So alas, I did not get tickets to attend the Papal Mass in Washington. I didn't even watch the whole thing on TV.* I did catch part of the homily, and I'm looking forward to downloading Tom's pdf and reading all of the Holy Father's speeches and homilies.
On the music I have nothing to say but "of course." A few years ago, I attended a Eucharistic Congress in the Archdiocese of Washington, and the choices for the Mass were just the same: "Look how diverse we are!"**
But at the same time, wasn't it great that the Archdiocese was putting on a Eucharistic Congress at all? With an Adoration chapel right there in the Convention Center?
And as for the Papal Mass, the Archdiocese had 100 priests available to hear confessions -- and still had to ask more priests to come and help, so that everyone waiting in line could go to confession before the Mass started. (I did attend the Papal Mass in Baltimore in 1995, and if there were confessors available, I completely missed that memo.)
What a blessing.
* am I the only one who feels weird watching Masses on TV? I never have TV on unless I'm doing something -- housework or some kind of craft -- but it doesn't feel right to be folding socks during the Consecration.
** okay, I just have to mention that the Latin Masses I attended at St Matthew's and the Shrine (Ordinary Use) had impressively diverse-looking congregations.
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