#St. Ignatius Day celebration

[townpostin]

Loyola School Telco Celebrates Founder's Day with Inspiring Performances

Students honor St. Ignatius through dance, song, and theatrical tributes Loyola School’s Founder’s Day celebration brought St. Ignatius of Loyola’s legacy to life through vibrant student performances and thoughtful reflections. JAMSHEDPUR – Loyola School celebrated its Founder’s Day with a magnificent celebration that paid tribute to Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The event included a variety of…

[rogrogrog]

Beginning Lent today—Ash Wednesday. Have a blessed Lent to one and all.

Celebrating Valentine’s day as well. ❤️

St. Ignatius Chapel, NYC / Feb. 14, 2024

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (July 31)

On July 31, the Universal Church marks the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The Spanish saint is known for founding the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, as well as for creating the “Spiritual Exercises” often used today for retreats and individual discernment.

St. Ignatius was born into a noble family on 23 October 1491 in Guipuzcoa, Spain. He served as a page in the Spanish court of Ferdinand and Isabella.

He then became a soldier in the Spanish army and wounded his leg during the siege of Pamplona in 1521.

During his recuperation, he read “Lives of the Saints.”

The experience led him to undergo a profound conversion, and he dedicated himself to the Catholic faith.

After making a general confession in a monastery in Montserrat, St. Ignatius proceeded to spend almost a year in solitude.

He wrote his famous “Spiritual Exercises” and then made a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land, where he worked to convert Muslims.

St. Ignatius returned to complete his studies in Spain and then France, where he received his theology degree.

While many held him in contempt because of his holy lifestyle, his wisdom and virtue attracted some followers, and the Society of Jesus was born.

The Society was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and it grew rapidly.

St. Ignatius remained in Rome, where he governed the Society and became friends with St. Philip Neri.

St. Ignatius died on 31 July 1556, probably of the "Roman Fever," a severe variant of malaria that was endemic in Rome throughout medieval history.

An autopsy revealed that he also had kidney and bladder stones, a probable cause of the abdominal pains he suffered from in later life.

He was beatified by Pope Paul V on 27 July 1609 and was canonized by Pope Gregory XV on 12 March 1622.

The Jesuits remain numerous today, particularly in several hundred universities and colleges worldwide.

On 22 April 2006, Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Eucharistic concelebration for the Society of Jesus.

He addressed the fathers and brothers of the Society present at the Vatican Basilica, calling to mind the dedication and fidelity of their founder.

“St. Ignatius of Loyola was first and foremost a man of God who in his life put God, his greatest glory and his greatest service, first,” the Pope said.

“He was a profoundly prayerful man for whom the daily celebration of the Eucharist was the heart and crowning point of his day.”

“Precisely because he was a man of God, St Ignatius was a faithful servant of the Church,” Benedict continued, "recalling the saint's special vow of obedience to the Pope, which he himself describes as 'our first and principal foundation.”

Highlighting the need for “an intense spiritual and cultural training,” Pope Benedict called upon the Society of Jesus to follow in the footsteps of St. Ignatius.

They should continue his work of service to the Church and obedience to the Pope so that its members “may faithfully meet the urgent needs of the Church today.”

[catholic-saint-tournament]

ooh! is it too late to cast a vote for st. ignatius of loyola? stopped celebrating his feast day due to the 'Vid and hope to start again... soon? next month?

IT IS NOT TOO LATE AT ALL ANON

Next week we'll do the pre-schism bracket, then the next post-schism, then moderns, then beatifieds, and lastly an all-out warfare for the final boss saint.

So you know, it'll take a while. All summer lol. Because I like assigning myself homework while also doing everything else in my life.

UNLESS I SHOULD RUN THE BRACKETS SIMULTANEOUSLY?????????????

[tunglo]

Express, September 17th 1864:

BROTHER IGNATIUS - EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS. 

It was announced that Brother Ignatius would preach at the monastery at Norwich on the nativity of the Blessed Virgin, but a sore throat prevented his doing so. It is stated that the Rev. Professor Owen, of Jesus College, Oxford, officiated in his stead. The rev. gentleman preached from the words, "The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning." On Wednesday there was a special service at the monastery in celebration of the "exaltation of the holy cross." Mr. H. F. Webber, third son of Mr. C. H. Webber, of South Brannocks, near Barnstaple, Devonshire, has just taken the monastic vows; he will be known in the "English Order of St. Benedict," as Brother Brannock.

An infant of two years has this week been solemnly dedicated at the monastery to the service of God. The infant was dressed as a Benedictine novice in white serge, and he is now left altogether to the care of the monks, and will not see his mother again until he has forgotten her. Brother Ignatius engaged to deliver a course of lectures at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the peculiar principles and usages which he is seeking to introduce in to the church of England. There is no doubt that he is in a weak state of health induced by the austerities which he has practiced. 

During the past week there have been some alterations at the monastery. It appears that the building dignified with this title was let some time since by the dean and chapter of Norwich to a gentleman who was subsequently admitted a member of the "third order." This gentleman seems to have sub-let the tenement to Brother Ignatius and the "English Order of St. Benedict." One of the brethren who recently quitted the Order was received as a visitor at the house of the member of the "third order;" and as this was in direct violation of the rules of the order generally - and at any rate of the will and pleasure of Brother Ignatius - the member of the "third order" now finds himself excommunicated. A lady who refused to lend her assistance to the establishment of a nunnery at Norwich has also been excommunicated. The discipline maintained by Brother Ignatius is very severe; and when any of the monks address him as superior they have to make a very abject obeisance. 

