On August 6 and August 9, 1945, the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed. In commemoration of this anniversary, the Cathedral is hosting a display of photographs of the devastation, thanks to Deacon Denny Duffell of Pax Christi International. Stop by and explore the exhibit any time the Cathedral is open, 7:30am – 3:00pm Monday-Saturday, 12:00pm – 2:00pm Sunday. The exhibit will continue through August 14.

The photos are a stark reminder of the destruction wrought by nuclear weapons, and should remind us that nuclear disarmament is still far away. There are at this moment 14,500 nuclear weapons in existence, the vast majority of them in the United States and Russia. Yoshiro Yamawaki, one of the hibakusha (survivors of the nuclear attacks in Japan), has said: “Undoubtedly, nuclear weapons lead to disaster. Please lend us your strength to eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth and make sure that Nagasaki is the last place on Earth to suffer an atomic bombing. Let us all work together to build a peaceful world, free of war.”

On his visit to Japan last year, Pope Francis said: “One of the deepest longings of the human heart is for security, peace and stability. The possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction is not the answer to this desire; indeed they seem always to thwart it. Our world is marked by a perverse dichotomy that tries to defend and ensure stability and peace through a false sense of security sustained by a mentality of fear and mistrust, one that ends up poisoning relationships between peoples and obstructing any form of dialogue…. Here in this city which witnessed the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of a nuclear attack, our attempts to speak out against the arms race will never be enough. The arms race wastes precious resources that could be better used to benefit the integral development of peoples and to protect the natural environment. In a world where millions of children and families live in inhumane conditions, the money that is squandered and the fortunes made through the manufacture, upgrading, maintenance and sale of ever more destructive weapons, are an affront crying out to heaven.”

"My own heart let me more have pity on"

Scott Webster reads and Corinna Laughlin reflects on

the poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ

Last Sunday at the 10:30am livestream Mass, we celebrated the long-delayed Sacraments of Initiation for our Elect. It was wonderful to welcome these nine newest members of the family of faith. Congratulations to our neophytes--Alex, Christine, Brian, Allie, Marcos, Linda, Samuel, Brielle, and Joella!

Join us for public Mass in the Cathedral, on Saturday, August 15, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, at 5:30pm. We have put many precautions in place to make sure the celebration is safe and comfortable. This is not business as usual! The following are important important instructions for those who wish to take part in Mass:

You will notice a number of changes to the Mass. All these changes are designed to ensure our safety as we gather together for Mass:

Please remember that there is no obligation to attend Sunday Mass at this time. While we do our utmost to make the Mass safe and comfortable, anyone who attends does so at their own risk. Particularly vulnerable persons are strongly encouraged to continue to shelter in place. Anyone who is experiencing any symptoms whatsoever, such as fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, MUST remain at home out of consideration for the health and well being of others.

Hesitant about returning to public Mass? Father Ryan offers an overview of changes which have been made for your safety during the coronavirus pandemic. At the moment, we offer just one public Mass each week, on Saturday at 5:30pm.