Welcome to the
Catholic Community of
St. Peter and St. Paul
9135 Banyan St | Alta Loma, Ca 91737
Phone: 909.987.9312 Fax: 909.980.9404
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SAINT PETER, Apostle,
the first patron of our parish, was Jesus’ choice to lead the
early Church and become the first pope. Every Catholic hears
about Peter many times throughout the liturgical year from the
reading of the Gospels and from the Acts of the Apostles.
Matthew’s Gospel gives him special status, and from Mark, who
was probably an interpreter for Peter in Rome, in his Gospel,
Peter’s preaching and lessons about Jesus can be learned. Luke
reveals more of St. Peter through Acts. He is the dominant
figure among all the disciples of Jesus in the New Testament. Peter was a fisherman from Capernaum, a village on the Sea of Galilee. He was son of Jonah (or John) and brother of Andrew. Trained by his father in fishing, he was probably in a fishing partnership with Zebedee and his two sons, James and John. He was married, and his wife probably was a traveling partner (1 Cor 9:5). Acts tells us that he was quite the opposite of Paul in that he was a common man, uneducated. His appearances in the New Testament record many different pictures of him: a brave and bold man who would even attempt walking to his Lord on the water, obedient to the Holy Spirit in proclaiming Jesus the Christ, yet a man whom Jesus called a "Satan" when he objected to the revelation of the Passion, someone who wanted to remain on the mountain of Tabor basking in Jesus’ glory. He boasts of loyalty and defense of Jesus, yet denies Him and runs away, only to repent and cry for forgiveness, which Jesus gives even before He sees him after the Resurrection. Jesus Himself tells Peter that He has prayed for Peter to be strengthened. Paul recognizes Peter’s special position among the Apostles of Jesus as one of final authority and special choice of Jesus. Simon is Peter’s original name when Jesus calls him away from fishing as a trade, telling him he will fish for men instead. Later on, Jesus will commission him as head of the Church in response to the revelation of the Holy Spirit to Peter of who Jesus is. Simon confesses in answer to Jesus that He is: "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:17). Christ replies: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to thee, but my Father in heaven. And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:17-18). As leader of the infant Church, Peter’s history is recorded in Acts. He speaks for all the disciples and apostles on the first Pentecost, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, which was promised by Jesus. He was a missionary, a judge and a mediator in the early years of Christianity. He effects the replacement of Judas, eliminates the need for Gentiles for circumcision, and speaks out against applying the strict food rules of the Jews to Jesus’ disciples. He baptizes the first Gentile family, Cornelius’ household, into the Church. His imprisonment, escape, travels, and preaching's are all recording in the New Testament gospels, Acts, as well as two epistles ascribed to him, 1 and 2 Peter. Peter was in great demand in the early Christian communities; Acts reports that, in the name of Christ he heals the sick, and many are eager just to have his shadow fall on them (Acts 3:6; 5:15). Together with St. Paul, St. Peter is responsible for the astonishing rise of the Christian faith and the baptism of thousands of converts immediately after the Ascension of Jesus. His recorded travels from Jerusalem include Lydda, Joppa, and Caesarea. Tradition tells that he probably also went to Corinth. In the Epistle to the Galatians (2:11), Paul records that he and Peter ate together with the church at Antioch. Ancient historians also tell of Peter’s travel to Rome, founding a church there, possibly with Saint Paul, and his crucifixion and death there. Rome was where he set the center of the Catholic Church, moving it from Antioch. For centuries, the faithful believed that Peter’s tomb had been under the high altar in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Excavations in this century have confirmed this belief. Far from being unapproachable, Peter is a very human saint, a saint for all humankind. Not in awe of his intelligence or energy or strength or purity, the faithful respond to the overwhelming sense of humility and the graces which filled his soul. Peter appeals to most people because he is so much like themselves, having brave words, good intentions, but more than ample fear and many failures. Still, he is an ardent lover of God in Jesus Christ. Even when Jesus reprimands him and calls him a "Satan", Peter continues to follow our Lord. Peter knows himself as many Christians might wish to: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man., O Lord" (Luke 5:8). Honest, courageous, wholehearted is his commitment, Peter knows there is no where else to go but to Jesus (John 6:69). It is this honesty that saves him from the despair that takes Judas. It is this honesty in his love of Christ that makes Peter the choice of Jesus as first vicar and holy martyr for His young Church. |