Matt 16:13-19: Jesus Establishes the Papacy, The Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

Madonna and Child with Sts. Peter and Paul. (1608-1609)
by Giuseppe Cesari (c.1568–3 July 1640),
Today is the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles and martyrs. The Gospel for today's Mass is Jesus's institution of the Papacy in which He establishes Peter as the first pope of the Church. The audio clip below is a recording of this reading chanted by a deacon at a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica celebrated by Bl. Pope John Paul II on this solemnity. The text in Latin and English is given at the bottom of this post.



In the video below, Jimmy Akin at Catholic Answers gives responses to objections that Protestants make to reject that Jesus here is establishing Peter as the first pope. In the video, two documents are referenced: 1) Peter the Rock by Karl Keating, 2) Why Be Catholic? by Jimmy Akin. CatholicApologetics.info has given thorough responses to many Protestant objections in a document entitled 10 Answers on St. Peter the Rock by Mario Derksen.

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In illo témpore: Venit Iesus in partes Cæsaréæ Philippi, et interrogábat discípulos suos, dicens: Quem dicunt hómines esse Fílium hóminis? At illi dixérunt: Alii Ioánnem Baptístam, alii autem Elíam, álii vero Ieremíam aut unum ex Prophétis. Dicit illis Iesus: Vos autem quem me esse dícitis? Respóndens Simon Petrus, dixit: Tu es Christus, Fílius Dei vivi. Respóndens autem Iesus, dixit ei: Beátus es, Simon Bar Iona: quia caro et sanguis non revelávit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in coelis est.

Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ædificábo Ecclésiam meam...

...et portæ ínferi non prævalébunt advérsus eam. Et tibi dabo claves regni coelórum. Et quodcúmque ligáveris super terram, erit ligátum et in coelis: et quodcúmque sólveris super terram, erit solútum et in coelis.

— Lectio ✝ sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthaeum (16:13-19).

At that time, Jesus having come into the district of Caesarea Philippi, began to ask His disciples, saying, Who do men say the Son of Man is? But they said, Some say, John the Baptist; and others, Elias; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered and said, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven.

And I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church...

...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

— A Reading ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (16:13-19).

Sancti Apostoli Petre et Paule, orate pro nobis.

DCMission Video: Performance of the Bach/Gounod 'Ave Maria' for Cornet and Organ in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Solemnity of the Annunciation

Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

Today is the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Beatíssima Virgo María, in coelum assumpta, ora pro nobis.

A friend mentioned to me that on the new calendar, it is also the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), a Franciscan friar who is the patron saint of the pro-life movement. Due to his Marian spirituality and fervent promotion of devotion to Mary, St. Maximilian holds the title of the Apostle of Consecration to Mary. He was martyred at Auschwitz.

(Enlarge image.)

The Servant of God Fr. John Hardin, S.J. (for whom there is an open cause) wrote an article on the Marian Spirituality of St. Maximilian that is available here: link. Another interesting fact is that St. Maximilian was an Amateur Radio operator. His call sign was SP3RN. (Mine is AG4JQ.)

St. Maximilian Kolbe, ora pro nobis.

For the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption, here is the Magnificat in C by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706), composer of the famous Canon in D. The Gospel tomorrow will include the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55).



Et ait María:
Magnificat: anima mea Dominum.
Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est:
et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies:
timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo:
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede:
et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis:
et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum:
recordatus misericordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros:
Abraham, et semini eius in saecula.

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And Mary said:
My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty,
hath done great things to me;
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations,
to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant,
being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed for ever.