∫ (Piano music) ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica.
My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Darryl Schimeck,
And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
∫ Shall We Gather at the River, ∫
∫ Where bright Angel feet have trod, ∫
∫ With its crystal tide forever ∫
∫ Flowing by the Throne of God? ∫
∫ Yes, we’ll gather at the River, ∫
∫ The Beautiful, the Beautiful River. ∫
∫ Gather with the Saints at the River ∫
∫ That flows by the Throne of God. ∫

We gather together to celebrate Eucharist
Around the Table of the Lord.
We gather to give thanks and to praise our God.
We do that with the Sign of the Faith
In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.

My friends, every time we gather, we acknowledge
That we have faults and failings,
And more importantly,
We acknowledge that ours is a God of Love and Forgiveness.
Lord Jesus, as we gather to celebrate Eucharist this day,
We ask that You might deepen our Faith.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
We ask that You might strengthen our sense of Hope
In one another and in the world.
Christ, have mercy.
-Christ, have mercy.
We ask that You teach us to Love as You Love us.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God have Mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins,
And bring us to Life Everlasting.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫

And my friends, let us pray.
O God, who from Living and Chosen Stones
Prepares an Eternal Dwelling for Your Majesty.
Increase in Your Church the Spirit of Grace
That You have bestowed so that by new growth
Your Faithful People may build up the Heavenly Jerusalem.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.
The Angel brought me back to the entrance of the Temple,
And I saw water flowing out
From beneath the threshold of the Temple toward the East.
For the façade of the Temple was toward the East.
The water flowed down
From the southern side of the Temple south of the Altar.
He led me outside by the North Gate
And around to the outer gate facing the East,
Where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district,
Down upon the Arabah and empties into the sea,
The salt waters which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature
That can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish.
For wherever this water comes,
The sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind
Shall grow, and their leaves shall not fade,
Their fruit shall not fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
For they shall be watered by the flow from the Sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ God is for us a refuge and strength, ∫
∫ An ever-present help in time of distress. ∫
∫ So we shall not fear, ∫
∫ Though the Earth should rock, ∫
∫ Though the mountains quake to the heart of the sea. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters, you are God’s building.
According to the Grace of God given to me,
Like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
And another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
For no one can lay a foundation
Other than the one that is there, namely Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are a Temple of God,
And that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person,
For the Temple of God, which you are, is Holy.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, ∫
∫ That My Name may be there forever. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
Ours is a Reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
-Glory to You, O Lord.
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the Temple area
Those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
As well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords and drove all of them
Out of the Temple area with the sheep and the oxen,
And spilled the coins of the money changers
And overturned their tables.
And to those who sold doves there He said,
“Take these out of here,
And stop making My Father’s house a marketplace.”
His Disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
‘Zeal for Your House consumes me.’
At this the Jews answered and said to Him,
“What sign can You show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said to Him, “This Temple has been
Under construction for forty years,
And You will raise it up in three days?”
But He was speaking about the Temple of His Body.
Therefore, when He was raised from the dead,
His Disciples remembered that He had said this,
And they came to believe the Scripture and the Word
That Jesus had spoken.
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

