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Visiting the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. is a terrible idea. Let me explain…

 

1. It’s too small

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(If by “small” you mean the largest church in not only the United States, but also North America, and one of the largest in the world.)

 

2. There aren’t enough masses offered

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(Other than the six daily masses and between seven and eight masses on Sundays and holy days of obligation.)

 

3. It’s hard to get to, and there’s no parking

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(That is, if you don’t count the easy access to the DC Metro and the adjacent parking lot that provides multiple spaces and is always free [which is saying something for DC].)

 

4. There’s nothing to see inside

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(Beyond multiple chapels, displays, exhibits, and other manifestations of the Catholic faith, which you can even preview via a virtual tour.)

 

5. Noone famous has ever been there

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(Except for the last three popes, as well as many other well-known Catholic prelates and world leaders.)

 

6. Its hours are awful

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(Other than being open every day of the year, practically from dawn until dusk.)

 

7. There is noone to show you around, and you might get lost

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(Except for the tour guides who are available at various points on every day except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.)

 

8. There is nothing to do or see nearby

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(But you might be able to stop by other Catholic sites in northeast DC, such as The Catholic University of America [whose campus is adjacent to the Basilica], the Saint John Paul II National Shrine [within a few-minute walk from the Basilica], the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, and many other places in and around Washington, DC.)


Share This With Your Friends (and Your Enemies, too!)