Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist will remain with the Faithful

Over the past several months, the Archdiocese of St. John's has been under bankruptcy protection as a result of lawsuits from the sex abuse scandal which occurred in the diocese in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. The diocese was ordered by the court to put all of its assets up for sale. All churches were up for sale and the bidding was open to the general public.

In response to this, several groups of parishioners and others banded together to repurchase these structures, lands, and other facilities. We haven't heard back about all of them yet. Bids were closed around 10 days ago.

The Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is the mother church of the diocese of St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador. It was built almost 170 years ago and at the time was the largest church building in North America. To this day, it has remained a historical and religious place central to the identity of the province.

In amazing news, a group known as the Basilica Heritage Foundation was the successful bidder for the Basilica, as well as several adjoining buildings, including a school, a large hall, and a skating rink. There had been news that a Toronto real estate developer had also put in a bid.

Over the past several months, parishioners have alternately gathered in 3 churches in the diocese for 12 hours of adoration each Thursday. This occurred along with various other forms of prayer throughout the area and in private.

These prayers have proven fruitful, thanks be to God. The landmark church will remain with parishioners to be used for worship. This is wonderful news.

We are anticipating news on all the other churches and properties which were open to bids as well. Let's hope and pray that this entire restructuring results in greater faith than ever and in a reconciliation of the Church to those affected negatively by people within the Church.

Private Masses at St. Peter's Basilica Ended

On Monday, March 21, 2021, St. Peter's Basilica officially ended private masses being celebrated in side chapels in the massive church. Apparently there are around 45 side chapels and in the morning many of them were used by various priests to celebrate Mass, but no longer.

There will now only be a few masses said throughout the day at the Basilica, all in Italian. There are some exceptions but this is the main gist of what is happening. When I first heard about this, I thought it was related to Covid, but apparently it's not. It's a new "permanent" change.

Most of the people commenting on this seem to view it negatively.

It was awful. Welcome to Rome's newest museum. https://t.co/6MKvTOBD0m

— The Catholic Traveler (@MountainButorac) March 22, 2021

You can check out the article CNA's Courtney Mares' article on it here: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/private-mass-restrictions-come-into-force-at-st-peters-basilica

I have only been to the Vatican once while on a European tour. I was only there for a few hours and didn't really get a chance to see a lot, which was unfortunately. You really need several days in the Vatican to even scratch the surface. I wasn't aware of the number of Masses that typically took place during the day.

I can't see how this will be a good thing. In a similar line to the above tweet, many are saying it will turn the Vatican into a "museum". That's the last thing we need.

The Church cannot give people a reason to separate the Catholic Church from the beauty created within the Church. That's actually one of the problems in our society, people appreciate all the beauty emanating from the Church but don't give her credit. We can't encourage that.

Hopefully this will be changed back. It's called permanent, but it can be undone and hopefully will be.

First Ever Nativity Scene! Dates from the 1200s. Check it out.

There is a nativity scene made of marble that was commissioned by Pope Nicholas IV in 1292. Prior to this, St. Francis introduced the idea of people re-enacting the nativity, but this is the first time it was made in the form of a sculpture. It has seen many great saints throughout the centuries and is located at St. Mary Major, one of the 4 major basilicas in Catholicism.

I will copy and paste the article from Catholic News Agency Below the Images.

Article from Catholic News Agency:

First known nativity scene figurines can now be seen in St. Mary Major Basilica

By Courtney Mares

Rome Newsroom, Dec 23, 2020 / 11:00 am MT (CNA).- The first known nativity scene figurines are on display this Christmas in one of Rome’s oldest basilicas.

The underground Chapel of the Nativity in the Basilica of St. Mary Major -- known to Italians as Santa Maria Maggiore -- once contained at least six marble nativity statues sculpted by Arnolfo di Cambio in the late 13th century.

From Dec. 22, the public will be able to view these nativity figurines in the Marian basilica’s Sistine chapel, located to the right of the main altar.

The figurines were commissioned in 1292 by Pope Nicholas IV, the first Franciscan pope, who was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, creator of the first living nativity in Greccio, Italy, in 1223.

Sante Guido, an art historian and professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, told EWTN that five of the marble statues in the nativity scene today are completely original to the 13th century.

This means that this nativity scene was present when St. Cajetan experienced an apparition of the Child Jesus in the Chapel of the Nativity on Christmas night in 1517 and when St. Ignatius of Loyola chose to offer his first Mass in this chapel in 1538.

It is unclear how many figures in total made up the nativity scene commissioned by Nicholas IV, but the marble figures that exist today of St. Joseph, the three Magi, and a single work depicting both a cow and a donkey are part of the original set, according to Guido.

