When: Sunday, June 5th, 2011.
Web: The monastery's website is here.
This monastery in the quiet residential Brookland neighborhood is part of the Ukranian Catholic Church, which is in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. It is of the Byzantine Rite. This monastery, and the Church of the Most Holy Family not far away on Harewood St, are the only Ukranian Catholic sites within the District.
The liturgy was held in a basement chapel. A lone priest celebrated the liturgy, assisted by one alter server - if that's the right term - and a lector. The Byzantine Rite follows the same basic structure of the Latin Rite, at least to our lay eyes - broadly, liturgy of the word followed by liturgy of the eucharist. The service was lad by the priest and involved a lot of chanted and sung prayers. responses, and hymns. Communion was by intincture. The priest's homily ranged over many subjects, but centered on the security that God's love and salvation should bring to us. He meditated a little on the mystery of the Trinity as well, noting in particular that it is a mystery and beyond human understanding.
The congregation was about twelve strong. The priest invited us to share coffee with the regular congregation after the service. Everyone was very friendly toward us.