Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, blessed an elevator Aug. 17 at Nativity Parish that will allow the elderly, the infirm and those with mobility issues to attend Mass at the church on Georgia Avenue, N.W., in the Brightwood neighborhood of the nation’s capital.
He blessed the lift after celebrating Mass at the parish, which this year celebrates its 125th anniversary.
“I’ve always marveled at the wonderful things this parish has accomplished, including building an elevator,” Cardinal Gregory said.
He praised the parish for its long history of “bringing together so many different people to worship one God.”
“Today’s festivities are so joyful,” he remarked.
Cardinal Gregory recalled that on the first day he was named the new archbishop of this archdiocese (in April, 2019), he visited Nativity Parish. He congratulated the parish for its “extraordinary hospitality” towards him and those who now can attend Mass thanks to the elevator.
During the Mass, he acknowledged a “never-ending” list of bad news in the headlines, but urged those at the Mass to turn their attention away from that and “celebrate this happy moment where more people now have access to the church.”
“Let’s rejoice in something positive and optimistic today,” he said. The elevator enabling the elderly and the infirm to attend Mass shows how “the Church must defend the dignity and sacredness of life ... All life is sacred.”
At the Mass, prayers of thanksgiving to God were offered for the hands that built the elevator, the minds that conceived its design and the people who donated toward its construction.
Bettie Kennedy, a longtime member of the parish, served as project manager of the elevator installation and helped with the planning of the Aug. 17 blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Over the years I watched the parishioners age and develop an inability to navigate the stairs and steps, she said. “Sometimes, their family members would bring them to Mass in a wheelchair, and the families and ushers would pull the wheelchairs up the stairs to get them to Mass.”
She said that parishioners with disabilities normally cannot attend Mass because they cannot negotiate the steps – some very steep – at every entrance.
“I’ve been in this church since the early ‘80s and there are parishioners who have been here even longer who could not come to Mass because they did not have access,” she said. “Watching them struggle was heartbreaking. Now, no more of that. They can ride in style, in our new lift/elevator.”
Last May – when ground was broken for construction of the new lift – Father Pawel Sass, pastor of Nativity Church, said the project was important because while people with disabilities were able to watch Mass on television or stream it over the Internet, “it is critical that we get our parishioners back to in-person worship.”
At Sunday’s blessing, the priest spoke to parishioners and told them, “This is our church, and you are taking care of it, and I thank you.”
“We are here to bless an elevator and lift our spirits and hearts in hope,” Cardinal Gregory said.
As he blessed the lift, Cardinal Gregory said it would “improve the lives of the people,” and urged them to “strive to imitate Christ who descended to earth and likewise ascended to heaven.”
After the blessing, Father Sass cut a ceremonial ribbon and took the first ride on the lift with parishioner Constance Dickerson.
