February 22, 2022: Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

God revealed Himself in a special way with great insight to Simon, and when asked by Christ about His identity, Simon made a profound profession of faith, declaring Christ as the Son of God.

Christ then gave Simon the new name Peter, acclaiming his confession of faith so that he could provide a solid foundation on which to build the Church and the authority to safeguard the teachings that lead us to Eternal Life.  As the first Pope, St. Peter was called to be a shepherd, leading the flock into encounters with God.

And so this authority has been handed down to the Pope and the bishops through the centuries so that we, the faithful, can continue encountering God in transformative ways through the same timeless teachings that Christ first gave to His Church.