One of the monks, Brother Augustine, has addressed a very extraordinary letter to a lad named Hose, whom the monks have endeavoured to attract to the monastery. He says, "The superior" - that is, Brother Ignatius - "is always having fresh favourites and likings." Brother Augustine complains further that Brother Ignatius seems dreadfully afraid even of one's looking at the boy Hose, to whom he says, his (Brother Augustine's) heart is "literally burning." Brother Augustine begs the boy Hose to burn his extraordinary if not incoherent letter, but it forced its way into his parents hands, and will appear in one of the Norwich papers to-day (Saturday). Brother Ignatius leaves Norwich to-day (Saturday), and according to an announcement which he has made he may be absent on a excursionary tour for two months. How the monastery will move on in his absence remains to be seen. He is the mastermind, without which the whole fabric of this extraordinary "English Order of St. Benedict" would speedily nod to its fall. 

[hbhughes]

Mary Jo Shields

Mary Jo Shields, 70, of South Pasadena, FL and Forty Fort, PA, passed  away on October 12, 2024 while traveling in Italy. Mary Jo was born on September 16, 1954 to the late Joseph and Mary Stiles.  She was born and raised in Luzerne and attended Central Catholic High School in Kingston, PA and was a graduate of College Misericordia, Dallas, PA, as well as the Evelyn Wood School of Speed Reading.  Prior to her retirement from the Wyoming Valley School District, she was a teacher and chair of the science department at the Wyoming Valley West Middle School.  She also taught in several elementary schools in the district early in her career.   

Mary Jo enjoyed life to the fullest.  Her sense of humor was renowned.  An avid sports fan, Mary Jo could be found cheering on her favorite teams: Notre Dame Football; Syracuse Basketball; and the Philadelphia Phillies. As the last surviving member of her immediate family, she was affectionately referred to as “The Matriarch.”  She embraced her Irish heritage and was the hostess to the yearly “Jig’s Dinner” on St. Patrick’s Day.  She loved St. Pete’s Beach, Florida but home was always the Wyoming Valley. Her greatest achievement was her sons. Her love, support, and pride knew no bounds.

Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Mary Stiles; sisters, Peggy Urbanovitch and Sally Disano; and nephew, Glenn Urbanovitch. 

She is survived by her loving husband Joe, who would have celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary on November 5; her son Attorney Joseph Shields and his wife Laura of Forty Fort, PA; and Michael Shields of Minneapolis, MN and his partner Teresa Pfab and their dog Ted Lasso, who Mary Jo loved; nieces, Laurene Urbanovitch, Lisa Stull, and nephew James Urbanovitch.  Several great nieces and nephews and a great, great niece.  Mary Jo was a blessing and blessed by wonderful friends, too many to count.   

The funeral will begin at the Hugh B. Hughes Funeral Home at 9 a.m. on November 4, 2024, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, Kingston PA at 10 a.m.  Friends may call at Hugh B. Hughes Funeral Home on November 3, 2024, from 2 to 5 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Feeding Tampa Bay Disaster Relief at https://feedingtampabay.org or to the Catherine McAuley House, 430 Pittston Avenue, Scranton PA.   

The family would like to extend their thanks to Emanuele Caligiuri of La Pavese Funeral Home in Rome, Italy and the staff of the Hotel American Palace, and EUR of Rome for their care and compassion. 

[christianpureofficial]

St. Ignatius of Antioch

St. Ignatius of Antioch Feast date: Oct 17 On Oct. 17, the Roman Catholic Church remembers the early Church Father, bishop, and martyr Saint Ignatius of Antioch, whose writings attest to the sacramental and hierarchical nature of the Church from its earliest days. Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate his memory on Dec. 20. In a 2007 general audience on St. Ignatius of…

[egcarlos]

Food, Faith and Family

As the end of June was approaching, the health of my grandfather started to deteriorate. So, I decided to set a trip to the Philippines to arrive on July 20, not knowing that he would pass away July 18th.

It’s not like it was totally unexpected, my grandfather is the type to not tell anyone what is wrong or what is bothering him. His pain tolerance is incredulously high, so for him to tell us that he wanted to go to the hospital around the second week of July, we knew something was up. It was a stressful 2 weeks for all my family, not only those who were actually present in the Philippines, but also for me as I was the one trying to coordinate and approve lab work and procedures for my grandfather. It was very difficult trying to communicate with doctors several thousand miles away in a different time zone. I regret having lost my patience with them at times and questioned their motives as the treatment they were offering my grandfather was sort of disjointed and scattered. At the end of the day though, that afternoon on July 18th that I got the news that he passed, I thought, It’s probably for the better.

He was almost 85 years old and lived a beautiful life filled with so many accomplishments, friendships and service to his community. His success and sacrifice in turn gave my mom the opportunity to find her own, starting the domino effect of leading me to where I am today. In the Philippines, it is custom to have a more extended wake filled with multiple services and prayers. For almost a whole week, I spent majority of my day in the chapel where my grandfather's body was being displayed socializing with my cousins (who slept in the chapel at night!), meeting relatives I haven’t seen in years and being able to spend quality time with some of my best friends from the Philippines who love and admire my grandfather as well. Despite it being a wake, followed by the funeral on the very last day, it really felt more like a party with laughter, lots of food and prayers. The only two things missing from making it a true Filipino party was the beer and the karaoke!

