigue adelante. Por favor, únanse a nosotros el Día de Acción de Gracias, 27 de noviembre, para la misa a las 8:00 a. m. y luego la «quema de la hipoteca». 

¡Que Jesús continúe bendiciéndolos mientras forman Su edificio, Su Cuerpo, la Iglesia!

P. Mark Zacker

Párroco