Going To Mass in Hull

Alternate title: Gee, Maggie is such a snob.

Yeah, yeah I am.

So, I have been sleeping really well here at the new place.  I know it's the ocean.  So I was up and showered and dressed in plenty of time to walk to the local Church.  It has pews on three sides and is more wood than stone.  So it doesn't resemble St. Francis.  I know, not every Church can be St. Francis.

I was born into St. Mary's Parish in Charlestown and all I remember about it was how strongly it smelled of incense.  It was nearly overwhelming. I like that smell and it was too much even for me.  Then when I was four, almost five we moved into St. Franics de Sales Parish.  For the next sixteen years, it was my Church.  It was where I learned how to act in Church.

Then I got married and moved to Beachmont, a section of Revere.  I remember the first time I went to Our Lady of Lourdes at the bottom of the hill.  I was wearing a very conservative royal blue wool dress.  Everyone was in black, I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb!  LOL! And Mass was in Italian.  I filled in the blanks with the Latin I had learned at Pope John..... and it was back to St. Francis.

When I lived in Kingston and my children were young I too a stab at St. Joseph's, but so many things seemed "off".

I just gave up and attended Mass in Charlestown.    It was so much easier.  Plus I just feel so at peace sitting there in my usual pew, eight rows from the front.

But there is no public transportation here in Hull on Sundays.  Well in the winter anyway.  We'll see what happens in the summer.  So, I walked down to the local Church.

First, I know it's picky and I should shut it out,  but once people enter the church, I think they should be quiet.  If you must speak, it should be in hushed tones.  The mood is supposed to be contemplative.  Be courteous to others.

But people were yakking away.

Then during Mass people who were late were marching from the back door on the left, passing the altar on their way to a pew on the right.  Or right up the center and then over to the side.  Now listen there is no one who understands being tardy like yours truly.  But seat yourself at the back unobtrusively.

So I guess I am going to have to switch from Sunday morning Mass to Saturday afternoon vigil.....so I can get to St. Francis.