Not really, not all of it. But just a few stops along the way, some with photos.
Let’s begin with Saturday. We’re now a 1-car family, and last weekend that car was out of town with the other driver, so I walked to Mass Saturday evening (Sunday was predicted to be rainy).
Not my usual parish, but about a mile closer and a more pleasant and probably safer walk – especially after Mass, when it would be dark.
Monday, I did just a bit of volunteer work at Her Choice, one of our local crisis pregnancy centers, managed by Joy and Jim Pinto, whom many of you know, at least via the television. I’m part of a small team that helps maintain a “shop” where new moms and moms-to-be can find all kinds of baby items, from diapers to clothes. Other people do the hard work, I just come in once in a while – as I did this week – to sort donations.
Tuesday was, of course, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I stopped in a nearby parish in the morning to get photos of their display, and then went back later for Mass. This parish has two Spanish language Masses every Sunday – at 7am and 1pm – and they are both usually nearly full, in my experience.
The light here is magnificent, no credit to me, only to the stained glass artisans, architects, and God.
Two women were praying in front of the display, so I waited until they were finished to take photos up close. And perhaps said some prayers myself. Another woman was over in the music corner, practicing the recorder. It was lovely.
Later that night, at Mass:
After his homily, the priest asked the children to come forward for a special blessing. Yes, that meant about a third of the church rose from their pews.
The community has a native Spanish-speaking priest now, which is fantastic for them, but (so important!) a loss for me, because when the well-meaning and hard-working non-native speakers were presiding and preaching at Mass, they pronounced their Spanish so very slowly that I could actually understand them, no problem.
This wasn’t the only celebration in town, of course. Here’s a photo from just one other:
#Alabama
On the way home, after Mass?
We have a large and historic Jewish population in Birmingham. I drive by the synagogues, temples and community centers every day. At the moment, I see some increased security, but thank God, there have been no incidents as far as I know.
This place is in my neighborhood, and glorious.
This morning, over to a much smaller Catholic church.
Years ago, we volunteered in an afterschool reading and tutoring program there, but Covid restrictions followed by the opening of a larger community center a couple of blocks away have apparently led to its demise. Still going strong is the food and clothes pantry. I took a couple of bags of baby clothes that we couldn’t use at Her Choice and stayed to staff my usual station, packing boxes. A hundred or so boxes given out today, in two hours.
People are good. People want to help. People are responding to God’s call to love in worship and service …everywhere. Step away from the keyboard and be a part of it.