A Jewel in the City

Another 'Best Hidden Secret' in Washington, DC.

Like the Son of Man who had nowhere to lay his head seemingly, the Archdiocese of Paris is taking hold in Washington in a rather nomadic fashion with a Mass schedule in which the gentle tireless French Priest or 'Cure' traverses through Bethesda to Georgetown and Friendship Heights in between holding Masses for his flock.
He just got his drivers' license which had everyone clapping at the Sunday Mass.
The beautiful thing about this 'church' is that it clearly is the People not the building because they don't have one here-they borrow a few in select spots; it is under the Archdiocese of the Paris Archbishop (Cardinal?) Vingt-Trois. Is he so named because he just didn't want the notoriety of a real name and he is actually the 23rd Archbishop of that diocese? Doubt it- Paris is a bit older than that I should think. We are on something like 5 or 6 in DC but DC just got carved out of the Baltimore Archdioce less than a hundred years ago. Anyway- Bonjour, Felicitations Vingt-Trois.

This Cure writes beautiful homilies which you can find on their website. http://daboville.com/paroisse-catholique-stlouis-washingtondc/Saint_Louis_de_France_of_Washington/Le_mot_du_cure.html

I don't know anything about his seminary education but he is one of the most movingly eloquent homilists I have heard in America.

Epiphany in Georgetown is still decorated with a beautiful cresche and has that magnificent round stained glass window above the altar.

I am particularly fond of this little parish- Koreans celebrate Mass-lots and lots of Catholic Koreans (who no doubt could serve as emissary peacemakers) earlier, followed by an English Mass, then the French Mass. The English Mass is attended sparsely by locals in walking distance for the most part, one gets the sense, and the community feeling is palpable as one of the hospitality minister ladies slices the banana bread for the coffee hour downstairs.
This is a sight when doubled with the music from the Korean choir practice in the next room.

This church is special. It is a tiny holy little gem of an internatonal communion of souls.
I highly recommend checking out Pere Jean-Marie Vincent. He prints the entire readings in french in the program so it is easy to follow.

The french music is beautiful -especially when he sings the Psalms (he has a truly gifted beautiful voice)- the choir is a bit sketchy but we are working on it I am assured.

This church should get a grant from the French Embassy (I know that they are not big on funding churches) but it could be viewed as a cultural outreach could it not? At least the Ambasador might like to pop in for a meet and greet once in a while.

A tres bientot. Dieu Soit Avec Toi.