Faith, food and family are so intertwined in my culture. I guess you can say that about a lot of other cultures as well, but it is just so apparent every time I head back home. Churches, religious articles and catholic figures are everywhere. In Ususan, my hometown, today actually is the feast day of St. Ignatius (July 31st) and for the past week there has been a night market filled with street food to celebrate his feast day. It made me reflect and think about faith again, as I haven’t been the stand-up ‘good’ catholic the past several years. I’ll attend mass every now and then, but if I don’t have my family or my parents around, more likely than not, I probably won’t go. I don’t want to say that I’ve lost my faith, its just that I think my faith has changed or more so, the expression of my faith has changed. I am very thankful to grow up in the family that I have who grew up believing in God and going to church as my faith became a foundation for my life from the start. There were many times during undergraduate and medical school that I prayed so hard to be able to get through my classes and exams. Having faith gave me humility and gave me a reason to hope bringing me to where I am today. It's just that now, it just really feels like I’m actually able to live my faith out. I have the ability to serve God’s people; I am able to go to work everyday and give them the opportunity to be healthy and also serve God’s people as well. What touches me so much about the Chirstian faith is that we believe that God came down to earth and took up our own flesh and blood to live, suffer and sacrifice like us. It gives our humanity, our pain and our struggles meaning. There is significance in our everyday lives and struggles because God thought that it was significant enough for God to experience life as we know it. Each life is supposed to be significant, meaningful; each life matters. I think one of the gravest of sins is when we don’t acknowledge the humanity of a person. When countries (developing or developed) don’t acknowledge the significance, the importance and the holiness of one life, well, I think that this is when God gets the most mad and disappointed. Paul Farmer, infectious disease doctor and anthropologist and founder of Partners in Health said, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” When a 5 year old living in the Democratic Republic of Congo dies from malnutrition or malaria, or when an unhoused individual from Skid Row in Los Angeles dies from Hepatitis C or when billionaires make their money on the back of the poor- I think this is when God actually gets the most disappointed. I guess, at the end, one can say that my religious practices have changed, but I still think that my faith has always stayed the same. I am a product of my past and my past, being Filipino, is also filled with a lot of family, food and faith. One of the many beautiful memories that I have of my grandfather is that whenever we would talk in the phone, he would always make a point saying that

Lagi kitang pinagdadasal, or  I am always praying for you And yes, I believe that his prayers worked. And now, he is continuing to pray for me and my family up in heaven. We love you Lolo.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Wed July 31st, 2024 ... Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B/Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Reading 1

------------

Jer 15:10, 16-21

Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!

a man of strife and contention to all the land!

I neither borrow nor lend,

yet all curse me.

When I found your words, I devoured them;

they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,

Because I bore your name,

O LORD, God of hosts.

I did not sit celebrating

in the circle of merrymakers;

Under the weight of your hand I sat alone

because you filled me with indignation.

Why is my pain continuous,

my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?

You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,

whose waters do not abide!

Thus the LORD answered me:

If you repent, so that I restore you,

in my presence you shall stand;

If you bring forth the precious without the vile,

you shall be my mouthpiece.

Then it shall be they who turn to you,

and you shall not turn to them;

And I will make you toward this people

a solid wall of brass.

Though they fight against you,

they shall not prevail,

For I am with you,

to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.

I will free you from the hand of the wicked,

and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

Responsorial Psalm

-------------------

Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18

R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;

from my adversaries defend me.

Rescue me from evildoers;

from bloodthirsty men save me.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

For behold, they lie in wait for my life;

mighty men come together against me,

Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! for you I watch;

for you, O God, are my stronghold,

As for my God, may his mercy go before me;

may he show me the fall of my foes.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

But I will sing of your strength

and revel at dawn in your mercy;

You have been my stronghold,

my refuge in the day of distress.

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

O my strength! your praise will I sing;

for you, O God, are my stronghold,

my merciful God!

R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Alleluia

--------

Jn 15:15b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I call you my friends, says the Lord,

for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

---------

Mt 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:

"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,

which a person finds and hides again,

and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant

searching for fine pearls.

When he finds a pearl of great price,

he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. As you may well know, he suffered a life-altering injury when, as a soldier, he took a cannonball to his legs. His injury led to a yearlong convalescence, a period of great discernment, and a time significant conversion of heart and will, a process of conversion that would continue throughout his life. Following his convalescence, St. Ignatius readily pursued the life of a pilgrim, seeking to follow in the footsteps of Christ and emulate the lives of great saints.  Thenceforth, it was not a predictable journey but was one guided by a dogged desire to recognize and respond to God’s active invitations.

St. Ignatius’ was a life well lived, marked by incredible vision, a discerning spirit, great grace, and an abiding desire to collaborate with Christ in mission.  Yet, too often, I find myself romanticizing or glossing over the gritty realities of St. Ignatius’ pilgrim journey – his thwarted plans, his struggles – exterior and interior, his invitations to humility.  On his Feast this year, in our remembering and our celebrating, may we also acknowledge the complexity of St. Ignatius’ life and of our own lives, lovingly and ever so gently attending to the spaces in our lives that cry out “Woe to me, mother that you gave me birth!”, that question “Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?” May we – trusting in our identities as beloved pearls of great price and in the One who is indeed our refuge – turn to our God and hear – in the depths of our being – the abiding assurance “I am with you.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

(October 23, 1491 – July 31, 1556)

Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Story

The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched, and a long, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a vision, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona. He remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa, sometimes with the Dominicans, sometimes in a pauper’s hospice, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a period of great peace of mind, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples. There was no comfort in anything—prayer, fasting, sacraments, penance. At length, his peace of mind returned.

It was during this year of conversion that Ignatius began to write down material that later became his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises.

He finally achieved his purpose of going to the Holy Land, but could not remain, as he planned, because of the hostility of the Turks. Ignatius spent the next 11 years in various European universities, studying with great difficulty, beginning almost as a child. Like many others, his orthodoxy was questioned; Ignatius was twice jailed for brief periods.

