St Vincent de Paul

Where: St Vincent de Paul, 14 M St SE, Washington, DC 20003

When: Sunday, June 3rd, 2012.

Web: The parish's website is here.

We attended 8:00am Mass at this small parish church in the Waterfront/Navy Yard area of southeast DC.  It sits amidst a greatly-changed neighborhood, with the Nationals ballpark and several office/condo/apartment complexes nearby. 

A single priest celebrated Mass (which, despite the early time, is the only one the parish has on Sunday.  There is an Ethiopian rite Mass at 10:30am), with the assistance of a deacon, an alter server, two readers, a pianist, a choir of about seven, and a few ushers.  Only the host was offered for Communion.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  The priest focused his homily on the feast of the Holy Trinity.  He noted that one way to view the Trinity is as an expression of the various relationships between God the Father, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit.  He went on to suggest that right relationships between us are the only things we can take with us when we die - from them we can hope to enter heaven and be in an eternal relationship with God.  The absence of those relationships, he suggested, was hell.

The congregation numbered about fifity and was comprised overwhelmingly of black residents of the neighborhood.

St Teresa of Avila

Where: St Teresa of Avila church, 1244 V St SE, Washington, DC 20020

When: Sunday, May 27th, 2012.

Web: The parish's website is here.

We attended the 9:30am Mass on Pentacost Sunday at this parish church in the Anacostia neighborhood.  There was a large congregation at the Mass - the church was about four-fifths full - mainly comprised of local people.  There were a few attendees from other parts of the city and beyond.  The congregation was overwhelmingly black, and included all ages.

A lone priest celebrated Mass with the assistance of a deacon and numerous servers, readers, musicians, singers, and liturgical dancers.  This was the parish's 'contemporary Gospel' Mass; there were numerous hymns and songs throughout the vibrant and energetic service.  The congregation was tremendously engaged and involved throughout the service.  The singing, a baptism, and a lengthy sermon on the fruits, gifts, and ultimate purpose of the Holy Spirit made this the longest Mass in our journey across the city so far (it started at 9:35am and ended at 12:10pm).

St Luke

Where: St Luke's, 4925 East Capitol St Se, Washington, DC 20019.

When: Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Web: The St Luke's parish website is here.

We attended 8:30am Mass at this parish church in the Glendale neighborhood in the southeast of the city.  The congregation for this first Mass of Palm Sunday was about eighty strong - aside from us, exclusively black.  The congregation was middle-aged and elderly.  A single priest celebrated Mass, with the assistance of a cantor, pianist, two altar servers, and two readers. 

The priest gave an introductory homily and blessed the palms before Mass formally started.  The priest, readers, and congregation participated in reading the lengthy gospel of Mark reading.  The priest's (main) homily focused on Peter, Judas, and Pontius Pilate - three characters from the gospel that made their own choices to disown Jesus.  We, too, have the choice to accept or reject Jesus in our own lives.  The rest of the Mass followed the Standard Rite.

Chapel of St Thomas More, Georgetown University Law Center

Where: Chapel of St Thomas More, Georgetown Law Center, 600 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
When: Sunday, March 25th, 2012.

Web: The website for Georgetown's campus ministry is here.

We attended the 11am Mass at this small (multi-faith) chapel in the basement of a Georgetown Law campus building.  A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a pianist, a nun, and two readers.  Students formed the bulk of the congregation of 24.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  We were seated for the Liturgy of the Word; we stood around the altar in a semi-circle for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Both the host and wine were offered for Holy Communion.  The priest focused his homily on the need to use our life in service of others, as commanded by today's Gospel reading.

East Inpatient Tower Chapel at National Children's Medical Center

Where: East Inpatient Tower Chapel, National Children's Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010.

When: Thursday, March 15th 2012.

Web: The hospital's pastoral care webpage is here.

We attended midday Mass in one of the NCMC's two chapels.  This chapel is the smaller of the two and serves the inpatient wing of the hospital.  Basically it is a small utility room, with space for about twelve people.  At this Mass, a single priest celebrated; the congregation was seven people.  Except for us, all were staff.

The Mass followed the standard rite.  One of the congregation served as lector.  The priest focused his short homily on the gift of conscience; and how without it, man is degraded.  Both the host and wine were offered for Holy Communion.

