The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is donating $25,000 to help repair the Washington National Cathedral, which sustained millions of dollars in damage in the earthquake that rocked the East Coast on Aug. 23.
“The National Cathedral holds a special place in the hearts of all of us in Washington,” said Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington.
“So many recognize it as a national house of prayer, and indeed its magnificent Gothic spires are a reminder of our constant need to raise our hearts in prayer to God in the midst of all our daily preoccupations.”
I am sorry to see this. Money going to repair spires is less money to sue true Christians and spread false gospels.
robroy –
I recognize that some people regard the Faith of the Catholic Church as a “false gospel”, but what true Christians are we suing?
As a Catholic who has no expectation of corporate reunion with the Anglicans, I’m glad to see this gift. We can’t solve the global doctrinal problems, so we can’t share Communion, but we can do what we can do, which is model such charity towards one another as circumstances present.
Hi Charles52, I expect that RobRoy was referring to TEC.
Charles52,
I look upon the Roman Church and the Orthodox churches as co-members along with the Anglican churches in the Church Catholic.
To be sure, we have disagreements over issues of canon and doctrine, but we are still first cousins sharing much more in common than the issues that separate us.
Charles52, Sarah is correct. The RC church should keep their money and use it to further the true Gospel. I love Pope Benedict. I love the RC church. (I do have major qualms about Mariolatry and the adoration of the saints.) The American Catholic Church does have its bishops that are not protecting the faith. I suspect the bishop of Washington is one of them, otherwise he wouldn’t be sending money to a propagator of false gospels.
As for AnglicanFirst’s comment. I see Anglo-catholicism as dead in the TEO. Some people ridiculously call themselves Anglo-catholic just because they like incense and have listened to a Palestrina mass at one point. The TEO is in full communion with the ELCA, recognizing their clergy. End of argument. One can make the same argument about the Church of England with its Porvoo agreement and whether it nullifies Anglo-catholicism in the COE. I will leave it to the theologians.
I was hoping maybe the good Cardinal might convert someone at the cathedral to Christianity while he is helping with the repairs.
I for one am grateful to the Cardinal. My father took me to Washington for my 7th birthday and I recall how awestruck I was when he took me to the cathedral. Father told me it was the equal of anything Europe had to offer and now, over 50 years later and having had the opportunity to visit many of Europe’s great cathedrals, I can say that Father was right. It is tragic tha such a work raised to the golry of God should have fallen into the hands of apostates, but the building itself, high on Mount St. Alban, is a magnifinant reminder that this nation was once assumed to be Christian
Thanks to Sarah and robroy for the clarification. It is my intention to not comment on Anglican matters, so I’ll forego further thoughts on the cathedral.
AnglicanFirst, with the RCC, I’ll go beyond your “cousins”, and call you brother*. Separated, true, but if you are baptized and affirm that Jesus is Lord, it’s “brother”, none the less.
That’s not to say that theology and doctrine don’t matter; there’s not a relativistic bone in my body. And it’s not to say that bitter, hateful anti-Catholic bigots don’t exist, because they do. However, they aren’t hiding in every blog comment and lurking behind every theological difference. “Anti-” is a spiritual disease, which you encounter in lots of places and I’ll admit I have little patience for the “anti-s”. But hey, I’m born and bred Texan, and I know about the Whore-of-Babylon-pope-is-the-anti-Christ types. I had a cousin try to get me “saved out of the Catholic Church”. And a lot of those folks mean well, they really do.
* or sister.