We traveled back in time to 1962, put on our Sunday best, and attended a Tridentine solumn high mass, all sung in beautiful Latin.
St. Anthony's is a big, beautiful church, filled with beautiful statuary, marble floors, and an ornate altar.
Every Sunday afternoon, the Mater Dei Community (meaning "Mother of God") provides the Mass and the Sacraments according to the traditional, Extraordinary Forms of 1962.
Liam was sound asleep when we entered, so we slipped quietly into a pew, and I brought up my black veil and cracked opened my father's old missal.
And while you might expect the congregation to be comprised of elderly folks, they were greatly outnumbered. The church was FILLED with young, beautiful families, each of them filling an entire pew with boys and girls of every age, all of them impeccably behaved and surprisingly silent.
Gently and slowly, Liam awoke to the Heavenly sounds of the choir, and the vocal music soothed him into a peaceful and steady calm, his eyes eagerly taking in the sights and his nose breathing in the aroma of incense.
A few, kind smiles from others in attendance greeted us, it wasn't long before I found my place in the missal and felt like I knew--at least a little bit--what was going on. Slowly, I began to recognize some of the families that were before us. There was Andrea with her husband and their beautiful brood of six. And, somewhere, I figured, there was Kelly, Mark, and their awesome crew of Ambrose, Alice, Augustine, and Clement.
We received Jesus while kneeling before His altar at the communion rail; and then, back at our pew, Liam played quietly with a few holy cards while Michael and I prayed. I was ready to tell Michael that I'd like to come back every week.
After mass, we gathered with friends in the lobby. Theresa was there with her sister, both of them fascinated with Liam and his little bow tie, navy sweater, and wool peacoat.
Our friend Mike introduced us to his wonderful fiance Carina. And then Joseph, who had served during the mass, arrived on the scene, thrilled to see us.
We snapped this picture a bit too late, since by then most everyone had cleared out.
I can't wait till we go back again. :)
