By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
Record crowds turned out for Easter Mass at the national Basilica and the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington DC this year. The surprising turnout is being attributed to a spiritual revival due to economic hardship.
According to a report by the Washington Times, nearly 2,000 people attended Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl’s service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, which is almost double the cathedral’s capacity.
“I’ve been here 24 years, off and on, and I’ve never seen the numbers I’ve seen here today,” said Monsignor W. Ronald Jameson, the rector of St. Matthew’s. “It was just magnificent to see that expression of praise for the Lord.”
A similar overflow crowd showed up for the Archbishop’s Easter Vigil Mass later in the day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Archbishop Wuerl was clearly delighted by the turnout, starting his homily by mentioning a radio report Sunday morning about Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass. “It said there were tens of thousands of people in the square,” Archbishop Wuerl said, then added, “They had nothing on us.”
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