So when I was a little boy, I grew up in Mount Prospect.
And in our backyard we had a field,
And I have a brother who was two years younger than me,
And my brother and I loved this little pup tent that we had,
And oftentimes we’d sleep in the pup tent.
But that was a very special place for us.
It was kind of a Sacred place for us.
It’s a place where we could be together away,
Or I could be alone, but it was just a special place.
And I think we all have what we’d call
Sacred places in our lives.
Eventually my brother and I started a little campfire
Inside the tent, and that was the end of it,
But it was good for a while.
[Laughter]
Sacred space.
A dear Priest friend of mine, he’s up in the Madison Diocese,
And he’s been moved around,
And he’s a wonderful Pastor, and every time I go to visit him,
He, in his rectory, creates a Sacred space for himself.
It’s a “prayer corner,” he calls it,
But it’s carved out in the rectory just for him
To pray and to be one in prayer with the Lord.
Creating Sacred space.
I say all of that because this Feast that we celebrate today,
The Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran,
Is a Feast day of dedicating Sacred space.
It’s dedicating a Cathedral in Rome.
So most people think that the main Church of Rome
Is St. Peter’s Basilica, but it’s not — it’s St. John Lateran.
Would be St. Peter’s and that would be incorrect.
The main Church in Rome is the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
It’s actually the Pope’s home Church
And the Cathedral of Rome.
It was property that was given by the Lateran family
To Constantine, who was the Emperor in the fourth century.
Constantine, who was a convert to Christianity,
Built this beautiful Basilica Cathedral,
And then it was redone again in the 16th century.
It stands there as a Church,
As a Sacred space for all the people of the world.
You’d say that about St. Peter’s, as well.
But this is special because it’s dedicated to the people
Who are of believing to all the people of the world.
To all Christians, to all Catholics in the world
That have a deep desire
For a Sacred space in their lives.
This Chapel that we gather here at Mercy Home
And celebrate Eucharist is also Sacred space.
The Dedication of St. John Lateran,
This Feast day is a reminder, it’s a reminder
And an invitation for all of us, for all of us to create
And to participate in Sacred space in our lives.
That it’s there for us, that it belongs to us,
But at the heart of it is the Lord.
Where do we encounter the Lord?
We encounter the Lord in all sorts of areas of our lives.
Certainly the work here at Mercy Home,
Working among the poor, in our prayer and nature,
But to have a special dedicated place
That belongs to all the Christians and Catholics
Of the world is pretty important.
The Church wants to call attention to that
By having this special Feast day honoring
A building but really honoring Sacred space,
But really honoring the relationship
That we have with God.
We take this opportunity now as we place
Our own hopes, dreams, prayers before our God
Who loves us dearly.
Our response to each prayer will be, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

For the Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they be guided by God’s Wisdom and Compassion.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they feel God’s Love filling their hearts and their lives.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer from homelessness and poverty,
May they find Hope and opportunity
Through the Compassion of others.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, too, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be Peace on Earth
And Goodwill towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and Loving God, we trust, we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
The prayers we pray out loud and certainly
Those many prayers that rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be Faithful to Your Son, Jesus.
Help us to be good Disciples in this world.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ (Piano music continues) ∫

And pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable to God,
The Father Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and Glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Accept, we pray, O Lord, the offerings made here,
And grant that by it those who seek Your favor
May receive in this place the power of the Sacraments
And the answer to their prayers through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our Salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God,
For in Your goodness, You are pleased to dwell
In this house of prayer in order to perfect us
As Temples of the Holy Spirit,
Supported by the perpetual help of Your Grace
And resplendent with the Glory of a life acceptable to You.
Year by year, You sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ,
Foreshadowing invisible buildings so that rejoicing
As the Mother of countless children,
She may be given her place in Your Heavenly Glory.
And so with the Angels and with all the Saints,
We praise You as without end, we acclaim:
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy, ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts. ∫
∫ Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the Fount of all Holiness.
Make Holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time that He was betrayed
And entered willingly into His Passion,
He took Bread and, giving thanks, He broke it.
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the Chalice and, once more giving thanks,
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
For this is the Chalice of My Blood,
The Blood of the new and Eternal Covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of Me.”

The Mystery of Faith.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ Until You come again. ∫

Therefore, as we celebrate the Memorial
Of His Death and Resurrection,
We offer to You, Lord,
The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,
Giving thanks that You’ve held us worthy
To be in Your presence and minister to You.

Humbly, we pray that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of Charity,
Together with our Holy Father and with our Bishop
And with all Your Faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
And all those who have died in Your Mercy.
Welcome them into the Light of Your Presence.
Have Mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With her Blessed Spouse, Joseph,
With the Blessed Apostles and with all the Martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased You throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to Eternal Life
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through Him and with Him and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
All Glory and Honor is Yours forever and ever.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen ∫

One of my favorite passages in the Scripture
Is when the Disciples came up to the Lord, and they said,
“Lord, teach us how to pray.”
And He said, “When you pray, pray like this,”
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
And graciously grant Peace in our day,
That by the help of Your Mercy,
We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress,
As we await the Blessed Hope
And the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are Yours,
Now and forever.

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to His Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, it is My Peace that I give to you.
Look not on our sins, but on the Faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her Peace and Unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.”
-Amen.