The statue of the Virgin Mary enthroned with the baby Jesus underwent significant restoration in the late 16th century, he explained.

The Italian art historian and restorer noted that this is not the first depiction of Christ’s birth in Christian history, but the first nativity scene in the form as it is known today.

“In the history of Christianity there are many depictions of the nativity of Christ, of course, even on the early Christian sarcophagi, but also in the Romanesque cathedrals and in the Gothic cathedrals there are depictions of an episode in the life of Christ: his birth,” he said.

“Here instead we have the representation of the nativity, according to the spirit of St. Francis, so this nativity is the first nativity scene in history. It is not only a representation of the nativity, but it is a nativity scene.”

The Basilica of St. Mary Major’s connection to Christ’s birth goes back for centuries before this nativity scene was commissioned. The basilica has a precious relic of pieces of Christ’s crib sent from Bethlehem by St. Sophronius, then the patriarch of Jerusalem, to Pope Theodore I in the seventh century.

For this reason, the basilica was once called St. Mary of the Manger and was also referred to as “the Bethlehem of the West.”

This relic of the manger was historically kept in the crypt Chapel of the Nativity, which was first created in the seventh century but has been repeatedly reconstructed over the centuries.

Pope Sixtus V restored the crypt Chapel of the Nativity to the form seen today between 1585 and 1590 as he built the basilica’s Sistine chapel.

In St. Mary Major’s Sistine chapel, where the nativity scene is located, one can also see the first tabernacle to be made according to the precepts of the Council of Trent and an altar dedicated to St. Jerome.

Tradition holds that St. Jerome’s relics were brought from Bethlehem to Rome shortly after the relic of the manger and are now located either in the main altar or this side chapel in the Basilica of St. Mary Major where the first nativity is currently displayed.

During the Advent and Christmas season this year, a relic of the manger has been brought out for veneration in the basilica’s Borghese chapel, to the left of the main altar. This relic is usually found in the niche below the main altar. It was moved by Pope Pius IX from the Chapel of the Nativity to its current location under the altar in the 19th century.

Pope Francis visited the Basilica of St. Mary Major during Advent this year on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and offered Mass in the crypt Chapel of the Nativity.

Last year Pope Francis made a pilgrimage to the Italian town of Greccio during Advent to sign an apostolic letter on the meaning and importance of nativity scenes in the location where St. Francis of Assisi created the first nativity scene in 1223.

The letter recalled the story behind St. Francis’ first living nativity scene, or crèche. The saint asked a friend 15 days before Christmas to help him prepare “to bring to life” the memory of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.

“When St. Francis arrived, he found a manger full of hay, an ox and a donkey. All those present experienced a new and indescribable joy in the presence of the Christmas scene. The priest then solemnly celebrated the Eucharist over the manger, showing the bond between the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Eucharist.”

“At Greccio there were no statues; the nativity scene was enacted and experienced by all who were present.”

Thomas of Celano, the first biographer of St. Francis, wrote that someone present at the Mass had a vision of the baby Jesus himself lying in the manger.

Pope Francis wrote: “In a particular way, from the time of its Franciscan origins, the nativity scene has invited us to ‘feel’ and ‘touch’ the poverty that God’s Son took upon himself in the Incarnation. Implicitly, it summons us to follow him along the path of humility, poverty and self-denial that leads from the manger of Bethlehem to the cross.”

Vatican Wealth: The myth that's contrasted with voluntary poverty

Many people accuse the Vatican and the Catholic Church in general of hording up money and retaining vast wealth. In fact, many say the reason priests are celibate is so that they do not have a family to pass down their possessions to. Many look at the large basilicas and cathedrals and wonder why they aren't being sold off to help the poor. I will analyze these questions and show how they are based on falsehoods.

One of the main proofs that the Catholic Church and specifically priests and bishops are not members of the clergy to gain wealth is the way the wealth they have is used and to contrast that with how others use wealth. When you look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, whether it's the show or just the activity, what do you notice? They have huge houses, several expensive cars, a swimming pool, huge tvs, etc. And a major thing you will notice is that they are usually not celibate! Contrast this now with clergy. They usually live in a small place, have a utilitarian car, are voluntarily celibate, etc. They have forgone the trappings of this world in order to come closer to the spiritual life.

When Pope John Paul II, the head of the Catholic Church, died in 2005, he had very few possessions of personal property. Just a few little things. It is said he did not remember the meals he ate but could remember almost all the conversations he had with people. He was most interested in being a shepherd to the people of God. There are countless examples of saints living in voluntary povery in the Catholic Church, from St. Francis of Assisi who could have taken over his father's textiles business, or Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists and Doctor of the Church, who could have had a lucrative career as a lawyer in Italy but renouced that to follow a spiritual path. Mother Teresa gave up her life to be a nun in the poorest part of India. Ten thousand books could be written about saints who renounced a life of luxury to live a Catholic spiritual life and you would still not have scratched the surface.

