Saint John Lateran

When I was in the seminary at Saint Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana, this feast day was always an interesting one to me. The monks always rang the bells for their respective prayer times and it seemed like all of them rang on this day, November 9, and I guess I did not understand why. I do know now the importance of this feast. The Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome is the mother church of Christendom. It is also the Cathedral Church of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. This Basilica was erected by the Emperor Constantine and has been observed on this day since the twelfth century. The feast was first observed in Rome but later on was extended to the entire Latin Church (Magnificat 125-26). We thank God for this feast day and for helping us realize that we are part of a larger mission. Of course that mission is continuing the work of the church and spreading the Good News. May we continue to do all that we can to build up the church, the body of Christ in our midst. Have a blessed day!!!