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Richmond cathedral hosts Virginia Vespers

Steve Neill | For the Catholic Herald

Virginia Vespers: Evening Prayer for the Commonwealth” was the first event of its kind and was prepared by the Virginia Catholic Conference.

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Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo gives his homily at “Virginia Vespers: Evening Prayer for the Commonwealth” Feb. 17 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.

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Virginia Vespers: Evening Prayer for the Commonwealth” was the first event of its kind and was prepared by the Virginia Catholic Conference.

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By growing to know more about the person and personality of
Jesus, many Christians get involved in work that helps others
attain those basic needs – such as food, clothing and shelter
– to which every man, woman and child has a right by virtue
of being created by God.

Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo gave this heartfelt
message as homilist at “Virginia Vespers: Evening Prayer for
the Commonwealth,” part of the Liturgy of the Hours Feb. 17
at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde led the Evening Prayer. The
event was the first of its kind and was prepared by the
Virginia Catholic Conference.

With Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and his wife, Dorothy,
present along with other state legislators, Bishop DiLorenzo
was clear about why they had been invited to the service.

“It is important to be transparent, we’re not here to discuss
an agenda or sell you an idea,” he said.

Asserting that Catholics have a communal belief in Jesus
Christ as a person and His personality, he said that Jesus
touched hearts, and this helped establish discipleship.

“What is this personality?” Bishop DiLorenzo asked. “Jesus is
someone who has compassion. He saw people who had a need and
he tried to address it.

“Jesus was loving. He tried to show love to every man, woman
and child.”

Jesus’ death on the cross brought salvation to all humanity.

“When He was on the cross, He forgave those who crucified Him
and for the sins of others,” the bishop continued.

“He was gentle. He loved people, and kids obviously loved
Him.

“He was patient. He had a message, and He was a Savior who
ran right into the religious establishment at every turn.

“He was self-controlled. He was humble and wasn’t interested
in power and seeking glory.”

With this personality, Jesus invited all of humanity to have
a relationship with Him, Bishop DiLorenzo said.

“He had a pure heart and right motivation,” he said.

Acknowledging that Christians will not always be successful
in accomplishing all that they hope to do, Bishop DiLorenzo
said, in the final analysis, legislators should ask
themselves “Did you have the right motivation?”

He suggested that those who seek to address the needs of the
Commonwealth of Virginia should “have a pure heart and right
motivation to solve sometimes what appear to be unsolveable
problems.”

“For us as Catholics, we want to be in a right relationship
with Jesus,” Bishop DiLorenzo said. “We want to be partners
with whoever will join us to move forward.

“When we are judged, we will have to own up. Did we enter
into a relationship with Jesus?

“He wants us to have a pure heart and work to help the needs
of others.”

Neill is editor of The Catholic Virginian.

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