Today, we celebrate the feast of the Chair of Peter, the Apostle, a celebration which links us to the universal Church and to the faith of the apostles that has been passed down to us. This feast has been celebrate in Rome since the 4th century. The principal diocese of the Catholic Church is Rome and the Pope is its bishop. Many of the faithful may think that the Pope’s cathedral is St Peter’s in Vatican City, but it is actually the Church of St John Lateran. In the Gospel today, we hear how Christ builds his Church upon Peter, the rock. The unity of our Church is expressed by the solidarity and unity that each diocese and each Bishop has with the Diocese of Rome and with each other. In an age when many churches try to distance themselves from denominations and a central authority, priding themselves on their independence and their ability to speak for themselves, we Catholics pride ourselves in the universality of our faith, for the rituals we have practiced for centuries, and for our rich history and traditions. When the Pope speaks formally from the Chair of Peter, it is the faith of the whole Church that he proclaims, not just the personal faith of one person. As Jesus gives Peter a mission in today’s Gospel, it is a mission we all share in as disciples of Christ. Today, as we celebrate the Chair of Peter, may we pray in solidarity with Pope Francis, and our Pope Emeritus, Pope Benedict XVI, giving thanks for the leadership we have in our universal faith.
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