madisonThis picture of Madison Square Garden last night reminded me of the pictures you sometimes see of Joel Osteen’s church and other mega churches.

Permit us a bit of triumphalism, but the Catholic Church is the original mega church.

We are full of faults and flaws because we are full of sinners, but a papal visit reminds the world that there are more people who care about religion than those who don’t and even in decline, the Catholic Church is a force to be reckoned with.

When we see these crowds and realize these are just the Catholics in DC, NYC and Philly and we add in not only the other Amreican Catholics, but the Catholics worldwide, and then add in the invisible ones–that “great cloud of witnesses” this is the Church Triumphant, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

She is founded by Christ himself on the Rock that is Peter and the gates of hell will not prevail against her.

Amen?