“Cathedra”– the Chair of the By Msgr. Michael Howell
E
Contributor
ach year on Feb. 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the “Chair of St. Peter.” It might seem rather strange to even Catholics that a day would be dedicated to honoring a chair.
Just as strange to many would be the large bronze monument in St. Peter’s Basilica that features an ornate chair held aloft by the four originally designated Doctors of the Western Church — Sts. Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome and Pope Gregory the Great. They are not medical doctors, but like those with a Ph.D. they are recognized for their
>> While the throne of a kingdo who sits upon that chair, the cha theological wisdom and teaching. But this chair, like the throne of a king, represents more than just a place to sit. While the throne of a kingdom represents the site of political power and the rule of the one who sits upon that chair, the chair of Peter represents the teaching authority of the Holy Father. This stems from ancient traditions. Those who taught as rabbis in the synagogue would sit to then expound on the Scriptures; as the Gospel of Luke notes, even Jesus did so when he first preached in Nazareth. Luke writes that after reading from the word of Isaiah, Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and then “sat down” before beginning his teaching (Lk 4:19).
Cathedra of Bishop Paul Joseph Nussbaum
Cathedra built by the Cech Mill and glass company (now Safety
who presided from the first St. Patrick’s
Glass) of Corpus Christi for the Corpus Christi Cathedral in 1940.
Church (corner of Antelope and N. Caranca-
Bishop Ledvina, Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga and Bishop Thom-
hua) which was designated the cathedral at the time of the erection of the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1912. It was also used by
as Joseph Drury presided from this chair during their tenures as the
his successor,
chief shepherd of the
Bishop Emmanuel
Diocese of Corpus
Boleslaus Ledvina,
Christi. After renova-
until the building
tions that followed
and dedication of
Vatican II, Bishop
the present Corpus
Drury in the last years
Christi Cathedral in
of his administration
1940. Presently this
used a different cathe-
chair is used by the
dra. This chair is still
local priests who pre-
used in the Cathedral
side at Eucharist in the
today for other minis-
Cathedral when the bishop is
ters in the Liturgy.
not present.
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SOUTH TEX AS CATHOLIC | JUNE 2012
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