In 1534, at the age of 43, he and six others—one of whom was Saint Francis Xavier—vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to the Holy Land. If this became impossible, they vowed to offer themselves to the apostolic service of the pope. The latter became the only choice. Four years later Ignatius made the association permanent. The new Society of Jesus was approved by Pope Paul III, and Ignatius was elected to serve as the first general.

When companions were sent on various missions by the pope, Ignatius remained in Rome, consolidating the new venture, but still finding time to found homes for orphans, catechumens, and penitents. He founded the Roman College, intended to be the model of all other colleges of the Society.

Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of Christianity—the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad majorem Dei gloriam—“for the greater glory of God.” In his concept, obedience was to be the prominent virtue, to assure the effectiveness and mobility of his men. All activity was to be guided by a true love of the Church and unconditional obedience to the Holy Father, for which reason all professed members took a fourth vow to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls.

Reflection

----------

Luther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. Seventeen years later, Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society that was to play so prominent a part in the Catholic Reformation. He was an implacable foe of Protestantism. Yet the seeds of ecumenism may be found in his words: “Great care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their errors be shown.” One of the greatest ecumenists was the 20th-century German Jesuit, Cardinal Augustin Bea.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the Patron Saint of:

Retreats

***

[silvestromedia]

Saint of the day July 22

Sts. Philip Evans and John Lloyd. Philip Evans was born at Monmouth in 1645, was educated at SaintOmer, and joined the Society of Jesus at the age of twenty. In 1675 he was ordained at Liege and sent to South Wales. He was soon well known for his zeal, but no active notice was taken by the authorities until the scare of Oates plot, when in the November of 1678 John Arnold, of Llanvihangel Court near Abergavenny, a justice of the peace and hunter of priests, offered a reward of £200 for his arrest. Father Evans refused to leave his flock, and early in December was caught at the house of Christopher Turberville at Sker in Glamorgan. He refused the oath and was confined alone in an underground dungeon in Cardiff Castle. Two or three weeks afterwards he was joined by Mr. John Lloyd, a secular priest, who had been taken at Penlline in Glamorgan. He was a Breconshire man, who had taken the missionary oath at Valladolid in 1649 and been sent to minister in his own country. After five months the two prisoners were brought up for trial at the shire-hall in Cardiff, charged not with complicity in the plot but as priests who had come unlawfully into the realm. It had been difficult to collect witnesses against them, and they were condemned and sentenced by Mr. Justice Owen Wynne principally on the evidence of two poor women who were suborned to say that they had seen Father Evans celebrating Mass. On their return to prison they were better treated and allowed a good deal of liberty, so that when the under-sheriff came on July 21 to announce that their execution was fixed for the morrow, Father Evans was playing a game of tennis and would not return to his cell till he had finished it. Part of his few remaining hours of life he spent playing on the harp and talking to the numerous people who came to say farewell to himself and Mr. Lloyd when the news got around. The execution took place on Gallows Field (at the north-eastern end of what is now Richmond Road, Cardiff). St Philip died first, after having addressed the people in Welsh and English, and saying ‘Adieu, Mr. Lloyd, though for a little time, for we shall shortly meet again, to St John, who made only a very brief speech because, as he said, ‘I never was a good speaker in my life.

St. Dabius. Irish missionary to Scotland called Davius in some lists. He was part of the great monastic missionary effort in the British Isles, and then in Europe. Several churches there bear his name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabius

St. Movean. Abbot and companion of St. Patrick also called Biteus. Movean was abbot of Inis-Coosery, County Down, Ireland. He served as a missionary in Perthshire and died as a hermit. https://pyhiinvaeltaja.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/st-dabius-movean/

St. Mary Magdelene Roman Catholic, First person to see the resurrected Jesus. Feastday July 22

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Magdalenehttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-mary-magdalene

St. Theophilus, Roman Catholic Admiral and Martyr. An officer in charge of the Byzantine fleet stationed at Cyprus, he was captured in battle against an Arab fleet, despite the pleas of his officers to retreat when the cause was hopeless. He spent one year in a Muslim prison and was then martyred after he refused to abjure the Christian faith. Feastday July 22 https://sdcason.com/st-theophilus/

[brookston]

Holidays 6.11

Holidays

American Evacuation Day (Libya)

Cousteau Day

Davis Day (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Diceaplaooza Day

Dirty Book Day

Escape from Alcatraz Day

Evacuation Day (Libya)

Fandens Fodselsdag (Devil’s Birthday; Denmark)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off Day

Folding Chair Day

Honeysuckle Day (French Republic)

International Balloon Artist Day

International Day of Play

International Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners

International KBG Syndrome Awareness Day

International Lynx Day

Jurassic Park Day

Just One Day

Kamehameha Day (a.k.a. King Kamehameha Day; Hawaii) [Unless a Weekend, then Friday before]

Kodak Black Day

Mojo Nixon Day (Ohio)

multiple Sclerosis Day (Russia)

National Feed the Ducks Day

National Hot Rod Day

National Hug Holiday

National Impressionists Day

National Making Life Beautiful Day

National Olivia Day

Navy Day (Brazil)

Peace of Chaco Day (Bolivia, Paraguay)

Polyamory Pride Day

Queen Fabiola Day (Belgium)

Say Hi Day

611 Day

Student Day (Honduras)

Umbrella Day (Japan)

William Davis Miners' Memorial Day (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Women Generals Day

World Agriculture Day

World Jaguar Day

World Prostate Cancer Day

Yarn Bombing Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Corn on the Cob Day

Cotton Candy Day

German Chocolate Cake Day

Pizza Margherita Day

Royal Hot Dog Day

Independence & Related Days

Mad Parliament Assembly Day (UK; 1258)

