St. Joseph's Catholic Church

You are God’s Temple

Today, the Church throughout the world celebrates not a saint, nor a doctrine, nor an event in the life of Christ — but a building: the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. At first glance, this may seem strange. Why celebrate a building? Yet in celebrating this basilica, we celebrate something far deeper — the mystery of the Church itself, the dwelling place of God among His people.

The Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. It is the oldest and first of all the great basilicas of Rome — even older than St. Peter’s. On its front façade are inscribed the words:

“Omnium Urbis et Orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput” — “The Mother and Head of all the Churches of the City and of the World.”

By honoring this mother church, we affirm our unity with the Pope and with the entire Catholic Church spread across the world. The feast reminds us that our faith is universal, not bound to any tribe, language, or nation. We belong to a great communion that spans centuries and continents — one faith, one baptism, one Lord.

So, in celebrating the dedication of this basilica, we celebrate our own identity as living members of the Church of Christ.

If the Lateran Basilica is the mother of all churches, then every parish, every chapel, every Christian home should be a miniature Lateran Basilica — a place where God dwells, where grace flows, and where hearts are renewed.

Dear friends, today’s feast is not just about a grand basilica in Rome — it is about you and me, about the living Church of Christ on earth.

May our lives reflect the holiness and beauty of God’s dwelling place.

May our parish be a sign of unity and faith.

And may the river of God’s Spirit, flowing from His temple, bring healing to our families, our nation, and our world.