“The Presence of the Petrine Office” | Postcards from Rome 2026

A major underlying motif throughout several of our visits this week was the Roman Pontiff in visiting St. Peter’s Basilica, the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. Throughout the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls there were several images depicting St. Paul as he held Scripture and a sword, but he was never without the company of St. Peter, holding the keys of the kingdom. It is easy to forget in our endeavors to share the gospel that we are at the service of the Body of Christ and His head, the vicar of Christ. In a similar manner, St. Paul’s ministry and evangelization was closely united in his relation to St. Peter.

This was also reinforced by our visit to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus in which the first sixteen popes were buried. Near the main entrance of the Catacombs there were two pillars standing at both sides of the room without supporting anything. However, these were meant to symbolize Saints Peter and Paul to further indicate the burial of the early pontiffs. Even underneath the outskirts of Rome among the bodies of many, the Petrine office stood. Again, it just went to show the presence and importance of the Papacy.

Before coming to The Rome Experience, the papacy and our tie to it, especially as men preparing for the priesthood, seemed to be a lofty idea. Being here in Rome, however, this reality has taken flesh and is something that I will cherish in years to come. It also provides a greater impetus to keep the Holy Father in my prayers. From all of this, I look forward to get a chance to see the Roman Pontiff in person in the following weeks and strengthen this resolve.

Rafael Lopez
Diocese of Brownsville