Rizal Province Day (Philippines)

2nd Tuesday in June

Broadcast Good Day [2nd Tuesday]

Call Your Doctor Day [2nd Tuesday]

Forklift Safety Day (UK) [2nd Tuesday]

National Forklift Safety Day [2nd Tuesday]

National Time Out Day [2nd Tuesday]

Ride to Work Day [2nd Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Waldchestag (Forest Day) [Tuesday after Whit Sunday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Tuesday; also 2nd Sunday]

Festivals Beginning June 11, 2024

Bocuse d’Or USA (New Orleans, Louisiana) [thru 6.13]

EuroSTAR Conference (Stockholm, Sweden) [thru 6.14]

Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival (Ljutomer, Slovenia) [thru 6.15]

Feast Days

Antonio Cifrondi (Artology)

Arrephoria (Ancient Greece)

Barnabas the Apostle (Christian; Saint) [Harvests]

Bartholomew the Apostle (Eastern Christianity)

Ben Jonson (Writerism)

Day of the One Hit Wonders (Church of the SubGenius)

Eric Fraser (Artology)

Felix and Fortunatus (Christian; Martyrs)

Festival of Goibnui (Provider of the Ale of Immortality; Celtic)

Festival of Mater Matuta (Goddess of the Dawn; Ancient Rome)

Fish Day (Pastafarian)

Fortuna Virgo (Ancient Rome)

St. Francis Xavier (Positivist; Saint)

Gimley’s Boss (Muppetism)

Holiday of the Happy Gnomes (Pagan)

Ignatius Maloyan, Blessed (Armenian Catholic Church)

Joachim Martin Falbe (Artology)

John Constable (Artology)

Loki’s Day (Pagan)

Make a Wand Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Matralia (Old Roman festival to goddess Mater Matuta)

Parisio (Christian; Saint)

Paula Frassinetti (Christian; Saint)

Riagail of Bangor (Christian; Saint)

Rites of Matralia (Honoring Mater Matua, Goddess of Dawn & Childbirth; Ancient Rome)

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Christian) [Sunday after Trinity Sunday]

Spiros Xenos (Artology)

Tochumra of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

William Baziotes (Artology)

William Styron (Writerism)

Yasunari Kawabata (Writerism)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Shavuot, Day 1 (Judaism) [5-6 Sivan] (a.k.a. …

Erev Shabuot

Feast of the Harvest

Feast of Weeks

Festival of Weeks

First-Fruit festival

Wheat Harvest

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [22 of 53]

Premieres

American Idol (Reality TV Show; 2002)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (Film; 1999)

Belles on Their Toes, by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. (Novel; 1950) [Cheaper by the Dozen #2]

The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk (Novel; 1952)

Callahan's Crosstime, by Saloon Spider Robinson (Novel; 1977)

Candy Cabaret (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1954)

E.T. the Extraterrestrial (Film; 1982)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Film; 1986)

Garfield (Film; 2004)

Get a Horse! (Disney Mickey Mouse & Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 2013)

The Hood Maker, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1955)

The House of Tomorrow (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1949)

In the Heights (Film; 2021)

Jumpin’ Jive, by Joe Jackson (Album; 1981)

Jurassic Park (Film; 1993)

Kansas City Stomp, recorded by Jelly Roll Morton (Song; 1928)

Karate Kid (Film; 2010)

Katnip Kollege (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

King Zilch (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

Kontakte (Contacts), by Karlheinz Stockhausen (Electronic Music Piece; 1960)

Libuše, by Bedřich Smetana (Opera; 1881)

Moonlight for Two (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

Napoleon Dynamite (Film; 2004)

Nashville (Film; 1975)

The Negotiator, by Frederick Forsyth (Novel; 1989)

Nova, by Samuel R. Delany (Novel; 1968)

Pandora’s Box, featuring Super Mouse (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1943)

Papa Don’t Preach, by Madonna (Song; 1986)

A Passion For Excellence, by Tom Peters and Nancy Austin (Book; 1985)

Play Ball (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1937)

Play That Funky Music, by Wild Cherry (Song; 1976)

Poor Papa (Disney Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1928)

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, by Erving Goffman (Science Book; 1956)

Primary Colors, by Anonymous (Novel; 1996)

Rabbit Rampage (WB LT Cartoon; 1955)

Sales Pitch, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1954)

The Secret of the Unicorn, by Hergé (Graphic Novel; 1943) [Tintin #11]

A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood (Novel; 1963)

The Stork Takes a Holiday (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Teddy Bear, by Elvis Presley (Song; 1957)

True Grit (Film; 1969)

Winter’s Bone (Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Alice, Barnabas, Paula (Austria)

Barnaba, Bogumil, Borna, Roza (Croatia)

Bruno (Czech Republic)

Barnabas (Denmark)

Imbi, Imme (Estonia)

Immi, Impi (Finland)

Barnabé (France)

Alice, Barnabas, Paula, Udo (Germany)

Varnavas, Vartholomaios (Greece)

Barnabás (Hungary)

Barnaba (Italy)

Ingus, Mairis, Sigrida, Svens, Vidvuds (Latvia)

Aluona, Barnarbas, Flora, Tvirmantas (Lithuania)

Bjørg, Bjørge, Borgar (Norway)

Anastazy, Barnaba, Feliks, Radomił, Teodozja (Poland)

Luca, Pavel, Petru, Vartolomeu (România)

Dobroslava (Slovakia)

Bernabé (Spain)

Berthold, Bertil (Sweden)

Bartholomew (Ukraine)

Barnabas, Barnaby, Barnett, Barney, Barret (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 163 of 2024; 203 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 24 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 6 (Bing-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 5 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 4 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 13 Blue; Sixday [13 of 30]