The Peace of the Risen Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
For those of you who are celebrating
This Eucharist with us at home,
We want to take this opportunity
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To offer you and to pray that you receive God’s
Choicest Blessings in your lives and Christ’s Peace.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Grant us Peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus.
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The Bread of Life that comes down from Heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the Supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home, please turn to page six
In your TV Mass guide and join in singing
Our Communion song, “May the Road Rise to Meet You.”
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫
∫ For everything there is a season; ∫
∫ A time for meeting, a time to say goodbye. ∫
∫ In all things, God is near, ∫
∫ Always guiding your way. ∫
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫

And we continue our prayer.
O God, who chose to foreshadow for us the Heavenly Jerusalem
Through the sign of Your Church here on Earth,
Grant, we pray, that our partaking of this Sacrament,
We may be made the Temples of Your Grace
And may enter the dwelling in Glory through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

For the final blessing, I just want to thank all of you
Who are celebrating this Eucharist with us.
Please continue to pray for the children
Here at Mercy Home.
I thank you for your kindness and your generosity
In support of our Home.
So the Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
May the many blessings of Almighty God;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
-Amen.
Our Mass has ended.
Go in Peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord… ∫

My friends, I just want to thank you
For the ways in which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
May God bless you, your family members, and your friends.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications division.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

∫ (Piano music) ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica.
My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Darryl Schimeck,
And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
∫ Shall We Gather at the River, ∫
∫ Where bright Angel feet have trod, ∫
∫ With its crystal tide forever ∫
∫ Flowing by the Throne of God? ∫
∫ Yes, we’ll gather at the River, ∫
∫ The Beautiful, the Beautiful River. ∫
∫ Gather with the Saints at the River ∫
∫ That flows by the Throne of God. ∫

We gather together to celebrate Eucharist
Around the Table of the Lord.
We gather to give thanks and to praise our God.
We do that with the Sign of the Faith
In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.

My friends, every time we gather, we acknowledge
That we have faults and failings,
And more importantly,
We acknowledge that ours is a God of Love and Forgiveness.
Lord Jesus, as we gather to celebrate Eucharist this day,
We ask that You might deepen our Faith.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
We ask that You might strengthen our sense of Hope
In one another and in the world.
Christ, have mercy.
-Christ, have mercy.
We ask that You teach us to Love as You Love us.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God have Mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins,
And bring us to Life Everlasting.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫

And my friends, let us pray.
O God, who from Living and Chosen Stones
Prepares an Eternal Dwelling for Your Majesty.
Increase in Your Church the Spirit of Grace
That You have bestowed so that by new growth
Your Faithful People may build up the Heavenly Jerusalem.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.
The Angel brought me back to the entrance of the Temple,
And I saw water flowing out
From beneath the threshold of the Temple toward the East.
For the façade of the Temple was toward the East.
The water flowed down
From the southern side of the Temple south of the Altar.
He led me outside by the North Gate
And around to the outer gate facing the East,
Where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district,
Down upon the Arabah and empties into the sea,
The salt waters which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature
That can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish.
For wherever this water comes,
The sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind
Shall grow, and their leaves shall not fade,
Their fruit shall not fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
For they shall be watered by the flow from the Sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ God is for us a refuge and strength, ∫
∫ An ever-present help in time of distress. ∫
∫ So we shall not fear, ∫
∫ Though the Earth should rock, ∫
∫ Though the mountains quake to the heart of the sea. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters, you are God’s building.
According to the Grace of God given to me,
Like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
And another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
For no one can lay a foundation
Other than the one that is there, namely Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are a Temple of God,
And that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person,
For the Temple of God, which you are, is Holy.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, ∫
∫ That My Name may be there forever. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
Ours is a Reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
-Glory to You, O Lord.
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the Temple area
Those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
As well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords and drove all of them
Out of the Temple area with the sheep and the oxen,
And spilled the coins of the money changers
And overturned their tables.
And to those who sold doves there He said,
“Take these out of here,
And stop making My Father’s house a marketplace.”
His Disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
‘Zeal for Your House consumes me.’
At this the Jews answered and said to Him,
“What sign can You show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said to Him, “This Temple has been
Under construction for forty years,
And You will raise it up in three days?”
But He was speaking about the Temple of His Body.
Therefore, when He was raised from the dead,
His Disciples remembered that He had said this,
And they came to believe the Scripture and the Word
That Jesus had spoken.
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