As for basilicas and cathedrals, these were works of love. They were built by donations given by people. The people wanted places of worship where they could celebrate the Mass. Many times, people of the community actually helped in building these monuments. Brother André Bessette, who founded St. Joseph's Oratory, one of the largest churches in Canada and the world, was known for his harsh austerities. He had a tiny room and did many forms of penance. His aunt was worried that he would die because he was already frail. He in fact lived into his nineties.

As far as hording up wealth goes, the Catholic Church is the largest charitable organization on the planet. Bigger than the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, or any other institution or organization in the world.

If you are seeking personal material wealth, you better look elsewhere than the clergy of the Catholic Church.

Ecumenical Prayer Service for victims of Helicopter Crash

On Wednesday night, people gathered at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, the Catholic Cathedral of St. John's, Newfoundland for an ecumenical prayer service for the victims of Cougar Flight 491, a helicopter which crashed into the North Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland, Canada as it was making its way to the SeaRose FPSO on March 12, 2009. All on board, save one man, were killed. All bodies have been recovered and most of the helicopter has been recovered as well. In total, 17 people were killed. This is very tragic for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the world over.

At the ecumenical prayer service, there were thousands of people, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Premier Danny Williams, Peter McKay, Justin Trudeau, John Crosby, and many more.

Archbishop Martin Curry was the main presider over the event. He said to make one thing clear and that is that God did not want this to happen. This is a Catholic understanding of the world. God wills that we know him and love him. Evil and bad things that happen to us are not things that God makes happen or wants to happen, but he permits them to happen. Obviously, God being omnipotent could make anything happen or prevent anything from happening, but much of the time, he allows us to make our decisions and allows natural consequences. For example, if I had a young son and I brought him to the bookstore and told him he could pick any book. He might pick Green Eggs and Ham. I would then allow him to purchase it, etc. I did not choose it for him or prevent him from having it. God allowing things to happen without preventing them is called his permissive will, as opposed to his ordained will. God willed the universe into existence, for example. This is the point the Most Reverend Archbishop Martin Currie was making. God didn't desire that those men and women perish, but at the same time, God did not interfere to change the laws of nature so that it would not happen.

During this tragedy, we must pray for the victims of the crash and their families and loved ones. Remember them in your prayers.

What is the Highest Ranking Church in Catholicism, the Ecumenical Mother Church?

Here's a clue: It's not St. Peter's Basilica. The giant Basilica designed by Michelangelo and others throughout the centuries, and completed in the 16th, known as St. Peter's Basilica, which can be seen in St. Peter's Square, and is by far the most well-known basilica in the world, is amazingly, not the highest ranking church in the Catholic Church. It is in fact the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

St. John Lateran Basilica is the cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. Officially named Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris (Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior), it is the oldest and ranks first (being the only cathedral in Rome) among the four major basilicas of Rome, and holds the title of ecumenical mother church (mother church of the whole inhabited world) among Catholics.

This very beautiful cathedral has a very amazing history. The place where the cathedral is now located, was once used by Roman emperors, and was given, as a gift, to the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), by Emperor Constantine, when Christianity was legalized and became the official religion of the Roman empire.

The official dedication of the Basilica and the adjacent Lateran Palace was presided over by Pope Sylvester I in 324, declaring both to be Domus Dei or "House of God." In its interior, the Papal Throne was placed, making it the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. In reflection of the basilica's primacy in the world as mother church, the words Sacrosancta Lateranensis ecclesia omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput are incised in the main door, meaning "Most Holy Lateran Church, of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head."

The Lateran Palace and basilica have been rededicated twice. Pope Sergius III dedicated them to Saint John the Baptist in the 10th century in honor of the newly consecrated baptistry of the Basilica. Pope Lucius II dedicated the Lateran Palace and basilica to Saint John the Evangelist in the 12th century. However, St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist are regarded as co-patrons of the Cathedral, the chief patron being Christ the Saviour himself, as the inscription in the entrance of the Basilica indicates, and as is tradition in the Patriachal Cathedrals. Thus, the Basilica remains dedicated to the Saviour. That is why sometimes the Basilica will be referred to by the full title of Archabsilica of the Most Holy Saviour and of Sts. John Baptist and John Evangelist in the Lateran.

Next time you're in Rome, make sure to visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

The Basilica of St. John the Baptist

I am very excited about this blog posting, because it is number 50! I would like to thank everyone who has read this blog and is a regular visitor to this site. I appreciate your feedback and comments about this site, and I encourage you to send in your topic suggestions. Thanks. Now on to the article!