Julian: 29 May 2024

Moon: 27%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 22 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Francis Xavier]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 85 of 92)

Week: 2nd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 22 of 31)

[townpostin]

Loyola School Unveils Cutting-Edge Labs and Digital Library

New facilities mark milestone in school’s commitment to modern education Loyola School celebrates St. Ignatius Feast Day with inauguration of advanced labs and digital library, showcasing commitment to innovation in Jesuit education. JAMSHEDPUR – The St. Ignatius Feast Day marked the inauguration of a Digital Library and a state-of-the-art Astronomy, Robotics, and AI Lab at Loyola School. The…

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.11

Holidays

American Evacuation Day (Libya)

Cousteau Day

Davis Day (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Diceaplaooza Day

Dirty Book Day

Escape from Alcatraz Day

Evacuation Day (Libya)

Fandens Fodselsdag (Devil’s Birthday; Denmark)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off Day

Folding Chair Day

Honeysuckle Day (French Republic)

International Balloon Artist Day

International Day of Play

International Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners

International KBG Syndrome Awareness Day

International Lynx Day

Jurassic Park Day

Just One Day

Kamehameha Day (a.k.a. King Kamehameha Day; Hawaii) [Unless a Weekend, then Friday before]

Kodak Black Day

Mojo Nixon Day (Ohio)

multiple Sclerosis Day (Russia)

National Feed the Ducks Day

National Hot Rod Day

National Hug Holiday

National Impressionists Day

National Making Life Beautiful Day

National Olivia Day

Navy Day (Brazil)

Peace of Chaco Day (Bolivia, Paraguay)

Polyamory Pride Day

Queen Fabiola Day (Belgium)

Say Hi Day

611 Day

Student Day (Honduras)

Umbrella Day (Japan)

William Davis Miners' Memorial Day (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Women Generals Day

World Agriculture Day

World Jaguar Day

World Prostate Cancer Day

Yarn Bombing Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Corn on the Cob Day

Cotton Candy Day

German Chocolate Cake Day

Pizza Margherita Day

Royal Hot Dog Day

Independence & Related Days

Mad Parliament Assembly Day (UK; 1258)

Rizal Province Day (Philippines)

2nd Tuesday in June

Broadcast Good Day [2nd Tuesday]

Call Your Doctor Day [2nd Tuesday]

Forklift Safety Day (UK) [2nd Tuesday]

National Forklift Safety Day [2nd Tuesday]

National Time Out Day [2nd Tuesday]

Ride to Work Day [2nd Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Waldchestag (Forest Day) [Tuesday after Whit Sunday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Tuesday; also 2nd Sunday]

Festivals Beginning June 11, 2024

Bocuse d’Or USA (New Orleans, Louisiana) [thru 6.13]

EuroSTAR Conference (Stockholm, Sweden) [thru 6.14]

Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival (Ljutomer, Slovenia) [thru 6.15]

Feast Days

Antonio Cifrondi (Artology)

Arrephoria (Ancient Greece)

Barnabas the Apostle (Christian; Saint) [Harvests]

Bartholomew the Apostle (Eastern Christianity)

Ben Jonson (Writerism)

Day of the One Hit Wonders (Church of the SubGenius)

Eric Fraser (Artology)

Felix and Fortunatus (Christian; Martyrs)

Festival of Goibnui (Provider of the Ale of Immortality; Celtic)

Festival of Mater Matuta (Goddess of the Dawn; Ancient Rome)

Fish Day (Pastafarian)

Fortuna Virgo (Ancient Rome)

St. Francis Xavier (Positivist; Saint)

Gimley’s Boss (Muppetism)

Holiday of the Happy Gnomes (Pagan)

Ignatius Maloyan, Blessed (Armenian Catholic Church)

Joachim Martin Falbe (Artology)

John Constable (Artology)

Loki’s Day (Pagan)

Make a Wand Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Matralia (Old Roman festival to goddess Mater Matuta)

Parisio (Christian; Saint)

Paula Frassinetti (Christian; Saint)

Riagail of Bangor (Christian; Saint)

Rites of Matralia (Honoring Mater Matua, Goddess of Dawn & Childbirth; Ancient Rome)

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Christian) [Sunday after Trinity Sunday]

Spiros Xenos (Artology)

Tochumra of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

William Baziotes (Artology)

William Styron (Writerism)

Yasunari Kawabata (Writerism)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Shavuot, Day 1 (Judaism) [5-6 Sivan] (a.k.a. …

Erev Shabuot

Feast of the Harvest

Feast of Weeks

Festival of Weeks

First-Fruit festival

Wheat Harvest

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [22 of 53]

Premieres

American Idol (Reality TV Show; 2002)

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (Film; 1999)

Belles on Their Toes, by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. (Novel; 1950) [Cheaper by the Dozen #2]

The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk (Novel; 1952)

Callahan's Crosstime, by Saloon Spider Robinson (Novel; 1977)

Candy Cabaret (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1954)

E.T. the Extraterrestrial (Film; 1982)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Film; 1986)

Garfield (Film; 2004)

Get a Horse! (Disney Mickey Mouse & Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 2013)

The Hood Maker, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1955)

The House of Tomorrow (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1949)

In the Heights (Film; 2021)

Jumpin’ Jive, by Joe Jackson (Album; 1981)

Jurassic Park (Film; 1993)

Kansas City Stomp, recorded by Jelly Roll Morton (Song; 1928)

Karate Kid (Film; 2010)

Katnip Kollege (WB MM Cartoon; 1938)

King Zilch (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1933)