Caldwell Chapel, Catholic University of America

Where: Caldwell Chapel, Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20064.

When: Monday, March 12th, 2012.

Web: The University's Catholic ministry page is here.

We attended Monday evening Mass at this chapel on the CUA campus.  A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a reader, an extraordinary Eucharistic minister, and an altar server.  Both the host and wine were offered for Holy Communion.  There was no music.  The congregation was about sixty, almost filling the small but beautiful old chapel.

The Mass followed the standard rite.  Before he began the Mass, the priest noted that the Mass was being offered in remembrance of several deceased CUA alumni/staff; he mentioned them by name.  Later, in his homily, the priest noted that God is present with us even in times of great difficulty, such as bereavement.  We have to take that leap of faith to believe that, even in the midst of suffering, doubt, and anger, God is there for us.

St Patrick's

Where: St Patrick's, 619 10th St NW, Washington DC, 20001.

When: Monday, February 20th, 2012.

Web: The church's website is located here. 

We attended midday Mass on Presidents' Day at this historic downtown church.  A single priest celebrated Mass, with the assistance of a lector.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  Due to the holiday, there was no singing and the congregation was small - about forty.

St Joseph's Seminary

Where: St Joseph's Seminary, 1200 Varnum St NE, Washington, DC 20017.

When: Saturday, January 14th, 2012.

Web: The seminary's webpage is here.

We attended the 4pm Mass at this seminary for the Josephite Order.  There were about twenty seminarians, laity, and religious at the Mass, held in a beautiful chapel within the main building.  The chief celebrant was assisted by several religious and seminarians; they recited various prayers (particular to the order, perhaps) before and during Mass itself.  The homily was directed at the seminarians; the priest reminded them that their seminary life, while sometimes lonely, gave them time to comtemplate and get to know God, and thus enable them to be better priests. 

Howard University Hospital chapel

Where: Howard University Hospital chapel, 2041 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20060

When: January 8th, 2012

Web: The HUH chaplain's page is here.

We attended the 11:00am Sunday Mass at this city center hospital, on the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.  A lone priest celebrated Mass for the four-strong congregation.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  The priest used his CD player to add some music to the Mass.  He focused his homily on the Epiphany story; in particular he told us a parable of a notional fourth wise man who, though trying hard, fails repeatedly to meet up with the first three.  Throughout his journey, he repeatedly encountered people in distress - rather than use his riches to fund his journey, he gave them away to help those in need.  Upon entering heaven, the wise man was apologetic to God for not completing the journey;p but God told him that, through his kindness to others, he had indeed found God.


 God rewarded him for his faithfulness.

Our Lady Queen of Peace

Where: Our Lady Queen of Peace church, 3800 Ely Place SE, Washington, DC 20019.

When: Sunday, December 18th, 2011.

Web: The parish has no website.  This is its listing on parishes.org

We attended 10:30am Mass at this parish church in the Fort Dupont area of the city. A single priest celebrated Mass, aided by a deacon, 15 choiristers, 2-3 band members, 9 altar servers, and 4 eucharistic ministers.  This was one of the largest retinues we've seen at a regular Sunday Mass in the district.  The congregation of about 150 was exclusively black and trended older and female.

The Mass followed the standard rite.  Both the host and wine were offered for communion.  The priest gave communion to some infirm people in their seats before everyone else.  The deacon gave the homily - from a prepared text - that used various quotations from Scripture and Advent reading themes to remind us that God is always with us.  This, the deacon told us, was the meaning of Christmas.

St Augustine

Where: St Augustine, 1421 V St NW, Washington, DC 20009.

When: Sunday, 27th November, 2011.

Web: The parish website is here.


We attended 10am Mass on November 27th - the first Sunday of Advent and date of the first official use of the new missal translation.  St Augustine's church, located in the Shaw neighborhood of the city, was well prepared for the new translation - the congregation did not miss a beat with the new responses and prayers.  Also, the church provided an Advent package for all congregants that included materials on the new translation and varioues Advent materials.

A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a deacon, two readers, four eucharistic ministers, a cantor, organist, pianist, and several choiristers.  Both the host and wine was offered for Communion.  The congregation was mostly black - as one would expect in the first city church established for African Americans - but contained several white people, perhaps reflecting the changing neighborhood population.  We heard the priest give a lengthy homily on the meaning of Advent; he called on us all to invest daily in our relationship with God.  He also linked Advent - the beginning of the Church's liturgial season - to the new translation, asking us to make use of it to deepen our understanding of our faith.

