On a cold winter’s night this past February, dozens of young adults stood at the base of the steps of the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, holding candles. Soon they set out as missionaries, two by two, bringing the light of Christ to the streets of Washington as part of the Light the City evangelization effort to invite people to come to this holy place to seek God and pray.
Bringing Christ’s light to our city and our nation has been central to the mission of the Saint Matthew community since it was founded in 1840 as a downtown parish. Throughout its illustrious history, this church has been a visible manifestation of the kingdom of God in our midst, a home where people from all walks of life are invited to encounter the Good News of Jesus Christ and grow in the Christian life.
Every day, the story of our salvation unfolds there as priests proclaim the word of God, celebrate the Eucharist and heal people of their sins in Confession. The crowds who come to this spiritual sanctuary include workers from all three branches of government, and also people from nearby businesses and national headquarters, embassies and international organizations, and visitors to Washington. Strengthened by the Lord’s grace, they go out into the world and into the daily challenges of living the Gospel.
This witness continues today as the Saint Matthew family marks their 175th anniversary year, and I give thanks to God for their vibrant faith and the leadership of the rector, Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson. The theme for this jubilant occasion is “Sharing the Joy of the Gospel for 175 Years,” and on Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, I will celebrate an anniversary Mass there to commemorate this legacy of bringing the light of Christ and the joy of the Gospel to our community.
Over the years, the Church of Saint Matthew has been a witness to history. Twice the Cathedral has been honored with a visit from the Chief Shepherd of the Church Universal. In 1979, Saint John Paul II celebrated Mass there and just a few weeks ago, Pope Francis came to pray with our nation’s bishops. Washingtonians also gathered there to offer prayers of thanksgiving at the end of World War II. In November 1963, three days after his tragic assassination, a Pontifical Requiem Mass was said for President John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first Catholic president. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, people came to pray for peace and healing.
With its gleaming copper-plated dome rising nearly 200 feet on the Washington skyline, this sacred house of God has been a landmark of faith in the nation’s capital. It is also my special church as the archbishop of Washington because, in 1939, when the Archdiocese of Washington was created, the Church of Saint Matthew was accorded the privilege of being named a cathedral. The title “cathedral” itself takes its name from the Latin cathedra, meaning teaching chair, from which the bishop presides at Mass. The chair symbolizes his apostolic authority to teach in the name of the Church.
The Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle is the principal Church of this archdiocese and it is where I often gather with our spiritual family for solemnities such as Christmas and Easter, on Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, on New Year’s Day, the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, and on so many other special occasions such as diaconate and priesthood ordinations. Each fall, the Cathedral hosts the annual Red Mass, traditionally attended by Supreme Court justices and other government leaders – sometimes including our president – to invoke the blessings of the Spirit on all those in our area engaged in the service of the law and the administration of justice. The annual White Mass is celebrated there as well to honor the gifts of persons with special needs.
The Cathedral is also a parish in its own right and, as archbishop, I am blessed to be the principal celebrant at the Easter Vigil each year, and baptize, confirm and give First Communion to people becoming full members of the Catholic Church. Their radiant joy reflects the light and new life of the risen Christ that they experience personally at this celebration.
Posted on the website for the Cathedral parish are the shared memories of people who have been blessed to be a part of this community. Reading through them, we see how the grandeur and beauty of the Church of Saint Matthew is seen not only in its mosaics and murals, but in the lives of its parishioners as well. Alive in the Spirit, this family of faith glorifies God in prayer, works of mercy and missionary outreach, feeding the poor, ministering to the sick, assisting immigrants, witnessing to the dignity of human life, and helping people young and not-so-young deepen their faith and share it with others.
Jesus calls us to be a light unto the world (Matthew 5:14). For 175 years, the Saint Matthew faith community has shined with the light of Christ, joyously serving the Lord and our sisters and brothers with love and generosity.
