This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome—the mother church of all churches throughout the world. I visited there during my summer vacation this year and it is an impressive building but also a subdued and unstated magnificent Church. It reminds us that our unity as Catholics is not simply found in a building, but in the living Body of Christ, which is the Church, as in you and I, as members of the Body of Christ. Wherever the faithful gather in Christ’s name, there is the Church, radiant with His presence.
In this Sunday’s second reading, St. Paul tells the Corinthians, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16). Each one of us is a living stone in this holy temple. Together, we form a spiritual house, alive with the breath of the Spirit. The beauty of our parish community is not in our buildings, but in the living faith that animates us—how we pray, serve, forgive, and love one another. That is how we become the visible dwelling place of God in the world.
The Second Vatican Council deepened this understanding in its Constitution Lumen Gentium, describing the Church as “a people made one with the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The Council offered two profound images of who we are: the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. As the Body of Christ, we are many members, yet one body, each with different gifts and responsibilities, all essential and interconnected. As the Temple of the Spirit, we are filled with the divine presence that gives life, holiness, and unity. These are not abstract theological ideas – they describe who we are as a parish community: a people alive in faith, bound together by love, and sent forth in service. This communion extends beyond our visible community.
Think about it, each time we gather at the altar, we proclaim our belief in the Communion of Saints – our unbreakable bond with all who have gone before us, those who now behold the face of God and those still journeying toward heaven. In Christ, the walls between life and death fall away; we remain one Body, one Spirit in the Lord.
This truth becomes especially real in the celebrations of this past week. On Thursday night, our diocese gathered for the Saints in the City celebration here at St. Simon Parish – an inspiring evening honoring young disciples who keep the light of faith alive in our communities
One of our own young parishioners, Dylan Andrzejek, was recognized by the bishop as a true Saint in the City and received the St. Francis Award. Dylan’s quiet dedication to the liturgy each Sunday, his mentorship of younger teens, and his compassionate advocacy for the poor and needy reflect what it means to be a light of Christ in our world. His faith, humility, and service remind us that sanctity is not found only in heaven but is alive here among us in the everyday holiness of our young people. Dylan truly embodies the words of Jesus: “You are the light of the world.” Congratulations to Dylan!
Looking ahead, I invite you to join us next Saturday, November 15th at 5:00 p.m., as we celebrate our Mass of Remembrance to honor all our loved ones who have gone before us in faith. We have several ways for you to honor and remember your deceased loved ones this November as we continue to pray our All Souls Novena that started on November 2nd.
- Altar of Remembrance – we are collecting photographs of your loved ones to put in a collage to place near the altar and in the slideshow for the Mass of Remembrance. Please submit them via the online form.
- Book of Names – write your loved ones names in the Book of Names of the Dead located in the chapel.
- Cloth of Remembrance – a new altar cloth that will hold the names of those we love and remember will be placed on the altar. You’re invited to stop by Spooncer Hall this weekend and add the names of your deceased loved ones using the fabric markers provided. Please write carefully and small so there’s space for all. This cloth will then move to the Chapel during the week. This cloth will be on the altar during the Mass of Remembrance, a tender sign of our shared love and faith,
These simple acts of love unite heaven and earth—our hearts and theirs—within the great mystery of God’s eternal embrace. Last week, as I reflected on what I call the Circle of Life, that sacred rhythm of faith through which we are born, live, serve, and return to God, becoming part of the rich soil of grace from which new faith continues to grow. Each generation tills the soil for the next, and our loved ones remain part of this living circle, nourishing our faith still.
So, as we celebrate the eucharist together this weekend, let us remember:
we are the Living Body of Christ,
the Temple of the Holy Spirit,
and members of the Communion of Saints —
one holy people, called to reflect the presence of God in how we live, love, and serve.
This past week, I also want to share that I was blessed to attend the episcopal ordination of Bishop Andres “Andy” Ligot, our new Auxiliary Bishop of San José. It was a joyful and grace-filled celebration for our diocesan family as Bishop Ligot begins his ministry of service to God’s people in Santa Clara County. His deep pastoral heart and humble spirit will be a great blessing to our parishes and schools. Please keep Bishop Ligot in your prayers as he begins this new chapter of faithful leadership in our Church. May our lives together continue to be a living temple where God’s Spirit dwells, and may our parish always be a place where faith grows, hope is renewed, and love endures.
Mass of Remembrance photo submission and reception RSVP.
God bless,
Fr. Brendan