When was the last time you were in Washington, DC? When you went what did you see? The National Gallery, the Washington Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House?? Did you know that one of the largest Basilicas in the country is here? It's called a "Shrine" -and it's that and much more.
Probably the most intriguing collection of art not in a Museum is in the "National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception" located in the "Little Vatican" section of DC up by Catholic University. You cannot miss it- it has a spectacular dome and tower which is especially brilliant lit up at night. Someone I love with impeccable taste has a favorite sculpture there; its the sculpture of the Flight to Egypt. I didn't remember it so I had to go find it. Joseph is exhausted on the ground, even the donkey is exhausted lying down and Mary is leaning back holding Jesus across her lap. I love it because Mary doesn't look like Bethlehem Barbie- she looks like a real woman with hair not perfect, --she looks fairly hearty and in a shape you would expect of someone who just had a baby. People from all over the country go there in Pilgrimmage and touch the feet of Joseph and Mary-it's so worn it's shiny.
You want to see it before all the Christmas decorations come down. The decorations are spectacular. Each chapel contains an amazing statue or sculpture. There is more gold leaf in the ceiling than Fort Knox.
There is a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel which has a gold veil of falling manna surrounding "the box."
This is not a church with a regular congregation while the Archbishop hangs there I think - so it relies on the prayerful financial assistance of the devoted throughout the country to keep the lights on. I got this email which I forward to you so you can get their calendar and put them on your prayer list.
Happy New Year from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
A reflection for the Feast of the Epiphany from Fr. Michael Weston, our Director of Liturgy:
Within our celebration during this Christmas Season, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. This Feast Day commemorates the “manifestation,” the making known, of the Savior of the whole world. The wise men who came to visit the Lord and present Him with gifts represent peoples of every language and nation. The Christ-child is not that old, and yet, in God’s plan no time is wasted in announcing to the world the joy of His birth. Like the three kings, we can come to Jesus and be filled with joy and hope as we adore Him. Let us make a resolution at the beginning of this New Year to visit the Lord often, whether in quiet prayer at home or, even better, in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord. May the example of the three kings, who traveled so far just to see Him, be an encouragement for each of us, to come and adore the One who was born on Christmas Day and now lives in the tabernacles of every Church.
We also would like to take this opportunity to remind you about our 2008 Our Lady in Art and 2008 America's Catholic Church calendars.(click) Our Lady in Art includes beautiful images of the Virgin Mary for each month of the year, accompanied by a prayer that is sure to enhance your devotion to our Blessed Mother. (click) America's Catholic Church includes images of Mary and prayers for each month; the images are all taken from the chapels and oratories inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conceptions in Washington, DC. For more information and to request your calendars please click here.
Thank you for your faithful support to our ministry. We wish you a blessed new year and may Mary be your guide to a holy life in the light of her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/pp.asp?c=etITK6OTG&b=106948
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