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.

Monastery of the Holy Cross

Where: Monastery of the Holy Cross, 1302 Quincy St NE, Washington, DC 20017.

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.

Holy Comforter/St. Cyprian

Where: Holy Comforter/St Cyprian Church, 1357 East Capitol St NE, Washington DC 20003.

When: Sunday, May 15th, 2011

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

We attended 11:00am Mass at this popular church in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of the city.  Shortly after our arrival, we were spotted as visitors, greeted, and handed a welcome card.  As the priest began Mass, he asked for visitors and new parishoners to stand - we were greeted by applause.  These were very welcoming touches.  Also before the start of Mass, and a first in our DC Mass-going experience, the priest led the congregation in repeating the church's mission and vision statements.

A lone priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a deacon, two readers, two altar servers, and a large choir/band.  The choir and band provided music throughout all parts of the Mass.  The Mass followed the Standard rite.  The priest gave a homily directed in part at the church's youth group, which, that morning had returned from a two-day retreat.  Basing his homily on the parable of the shepherd and sheep from today's Gospel, he told them to forget the numerous cultural influences that lead them away from God and the life He wants for us.  He called on (us) older members of the congregation to affirm that. 

Toward the end of the (already lengthy) Mass, several members of the youth group shared their experiences and learning from the retreat.  Various organizers and supporters were recognised as well. 

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Where: Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, 3900 Harewood Road NE, Washington DC, 20017

When: Saturday, April 30th, 2011.

Web: The center's website is here.

We attended Mass at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, not far from the National Shrine and CUA campus.  The Center was in the midst of a weekend of events to coincide with the beatification of Pope John Paul II.  This included this evening's Mass, which served as the Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday.

The Mass was held in the beautiful atrium at the Center, overlooking the pool and meadow.  There were about eighty in the congregation - including a large Polish contingent.  A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by an altar server, two readers, and two cantors, one of whom played the piano.  The Mass followed the standard rite, though there was a special prayer for Pope John Paul II's case for sainthood at the end.  The priest told us an amusing anecdote of concelebrating Mass with John Paul in 1999; for the most part, however, he centered his homily on today's Gospel reading.  He spoke of Jesus's divine mercy toward the apostles; instead of upbraiding them for abandoning Him at the cross, he gave them His peace, gave them the power to forgive sins on His behalf, and told them to found the Church.  The priest asked how many of us had abandoned Jesus, and were in need of His divine mercy?

Holy Name

Where: Holy Name Catholic Church, 920 11th St NE, Washington, DC 20002.

When: Sunday, April 24th 2011.

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

We attended the 11:00am Easter Sunday Mass at this church in the Atlas District.  A single priest celebrated the service, assisted by an altar server, two lectors, an eight-member choir/band, and two Eucharistic ministers.  The congregation was large, about a hundred; hard to know if this was a regular number or a larger turn out for Easter.  The congregation was largely black, though with some Hispanic and white members as well.  Notably for a gospel choir, there were two white singers.

The Mass followed the standard rite, though augmented by a baptism after the homily.  Both the host and wine were offered for Holy Communion.  The priest focused his homily on the distinctive nature of Christ's death and resurrection, noting that they make Christianity unique amongst world religions.  He referred to St Ignatius' writings on the resurrection, especially his description of Christ's first meeting with His mother, Mary, after the resurrection.  The priest opined that Mary was not present at the tomb - perhaps contrary to what one would expect - because she understood and had abolsute faith in Scripture.  The priest ended his homily by noting that we are required to keep the Sabbath holy and attend Mass - but that it just the minimum requirement, we are expected to live our faith as well.

St Margaret's Episcopal Church

Where: St Margaret's Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009

When: Sunday, April 17, 2011

Web: The Dignity/Washington website is located here.

We attended the regular Sunday evening Mass organised by the Dignity/Washington group and held at St Margaret's Episcopal Church just north of Dupont Circle.  This is the only regularly-scheduled Catholic Mass in the District organized by and largely for gay Catholics.

Today was Palm Sunday.  Before the Mass started, the priest and congregation gathered in the hall just outside the church entrance to bless a new crucifix and to bless the palms.  We then processed around the pews to our seats.  A single priest celebrated Mass, assisted by a pianist, organist, several readers, a choir of about seven, and an altar server.  The Mass followed the standard rite, with the appropriate deviations for Palm Sunday.

The priest chose to read the long form of today's Gospel, which described Jesus' Passion from the time of the Last Supper to just before His Resurrection.  Because of its length, five members of the congregation assisted the priest with the reading; each read the lines of a particular person (Judas, Pontious Pilate, etc.)  The group read the Gospel very clearly and with great passion.  The priest gave a brief homily beforehand; he noted adriotly that many of us who would have cheered Jesus into Jerusalem with our palms would also have betrayed him in the garden. 

The congregation was about fifty strong - mainly white, middle-aged men.  There were some women and some younger people too.  Most seemed to be members of the Dignity/Washington group (they wore name badges). 

Chapel at Providence Hospital

Where: Chapel at Providence hospital, 1150 Varnum St NE, Washington, DC 20017.

When: Sunday, April 3rd, 2011.

Web: The hospital's chaplaincy page is located here.

We attended 12:00pm Mass at this Catholic-run hospital in the Brentwood area of Northeast DC.  A single priest celebrated Mass with the assistance of a reader and a pianist/cantor.  The congregation was about 25 or 30 strong - certainly some hospital staff but possibly some people from the neighborhood too.

The Mass followed the standard rite.  The priest focused his homily on the gospel, in which Jesus performed the miracle of making a blind man see.  The priest explained how Jesus cured his physical and spiritual blindness; and that, without the light that God is in our lives, we too would be blind.  He reminded us to share that light with others - we are not to keep it to ourselves.