Kontakte (Contacts), by Karlheinz Stockhausen (Electronic Music Piece; 1960)

Libuše, by Bedřich Smetana (Opera; 1881)

Moonlight for Two (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

Napoleon Dynamite (Film; 2004)

Nashville (Film; 1975)

The Negotiator, by Frederick Forsyth (Novel; 1989)

Nova, by Samuel R. Delany (Novel; 1968)

Pandora’s Box, featuring Super Mouse (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1943)

Papa Don’t Preach, by Madonna (Song; 1986)

A Passion For Excellence, by Tom Peters and Nancy Austin (Book; 1985)

Play Ball (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1937)

Play That Funky Music, by Wild Cherry (Song; 1976)

Poor Papa (Disney Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1928)

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, by Erving Goffman (Science Book; 1956)

Primary Colors, by Anonymous (Novel; 1996)

Rabbit Rampage (WB LT Cartoon; 1955)

Sales Pitch, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1954)

The Secret of the Unicorn, by Hergé (Graphic Novel; 1943) [Tintin #11]

A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood (Novel; 1963)

The Stork Takes a Holiday (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Teddy Bear, by Elvis Presley (Song; 1957)

True Grit (Film; 1969)

Winter’s Bone (Film; 2010)

Today’s Name Days

Alice, Barnabas, Paula (Austria)

Barnaba, Bogumil, Borna, Roza (Croatia)

Bruno (Czech Republic)

Barnabas (Denmark)

Imbi, Imme (Estonia)

Immi, Impi (Finland)

Barnabé (France)

Alice, Barnabas, Paula, Udo (Germany)

Varnavas, Vartholomaios (Greece)

Barnabás (Hungary)

Barnaba (Italy)

Ingus, Mairis, Sigrida, Svens, Vidvuds (Latvia)

Aluona, Barnarbas, Flora, Tvirmantas (Lithuania)

Bjørg, Bjørge, Borgar (Norway)

Anastazy, Barnaba, Feliks, Radomił, Teodozja (Poland)

Luca, Pavel, Petru, Vartolomeu (România)

Dobroslava (Slovakia)

Bernabé (Spain)

Berthold, Bertil (Sweden)

Bartholomew (Ukraine)

Barnabas, Barnaby, Barnett, Barney, Barret (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 163 of 2024; 203 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 24 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 6 (Bing-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 5 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 4 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 13 Blue; Sixday [13 of 30]

Julian: 29 May 2024

Moon: 27%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 22 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Francis Xavier]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 85 of 92)

Week: 2nd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 22 of 31)

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (October 17)

On October 17, the Roman Catholic Church remembers the early Church Father, bishop and martyr, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, whose writings attest to the sacramental and hierarchical nature of the Church from its earliest days.

Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate his memory on December 20.

In a 2007 general audience on St. Ignatius of Antioch, Pope Benedict XVI observed that “no Church Father has expressed the longing for union with Christ and for life in him with the intensity of Ignatius.”

In his letters, the Pope said, “one feels the freshness of the faith of the generation which had still known the Apostles. In these letters, the ardent love of a saint can also be felt.”

Born in Syria in the middle of the first century A.D., Ignatius is said to have been personally instructed – along with another future martyr, Saint Polycarp – by the Apostle Saint John.

When Ignatius became the Bishop of Antioch around the year 70, he assumed leadership of a local church that was, according to tradition, first led by Saint Peter before his move to Rome.

Although St. Peter transmitted his Papal primacy to the bishops of Rome rather than Antioch, the city played an important role in the life of the early Church.

Located in present-day Turkey, it was a chief city of the Roman Empire.

It was also the location where the believers in Jesus' teachings and his resurrection were first called “Christians.”

Ignatius led the Christians of Antioch during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, the first of the emperors to proclaim his divinity by adopting the title “Lord and God.”

Subjects who would not give worship to the emperor under this title could be punished with death.

As the leader of a major Catholic diocese during this period, Ignatius showed courage and worked to inspire it in others.

After Domitian's murder in the year 96, his successor Nerva reigned only briefly and was soon followed by the Emperor Trajan.

Under his rule, Christians were once again liable to death for denying the pagan state religion and refusing to participate in its rites.

It was during his reign that Ignatius was convicted for his Christian testimony and sent from Syria to Rome to be put to death.

Escorted by a team of military guards, Ignatius nonetheless managed to compose seven letters:

six to various local churches throughout the empire (including the Church of Rome) and one to his fellow bishop, Polycarp, who would give his own life for Christ several decades later.

Ignatius' letters passionately stressed the importance of Church unity, the dangers of heresy, and the surpassing importance of the Eucharist as the “medicine of immortality.”

These writings contain the first surviving written description of the Church as “Catholic,” from the Greek word indicating both universality and fullness.

One of the most striking features of Ignatius' letters is his enthusiastic embrace of martyrdom as a means to union with God and eternal life.

“All the pleasures of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth, shall profit me nothing,” he wrote to the Church of Rome.

“It is better for me to die in behalf of Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the earth.”

“Now I begin to be a disciple,” the bishop declared.

“Let fire and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let tearings, breakings, and dislocations of bones; let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body; and let all the dreadful torments of the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ.”

St. Ignatius of Antioch bore witness to Christ publicly for the last time in Rome's Flavian Amphitheater, where he was mauled to death by lions.

“I am the wheat of the Lord,” he had declared, before facing them. “I must be ground by the teeth of these beasts to be made the pure bread of Christ.”

His memory was honored, and his bones venerated, soon after his death around the year 107.

