Monday, June 28, 13th Week in Ordinary Time
ST. IRINAEUS OF LYONS (b Asia Minor, ca 140, d Lyons 202), Bishop and Theologian
Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis on March 28, 2007
www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070328...
to this early Father of the Church. He was born in Izmir (in present-day Turkey) and had been a student of Bishop Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist. He eventually moved to Gaul because he was listed among the presbyters of Lyons in 177. That year, he was on a mission to the Pope in Rome when at least 48 Christians, including the aging bishop of Lyons, were martyred by order of Marcus Aurelius. Returning to Lyons, he was elected Bishop and served so until his death, possibly martyred himself. He distinguished himself both as a pastor and as a defender of the faith, explaining its truths clearly to the faithful, especially in specific response to the Gnostics, an ascendant heresy in the second century. One of his two extant works could be called the oldest catechism of the Catholic Church. Benedict's lecture on Irenaeus is fascinating for how he describes the Church Tradition that Irenaeus taught - one, holy, apostolic, public and 'pneumatic', or inspired by the Holy Spirit - as handed down from the Apostles themselves. "His tradition, uninterrupted Tradition, is not traditionalism, because this Tradition is always enlivened from within by the Holy Spirit, who makes it live anew, causes it to be interpreted and understood in the vitality of the Church".
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml
No OR today.
THE POPE'S DAY
The Holy Father met today with
- The delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to this year's celebration
of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Address in English.
- Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches
- Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., Archbishop of Vienna.
This afternoon, the Holy Father will preside at the First Vespers on the eve of the Feast of
Saints Peter and Paul at the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura.
NB: Most unusually, the Vatican released a note about Cardinal Schoenborn's meeting with the Pope,
to which both Cardinals Bertone and Sodano were invited. The note underscores clarifications by the
Vatican regarding statements made by Schoenborn against Cardinal Sodano. Translated in the following post.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 28/06/2010 17:08]