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A farewell
to our nation's capital
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
The bishops of the United States meet semiannually in plenary session as
the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The fall meeting
traditionally has been held in Washington. That is the location of the
conference offices. The spring meeting rotates around the country. Last
June it was held in Chicago. Next June it will move to Los Angeles.
The Nov. 14-17 meeting this year was the last to be held in Washington.
Next year, the fall meeting will be convened in Baltimore. Washington
has become too expensive. For example, the hotel room this year cost
$209 per night, plus $30.31 tax. Baltimore promises a less costly
experience.
I enjoy Washington. When time permits, I do the tourist thing. Since
this promised to be the last gathering in our nation’s capital, I left
Lafayette determined to make it a last hurrah. The goal was to spend
quality time at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I had
been there, but when the bishops celebrate their annual Mass at the
shrine at the beginning of each fall meeting, it is an “in-and-out.”
This time I wanted to truly explore.
The shrine is a magnificent edifice in a stunning setting on the campus
of the Catholic University of America in northeast Washington. The dome
can be seen for miles. It sparkled in the clear sky of a 59-degree fall
day. I believe it is the largest Catholic church in the United States.
It is monumental.
The cornerstone was laid in September 1920. The crypt church was
completed in 1926. Construction of the upper church was delayed by the
Great Depression and World War II. A national fund-raising effort led to
the resumption of construction during the Marian Year of 1954. The
building was finally dedicated in November 1959. Pope John Paul II gave
it the papal title of basilica in 1990. Bishop John Francis Noll of Fort
Wayne played a significant role in the completion of the shrine. Back in
the days when Northcentral Indiana was part of the Diocese of Fort
Wayne, I received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Noll.
The crypt alone is worth the trip. It is richly decorated with mosaics.
Multiple altars are dedicated to saints: Joseph, Elizabeth, Cecilia,
Agatha, Agnes, Ann, Lucy, etc. I counted 20 saints in all, plus altars
to the Blessed Mother under 15 different titles: Our Lady of Divine
Providence, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Mother of
Africa, etc. The names of thousands of donors are carved into the
pilasters of the memorial hall which leads to the crypt church.
While the crypt is obviously a basement, the upper church soars to the
heavens. A mosaic of a stern Christ in Majesty dominates the sanctuary
whose lower walls are encircled by mosaics depicting the 15 mysteries of
the pre-John Paul II traditional rosary. The west transept depicts the
Last Judgment; the east depicts creation. Multiple domes draw eyes
upward. The outer walls of the basilica are lined with chapels in honor
of the Blessed Mother under her various titles: Mary, Help of
Christians; Our Lady of China; Our Lady of Czestochowa; Our Lady of
Guadalupe, etc. Saints, too, are recognized: St. Vincent de Paul, St.
Therese of Lisieux, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Dominic, etc.
And, the shrine isn’t complete even yet. Domes and walls await mosaics.
Scaffolding which looked like it had been in place for some time was
visible at the rear of the basilica.
The shrine is very different from the National Cathedral (Episcopal).
That church is a great Gothic structure and well worth a visit, but in
spite of its flying buttresses, gargoyles and stained-glass windows, it
is singularly lacking in the warmth found in the shrine: no Blessed
Sacrament and no confessionals with red lights signaling penitents
receiving the healing ministry of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of
reconciliation. Trips to the National Cathedral leave me with a feeling
that I am a visitor. At the shrine I felt very much at home.
If you find yourself in Washington, take time to pilgrimage to the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It’s easily accessible off
the Metro Red Line. It’s a good place for prayer and confession. Of
course, there is the inevitable gift shop as well.
Since I was in the neighborhood, I ventured out on a 15-minute walk to
the Franciscan Monastery which advertises itself as “the Holy Land of
America.” It was visited years ago when I was a seminarian. I knew I had
been there, but I didn’t remember much about it.
More than 700 years ago, the guardianship of the shrines in the Holy
Land was entrusted to the Franciscan Order. The Washington Monastery was
constructed for the benefit of American Catholics who, it was thought,
would rarely be able to actually visit Bethlehem, the tomb of Christ,
the grotto of Gethsemane, and other Holy Land shrines. It would be a way
to keep Catholics aware of the need to care for the holy places in
Palestine, and perhaps a source of funds to fulfill that assignment. The
grounds offer “exact replicas” of some of the more important shrines,
outdoor Stations of the Cross, and an impressive Lourdes shrine. The
Church made the effort worthwhile.
The Franciscan Monastery is something you might consider if you have
some extra time in Washington. No doubt a visit will raise awareness of
the huge task the Franciscans have in preserving the real thing in the
Holy Land.
My tourist adventures completed, it was time to dig into the 22 agenda
items constituting the 2005 fall meeting of the USCCB. The week also
would include a regional meeting of the bishops of Illinois, Indiana and
Wisconsin, and more than two days in executive session (no media). The
days are full.
My pre-session distractions were a nice way to say my goodbyes to the
nation’s capital after 21 trips there for the annual fall meeting of the
bishops’ conference. Washington is a great place for tourists proud of
their Catholicism and attuned to the history of our great country. There
is a lot to experience. |
