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“It is also significant that the fire in Notre-Dame moral life, especially among priests. (...)
occurred at the beginning of Holy Week, which is “The tragedy of Notre-Dame spontaneously
the heart of the liturgical year for all Catholics. As brought to my mind the following words of Our
the facts in the case are still unknown, we have no Lord: “Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in
evidence on which to base allegations of a plot to Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they
destroy the cathedral. Yet one is left with a queasy were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt
feeling inside, especially as one considers the chain in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent
of systematic anti-Catholic events, marginalization, you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13: 4-5).
discrimination and ridicule which the Catholic faith “May the fire at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame
has undergone at the hands of the French political de Paris, however sad and deplorable it is, rekindle
establishment and French media landscape, both — especially in the shepherds of the Church — a
of which are firmly in the hands of the current anti- love and zeal for the true Catholic faith and for the
Christian freemasonry forces in France. ardent evangelization of all those who do not yet
“Notre-Dame is not only the most symbolic believe in Christ. And may they be mindful not to
cultural and religious sign for the Catholic Church marginalize and cowardly exclude the Jewish and
in France. Given that France bears the title, ‘eldest Muslim people from this outstanding form of char-
daughter of the Church’, her main cathedral also ity. May the fire at Notre-Dame also serve as a
has deep cultural and religious significance for the means to inflame in the shepherds of the Church a
entire Catholic world. spirit of true repentance, so that God might grant to
“The destruction of a visible sign of such vast all the grace of a renewal in the true faith and in true
proportion as the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris love for Christ, Our Lord, Our God and Our Savior.
also contains an unmistakable spiritual message. “When the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris
The fire of Notre-Dame is without doubt a powerful began to burn, there was a group of faithful, with
and stirring sign which God is giving to His Church in children and young people among them, who knelt
our day. It is an appeal for authentic conversion, first on the ground and sang the Hail Mary. This was
and foremost among the shepherds of the Church. one of the most touching and spiritually powerful
“The fire has largely destroyed Notre-Dame, signs in the midst of a great tragedy. May Our Lady,
a centuries-old masterpiece of the Catholic faith. Help of Christians, intercede for us, that the shep-
This is a symbolic and highly evocative representa- herds of the Church might begin, with the help of
tion of what has happened in the life of the Church the lay faithful, to rebuild the spiritual ruins in the
over the last fifty years, as people have witnessed a life of the Church in our day. In the Church, as in
conflagration of the Church’s most precious spirit- Paris, a process of repairing and rebuilding is a sign
ual masterpieces, i.e., the integrity and beauty of of hope.” v
the Catholic faith, the Catholic liturgy and Catholic

Notre-Dame de Paris before the fire. Will it be rebuilt as it stood before April 15, 2019?

www.michaeljournal.org MICHAEL May/June/July 2019 15