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.

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.