Faith

Friday, November 14, 2025Faith

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I wonder whether future generations will look back upon us and see our contradictions and our blindness to the sanctity and dignity of all human persons and the gift of life.

Archbishop Richard G.
Henning

Each year, during the Baltimore gathering of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the bishops celebrate Holy Mass at the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore. This beautiful church, the first Catholic cathedral in the United States, was begun in 1806 under the leadership of Bishop John Carol. The cathedral was designed by the first trained architect in the U.S., Benjamin Latrobe, who was known for designing the U.S. Capitol building during the administration of President Jefferson.
It was a heady moment for Catholics in the United States in those first years after the Revolution. All Americans were getting used to a new world and envisioning new possibilities. For Catholics, there was a dramatic change, as the anti-Catholic laws of the colonial era began to fall after the passage of the Bill of Rights. The cathedral was one of the first great public buildings in this new America and a sign that Catholics, long hidden in the shadows, could emerge into the light.

Latrobe's design understood this moment of hope and optimism and focused on the symbol of light. Unusual for Catholic Churches at the time, the new cathedral included large windows with clear rather than stained glass. The effect was to fill a traditional basilica-style building with light. The beauty and meaning of that design continue today, and I always enjoy visits to this beautiful church. The fact that this annual event involves praying with my brother bishops only adds to the experience. I remember each year the Lord's Own words: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12) and His summons to His disciples to be light and salt for the world (Mt 5:13-16).
There is one other and very important element of this story. When the Basilica was constructed with its theme of light, Maryland was still a slave state. The cathedral included balconies for slaves to attend Holy Mass, separated from the congregation below. It is painful to realize that the Catholics celebrating their newfound freedom failed to see the contradiction in maintaining other human beings in bondage. In a cathedral of light, shadows of injustice and suffering loomed.
It is tempting to imagine that the contradiction inherent in that moment belongs only to the people of that time. Instead, it is too often the case that societies can be blind to injustice. In every generation, we tend to see reality from the perspective of our own interests. The prophets repeatedly called the people to account in this regard, reminding them of their obligation to those who were often invisible in ancient society: the widow, the orphan, the poor one, and the stranger. The Church has continued this prophetic tradition in its focus on the marginalized and its considerable worldwide charitable efforts. Even for the members of the Church, however, it is possible to avert our eyes from the uncomfortable truths of injustice and the evil that can lurk in our hearts. I wonder whether future generations will look back upon us and see our contradictions and our blindness to the sanctity and dignity of all human persons and the gift of life.
If you and I are temples of the Holy Spirit and if we have that sacred calling to be light to the world, then we have an obligation to allow the light of divine love to transform us and drive out the shadows of prejudice, racial hatred, selfishness, greed, envy, and anger from our hearts. There are time-tested ways to bring the light of God to banish the shadows, and the most powerful is the examination of conscience and participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Regular practice of this sacrament teaches us humility, trust in God, and compassion for others. May the grace of that sacrament banish the shadows and show forth the saving light of Christ!

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston