Where: 2800 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20020.When: Sunday, October 9th, 2010.
We attended 11am Mass at this church in the Anacostia neighborhood of the city, just across the river from the main part of DC. A single priest celebrated Mass, with an altar server, a Eucharistic Minister, a pianist, and a four-strong choir. The congregation was about fifty strong; this included about ten people visiting for the first memorial anniversary of a sister from the nearby St Francis Xavier school. It appeared as well that some parishoners were dissuaded from attending by the major roadworks directly outside the church.
The Mass followed the conventional rite; of note, though, was the priest facing the Tabernacle during the introductory prayers from a position below the sanctuary. We hadn't noticed that in DC before. His homily weaved references to today's Gospel to the life of the departed sister and to other congregants - our need to give thanks to God for His innumerable blessings to us.