What is the Foundational Stone?
The Foundational Stone will hold the gift of the Relics from the Tomb of St. Peter, which Queen of Peace received from the Vatican. It will be placed at the entrance of our new Parish Center. The text reads: “This first stone, taken from the tomb of St. Peter Apostle, of the parish hall of the Parish dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, has been blessed with a solemn blessing by the Supreme Pontiff Francis, with support of Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver, being present as pastor Rev. Felix P. Medina-Algaba. Aurora 2020.”
Why is the Foundational Stone so relevant for us today?
Jesus said, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined” (Mt 7:24-27).
Today, society has built its house on sand. It has no foundations, no lasting or eternal support. Everything is in flux, everything is fluid, everything is temporal, everything that is worldly is passing, nothing is sure. This situation creates a lot of anxiety and fear. People feel like they don’t have a place, they don’t have a something in which to believe.
The Lord invites us to build on rock. The Stone reminds us that Christ is our foundational stone. The stone is Christ. We want the foundation of our life to be the death and resurrection of Christ, together with him and the apostles, who were the first teachers of the faith, after Christ. Inside the stone, we have the relic of St. Peter, that unites us to Rome.
Why are the Relics of the Tomb of St. Peter so important?
In a letter included with the relic, Angelo Cardinal Comastri, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City State and President of the Fabric of Saint Peter’s wrote, “This relic represents a tangible sign of union with this Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, center of lay devotion and beating heart of Christianity.” The relic is a sign of our communion with Saint Peter, and his successors, and of the unity that bonds Queen of Peace with the Universal Church. We are united to St. Peter's faith and teachings, as the first apostle and the Vicar of Christ on earth.
We are also encouraged by his zeal to give his life for the announcement of the Good News! St. Peter was a martyr, which means a witness. What we are creating through the new parish center is a place of witnesses, who are not afraid to trust in the Lord and bring his love to all. This will be a permanent reminder of that.
Join us in building a place of love, of healing, of communion, of unity in a time of division, of selfishness, of isolation!
Groundbreaking Ceremony and Laying of the Foundational Stone