I arrived before noon yesterday and went straight to St. David Church on Easton for exposition. As I approached the chapel, a FedEx driver drove up and called out to me:
There were a couple of people in the chapel at adoration. The monstrance was like nothing I'd ever seen before:
Unique but appropriate. I get it. Now, isn't this hospitality? I think so. Being from out of town, I can find an unlocked Catholic church with exposition across the street from my meeting place. I felt wonderfully welcome and at peace, even though no parishioner even greeted me. I had a place to turn to.
Before I was too long at prayer, the noon bells rang for a full ten minutes. Then I decided I needed some lunch before the Workshop began. I left the chapel and headed down the street for a wrap. I spotted #400 on the convent building across the side street from the chapel and hoped the FedEx driver had found it. Mary Rose, of course!
Walking across the parking lot of my destination, I overheard the sounds of children playing nearby at recess. The corner is crammed with Catholic properties: churches, schools and convents. I discovered that the joyous sound came from a schoolyard associated with Queen of Angels school.
Getting to the Workshop in time for the 1 o'clock tea, I had trouble mixing with the women in my study group. For instance, I knew what was coming next when a woman boasted she was one of twelve children: she became a Christian at 38, having been Catholic most of her life. Not fair that she gets to brag of the large family without keeping Catholicism! She described the theological upgrade she'd recently experienced leaving a non-denominational church for a PCA church. She had no idea what she had been missing! The Reformed women flanking me could not agree fast enough. I preoccupied myself with the prospect that she would make it full circle and become Catholic once again. Pretty soon they were discussing dispensationalism vs. covenantalism, as if there's nothing else.
Then, my study group leader turned to me and asked,
Excuse me, Ma'am, but do you know where '400' is?I knew my destination for the day was 405 Easton, across the main road, but I couldn't recall even the street address of where I stood at that moment. I said,
Odd numbers are across the street, so 400 must be on this side of Easton.Then I told him I was just arrived from New Jersey and had only visited the town of Willow Grove a few times in as many years. He wasn't about to give up so easy. He continued,
Well, someone was out with this package yesterday and brought it back after not locating the address. It's for a Mary Rose ... do you happen to know who that is?I had to say that I did not and began worrying that I was losing time.
There were a couple of people in the chapel at adoration. The monstrance was like nothing I'd ever seen before:
Unique but appropriate. I get it. Now, isn't this hospitality? I think so. Being from out of town, I can find an unlocked Catholic church with exposition across the street from my meeting place. I felt wonderfully welcome and at peace, even though no parishioner even greeted me. I had a place to turn to.
Before I was too long at prayer, the noon bells rang for a full ten minutes. Then I decided I needed some lunch before the Workshop began. I left the chapel and headed down the street for a wrap. I spotted #400 on the convent building across the side street from the chapel and hoped the FedEx driver had found it. Mary Rose, of course!
Walking across the parking lot of my destination, I overheard the sounds of children playing nearby at recess. The corner is crammed with Catholic properties: churches, schools and convents. I discovered that the joyous sound came from a schoolyard associated with Queen of Angels school.
Getting to the Workshop in time for the 1 o'clock tea, I had trouble mixing with the women in my study group. For instance, I knew what was coming next when a woman boasted she was one of twelve children: she became a Christian at 38, having been Catholic most of her life. Not fair that she gets to brag of the large family without keeping Catholicism! She described the theological upgrade she'd recently experienced leaving a non-denominational church for a PCA church. She had no idea what she had been missing! The Reformed women flanking me could not agree fast enough. I preoccupied myself with the prospect that she would make it full circle and become Catholic once again. Pretty soon they were discussing dispensationalism vs. covenantalism, as if there's nothing else.
Then, my study group leader turned to me and asked,
Teresa, do you attend a church?
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