This afternoon, I was honored and blessed to be able to attend the dedication of our Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Illinois.Never before in my almost 32 years of life can I remember being moved to tears so many times in the span of two hours and forty minutes.
It's funny... I don't usually cry at funerals... I just haven't in the past. I firmly believe in the Resurrection, and to me, a funeral is a joyful prayer for the soul into eternal life.
But I do cry at things that raise my thoughts and heart and soul to heaven. And today, I saw one of those things. For two hours and forty minutes that seemed to last just minutes. It went so quickly.
The Cathedral was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I remember a lot of visits to it from my youth and young adulthood, but never remember it glowing with such radiant beauty. I remember it being much darker. Today, it was bright, and golden. It honestly seemed golden.
And the liturgy was beautiful. The music was beautiful. The assembly of bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay was awesome. The Spirit was there as we consecrated the church anew. Francis Cardinal George's Homily was fantastic, and deep, and inspirational.
And check out this prayer...
Here is reflected the mystery of the Church.
The Church is fruitful,
made holy by the blood of Christ;
a bride made radiant with his glory
a virgin splendid in the wholeness of her faith,
a mother blessed through the power of the Spirit.
The Church is holy, your chosen vineyard:
its branches envelop the world,
its tendrils, carried on the tree of the cross,
reach up to the kingdom of heaven.
The Church is favored,
the dwelling place of God on earth:
a temple built of living stones,
founded on the apostles
with Jesus Christ its corner stone.
The Church is exalted,
a city set on a mountain:
a beacon to the whole world,
bright with the glory of the Lamb,
and echoing the prayers of her saints.
(The Prayer of Dedication,
Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar)
I've posted a bunch of the photos I took here.
I've always set the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. (my favorites, and the most beautiful) into their own category, and have considered the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, UT and the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, TN as the most beautiful "non-basilica" cathedrals I had been in. But today, I left Springfield firmly believing that I live in the diocese with the most beautiful cathedral I've been in.
It was a day of history and memories for the people of our diocese. I only wish that Suzanne and the boys could've been there with me. But with just one ticket, I was proud and honored and blessed to represent our family. It is truly a day that I'll tell our sons about as they grow up and as I take them to the cathedral from time to time.
It was a day of God's blessings showered upon our diocese and its faithful. For today, we are truly thankful.
[Update 2: The State Journal-Register article and video on Springfield's ABC 20.]