So when I was a little boy, I grew up in Mount Prospect.
And in our backyard we had a field,
And I have a brother who was two years younger than me,
And my brother and I loved this little pup tent that we had,
And oftentimes we’d sleep in the pup tent.
But that was a very special place for us.
It was kind of a Sacred place for us.
It’s a place where we could be together away,
Or I could be alone, but it was just a special place.
And I think we all have what we’d call
Sacred places in our lives.
Eventually my brother and I started a little campfire
Inside the tent, and that was the end of it,
But it was good for a while.
[Laughter]
Sacred space.
A dear Priest friend of mine, he’s up in the Madison Diocese,
And he’s been moved around,
And he’s a wonderful Pastor, and every time I go to visit him,
He, in his rectory, creates a Sacred space for himself.
It’s a “prayer corner,” he calls it,
But it’s carved out in the rectory just for him
To pray and to be one in prayer with the Lord.
Creating Sacred space.
I say all of that because this Feast that we celebrate today,
The Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran,
Is a Feast day of dedicating Sacred space.
It’s dedicating a Cathedral in Rome.
So most people think that the main Church of Rome
Is St. Peter’s Basilica, but it’s not — it’s St. John Lateran.
Would be St. Peter’s and that would be incorrect.
The main Church in Rome is the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
It’s actually the Pope’s home Church
And the Cathedral of Rome.
It was property that was given by the Lateran family
To Constantine, who was the Emperor in the fourth century.
Constantine, who was a convert to Christianity,
Built this beautiful Basilica Cathedral,
And then it was redone again in the 16th century.
It stands there as a Church,
As a Sacred space for all the people of the world.
You’d say that about St. Peter’s, as well.
But this is special because it’s dedicated to the people
Who are of believing to all the people of the world.
To all Christians, to all Catholics in the world
That have a deep desire
For a Sacred space in their lives.
This Chapel that we gather here at Mercy Home
And celebrate Eucharist is also Sacred space.
The Dedication of St. John Lateran,
This Feast day is a reminder, it’s a reminder
And an invitation for all of us, for all of us to create
And to participate in Sacred space in our lives.
That it’s there for us, that it belongs to us,
But at the heart of it is the Lord.
Where do we encounter the Lord?
We encounter the Lord in all sorts of areas of our lives.
Certainly the work here at Mercy Home,
Working among the poor, in our prayer and nature,
But to have a special dedicated place
That belongs to all the Christians and Catholics
Of the world is pretty important.
The Church wants to call attention to that
By having this special Feast day honoring
A building but really honoring Sacred space,
But really honoring the relationship
That we have with God.
We take this opportunity now as we place
Our own hopes, dreams, prayers before our God
Who loves us dearly.
Our response to each prayer will be, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

For the Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they be guided by God’s Wisdom and Compassion.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they feel God’s Love filling their hearts and their lives.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer from homelessness and poverty,
May they find Hope and opportunity
Through the Compassion of others.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, too, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be Peace on Earth
And Goodwill towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and Loving God, we trust, we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
The prayers we pray out loud and certainly
Those many prayers that rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be Faithful to Your Son, Jesus.
Help us to be good Disciples in this world.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ (Piano music continues) ∫

And pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable to God,
The Father Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and Glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Accept, we pray, O Lord, the offerings made here,
And grant that by it those who seek Your favor
May receive in this place the power of the Sacraments
And the answer to their prayers through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our Salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God,
For in Your goodness, You are pleased to dwell
In this house of prayer in order to perfect us
As Temples of the Holy Spirit,
Supported by the perpetual help of Your Grace
And resplendent with the Glory of a life acceptable to You.
Year by year, You sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ,
Foreshadowing invisible buildings so that rejoicing
As the Mother of countless children,
She may be given her place in Your Heavenly Glory.
And so with the Angels and with all the Saints,
We praise You as without end, we acclaim:
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy, ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts. ∫
∫ Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the Fount of all Holiness.
Make Holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time that He was betrayed
And entered willingly into His Passion,
He took Bread and, giving thanks, He broke it.
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the Chalice and, once more giving thanks,
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
For this is the Chalice of My Blood,
The Blood of the new and Eternal Covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of Me.”