[fairfieldthinkspace]

Ash Wednesday + The Perfect Valentine

Rev. Paul K. Rourke, S.J., Vice President for Mission and Ministry

A couple of weeks ago, while waiting to pick up his wife from work, a friend of mine, someone I’d known since high school, was killed in a carjacking. He was a beloved husband and the father of three. We will bury him this Friday.

I share this with you not for shock value or to elicit sympathy, but to share some of what Mike’s tragic death has taught me. I hope it can speak to all of us this Ash Wednesday, because we all live in a world of violence, where the unthinkable can burst into our lives with shocking ferocity.  His sudden death has reminded me of the urgency of living life to the fullest, not some time in the future when I get my act together, but right here, right now in all of the uncertainty and flux of life. I have to get my act together now, or at least make some progress toward that end, or, as St. Ignatius of Loyola might advise: at least I need to desire to do so, or desire to desire to do so. Urgency is essential. (That lesson is hard enough when you get to be my age. I understand how much harder it can seem when you’re in college.  Nonetheless, Lent reminds all of us that urgency is the hallmark of true discipleship and a meaningful life.)

“Getting my act together” is not about perfection or at heart, a self-improvement project. It’s about living the gospel fully. What does that mean? That I remember how much God loves me and live my whole life from that love—not to win that love, but to live out of it.  Some have commented on how ironic it is to have Ash Wednesday fall on Valentine’s Day this year. I think the coincidence is wonderfully appropriate. Our Lenten journey is fundamentally meant to deepen our love affair with God, which can only happen when we realize more fully how madly and deeply our God is in love with us. His love is our Alpha and Omega, the only perfect Valentine we will ever receive.

What do we need to realize God’s love for us more deeply and to live from that love? Our readings give us helpful answers. First they call us to humility and authenticity: “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” “Do not be like the hypocrites” who do everything to be seen. These attitudes are fundamental. If we are humble, we will acknowledge that we are sinners, that we do not have our act together fully, but not in a spirit of self-loathing and not with the delusion that we will ever perfect ourselves. Neither is the purpose of Lent, nor of the Christian life. We confront our sinfulness, always and only with the knowledge that God’s love for us is greater than the sum total of all our sins (past, present, future). We journey through Lent not in an effort to conquer sin, but to better celebrate the conquest of sin and death Jesus has already won for us. We are authentic witnesses to the gospel when we can say fearlessly, “Yes, I am a sinner,” not with shame or a show of self-abasement, but with the smile of someone who says in the same breath, “I am loved and redeemed by God.”

To celebrate our Valentine more fully, at Easter the readings and the Church, which gives us these readings to proclaim and reflect upon, offer us certain tools to go with the attitudes of humility and authenticity. These tools we call “the works of Lent:” prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 

We need to pray as though our lives depend on it, because they do. Prayer is not a luxury to indulge in our spare time: it’s the food and oxygen of our souls. If we struggle with how to pray or when to find time to pray, we are blessed with many resources at Fairfield: our Campus Ministry and Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality can help any of us to find the best way to pray.  

Fasting. We fast to be in greater solidarity with our brothers and sisters who do not have enough to eat. We fast to grow in interior freedom from the attachments that distract us from our life in Christ. We fast to remind ourselves that none of us is self-sufficient.  

Finally, almsgiving. Almsgiving reminds us of the community we are called to be: a community in solidarity with those most in need, a community committed to justice in society. Catholic social teaching tells us that the goods of this earth have a universal destination. That means they’re meant for the good of everyone. We cannot be a faithful Christian community and ignore people without food or shelter. We will be judged as a society and as individuals by how we care for the excluded and least among us. 

I began with a tragic and shocking incident, but Lent is a journey toward Easter. Good Friday is not the last word. Sin, death, hatred are never the last word. As so many of his friends have attested over the last few weeks, my friend, Mike, lived joyfully and humbly as a man of deep faith who shared his life and his blessings generously with family, friends, and community. He knew deep in his soul that God’s love had won the victory, and that the secret of life was in living from and celebrating that victory. He knew what all of us are called to know more fully this Lent: that our Valentine is so much more than dinner, roses, and a box of chocolates: it is Jesus Christ crucified and risen. May our Lent and our lives be a profound and joyful celebration of our Valentine.  

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE ARCHBASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN Feast Day: November 9

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the oldest and first in rank of the four great basilicas of Rome, namely St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Mary Major.

It was built on a piece of land donated by Emperor Constantine the Great in 313 A.D., called the Lateran Mansion. Originally known as the Church of the Savior, it was later dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

Pope Sylvester I presided over the official dedication of the archbasilica and the adjacent Lateran Palace in 324, changing the name from Domus Fausta to Domus Dei ('House of God'), with a dedication to Christ the Savior (Christo Salvatori).

When a cathedra became a symbol of episcopal authority, the papal cathedra was placed in its interior, rendering it the cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome.

When St. Gregory the Great sent the Gregorian mission to England under Augustine of Canterbury, some original churches in Canterbury took the Roman plan as a model, dedicating a church both to Christ as well as one to Saint Paul, outside the walls of the city. The church name 'Christ Church', so common for churches around the world today in Anglophone Anglican contexts, originally came from this Roman church, central to pre-medieval Christian identity.

The high altar contains the relic of the original wooden altar used by the apostle Peter. In the ciborium over the are enshrined by the heads of the apostles Peter and Paul.

Being the Cathedral of Rome and the official residence of the Pope, The Basilica carries on its façade the title: 'Sacros Lateran Eccles Omnium Urbis et Orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput (Most Holy Lateran Church, mother and head of all the churches in the city and the world)'.

This celebration is a sign of devotion and of unity with the Pope who, as St. Ignatius of Antioch said: 'Presides over the assembly of charity.'

The basilica is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.