Saints Peter and Paul

Peter and Paul

Peter and Paul were recognized already in the early church as the leaders of the commu-
nity established by Jesus. Peter was the acknowledged first among the apostles; Paul led
the translation of the movement into the world of the Gentiles.

Among the elements that distinguish Catholic Christianity from the rest of Christianity
is the Petrine ministry, the acceptance of the unique role played by the successor to Pe-
ter, the bishop of Rome.

Paul, the apostle to the peoples of the world, is also very special to that community that
goes by the name of Catholic, universal. Together, these two apostles represent the in-
ternal organization and outward orientation of our Church.

Both men had pasts of which they had to repent: Peter denied Jesus as he went to trial,
and Paul went to extremes in persecuting the church of God and tried to destroy it.

They are witnesses to the power of God’s grace, which transformed them into people
who love me more than these. They provide us with hope that God’s grace can transform
the people of our day.
Gerald Darring

“Jesus Christ, the eternal Shepherd, established

His holy Church by sending forth the apostles as
He Himself had been sent by the Father. He
willed that their successors, namely the bishops,
should be shepherds in His Church even to the
consummation of the world.

In order that the episcopate itself might be one

and undivided, He placed blessed Peter over the
other apostles, and instituted in him a perma-
nent and visible source and foundation of unity
of faith and fellowship.”
Vatican II, Constitution on the Church (1964) 18
June 29, 2008
Some καιρός / kairos thoughts…
καιρός / kairos—Greek—time—viewed as an occasion rather than an extent

Paul tells us that

Jesus
was a stumbling block
and
an absurdity to many
and
in one sense Prayer List
I Pray the rosary for world peace, Avis Cox, Fr. Clarence Biggers, Gladys and
Ben Kramkowski, Rita Moenk, Doug Bearden, Sarah Snider, Thornton/
can understand Lynch family, Ryan Amsberry, Annie & family, Connie, her mother &
family, Blake, Erik, Campbell family, Jonathan & family, Sharon & family,
Will, FMS, Cap. Corp., Patrick & Brittany, Broughman family, Fannie
why— Crowder & family, VAL, Father Ingram’s father & family, Karen’s mother,
Cheryl Mobley & family, William Hudson, Robert, Walter, Danielle,
Christopher, Barbara, Katherine, Nicholas, Kaylin, Kasie, Mary Beth &
family, Mary Ann Mahoney & family, Donna & family, Ann Chancellor &
family, Sheila & family, cancer patients & families, military & families,

perhaps they had Brandon, Plantation Villa residents, Don, Mrs. Carpenter, Mr. & Mrs.
Rooks, Katherine & family, Mr. Dunn, Mr. & Mrs. Barlow, Jane & family,
Scott & family, Diane & Peter, Michele & Gary, Lucy’s father & family,
not Bobbie, Joan & family, Karl’s mother & family, June & family, Tina &
family, Belinda & family, OLM family, Kat, Delgratia & family, Mr. Gomez
& family, Sara’s mother, Dr. Lynch & family, Rob/Allie & family, Chuck &
yet met their souls family, Frank & family, Liesa & family, mother of Dr. Petros, Dr. Issa &
family, Odessa, Anita’s mother & family, Ruby, Ruby’s mother & family,

where Davies family, Katie & family, family of Angie, Ann & family, Gretchen &
family, Eileen, Scott & family, Robert, Flavia & family, Tony’s family, Roy
& Martha Wright, Roy, Alice Swygert, Alan, Nard, Tony, Glenda, Nelson, J.
He can truly be Bob, Munn, Vogt, Wolfe families, Russell & family, Ola, Gene Wilson &
family, Jane Brock & family, Janet Kramer & family, Elayne & family,
Winnie, Phil & family, Tony, Stan, Emily & family, Ruthie & Ed, Mr. Bergin
found & family, Russell & family, Mrs. Sanseverino & family, CC Center, veterans
& families Jessie Emmett, Mark, Michael’s mother, Carrie, VAMC, Rambo’s
mother & family, Josephine Mary, Mary Anna, S. Paul, Tony, J. W. Wilson
& family, Jason & Kim, Josie, Kelly, Mickey’s family, Jon & Janet Cook &
J. Janda Poem from liturgy.slu.edu family, Karen’s cousin, Mike Aguado & family, Carl & family, Dr. Lopez &
family, Dr. Vanapalli & family, Dr. Nair & family, Garrett & family, family
of Duffie, Aaron Christian, Marina & family, Mitchell’s father & family,
Estella’s mother & family, Kerry’s mother & family, Gail & family, Beth &
Pilgrims canter to Canterbury, saunter to the Holy family, Bernard, Anna & family, Sara Lucas & family, Mary Gilliam &
Land (terra sancta) and roam to Rome. These “paces” family, Gary & Sharon Creed, Barbara Carl, James & Phyllis Wham, Dan
Kessler, Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Fry, David Hempen, Steve Kirkland, Michael
have entered English, not just as terms for speed but Cofer, Buddy Brasher, Lana Adams-Tidwell, Kathy McGhee, Michael &
as part of an ancestral memory of the important family, Berger family, Mendez family, Ikai family, Joshua Moser, Stephanie
Christian, Carolyn Williamson, Patricia, Kathy, Anderson family, Chris
places to arrive at—with their linkage to change and Stahler family, Barbara, Frances Homsey, Gus Kneidinger, Mary Jo Shamas,
holiness. The tombs of Peter and Paul, the first apos- Heim family, Sally, Frank, Mary Ondovchik, Ann Rudy, Chad Nostrant,
Heidi FitzGerald, Ed Schaffer, Lynn Smith, Amy & family, Julian Campbell,
tolic witnesses to the church, bring us close not only Kathaleen Michalek, Sonya Robinson, Russ family, Gary Toler, Tena
to history but also to the One who sent them. Rome Greene, Willie Ryans, unspoken, Justine, Chris B., Rick Long, Caron Pierre
is not heaven but it is the diocese of the successor of & family, Joyce Jones, Fran Howarth, N. Barrows, Carol & famly, Mary O,
TB, Carlo Dellaquila, Katherine Catti, Stephanie & Mark Fletcher, Michael
Peter and Paul who gives us the message of the apos- & Joanna Spataro, Justino Prado, Maria Beck, Jan Mastin, Beverly Barrett,
tles: “Repent, the reign of God is at hand.” Do we Anna & Henry, Heidi, Dames family, Peggy Cable, Claude Rickman, Z.C.,
Maureen Lennon, Kevin Diehl, Randy Taylor, Brian Strickland, Jerry
hear that message? And so we act on it? Leatherwood, Chris & Stevie, Paula, Dan, & kids, Billy, Marci & kids,
Leonard & Mary, Paul B., Wil Landry, Eze family
Philip J. Sandstrom, S.T.D. © 2001 Oregon Catholic Press. All rights reserved.