The Mystery of Faith.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ Until You come again. ∫

Therefore, as we celebrate the Memorial
Of His Death and Resurrection,
We offer to You, Lord,
The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,
Giving thanks that You’ve held us worthy
To be in Your presence and minister to You.

Humbly, we pray that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of Charity,
Together with our Holy Father and with our Bishop
And with all Your Faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
And all those who have died in Your Mercy.
Welcome them into the Light of Your Presence.
Have Mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With her Blessed Spouse, Joseph,
With the Blessed Apostles and with all the Martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased You throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to Eternal Life
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through Him and with Him and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
All Glory and Honor is Yours forever and ever.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen ∫

One of my favorite passages in the Scripture
Is when the Disciples came up to the Lord, and they said,
“Lord, teach us how to pray.”
And He said, “When you pray, pray like this,”
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
And graciously grant Peace in our day,
That by the help of Your Mercy,
We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress,
As we await the Blessed Hope
And the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are Yours,
Now and forever.

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to His Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, it is My Peace that I give to you.
Look not on our sins, but on the Faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her Peace and Unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.”
-Amen.

The Peace of the Risen Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
For those of you who are celebrating
This Eucharist with us at home,
We want to take this opportunity
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To offer you and to pray that you receive God’s
Choicest Blessings in your lives and Christ’s Peace.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Grant us Peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus.
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The Bread of Life that comes down from Heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the Supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home, please turn to page six
In your TV Mass guide and join in singing
Our Communion song, “May the Road Rise to Meet You.”
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫
∫ For everything there is a season; ∫
∫ A time for meeting, a time to say goodbye. ∫
∫ In all things, God is near, ∫
∫ Always guiding your way. ∫
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫

And we continue our prayer.
O God, who chose to foreshadow for us the Heavenly Jerusalem
Through the sign of Your Church here on Earth,
Grant, we pray, that our partaking of this Sacrament,
We may be made the Temples of Your Grace
And may enter the dwelling in Glory through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

For the final blessing, I just want to thank all of you
Who are celebrating this Eucharist with us.
Please continue to pray for the children
Here at Mercy Home.
I thank you for your kindness and your generosity
In support of our Home.
So the Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
May the many blessings of Almighty God;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
-Amen.
Our Mass has ended.
Go in Peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord… ∫

My friends, I just want to thank you
For the ways in which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
May God bless you, your family members, and your friends.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications division.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

∫ (Piano music) ∫
The following presentation is made possible
By the generosity of the viewers
Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.
Good morning and welcome
To Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Today we celebrate
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica.
My name is Dan Riley.
I am joined by Tom McNamara and Darryl Schimeck,
And our Celebrant is Father Scott Donahue,
President of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
∫ Shall We Gather at the River, ∫
∫ Where bright Angel feet have trod, ∫
∫ With its crystal tide forever ∫
∫ Flowing by the Throne of God? ∫
∫ Yes, we’ll gather at the River, ∫
∫ The Beautiful, the Beautiful River. ∫
∫ Gather with the Saints at the River ∫
∫ That flows by the Throne of God. ∫

We gather together to celebrate Eucharist
Around the Table of the Lord.
We gather to give thanks and to praise our God.
We do that with the Sign of the Faith
In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
-Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.

My friends, every time we gather, we acknowledge
That we have faults and failings,
And more importantly,
We acknowledge that ours is a God of Love and Forgiveness.
Lord Jesus, as we gather to celebrate Eucharist this day,
We ask that You might deepen our Faith.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
We ask that You might strengthen our sense of Hope
In one another and in the world.
Christ, have mercy.
-Christ, have mercy.
We ask that You teach us to Love as You Love us.
Lord, have mercy.
-Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God have Mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins,
And bring us to Life Everlasting.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫
∫ Glory to God in the Highest, ∫
∫ And on Earth Peace to people of Good Will. ∫

