Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – The Archbishop of Washington is sending a message of hope this Christmas, even though the holiday comes at a time when the country is still hurting from the tragedy in Connecticut and the damage from Superstorm Sandy.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, whose archdiocese includes more than a half-million Catholics, says Washington is a highly complex region dominated by politics, but that should not change the message.
“We need to focus all over again on the value, the dignity of each person, the life of every single person,” he says.
People are confused by the deaths of 20 children in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, Wuerl says.
“Faith is always challenged when there are these dark moments, but it’s precisely then that we realize we are not here alone.”
Wuerl says there is a growing need among the poor and homeless in the D.C. region, but the public’s response to their needs has been very good.
Wuerl will perform Christmas mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Staff members also will prepare Christmas dinner for 800 poor and homeless people.
Listen to more of Wuerl’s interview with WTOP’s Hank Silverberg above and to the right.
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