'Shocking': Catholics Mourn Notre Dame, Bystanders Break Out in Song and Prayer

Cortney O'Brien | April 15, 2019 3:45 PM

As Notre Dame Cathedral burns, it isn't only Parisians feeling the weight of the flames. Catholics around the world are mourning the sight.

President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Issues Statement on #NotreDame Cathedral Fire pic.twitter.com/xvohxMTWbk
— US Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) April 15, 2019

The archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, told Paris it has his prayers.

I just went next door to our own beloved Cathedral, Saint Patrick’s, to ask the intercession of Notre Dame, our Lady, for the Cathedral at the heart of Paris, and of civilization, now in flames! God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze.
— Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) April 15, 2019

The Catholic Association’s Senior Fellow, Ashley McGuire, was just as devastated.

"Catholics everywhere are devastated by the destruction of Notre Dame," she wrote in a statement. "For centuries, the cathedral has been an emblem of faith and beauty, beckoning visitors from all around the globe and filling their hearts with wonder and awe at the Divine. Just as the Catholic Church is universal, the loss of Notre Dame is felt universally."

Bystanders watched in horror as the Notre Dame Cathedral's famous spire collapsed, and the fire has reportedly consumed the entire roof. Groups near the cathedral have broken out in prayer.