"You are where you sit..."

Held aloft in the background, under the Holy Spirit window,

is the "Chair of Peter"

(photo courtesy of Br. Lew, O.P.)

A meditation on the meaning of today's Feast of the Chair of St Peter from Francis Fernandez's "In Conversation With God" (vol. 6)....

"The Lord said to Simon Peter: I have prayed that your faith may not fail; and you in turn must strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32).  The Chair of St. Peter refers to his seat of authority.  The Fathers of the Church used this term as a symbol of a bishop's authority, paying special regard to the Bishop of Rome.  In the Third Century, Saint Cyprian wrote: "Peter holds primacy so as to show that Christ's Church is one, that his Chair is one."  He goes on to emphasize the matter of unity with these words: "God is one.  The Lord is one.  The Church is one.  The Chair founded by Christ is one" (Epistle 43,5). 

For many years the people of Rome had on display a wooden chair which Saint Peter reputedly sat upon.  Saint Damasus moved this relic to the baptistry of the newly built Vatican in the fourth century.  The chair was seen and honoured by thousands of pilgrims from all over Christendom.  At the time when the present Basilica of St. Peter was erected, it was thought advisable to preserve the chair in bronze and gold.

Before the fourth century, in the earliest liturgical calendars of the Church one finds this feast, 'Natale Petri de Cathedra,' the celebration of the institution of the papacy.  This feast highlights the fact that the Bishop of Rome has jurisdiction throughout the entire world.  It has been a long-standing custom to commemorate the consecrations of bishops in their respective dioceses.  Yet these commemorations pertained solely to the limits of each diocese.  The Chair of Peter, however, is unique in that it extends to all Christianity and has done from the first centuries.  As Saint Augustine has pointed out on a sermon for this feast: "Our forefathers gave the name 'Chair' to this feast so that we might remember that the Prince of the Apostles was entrusted with the 'Chair' of the episcopate" (Sermon 15 on the Saints).  We should be sure to review the quality of our love and obedience to the Pope.

Praying for the Sick...

In 1858 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous near Lourdes in France.  Every February the 11th we recall how through this humble girl, Mary called sinners to conversion and inspired within the Church a great zeal for prayer and charity, especially service to the poor and the sick.  Lourdes continues to be one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world, a place of prayer, peace and healing. 
Pope John Paul II officially designated February 11 as the World Day of Prayer for the Sick in 1992. 

In our parish, the remainder of the month of February will be dedicated to special prayers on behalf of the sick, especially those who are members of our own parish.  A vigil candle will remain lit in front of the pulpit until the end of the month to represent our prayers and support for them.  A relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous will also remain in front of the vigil lamp both for veneration and as a reminder of the spiritual solidarity we share with the saints.

Scripture Reading for the Sick

"Are any sick among you?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

St. Cyril and St. Methodius: Our Patron Saints, Our Purpose...

Over 1000 years ago, two brothers, motivated by their profound love for God,  dedicated their lives to the cause of spreading the Gospel message.  Born into a prominent Christian family in Thessalonica (modern-day Greece) in the 9th century, Saints Cyril and Methodius were both gifted leaders and teachers.  Because of their talents and their mastery of the language, they were sent as missionaries first to what is now Ukraine and then to other areas inhabited by the Slavic peoples. 

There they preached the Gospel, baptized many people and established churches.  St. Cyril is perhaps most famous for developing an alphabet which formed the foundation of what is now known as the Cyrillic alphabet.  After St. Cyril died in Rome in 869, his brother, St. Methodius, was consecrated a bishop and served in Moravia until his death in 885. 

Most famously known as the "Apostles to the Slavs", these two brothers were named as patrons of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1980 for their great contributions to the work of evangelization.

Inspired by the heroic witness, initiative, and creativity of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, we choose them as patron saints of this blog.  We pray that through their intercession, this blog may be an effective tool for strengthening and fostering the Christian faith in our own day.

(Stained Glass Window,

St. Peter's Church, Thunder Bay)

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI, in a message for the 45th World Communications Day, once again encouraged Christians to proclaim the Gospel using the new and ever-devoloping tools and networks of the digital age.  Our parish blog is a humble attempt to respond to his invitation.

Here, in part, are some of his words:

"I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible. This is not simply to satisfy the desire to be present, but because this network is an integral part of human life. The web is contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness. In this field too we are called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God, the Saviour of humanity and of history, the one in whom all things find their fulfilment (cf. Eph 1:10)."