The Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia is widely celebrated on January 21, but since there is only one Mass/week at St. Mary's, it was celebrated today. The procession included the American and Dominican flags and the image of Our Lady flanked by vases of red roses. We were all invited to be Dominican today and enjoy a communal lunch in the church hall after Mass.
My friends Julie and Regina attended Mass with me today. I am so enthusiastic about the beauty of the church and the warmth of the people that they wanted to experience it even though they are very involved with their own parishes. They were not disappointed and it felt good to see that they saw everything as I do. They lingered after the service to talk with some of the parishioners ant take pictures. Father McCarthy, as a priest of a certain age, once again offered practical advice. Today he advised us to take care of our souls because they are the most valuable thing we have. Very true, and too seldom heard in a world where many now hope to achieve immortality through good health. He spoke about the value of confession and reassured us that the priest would not yell at us. Despite this there were no takers, as a face-to-face with him was much more intimidating than the anonymity of the confessional, even if he promised not to yell.
Above is a photo of the chapel, which is open for prayer on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Click here to watch video of today's Mass.
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