And my friends, let us pray.
O God, who from Living and Chosen Stones
Prepares an Eternal Dwelling for Your Majesty.
Increase in Your Church the Spirit of Grace
That You have bestowed so that by new growth
Your Faithful People may build up the Heavenly Jerusalem.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever.
-Amen.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.
The Angel brought me back to the entrance of the Temple,
And I saw water flowing out
From beneath the threshold of the Temple toward the East.
For the façade of the Temple was toward the East.
The water flowed down
From the southern side of the Temple south of the Altar.
He led me outside by the North Gate
And around to the outer gate facing the East,
Where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district,
Down upon the Arabah and empties into the sea,
The salt waters which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature
That can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish.
For wherever this water comes,
The sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind
Shall grow, and their leaves shall not fade,
Their fruit shall not fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
For they shall be watered by the flow from the Sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫
∫ God is for us a refuge and strength, ∫
∫ An ever-present help in time of distress. ∫
∫ So we shall not fear, ∫
∫ Though the Earth should rock, ∫
∫ Though the mountains quake to the heart of the sea. ∫
∫ The waters of the river gladden the City of God, ∫
∫ The Holy Dwelling of the Most High. ∫

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters, you are God’s building.
According to the Grace of God given to me,
Like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
And another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
For no one can lay a foundation
Other than the one that is there, namely Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are a Temple of God,
And that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person,
For the Temple of God, which you are, is Holy.
The Word of the Lord.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫
∫ I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, ∫
∫ That My Name may be there forever. ∫
∫ Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. ∫

The Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
Ours is a Reading taken from the Holy Gospel
According to St. John.
-Glory to You, O Lord.
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the Temple area
Those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
As well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords and drove all of them
Out of the Temple area with the sheep and the oxen,
And spilled the coins of the money changers
And overturned their tables.
And to those who sold doves there He said,
“Take these out of here,
And stop making My Father’s house a marketplace.”
His Disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
‘Zeal for Your House consumes me.’
At this the Jews answered and said to Him,
“What sign can You show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said to Him, “This Temple has been
Under construction for forty years,
And You will raise it up in three days?”
But He was speaking about the Temple of His Body.
Therefore, when He was raised from the dead,
His Disciples remembered that He had said this,
And they came to believe the Scripture and the Word
That Jesus had spoken.
The Gospel of the Lord.
-Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

So when I was a little boy, I grew up in Mount Prospect.
And in our backyard we had a field,
And I have a brother who was two years younger than me,
And my brother and I loved this little pup tent that we had,
And oftentimes we’d sleep in the pup tent.
But that was a very special place for us.
It was kind of a Sacred place for us.
It’s a place where we could be together away,
Or I could be alone, but it was just a special place.
And I think we all have what we’d call
Sacred places in our lives.
Eventually my brother and I started a little campfire
Inside the tent, and that was the end of it,
But it was good for a while.
[Laughter]
Sacred space.
A dear Priest friend of mine, he’s up in the Madison Diocese,
And he’s been moved around,
And he’s a wonderful Pastor, and every time I go to visit him,
He, in his rectory, creates a Sacred space for himself.
It’s a “prayer corner,” he calls it,
But it’s carved out in the rectory just for him
To pray and to be one in prayer with the Lord.
Creating Sacred space.
I say all of that because this Feast that we celebrate today,
The Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran,
Is a Feast day of dedicating Sacred space.
It’s dedicating a Cathedral in Rome.
So most people think that the main Church of Rome
Is St. Peter’s Basilica, but it’s not — it’s St. John Lateran.
Would be St. Peter’s and that would be incorrect.
The main Church in Rome is the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
It’s actually the Pope’s home Church
And the Cathedral of Rome.
It was property that was given by the Lateran family
To Constantine, who was the Emperor in the fourth century.
Constantine, who was a convert to Christianity,
Built this beautiful Basilica Cathedral,
And then it was redone again in the 16th century.
It stands there as a Church,
As a Sacred space for all the people of the world.
You’d say that about St. Peter’s, as well.
But this is special because it’s dedicated to the people
Who are of believing to all the people of the world.
To all Christians, to all Catholics in the world
That have a deep desire
For a Sacred space in their lives.
This Chapel that we gather here at Mercy Home
And celebrate Eucharist is also Sacred space.
The Dedication of St. John Lateran,
This Feast day is a reminder, it’s a reminder
And an invitation for all of us, for all of us to create
And to participate in Sacred space in our lives.
That it’s there for us, that it belongs to us,
But at the heart of it is the Lord.
Where do we encounter the Lord?
We encounter the Lord in all sorts of areas of our lives.
Certainly the work here at Mercy Home,
Working among the poor, in our prayer and nature,
But to have a special dedicated place
That belongs to all the Christians and Catholics
Of the world is pretty important.
The Church wants to call attention to that
By having this special Feast day honoring
A building but really honoring Sacred space,
But really honoring the relationship
That we have with God.
We take this opportunity now as we place
Our own hopes, dreams, prayers before our God
Who loves us dearly.
Our response to each prayer will be, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

