FEAST OF THE DAY MONDAY, 9 NOVEMBER, 2026 DEDICATION OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN BASILICA Today the liturgy celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, called “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world.” In fact, this basilica was the first to be built after Emperor Constantine's edict, in 313, granted Christians freedom to practice their religion. The emperor himself gave Pope Miltiades the ancient palace of the Laterani family, and the basilica, the baptistery, and the patriarchate, that is, the Bishop of Rome's residence — where the Popes lived until the Avignon period — were all built there. The basilica's dedication was celebrated by Pope Sylvester around 324 and was named Most Holy Savior; only after the 6th century were the names of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist added, and now is typically denominated by these latter. Initially the observance of this feast was confined to the city of Rome; then, beginning in 1565, it was extended to all the Churches of the Roman rite. The honoring of this sacred edifice was a way of expressing love and veneration for the Roman Church, which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch says, “presides in charity” over the whole Catholic communion (Letter to the Romans, 1:1). On this solemnity the Word of God recalls an essential truth: the temple of stones is a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community, which in their letters the Apostles Peter and Paul already understood as a “spiritual edifice,” built by God with “living stones,” namely, Christians themselves, upon the one foundation of Jesus Christ, who is called the “cornerstone” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20-22). “Brothers, you are God's building,” St. Paul wrote, and added: “holy is God's temple, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:9c, 17). The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human beings, limited and sinful, to convert to form a “cosmos,” a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the “ecclesia,” that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God.Dear friends, today's feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God's desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love. PRAYER: O God, who from living and chosen stones prepare an eternal dwelling for your majesty, increase in your Church the spirit of grace you have bestowed, so that by new growth your faithful people may build up the heavenly Jerusalem. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
I always get mixed up with the Basilica's in Rome, There are the four main ones, St Peters, St Marys, St John and St Paul. And there are another 62 others. Imagine that 66 Basilicas in the one city! I don't really recall St Johns so well. There is much to envy the people of Rome for and one of the main ones is their Churches. One lovely thing I find there is whenever you go into a Church there is very often the body of a saint inside, sometimes incorrupt. One thing I notice about the Rosary is how often they centre on the Holy City of Jerusalem. Our own Catholic Jerusalem which is the Holy City of Rome. How sad that Catholic Prophecy indicates that Rome is about to be burnt in Great Fire. This is because it has become so corrupt and evil. Our Shepherds have become wolves. Only fire can cleanse it of its great wickedness and Apostasy. In this too Rome reminds me of Jerusalem which too had to be cleansed by fire again and again. Luke 21:5-38 Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple 5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was [a]adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.” One thing I notice here in Spain is how much attention they pay to the hermit of Assisi who speaks a lot prophetically about the future of the Church. https://www.ctsbooks.org/take-a-vir...0z6mA8o4WPGMKocQUyBPdYtGDnhclsJDsB3Es-zAR4D2K
SAINT OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 10 NOVEMBER, 2026 SAINT LEO THE GREAT POPE, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AND CONFESSOR (Pope from 440 to 461 AD) Leo I, Pope and Doctor of the Church, ruled from 440 to 461. He is surnamed "the Great" and ranks among the most illustrious sovereigns that ever sat on the throne of St. Peter. Of his life, we know little; with him the man seems to disappear before the Pope. He saw most clearly that one of his greatest tasks was to vindicate the primacy of the Roman bishop, St. Peter's successor, and to raise the prestige of the Holy See before the entire world. Hardly any Pope in history has occupied a like position in the ecclesiastical and political world. As a writer, too, his name is famous. His sermons, which occur frequently in the Divine Office, belong to the finest and most profound in patristic literature. The Council of Chalcedon was held under his direction (451). The Breviary tells us: Leo I, an Etruscan, ruled the Church at the time when Attila, King of the Huns, who was called the Scourge of God, invaded Italy. After a siege of three years, he took, sacked and burned Aquileia, and then hurried on toward Rome. Inflamed with anger, his troops were already preparing to cross the Po, at the point where it is joined by the Mincio. Here Attila was stopped by Leo (452). With God-given eloquence, the Pope persuaded him to turn back, and when the Hun was asked by his servants why, contrary to custom, he had so meekly yielded to the entreaties of a Roman bishop, he answered that he had been alarmed by a figure dressed like a priest that stood at Leo's side; this individual was holding a drawn sword and acted as if he would kill him if he advanced farther. As a result Attila retreated to Pannonia. Meanwhile, Leo returned to Rome, and was received with universal rejoicing. Some time later, the Vandal Genseric entered the city, and again Leo, by the power of his eloquence and the authority of his holy life, persuaded him to desist from atrocity and slaughter (455). Leo was also active in matters liturgical. The so-called Leonine sacramentary, a compendium of Missal prayers, contains many of his compositions; some liturgists give him credit for the beautiful offices of Advent. PRAYER: O God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church, firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
It is lovely to hear about a great and good Pope. It reminds me what a blessing having such a Great Pope is. It reminds me of the hymn, 'God Bless our Pope the Great, the good'. I would guess over the last couple of centuries nearly all our Popes have been good, even saints and not a few of them great. I guess this blind sided us and so we became presumptious and expected whatever Pope came along was just bound to be great and good. This even became a form of Papal Idolatry where we set any Pope who was elected as having some kind of semi Divine status which history should have warned us was very,very dangerous. Popes like anyone else can be be very holy, even Saintly but they can also be wicked and evil . They can be Good Shepherds but they can also be false and wicked shepherds. We are having to relearn the lessons of history regarding Popes in our present days.