Church of the Immaculate Conception

Where: Church of the Immaculate Conception, 1315 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

When: Sunday, November 20th, 2011.

Web: The parish's website is here.

We attended the 6pm Latin Mass (Novus Ordo) at this small parish in the Shaw neighborhood, just north of the Washington Convention Center.  A single priest celebrated the Mass, with the assistance of a lector/eucharistic minister and organist.  Though the bulk of the Mass was in Latin, the hymns, readings, and homily were all in English.  The priest used the homily to explain the history and meaning of today's feast, Christ the King, and to preach against the narcissistic individuality so pervasive today.  The Eucharist was offered in both bread and wine forms to the congregation of about thirty people.

St Anthony of Padua

Where: St Anthony of Padua church, 1029 Monroe St NE, Washington, DC 20017.

When: Sunday, October 30, 2011.

Web: The ADW listing is here; the parish's own website is here.

We attended 8:30am Mass at this parish church, which serves the Brookland neighborhood of the city.  A lone priest celebrated Mass, with the assistance of a deacon, two alter servers, two readers, two eucharistic ministers, an organist, and a cantor.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  The priest focused his homily on the Gospel reading, in which Jesus highlighted the hypocrisy of religious (and other) leaders, who were interested more in the trappings of office than in serving God.  The priest noted similar dangers in our own times and in our own lives.

Both bread and wine were offered for communion.  At the end of Mass, a nun came to the alter to receive consecrated hosts to give to those unable to attend Mass - the congregation prayed over her.  The congregation itself was about fifty; a diverse group including young and old, families, couples, and single people; and blacks and whites.

Georgetown University Hospital chapel

Where: Georgetown University Hospital chapel, 3800 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007.

When: Sunday, October 9th, 2011.

Web: The hospital's pastoral care website page is here.

We attended midday Mass at what is the main chapel in this Catholic hospital.  The small chapel was quite full - we estimated the congregation at 75.  Several people were standing at the back.  Most of the congregation were white; ages were mixed.  Notably most people were in 'civilian' clothes - we saw very few in hospital scrubs.  We think that the chapel serves as a convenient Mass location for the neighborhoods surrounding the hospital.

A lone priest celebrated Mass, unaided by anyone.  For the first time in a long while, we heard a priest read all three readings - he did not ask for a lector.  Though the Gospel reading was Jesus' parable of the wedding feast, the priest focused his homily on joy.  He posited that being mirthful and happy on earth is good preparation for heaven, which is joy itself.  He read an extract from a book called "Between Heaven and Mirth", which illustrated his points.

Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church

Where: Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church, 7142 Alaska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20012

When: Sunday, October 2nd, 2011.

Web: The church's website is here.

We attended the 11:00am divine liturgy at the only Maronite church within the district.  The Maronite Church is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.  The Maronite divine liturgy has essentially the same structure and focus as the Roman Catholic standard rite, or so it seemed to us.  A single priest led the liturgy, aided by two deacons and accompanied by several other (robed) servers that had prepared the altar before the liturgy's beginning.  The priest began the service at the church's entrance - seemingly to welcome a baby's first visit to the church (we thought wrongly that there would be a baptism).  He returned to the altar area, began a lengthy series of prayers (some in English, others in Syriac), aided by a wonderful choir. 

This led to the readings - one from the New Testament (read by what we think was a lay person) and one from the Gospel (read by the priest).  Deacons translated both readings into Syriac.  The priest's homily asked us all not to be fearful of God's love - and to live life as if our Master could return at any moment.  He gave several examples of how we let fear restrict us in our daily lives.

The Communion rite followed.  Communion was by intincture - the priest and deacons dipped the bread into the wine as each person came up to receive (solely by mouth - we saw no one take it by hand). 

The church was quite full - we estimate the congregation at about 125.  The congregation appeared overwhelmingly Lebanese.  There was a good mix of old and young, including several families with young children.  We were very happy to experience worship in this unique and ancient branch of the Catholic Church.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Where: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1600 Morris Road SE, Washington, DC 20020.

