Let's cut to the core:
there is no such thing as a "national cathedral" in the way many
people assume. To understand why, we need to understand what a cathedral is. A cathedral is the seat of a bishop within a diocese. Notre-Dame in Paris is the cathedral of the
Archdiocese of Paris, St. Paul's in London is the cathedral of the Diocese of
London. These are diocesan, not national, landmarks.
The Washington Cathedral, despite its grand
name, is the seat of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and the Presiding
Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. However, the Presiding
Bishop is not a "national bishop," and the Episcopal Church is not
the "national church." The United States, like most countries, does
not have a national diocese.
Therefore, calling it the "national
cathedral" is a misnomer, a piece of "Washingtonian hyperbole,"
as some might say. It’s a bit like calling a particularly large and important
public library the "national library" simply because it's in the
capital.
This mislabeling is only one piece of a larger
issue. The Washington Cathedral, like some Anglican cathedrals in the UK, has
increasingly become an "event space." Corporate holiday parties,
complete with light shows, dance floors, and bars, have transformed the sacred
nave into a secular venue. This commercialization raises serious questions
about the respect for sacred space and the purpose of a cathedral.
This secularization of what is called a
"national cathedral" highlights a deeper absence: the lack of a
strong synthesis between culture, society, and the Church, a synthesis once
embodied by the great cathedrals of the past.
As Pope Benedict XVI eloquently stated in a
homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the beauty of a cathedral, and
of the Church itself, is best understood "from the inside." He used
the analogy of stained-glass windows: from the outside, they appear dark and
dreary, but from the inside, they are vibrant and luminous.
The unity of a cathedral, like the unity of
the Church, is a dynamic tension, a harmonious interplay of diverse elements
pointing toward Heaven. We, as members of the Church, are called to invite
others "inside," to experience the radiant beauty of God's presence.
A true cathedral, functioning as intended,
serves as a powerful call to evangelization. It's a reminder of our spiritual
heritage and an invitation to participate in the life of grace. The Washington
Cathedral, by blurring the lines between sacred and secular, risks losing this
essential function.
Ultimately, the issue isn't simply about semantics. It's about understanding the true purpose of a cathedral and preserving its sacred character in a world increasingly dominated by secular values.
