Class of 2027 Ring Mass Homily
Fisherman's Ring
10/06/2026
Fr. Willie, S.J. ’87 | President
(Fr. Guillermo García-Tuñón, S.J. delivered this homily at the Class of 2027 Ring Mass on October 6, 2026, at the Our Lady of Belen Chapel.)
There is an interesting tradition in our Church you may not be aware of. Whenever a Pope passes away, an ancient ritual takes place inside the Vatican. The Cardinal Camerlengo, the one who administers the properties of the Holy See and basically runs things during a vacancy in the papacy, walks up to the Papal desk and picks up a heavy silver hammer. He takes the Pope’s official ring, known as the “Anulus Piscatoris” or “Ring of the Fisherman,” and smashes it with the hammer, defacing the seal on the ring so it can never be used again.
Now, you may wonder why smash a masterpiece of gold and silver? Why destroy something so beautiful? The answer is simple: because that ring was never meant to be jewelry. It wasn't a trophy to show off, nor was it a mere fashion statement. That ring, more specifically, that signet ring, was a tool of authority and authenticity.
In ancient times, a leader didn’t sign documents with an ink pen. They melted hot wax onto a decree, took their signet ring, and pressed the metal face directly into the wax. The seal it created was proof the document was real. It meant that leader stood behind the words written in the decree. As for the Pope, that seal meant the Holy Father stood behind whatever mission he decreed in the document. Without that seal, the document had no authority. When a Pope dies, his ring is defaced so no fake decrees could ever be issued in his name.
Because these signet rings carry so much history, the Vatican jewelers try to measure the new Pope's hand as quickly as possible after his election. But in 1958, when Pope John XXIII was elected, things didn't go as planned.
Pope John, whose baptismal name was Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, had grown up working hard on his family’s farm in northern Italy. Because of this, he had notoriously thick, working-class hands. The papal jewelers brought out the traditional Ring of the Fisherman they had designed for an average size, and when they tried to slide it onto his finger during the ceremony, it wouldn’t go past his knuckle.
Rather than panicking or making a scene, Pope John just laughed out loud in front of all the Cardinals, forced the ring on as far as it would comfortably go, and said with a smile that God clearly knew how to keep a Pope humble from day one.
Members of the class of 2027, soon you will be receiving your senior rings. It is a tradition that has been a part of our school’s history for over a hundred years. When you finally put them on your fingers, you might feel a little bit like Pope John XXIII. Maybe the ring won’t feel completely natural on your hand. Maybe even what the ring represents will take some getting used to: the responsibility of being a senior with college applications, expectations, the leadership role you are entrusted with, the idea your Belen career is almost over. All of those things may feel a little overwhelming, the fit may be a little tight.
That is okay. Growth isn’t supposed to feel completely effortless right away. You are stepping into bigger shoes, and God is calling you for a greater purpose. But remember, while as good as those rings will look on your fingers, they are not simply a decoration. They are a sign of your mission.
If you ever get the chance, go online and take a look at the Papal ring. It is called the Ring of the Fisherman because carved into its face is an image of St. Peter standing in a boat, hauling in a fishing net. The image is a reference to the Gospel of St. Luke chapter 5 verses 1-11. You know the story because we heard it at the beginning of this academic year. Jesus looks at a tired, frustrated Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and says: “Put out into the deep… from now on you will be a fisher of men.” DUC IN ALTUM!
Remember, Jesus didn't say, “Peter, come follow me and sit safely on the shore.” He called him into the deep, into the unknown, into hard work, into a life that mattered.
When you put your school ring on your finger today, it carries the emblem of this school and your graduation year. It connects you to St. Peter. It connects you to every alumnus who has ever walked these hallways before you. But most importantly, it acts as a signet ring for your life.
Think about what a signet ring actually does: it leaves an impression.
Every classroom, every locker room, every college campus, every dinner table, every conference room, every group chat you walk into or are a part of are like soft wax. When you enter them, your character and your faith will leave an impression behind.
Just yesterday, I received an email from a friend who lives in Boston. She had been invited by the business school at Boston College to address a room full of students. At the end of her presentation, she said a young man introduced himself. He asked her several questions, expressed his interests in pursuing a career in business, thanked her for her presentation and shook her hand. She was so impressed with his demeanor that when he turned to leave, she asked him where he was from. He said Miami. Then, she asked, “Where did you go to school?” He said, “Belen Jesuit.” She was so impressed by him that she went home and wrote me to congratulate Belen for the formation of a young man of such great character.
So tonight, at this Mass, ask yourself, “When people encounter me, what impression do I leave?”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells two stories about lost items that are searched for until found. First, there is a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep in the open country to search tirelessly for the one lost sheep. Jesus asks, what man among you would not do that? Well, if you ask me… no man. It’s not practical. If you have 99 sheep, why risk them? Count your losses and move on.
Then Jesus tells the story of a woman who lights a lamp, sweeps the entire house, and searches diligently for one lost coin of no particular value. When she finds what was lost, she calls in her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her. Again, Jesus asks, what man among you would not do that? Again, if you ask me… no man. It’s crazy. Why such joy over a worthless penny?
But my brothers, that’s the thing about the love of God. In comparison to the way the world loves, God’s way of loving is oftentimes impractical, oftentimes crazy. But it is exactly that kind of love that makes the biggest impression. Take a look at the image of the crucified Christ behind me. To think that an all-powerful God would reduce Himself and take on our humanity, suffer and then die such a horribly violent death would seem to not only be impractical, but crazy. And yet, think of the impression it has left on this world. An impression so powerful, that this very image has adorned literally billions of homes and churches and necklaces all over the earth for practically 2,000 years.
When you press your ring into the wax of your daily lives, does it leave the mark of that impractical, crazy love? Do you leave behind an impression of joy and charity, of service and compassion? Or do you leave behind an impression of cynicism, indifference, selfishness, and greed?
In a world full of fake profiles, superficial lives, and people telling you to put on a mask just to fit in, your signet ring… your class ring, needs to stand for strong and authentic character. A signature can be forged, but a true seal is unique. God didn’t create you to be a copy of someone else on social media. He gave you your unique gifts, your mind, and your heart so that you could leave His mark on the world.
Back on that boat on the Sea of Galilee, after Peter hauls in a multitude of fish, his initial reaction was one of fear. He falls to his knees and says, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Peter knew he wasn't perfect. He knew he was going to make mistakes. He felt inadequate and unworthy.
Some of you might be sitting here today feeling the weight of senior year, the stress of big decisions, changing friendships, or just the fear of leaving what is familiar. Like Peter, you might feel inadequate, that you’re going to make mistakes. Or maybe you feel like that one lost sheep or coin, wondering if you will drift out of sight. Well then, look at your ring. Look at the people sitting to your right and left. Look at your parents and teachers sitting behind you.
When Jesus gave Peter that mission, he didn’t send him out alone. He gave him a community, a band of brothers. Just like the shepherd and the woman called their community together to rejoice, you belong to a community that celebrates you and looks out for you. This ring is a circle. It has no beginning and no end. It is a reminder that no matter where you go after graduation, you carry the prayers of this community with you. You belong to something bigger than yourself.
So, seniors, as these rings are blessed today, don't treat them as mere keepsakes to toss in a jewelry box after graduation. Wear them as your Fisherman’s Ring. Wear them as a daily promise that you will not stay in shallow waters, sitting on the sidelines of life. Wear them as a reminder that you are called to lead with integrity, to seek out and stand up for those who feel lost or overlooked, and to press the joyful, seeking love of the heart of Christ into every corner of the world you touch. Remember, you are called to make a powerful impression.
My brothers, soon you will not just be wearing school history, you will be writing it.
Our Lady of Belen… pray for us.
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