For the Holy Father and all Church leaders,
May they be guided by God’s Wisdom and Compassion.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
May they feel God’s Love filling their hearts and their lives.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer from homelessness and poverty,
May they find Hope and opportunity
Through the Compassion of others.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, too, the prayer of the Angels in Heaven,
That there might be Peace on Earth
And Goodwill towards all.
We pray to the Lord.
-Lord, hear our prayer.

Gracious and Loving God, we trust, we know
That You hear all of our prayers,
The prayers we pray out loud and certainly
Those many prayers that rest in the quiet of our hearts.
Help us to be Faithful to Your Son, Jesus.
Help us to be good Disciples in this world.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ (Piano music continues) ∫

And pray, my friends, my sisters, my brothers,
That this, our sacrifice, may be acceptable to God,
The Father Almighty.
-May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
For the praise and Glory of His Name,
For our good and the good of all His Holy Church.

Accept, we pray, O Lord, the offerings made here,
And grant that by it those who seek Your favor
May receive in this place the power of the Sacraments
And the answer to their prayers through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

The Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
-We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
-It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our Salvation,
Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God,
For in Your goodness, You are pleased to dwell
In this house of prayer in order to perfect us
As Temples of the Holy Spirit,
Supported by the perpetual help of Your Grace
And resplendent with the Glory of a life acceptable to You.
Year by year, You sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ,
Foreshadowing invisible buildings so that rejoicing
As the Mother of countless children,
She may be given her place in Your Heavenly Glory.
And so with the Angels and with all the Saints,
We praise You as without end, we acclaim:
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Holy, Holy, Holy, ∫
∫ Lord God of Hosts. ∫
∫ Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫
∫ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. ∫
∫ Hosanna in the Highest. ∫

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the Fount of all Holiness.
Make Holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
So that they become for us the Body and Blood
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time that He was betrayed
And entered willingly into His Passion,
He took Bread and, giving thanks, He broke it.
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body which will be given up for you.”
In a similar way, when the supper was ended,
He took the Chalice and, once more giving thanks,
He gave it to His Disciples, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
For this is the Chalice of My Blood,
The Blood of the new and Eternal Covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of Me.”

The Mystery of Faith.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ∫
∫ We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, ∫
∫ Until You come again. ∫

Therefore, as we celebrate the Memorial
Of His Death and Resurrection,
We offer to You, Lord,
The Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,
Giving thanks that You’ve held us worthy
To be in Your presence and minister to You.

Humbly, we pray that partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of Charity,
Together with our Holy Father and with our Bishop
And with all Your Faith-filled people.
Remember also our sisters and our brothers
Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection,
And all those who have died in Your Mercy.
Welcome them into the Light of Your Presence.
Have Mercy on us all, we pray,
That with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With her Blessed Spouse, Joseph,
With the Blessed Apostles and with all the Martyrs,
With all the Saints that have pleased You throughout the ages,
That we may merit to be coheirs to Eternal Life
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through Him and with Him and in Him,
O God, Almighty Father, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
All Glory and Honor is Yours forever and ever.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Amen, Amen, Amen ∫

One of my favorite passages in the Scripture
Is when the Disciples came up to the Lord, and they said,
“Lord, teach us how to pray.”
And He said, “When you pray, pray like this,”
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
And graciously grant Peace in our day,
That by the help of Your Mercy,
We may be freed from sin and saved from all distress,
As we await the Blessed Hope
And the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
-For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are Yours,
Now and forever.

And Lord Jesus Christ, who said to His Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, it is My Peace that I give to you.
Look not on our sins, but on the Faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her Peace and Unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.”
-Amen.