When: Sunday, September 18, 2011.

Web: The parish's ADW listing is here; its own website is here.

We attended 11:00am Mass at this parish church in the Anacostia neighborhood.  We arrived at the church a little early, and entered to find a small group praying the Rosary.  By the start of Mass, the congregation was about eighty strong.  The congregation was exclusively black (aside from us), and largely older.  There was a noticeable absence of teens and other young people.

Two priests celebrated Mass with the assistance of a deacon, three altar servers, two readers, and a Gospel choir of eight.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  Both bread and wine were offered for communion.  The priest focused his homily on the Gospel reading of the day, in which Jesus told the parable of the farm laborers (each paid the same, irrespective of their work).  The priest forcefully told us that the inequality on earth will not be present in heaven; that God loves us all equally; and that those of us who might be pious or consider ourselves better than others (for whatever reason), will be welcomed no more or less than a wicked person.

St Peter

Where: St Peter's Catholic Church, 313 2nd St SE, Washington, DC 20003.

When: Sunday, September 11, 2011

Web: The parish's ADW listing is here; its own website is here.

We attended 11:00am Mass at this parish church in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.  The Mass was very well attended - indeed, the congregation of 200 or so almost filled the church.  The congregation was overwhelmingly white, reflecting the demographics of Capitol Hill.

A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a deacon, two readers, an altar server, and a folk choir.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  Both bread and wine were offered for communion.  The priest focused his homily on the theme of forgiveness.  While the readings centered on this theme anyway, it was particularly appropriate on this day, the tenth anniversary of 9/11.  The priest noted that hatred, even of those who commit terrible acts, bind us up in negative feelings that keep us distant from God's love.

Main Chapel at Children's National Medical Center

Where: Main Chapel at Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington DC

When: Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

Web: The hospital's pastoral care page is located here.

We attended the 4pm Vigil mass in the hospital's main chapel.  The chapel is in fact a multi-faith room, with materials from other religions on display.  It is much smaller and less overtly Catholic than chapels at the nearby Washington Hospital Center and Veterans' Hospital.

A lone priest celebrated Mass for the congregation of five people.  He asked a member of the congregation to serve as lector (no one volunteered to be cantor).  The Mass followed the standard rite.  The priest offered both bread and wine for the Eucharist.  He focused his homily on the concept of a watchman.  We are to watch over our own and others' faith, something increasingly hard to do in today's secular society, he said. 

Chapel at Convent of Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Eucharist

Where: Chapel at Convent of Divine Providence, Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Eucharist, 2907 Ellicott Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

When: Friday, July 15th, 2011.

Web: The OSSE does not have a website.  This website gives a basic overview of the order.  The ADW directory gives their contact details.

We attended the regular 7:30pm Friday Mass at this convent in the leafy Forest Hills neighborhood of the city.  The Oblate Sisters are a small contemplative order from Mexico with convents in Massachusetts as well as DC. The surprisingly large wooden-finish chapel (with space for about sixty people) sits at the edge of the convent's property.

The priest was assisted by two altar servers, a reader, a eucharistic minister, and various people in the twenty-strong congregation who sang hymns and said intercessory prayers.  The priest focused his homily on God's love for each one of us and of how our love of Him should be greater than our love of the law or anything else.  He spoke of how the sacraments were instruments of God's love for us.  The Mass followed the standard rite.  Both the host and wine were offered for Communion.

St Thomas More

Where: St Thomas More, 4275 4th St SE, Washington, DC 20032

When: Sunday, July 10th 2011.

Web: The parish's ADW listing is here; it's own website is here.

We attended 8:45am Mass at this church in the Washington Heights neighborhood, just across the border with Maryland.  There were about 125 people in the congregation for the first of two Sunday masses.  The parish priest was assisted by his deacon, three altar servers, two readers, and a four-person choir. 

The mass followed the standard rite.  The priest based his homily on this week's Gospel, in which Jesus used the parable of the farmer sowing seeds.  The priest contended that we (the congregation and, by extension, the faithful) were the fertile ground into which God's Word had taken root and borne fruit.  He asked people to continue to tithe to the church.

Toward the end of Mass, the priest asked guests to stand up.  We introduced ourselves, were welcomed warmly, and received a little gift pack.  This was a very nice touch.