@ Edward, when you find the separation of church and state in the constitution tell me where it is. It was actually written in a letter and not in any official document. Jefferson was writing in response to a pastors letter and was telling him that the state, meaning the federal government in Jeffersons time, would not dictate what denomination each individual colony would be.

The "Ideal" of Separation of Church and state is the very premise with which millions fleed to this country and the basis for it's formation. History has proven over and over again the outcome of leaders dictating based on religous ideaology. I guess that the founding Father's of this country would have been considered Liberals and ofcourse subversives, unwilling to go with the status quo.

Millions and millions of dollars needed for the repairs. Was there not insurance on the structure? I suggest that the Vatican pay for the repairs as they can well afford it. To suggest that the local community and those "across the country" pay for it is nothing short of appalling!

The National Cathedral is an Episcopal church. I didn't notice that anyone asked for tax money...just help from people who want to help! DONATIONS from people willing and able and who want to help with the repairs!!!

Have the parishioners pay for it with their donations and Sunday donations. Why do tax payers and the American people have to front the bill for a religious building? We're stuck with the bill for plenty enough. I'm not episcopal, so why are my tax dollars going to fix House of Worship that I'll never attend?

How sad that some people argue about everything. It is better to see the positive in some things. Is it better to see that fact that a flower lives to provide beauty and food for living things, or to weap that it will wilt all too soon?

Mary Tiger, my dear you must be a curmudgeones, for your hardness of heart, in this matter, speaks volumns.......

Hey ! Let's turn this church into a public housing project..Geez ! 25 million would sure make for a lot of accomodiations...God would want it that way..

Two things: First item shows collegiality in Washington among religious groups. Secondly, it tooks years of donations to finish this project and it will again.
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Washington, DC, September 1, 2011
Washington National Cathedral Receives $25,000 from Catholic ArchdioceseGestures of support offered from other faith communities
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(Wikepedia) Construction began on September 29, 1907, when the foundation stone was laid in the presence of President Theodore Roosevelt and a crowd of more than 20,000, and ended 83 years later when the last finial was placed in the presence of President George H. W. Bush in 1990.

I've got an Idea - why not sell One Painting stored in their vaults over in Rome - maybe use the other 10 million left over to feed a country for a few weeks in Africa - The Catholic Church - Richest organization in the world crying about 25 million - BUY INSURANCE like all of us other people - Hell, they paid more claims last year for allowing priest to rub up against little alter boys - Believe me, They can afford the hit....

I have to wonder how many people actually READ the above article, given the number of ridiculous responses I've seen thus far.

I get a big laugh when I read the comments from the Radical Liberals who are already cating aspersions without having read the article or even knowing that The National Cathedral is an Episcopal Church wit no connection to government. Also, though, President Roosevelt did lay the first cornerstone before a crowd of over 20,000 viewers. Those were the days of morals, values, and decency before the Radical Left took over our schools, institutions, etc. and started destroying this Great Country of ours!

GOOD GRAVY PEOPLE!!! Here is the story, nice and easy: The "National" Cathedral is not owned by the government of the United States of America. It has no more to do with the government than National Car Rental or the Washington Nationals baseball team do. Your tax dollars have nothing to do with it; the US government has nothing to do with it and the Roman Catholic Church has nothing to do with it.
It is the "National" Cathedral for the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States and is the seat of the Presiding Bishop of that church as well as the Bishop of Washington, DC. It was built over many years by donations from people of different faiths, states and nations. Given it's beauty and location it has become a popular venue for many national events.
Given our commitment to peace, communication and understanding among all people, we Episcopalians are beyond delighted to share our beautiful building with the world. I am an Episcopalian but in no way speak for the Episcopal Church. I do, however, feel quite confident that the National Cathedral would be pleased for any help it receives from people of all faiths, states and nations in restoring this magnificant place.

Is the Federal Government helping to pay the cost of the repairs? If not, why not?

I am asking because the state department is funding, building and renovating Mosques in 27 countries using our tax dollars,

They do this under an ‘outreach’ program with the purpose of fostering ‘good will’ in Muslim countries.

The state department will not reveal just how much they spend on overseas, foreign programs but it’s likely to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

So instead of wasting money on a futile mission overseas, why not divert some of it to something that will be appreciated over here?

Hi All,

I live near the cathedral. It is a beautiful building, with lovely grounds, and an outstanding organ and choir, one of only 2 Gothic cathedrals in the US. I have often watched visitors experience the awe, delight, and sense of peace that comes from firsthand experience of this magnificent style of architecture.

The Cathedral operated by a private foundation, though it has been used for large public events, such as the state funeral of Ronald Regan. It is an Episcopal – not Catholic – cathedral, and it does not have a congregation to support it. Many people, from all over the country, donate to the Cathedral – for religious reasons or because they value the beauty of the building, grounds, music performed there.

The First Amendment makes it very clear that the Founders wanted a secular government, where religion stays out of government & government stays out of religion. As Jefferson put it:
"the whole American people ... declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html

For an excellent discussion of the Danbury Baptists’s letter to Jefferson in relation to current politics, see Jonathan Turley's piece at http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/separation-of-church-and-state-not-on-the-2012-campaign-trail/2011/09/27/gIQA0vT8AL_story.html.

Ed's was good, I accidently click unappropriate, but I meant I did like Ed's answers, makes sense.

Danny,
If a government cannot make laws establishing a religion is, by definition, secular. See http://www.bing.com/search?q=definition+secular&FORM=MSNTSS&PC=MSNTDF&MKT=en-us

Moreover, in the letter Jefferson was replying to when he used the phrase "separation of Church & State" the Danbury Baptists' main concern was that legislators would make laws guided by their religious beliefs. They wrote “Our sentiments are uniformly on the side of religious liberty‐that religion is at all times and places a matter between God and individuals … that the legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the man who works ill to his neighbors….” http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/page.aspx?pid=517

Put in more modern language, the Danbury Baptists were worried that religion would get into government because – up until the Constitution and Bill of Rights were adopted – religion always had been part of governments.

Personally, I think that the separation of Church & State in the US has benefitted religious groups enormously. It is often noted that Americans are far more religious (at least measured by participation) than Europeans. Europeans, who had state religions and religious wars long after the US was founded as a secular country, are understandably cynical about organized religions; Americans, however, because we have known only secular government are able to value their religious organizations more deeply.