First, being the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, in celebrating the feast of the Lateran Basilica, we renew our filial affection to the bishop of Rome who himself is the pope not only to the people of Rome but to us all. Second, through the same celebration, we declare that though we are separated from one another by great physical distance, there is only one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Just as the Apostle Paul says in Eph 4:5, there is only one Faith, one Lord, and one baptism so is there also one Church, one “Body of Christ” in the words of the same Apostle in Rom 12:5, 1 Cor 12:12, and 1 Cor 12:27. There is no Filipino Church as opposed to the Roman Church. There is only the Church in the Philippines just as there is only the Church in Rome, for there is only one Church present in different parts of the world. Thus, the joy in remembering the dedication of the Basilica of St. John in Lateran is the joy of all the churches.
Ang buong Iglesiya – at hindi lang po ang Iglesiya sa Roma – ay nagpapasalamat sa Diyos ngayong araw na ito para sa Basilika ni San Juan sa Lateran, ang katedral ng Santo Papa bilang obispo ng Roma. At ikatlo, ang pagdiriwang po natin sa kapistahang ito ng pagtatalaga sa Basilika ni San Juan sa Lateran (o kahit na anumang simbahan sa ganang ito) ay dapat lumikha ng pagkakataon para sa isang makatotohanang pagtingin natin kung gaano nga po ba tayo katapat sa iniisip at tinitibok ni Kristo Jesus para sa Kanyang Iglesiya ayon sa orihinal Niyang nilayon at itinalaga.