When: Sunday, December 26th, 2010.
Web: The chaplain's page of the VA Medical Center's website is here.
We attended the daily 11:30am Mass at the Veterans' Medical Center; one of the many hospitals in DC to offer scheuled masses to patients, staff, visitors, and the general public. The Medical Center has a lovely chapel on the 3rd floor, shared by all faiths and denominations.
The hospital's resident chaplain celebrated Mass. The congregation was four people; two patients and us (a fifth person, possibly a staff member on a short break, attended for a while too). We heard from one of the patients that a rumor had spread that today's Mass was cancelled due to the chaplain being sick - we deduced from this that the congregation is usually larger.
The priest led us in singing an opening hymn. The service followed the standard rite. He gave a homily on the feast of the Holy Family; he told of his own period of homelessness (as a recently-arrived Filipino priest in the US) and how his grandparents strengthened his faith and, ultimately, led him to discern his vocation when he was just ten. He also reminded us that Christmas is a sixteen-day celebration that starts with Christmas Day.
The host was offered for communion. At the end of Mass, just before dismissal, the priest led us in a series of prayers including four Hail Marys. The ready participation of the two patients in these prayers led us to believe that this is standard practice here.