At Red Mass, faith called 'cornerstone of American experience'

Published: 2006-10-03

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Addressing a congregation that included many government leaders, Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl said Oct. 1 at the annual Red Mass at St. Matthew Cathedral that religious faith forms part of the foundation of the American experience and has an important role to play in public life. "Religious faith has long been a cornerstone of the American experience," the archbishop said at the Mass, traditionally held on the day before the Supreme Court opens its session. The Mass invokes God's blessings and guidance on the administration of law. Archbishop Wuerl noted how faith helped shape both the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence. He said George Washington's farewell address "reminds us that we simply cannot expect national prosperity without morality, and morality cannot be sustained without religious principles."

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