Dean Daniel welcomes the New York Restoration Project
On Monday, October 29th, we welcomed the New York Restoration Project for their annual Hulaween Gala. The Right Reverend Clifton Daniel III, Dean of the Cathedral, greeted the guests with these words:
What a joy to welcome you here tonight to this great Cathedral of St. John the Divine and this wonderful gala. We give thanks to Bette Midler and the Board of the Restoration Project for the great vision and work the Restoration Project does in NYC to bring beauty, wholeness and loveliness to the city and its people.
Restoration of the earth’s environment is crucial to our well-being and that of our planet. And that is just the beginning of the need for restoration.
We need the restoration of civility in our national life and put an end to division and hatred.
We in this nation need the restoration of the right of all citizens of our nation to live in safety without fear of becoming victims of hate crimes against them no matter what their race, religion, identity or orientation.
We need restoration of hope and trust in our elected leadership, beginning with the great pumpkin in the White House.
Tonight, we celebrate the Restoration Project and its founder, Bette Midler. She is an inspiration to all of us and her vision is a energizing symbol of the demands and work of restoration that lie before us.