Today, March 14, 2010, marks the fifth anniversary of the early-morning fire at Saint Raphael Cathedral in Madison. Thankfully no one was hurt but the Cathedral eventually had to be demolished. (The picture above shows the firefighters who removed the Blessed Sacrament from the locked tabernacle even as the fire burned.)Several liturgical items, including the ciborium shown above, remain in use today. The wooden crucifix with the ivory corpus which hung above the cathedra was discovered in the rubble a few days after the fire and, even though one arm of Christ is broken, it has been used by the Cathedral Parish ever since for the veneration of the cross on Good Friday. The processional cross, blackened by smoke, was used by the Bishop at the Chrism Mass that was held just days after the fire. A silver statue of Mary was thought to be lost but eventually was found in the rubble and has since been refurbished. The statue is now enshrined at Saint Patrick Church on the other side of the square.
The prayer below was composed the day of the fire for distribution by the Diocese of Madison.
O God,
whose word is like a fire,
who spoke to your servant Moses in the burning bush
and who led your people Israel out of bondage
with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night:
hear your people as we call upon you both in gratitude and sorrow.
We thank you for the safety of the Cathedral staff and parishioners,
for those who fought the fire and for all who live and work in nearby buildings.
May this fire purify your Church in the Diocese of Madison
so that our hearts may burn with the knowledge
that your Church is built upon the bedrock of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the intercession of Saint Raphael,
your messenger of healing,
may we find comfort in our affliction
and the courage to continue proclaiming
the Good News of Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
