The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

The Lateran Basilica, or more properly the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour and Sts. John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran is the seat of the Bishop of Rome, that is, the cathedral church of Rome. This surprises many people who assume that the cathedral of Rome is St Peter's Basilica.

9 November is the feast day of St John Lateran, and it's an important feast day for all Catholics as St John Lateran is our mother church - the highest "rankintg" church in all Christendom.

Happy feastday!

Stealing pictures from other blogs

Sometimes a picture is just to good to resist.

Pinched from Fr Tim Finigan

Great news for the Ordinariate

The Catholic Herald this morning is reporting that 5, yes 5, Anglican bishops are to join the Ordinariate!

From the headline article on the Catholic Herald website:

This morning, the Rt Rev Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury accepted the resignation of three flying Church of England and two retired assistant bishops in what is a major development in the move towards establishing an Ordinariate in Britain.

The Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev Keith Newton, Bishop of Richborough and Rt Rev John Broadhurst Bishop of Fulham as well as the Rt Rev Edwin Barnes the emeritus Bishop of Richborough and the Rt Rev David Silk, an emeritus assistant bishop of Exeter released a statement announcing their resignations.

They said: “As bishops, we have even-handedly cared for those who have shared our understanding and those who have taken a different view. We have now reached the point, however, where we must formally declare our position and invite others who share it to join us on our journey. We shall be ceasing, therefore, from public episcopal ministry forthwith, resigning from our pastoral responsibilities in the Church of England with effect from 31st December 2010, and seeking to join an Ordinariate once one is created.”

Nearly home now Bishops! You are assured of our prayers.

Feast of St Malachy

Today, 3 November is the feast day of St Malachy.

Here's a snippet from the very first entry on this blog:

Malachy born in Armagh in 1094 and was bapised Maolmhaodhog Ua Morgair, usually Anglicised as Malachy O'More. He was successively vicar-general to St Cellach, abbot of Bangor, then bishop of Connor before becoming archbishop of Armagh in1094. His primary achievement as a bishop may well have been his success at replacing the Celtic liturgy with the Roman.

In 1138, Malachy resigned as archbishop of Armagh to go on pilgrimage to Rome, meeting and staying with St Bernard at Clairveaux for a time.

Malachy attempted a second Rome pilgrimage in 1148 but only made it as far as Clairveaux where he died in the arms of St Bernard. He was formally canonised by Pope Clement III in 1190.

No doubt most people know of Malachy because of his "prophecies of the popes". These prophecies are a list of 112 short Latin phrases supposedly describing 112 popes, beginning with Celestine II (1143) and ending with Peter II, who is of course, yet to be elected. After the election of Peter II or Petrus Romanus will come the destruction of Rome and the final judgement.

Malachy died in the arms of St Bernard of Clairveaux on 2 November 1148. His feast day is celebrated on 3 November so that it doesn't clash with All Souls Day.