The Peace of the Risen Lord be with each of you.
-And with your Spirit.
For those of you who are celebrating
This Eucharist with us at home,
We want to take this opportunity
At Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To offer you and to pray that you receive God’s
Choicest Blessings in your lives and Christ’s Peace.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Have Mercy on us. ∫
∫ Lamb of God, ∫
∫ You take away the sins of the world, ∫
∫ Grant us Peace. ∫

My friends, behold Jesus.
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The Bread of Life that comes down from Heaven.
Blessed are those invited to the Supper of the Lamb.
-Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof,
But only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home, please turn to page six
In your TV Mass guide and join in singing
Our Communion song, “May the Road Rise to Meet You.”
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫
∫ For everything there is a season; ∫
∫ A time for meeting, a time to say goodbye. ∫
∫ In all things, God is near, ∫
∫ Always guiding your way. ∫
∫ May the road rise to meet you. ∫
∫ May the wind be at your back. ∫
∫ May the sun shine warm upon your face. ∫
∫ May the rain fall softly on your fields, ∫
∫ And until we meet again, ∫
∫ May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God. ∫

And we continue our prayer.
O God, who chose to foreshadow for us the Heavenly Jerusalem
Through the sign of Your Church here on Earth,
Grant, we pray, that our partaking of this Sacrament,
We may be made the Temples of Your Grace
And may enter the dwelling in Glory through Christ our Lord.
-Amen.

For the final blessing, I just want to thank all of you
Who are celebrating this Eucharist with us.
Please continue to pray for the children
Here at Mercy Home.
I thank you for your kindness and your generosity
In support of our Home.
So the Lord is with you.
-And with your Spirit.
May the many blessings of Almighty God;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Come upon all of you,
Your family members and your friends,
And remain with you forever.
-Amen.
Our Mass has ended.
Go in Peace.
-Thanks be to God.
∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord… ∫

My friends, I just want to thank you
For the ways in which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
May God bless you, your family members, and your friends.
The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications division.
∫ (Piano music) ∫

So when I was a little boy, I grew up in Mount Prospect.
And in our backyard we had a field,
And I have a brother who was two years younger than me,
And my brother and I loved this little pup tent that we had,
And oftentimes we’d sleep in the pup tent.
But that was a very special place for us.
It was kind of a Sacred place for us.
It’s a place where we could be together away,
Or I could be alone, but it was just a special place.
And I think we all have what we’d call
Sacred places in our lives.
Eventually my brother and I started a little campfire
Inside the tent, and that was the end of it,
But it was good for a while.
[Laughter]
Sacred space.
A dear Priest friend of mine, he’s up in the Madison Diocese,
And he’s been moved around,
And he’s a wonderful Pastor, and every time I go to visit him,
He, in his rectory, creates a Sacred space for himself.
It’s a “prayer corner,” he calls it,
But it’s carved out in the rectory just for him
To pray and to be one in prayer with the Lord.
Creating Sacred space.
I say all of that because this Feast that we celebrate today,
The Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran,
Is a Feast day of dedicating Sacred space.
It’s dedicating a Cathedral in Rome.
So most people think that the main Church of Rome
Is St. Peter’s Basilica, but it’s not — it’s St. John Lateran.
Would be St. Peter’s and that would be incorrect.
The main Church in Rome is the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
It’s actually the Pope’s home Church
And the Cathedral of Rome.
It was property that was given by the Lateran family
To Constantine, who was the Emperor in the fourth century.
Constantine, who was a convert to Christianity,
Built this beautiful Basilica Cathedral,
And then it was redone again in the 16th century.
It stands there as a Church,
As a Sacred space for all the people of the world.
You’d say that about St. Peter’s, as well.
But this is special because it’s dedicated to the people
Who are of believing to all the people of the world.
To all Christians, to all Catholics in the world
That have a deep desire
For a Sacred space in their lives.
This Chapel that we gather here at Mercy Home
And celebrate Eucharist is also Sacred space.
The Dedication of St. John Lateran,
This Feast day is a reminder, it’s a reminder
And an invitation for all of us, for all of us to create
And to participate in Sacred space in our lives.
That it’s there for us, that it belongs to us,
But at the heart of it is the Lord.
Where do we encounter the Lord?
We encounter the Lord in all sorts of areas of our lives.
Certainly the work here at Mercy Home,
Working among the poor, in our prayer and nature,
But to have a special dedicated place
That belongs to all the Christians and Catholics
Of the world is pretty important.
The Church wants to call attention to that
By having this special Feast day honoring
A building but really honoring Sacred space,
But really honoring the relationship
That we have with God.