Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. These great saints, often called the “Princes of the Apostles,” gave their lives as witnesses of the Gospel. To Peter was entrusted the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the Jewish people and the ministry of unity as the first Pope. To Paul was given the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles, to bring the Gospel to all peoples, and to encourage the nascent Christian communities as they grew in faith. These saints represent some important ecclesiological principles. The Church carries out various munera, or ministries. Theologically speaking, we note ministries of teaching, governing, and sanctifying. Both Peter and Paul teach the faith – in fact, after Paul’s conversion, he goes to Peter (submitting to Peter’s governing authority) to present his way of teaching the Gospel, which our first pope approved. Both Peter and Paul build up the churches entrusted to their care in faith and prayer, helping them to grow in holiness. As we celebrate these saintly pillars of our Church and our faith, let us pray for our bishops who are the successors of the Apostles, that they would have the wisdom needed to proclaim the Gospel with fidelity.

The word “solemnity” has been used a number of times this month. In fact, we have celebrated six different solemnities this month alone! We began with the celebration of Pentecost, the solemnity that brings the Easter season to a close. The following two Sundays saw us celebrate the solemnities of the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi. On June 24, we marked the solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, followed in short order by the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 27. While the word is familiar, I realized that we’re probably familiar with the idea of solemnity as an adjective used to describe the way something is done. But when used as a noun, we find a different definition. A liturgical solemnity is the highest rank of the feast days we can celebrate in the liturgical calendar. The liturgical calendar of the Latin (Roman) Catholic Church gives us solemnities, feasts, and memorials. A solemnity can celebrate a saint or a mystery of our Lord’s life (such as His birth or resurrection). When celebrating a solemnity, you can expect to hear a Gloria, two readings before the Gospel, and the recitation of the Creed. For a feast, the Gloria would be said, but not the Creed, while a memorial is simply a day to celebrate a particular saint. All that said, whatever kind of celebration we’re having, every Mass is an opportunity to encounter Jesus who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist.

Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us!

Peace,

Fr. Sam