Wednesday,
May 30, 2007
No Italian Chapel in the National Shrine of
the Immaculate Conception ??
The
ANNOTICO Report
Whereas
there are more than 65 chapels within the
Basilica dedicated to various groups both Ethnic, like "Our Lady of
For
the longest time, Italians were the largest group of Catholics in the
Yes
there was a previous Fund Raising effort for an Italian Chapel, but the
funds mysteriously wound up paying for the Basilica Organ.:) :)
The
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception,is located in
It
is the largest church in the
Since the
It
is not the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Washington; the Cathedral of
St. Matthew the Apostle serves as church of the Archdiocese. The Basilica does
not have its own parish community, but it serves the adjacent University, and
the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Where’s the Italian
Chapel? - U.S. National Shrine to build Omitted Ethnic Area
Catholic Online
By Jane Harridan
May 29, 2007
Catholic News Service
"Where is the Italian chapel?" Wilmington Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli has often asked.
That very omission is why he, a cardinal and three other bishops of Italian descent are leading a campaign to build an Italian chapel in honor of Our Lady of Pompeii.
Italian-Americans are "as strong as any
other ethnic community," Bishop Saltarelli said,
noting that the lack of an Italian chapel at the national shrine seemed curious
at first to a group of bishops including Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, retired archbishop of Philadelphia; Bishop
The bishops eventually learned that virtually all ethnic groups were asked to contribute to the basilica and some wanted their donations to build a chapel in honor of the Madonna most cherished by those of their national heritage.
"But the best they can figure is that the Italian money went to purchase the organ," Bishop Saltarelli told The Dialog, newspaper of the Diocese of Wilmington.
He said the feeling has persisted that the
national shrine should have an Italian chapel, but choosing whom it would honor
was the challenge. "In
The Italian chapel in the
"Our Lady of Pompeii is really Our Lady of the Rosary," Bishop Saltarelli said.
The bishops and Cardinal Bevilacqua donated more than $40,000 of their own money to begin the campaign to raise the $2 million cost of the chapel; they hope the faithful of any ethnic background will also contribute. The chapel will be completed in the fall of 2008.
http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=24213
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