From The Ashes…
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In March 2005, St. Raphael’s Cathedral in Madison, Wisconsin burnt down in an arson attack. On arrival Bishop Morlino tried to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament but it was too dangerous and he was not allowed to enter the wreckage. He found some Catholic fire-fighters and asked them to try and retrieve the Blessed Sacrament. They succeeded and this iconic image was capture by an onlooker. This scene has been reproduced in a a painting in the lobby of the Diocese’s chancery.
This image reminds us of the importance of the Real Presence. It is Jesus, present in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, that makes our church buildings holy and sacred. The Bishop was not concerned with trying to save ornaments or precious vestments but with finding the gift of unending love.
H/T to Fr. Z who included this image in a post about the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest.
