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While we may be surprised to see such behavior among Christians, it is nothing new. In fact, Christians have even gone so far as to claim patrons from among the saints – and even Christ Himself – as proponents of their fallen notions. Let me give you an example from today’s feast. One of the things that created divisions (and eventual schism) within the Church was an argument over who had the power to decide matters of faith and direction. The Romans, seeking to bolster the centrality and power of their pope, turned Saint Peter into the patron of their cause, reading into his life proof that their position on (Roman) Papal Primacy was the only correct and natural one. When we read such claims, we learn more about Roman Catholic doctrine and its defenders than we do about the actual life and ministry of St. Peter. He was clearly the “first among equals”, but the rock of his confession and the keys to the kingdom were not uniquely his, but the salvific witness and ministry of the Church.
