Rocky had a rare Saturday off so we spent it in Southern Maryland. We drove along the backroads and visited a winery and an Amish market at Charlotte Hall, MD. We bought pickled beets and peaches, bread and dried corn. We went to Mass at St. Ignatius Loyola, the oldest church in the original colonies. We've been there before during Osprey season in the Spring and it's such an experience to sit down in the old fashioned pews and gaze around the plain wooden church. I always imagine how many people had trod the path to the church and how many priests must have served here.
If you're interested in spending the day in Southern Maryland and learning about our Catholic heritage read this. It's a delightful account of a groups day trip in the area.
It's incredibly noisy before Mass but the young priest who has been assigned there is trying to change some of the abuses that slipped in-- remember, this is a little country parish that seems like it's at the end of the world, indeed if you drive on the road to the church and keep going you'll hit the Newton Bay--- so some for a long time nobody from the diocese paid attention. But having said that I also have to say that the parishioners were incredibly kind and friendly. We've never been treated with such manners in any Northern Virginia church. I noticed another thing: when you have altar girls, flirting, giggling and showing off are more likely to happen than when you just have boys . It's not the kid's fault. Hormones are what they are and pity the poor priest who is brave enough to tell a proud mama that she needs to correct her litttle darling's behavior. God bless the men who dare.