Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend marks an important Solemnity in the life of our Faith. Last week, we celebrated the great Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the foundational mystery of our Faith that has been revealed to us, and this Sunday, our attention is drawn to Jesus’s presence in the Holy Eucharist as we celebrate Corpus Christi. For us, the Eucharist is God’s “loveletter” to us as he makes himself present to us at each and every Mass where we have the blessing to invite him into our bodies and souls. Truly, this is such a unique gift for our lives.

Here at St. Philip’s, we will have the opportunity to honor Jesus in the Eucharist through the Eucharistic processions that will occur after the 10:30 AM Mass in English, and after the 1:00 PM Mass in Spanish. In these processions, we will see how Jesus came to be our food when he was born in the humble manger, and how he gave us his body on the cross through his death, and how he continues to feed us throughout the whole world.

Today, I wish to continue in my account of the pilgrimage to Italy and Poland that I made this past Spring, and I wish to share with you some of our first experiences in the city of Krakow, the historical and cultural center of Poland. It was within this city that Saint John Paul II served as Archbishop and Cardinal for many years. We will discuss his life more in-depth in later letters.

What was most striking about being in Krakow was the presence of so many beautiful churches that have been places of worship for countless faithful Catholics for centuries. As we walked throughout the historical city, we would encounter a church on almost every street, and each of these parishes had multiple Masses scheduled every day. Additionally, almost every church had an adoration chapel where the faithful could come in the middle of their workday and spend a few minutes in silent prayer with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

One of the most memorable churches we visited in Krakow was the Church of Corpus Christi, a church that was founded by King Casimir III the Great in 1340 and was eventually completed in the mid-15th century. This church was built in the Gothic style, with vaulted ceilings that soar above walls of glass. Although the Church was beautifully arrayed in gold, wood, and stone, it was one of the coldest churches that I have ever been in! Because the church is so old and has so much stone, the central heating is not sufficient to keep worshipers warm during the winter months. Nevertheless, it was a joy to celebrate Mass in such a beautiful space!

Maybe Christ's Peace be with you,

Father Briggs