Dear friends in Christ

This weekend, in a rare departure from the usual Sundays of Ordinary Time, we celebrate the feast of the Dedication of the Pope’s Cathedral in Rome: The Basilica of Saint John Lateran. If you ever visit this church, you will see on the outside wall the Latin inscription, beneath a Papal tiara and crossed keys: Holy Lateran Church, Mother and head of all churches in the city and the world. This is one of the first churches built by Christians following the early persecutions. It was constructed under the Emperor Constantine and is the first Western church to have the invocation of The Saviour. Thus, it takes the place of the usual Sunday liturgy. Among the Jews, the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem was considered an important anniversary, because of the holiness and dignity of the Temple—the place where God made His presence known. Our churches are places where the members of Christ congregate to pray and worship together. Above all, we find there the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle, which makes our Catholic churches unique. Truly the world would be a different place had Christ not remained with us in this way. This feast then, is a moment to renew our own devotion to those places where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and where we can go and seek His presence, in the beauty of holiness. We have just celebrated in September the centenary of the opening of our own church. May the celebration of this feast of the Pope’s Cathedral this weekend, remind us of how we are united in our worship with all our brothers and sisters throughout the Catholic world!

This Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, the 11.30am Sung Mass will be a Requiem for all those who have died in the World Wars and recent conflicts. May God have mercy upon the souls of all the Faithful Departed, and bring them to the eternal light of His life and glory.

Msgr Kevin Hale