The Basilica of St. John the Baptist is located in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. This is where I am from and write my blog. This basilica, which is now considered a cathedral, has a very special place in the ecclesiastical history of Newfoundland, as well as Canada, and even North America.

The Basilica was completed in the year 1855 after 16 years of construction. Amazingly, at the time of its building, it was the largest church in size in all of North America, including all of Canada, the US, and Mexico. It was built under the direction of Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming, who came from Ireland in the 1800s. Bishop Fleming was integral to shaping Newfoundland culture in those years, and was even responsible for developing the old Newfoundland Flag, which today is used by those seeking an independent Newfoundland. The flag is divided into thirds: pink, white and green. The pink represents Protestants (English pink), the green represents Catholics (from Ireland mostly), and the white in between represents peace between the two. This flag is still in use today, although not officially, as the flag representing those who want an Independent Newfoundland.

The Basilica is the current seat of the Bishop of Newfoundland, Brendan O'Brien, and is the most beautiful structure in Newfoundland. Because of its importance in Newfoundland spirituality and worship, the Basilica of St. John the Baptist holds a special place in the hearts of everyone here.

Cathedrals, Basilicas and Churches Stolen from the Catholic Church

Throughout its history, the Catholic Church has built the most spectacular and awe-inspiring places of the worship the world has ever seen. For centuries, churches were the tallest structures of every town in Europe, and around the world. In many countries, this remains the case. They remain the most breath-taking monuments in society. Often built by members of society as a work of love, these buildings touch the sky, and upon entering, people are transported to a new world. You can feel the presence of God all around you. The Catholic Church realizes the importance of these great structures, and that is why for over 1,000 years, the Church has built some of the most amazing examples of human achievement.

Unfortunately, however, the Church suffered great loss in her history. Many of these amazing places of worship were conquered by heretics and schismatics. Often, the treasures of these churches, preserved for generations for the benefit of all were ransacked and stolen. Often Churches were badly damaged, often left in disrepair. Even if these churches were not damaged, they were still stolen. This is very sad, and unfortunate. Almost every magnificent place for Christian worship that has achieved great fame in a country, be it a church, basilica, or cathedral, was once a Catholic or remains one to this day. I will look at some of the most famous Cathedrals in the World, which were stolen from the Catholic Church.

Ulm Münster

Located in Germany, it is the tallest church in the world, and was the tallest building in the world from 1890-1908. It was built in 1377 by Catholics, and later taken from them by Lutherans. The Cologne Cathedral of Germany is the second tallest church in the world, but it has 2 spires instead of one.



Wells Cathedral

The building of this amazing Cathedral began in 1191 by Bishop Reginald de Bohun. It was worked on during the 12th and early 13th centuries, and was mostly completed by 1239. In the years and decades to come, more expansions were made to accommodate a growing congregation. Eventually the Cathedral was taken over by Anglicans.

Westminster Abbey

Perhaps the best-known Cathedral in the United Kingdom, Westminster Abbey is the Cathedral where the Kings and Queens of England are crowned. This is quite a spectacular building, which resembles the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. It was completed before King Henry VIII, but Henry violently took over this Cathedral, like many others, when he broke away from the Catholic Church.

These are just 3 examples of Churches which were apprehended illegally by non-Catholic groups. Fortunately, most of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world remain the property of the Catholic Church. The next time you see a magnificent church, remember that it was probably once a Catholic Cathedral.

Basilica of St. Mark in Venice and the Muslims

St. Mark was one of the Gospel writers, and a companion to St. Peter. He died in Alexandria, Egypt, but his amazing tale has much left to be told. St. Mark was buried, and in 828, Italian sailors went to recover his body, as a relic. The problem was, the Muslims were in control of Alexandria, and getting something such as this out would prove very difficult, but the sailors came up with an impressive plan.

Muslims are very much against anything to do with pork, so with this knowledge, the Italian sailors took the sarcophagus of St. Mark which they had located, and placed it beneath a large shipment of pork. The border inspectors would not go near the pork, and let the boat go out of port without being thoroughly inspected.

The body of St. Mark was transported to Venice, where he soon became its patron saint. A most unbelievable Basilica was built in honour of St. Mark, which is adorned with gold, rubies, diamonds, and many other fine jewels.

The design of St. Mark's Basilica is inspired in some ways by Muslim architecture. At the time, Muslims were very advanced in science and math, and several Muslim architects were hired to work on this magnificent project. At the time, Muslims may have been more advanced technologically than Christians.

The Basilica of St. Mark is an amazing Church and Shrine to one of the writers of the Gospels, which record to life of Jesus Christ.