Cardinals call for sacrifice, focus on God

NEW YORK, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Roman Catholic cardinals celebrated midnight mass in several U.S. cities calling on the faithful to focus on God to see them through troubled times.

Cardinal Edward Egan told a packed St. Patrick's Cathedral that included New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Mayors Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani and police Commissioner Ray Kelly, the story of Jesus is one of self-sacrifice, the New York Post reported Sunday.

"The Lord has promised that we will never be tried beyond our capacities," the cardinal said.

Cardinal Francis George told the congregation at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago miracles break through the current experience, WBBM-AM, Chicago, reported.

"Such a miracle we celebrate tonight," he said. The miracle is God made man, the cardinal said.

Parishioners at Old St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Chicago marked the 150th consecutive celebration of Christmas at the downtown church, which survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

In Boston, at Our Lady of Presentation Church in Brighton, Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin led some 100 parishioners in singing Christmas carols outside their church, which has been ordered closed by the diocese, the Boston Globe reported.