Catholic Church with energetic mass?

[Anonymous]

Since moving to the D.C. area I have found myself struggling with the Catholic faith. I think it partly has to do with how lifeless and conservative mass seems to be. I moved from out west and I am used to churches that have a real sense of community. Where folks hold hands during the Our Father, or who warmly embrace during the sign of peace. Where the music was something from this century (or heck even the last 20 years) and the choir was accompanied by pianos and guitars. Where folks actually sang like they meant it, not like they were being tortured. Where the homily was about love and helping people not abortion and how I am going to hell if I don't go to church every single week.

I guess I am just really struggling with how conservative the Church is out here. I miss my community back home. I was hoping that someone had a recommendation for a church with a livelier less conservative mass in the DC/NOVA area. Are there any Catholic churches out here that have a Young Adult mass? Maybe that would be a bit better....

I know this probably sounds like an odd complaint...but back home I used to love to go to mass and here I dread it more than anything because it just feels so cold.

[Anonymous]

I would also just settle for a church that is more liberal. . . if that is at all possible in the state of Virginia (or D.C.)

[Anonymous]

Wow, that sounds nice! That would make me actually enjoy being catholic again...the closest I have come to that sort of mass is either at my friends presbyterian church (in md) or Resurrection Catholic Church (also in md) but it's more progressive

[Anonymous]

We love Holy Trinity in Georgetown. Great sense of community, always packed, and the priests are great.

[Anonymous]

Try St. Charles in Arlington. I'm more of a traditional person and didn't like it, but it seemed to be pretty touchy feely with modern guitar music.

[Anonymous]

St. John Neumann in Reston - love their Sunday evening mass. Good music, positive priests, beautiful setting, nice people.

Also, Sunday evening mass at Holy Trinity in Georgetown. That's where I used to go as a 20 something single - lots of Georgetown students. At least then it was a great mass.

[Anonymous]

Our Lady Queen of Peace in Arlington is a lot like you describe. The 9:30 mass has a gospel choir, and the 11:15 music is also modern and well-done. As is the Sarurday evening mass. A very welcoming vibe. Lots of same-sex couples, diverse families. People aren't hemming and hawing everytime a baby cries.

I hate the fire-and-brimstone stuff as well, but if you have a problem with a Catholic church being anti-abortion, you might want to re-explore your faith.

[Anonymous]

Like an earlier poster, we go to Holy Trinity in G'town...people come from all over to go there. The Jesuit Priests are not conservative. They have a "kid's mass" in the theatre at the 9 am mass (which is held at 9:30 in the summer between Memorial and Labor Days).

[Anonymous]

The Arlington diocese (which is what controls most of NOVA) is one of the most conservative in the country. They still do not allow girls to be alter servers. Please. I am currently struggling with my faith, and am happy to see some of these posts about good masses.

Before we moved out to the burbs, we loved loved loved St. Joseph's on Capitol Hill. Monsignor Antonicelli is a warm, caring man, and his homilies are short and to the point-I never once felt uncomfortable. I wouldn't necessarily describe the church or service as progressive, but the community is a caring one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our Lady Queen of Peace in Arlington is a lot like you describe. The 9:30 mass has a gospel choir, and the 11:15 music is also modern and well-done. As is the Sarurday evening mass. A very welcoming vibe. Lots of same-sex couples, diverse families. People aren't hemming and hawing everytime a baby cries.

I hate the fire-and-brimstone stuff as well, but if you have a problem with a Catholic church being anti-abortion, you might want to re-explore your faith.

Thanks! I am glad to hear that Our Lady of Peace as a contemporary evening mass as well. They are walking distance to me so I will check them out.

To be fair, I don't have a problem with the Catholic Church being against abortion. I have a problem with shaming and condeming people. My last Church had a post abortion support group which provided counseling (without judgment) to folks that had gone through them. We also did a lot of work in low income communities educating folks on family planning (within Catholic acceptable methods) to help reduce abortion rates. I just don't think anything can be improved with judgment and hatred.

It was just a very odd experience to grow up with one version of the Church and them move out to the D.C. area and be presented with a completely different Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Arlington diocese (which is what controls most of NOVA) is one of the most conservative in the country. They still do not allow girls to be alter servers. Please. I am currently struggling with my faith, and am happy to see some of these posts about good masses.

Before we moved out to the burbs, we loved loved loved St. Joseph's on Capitol Hill. Monsignor Antonicelli is a warm, caring man, and his homilies are short and to the point-I never once felt uncomfortable. I wouldn't necessarily describe the church or service as progressive, but the community is a caring one.

I thought this was church-by-church. I know I've been to Mass in the Arlington diocese and have seen altar girls.

I second St. Charles in Arlington. If you go to the young persons' Mass (it used to be Sun night when I went), it's very crunchy. My husband is not Catholic and is pro-choice and he wanted a way more traditional Mass.

[Anonymous]

St. Augustine's at 15th and V NW. The city's oldest majority African-American parish.

[Anonymous]

My friends go to St Louis Catholic Church and love it
2907 Popkins Lane
Alexandria, VA 22306

I'm a recovering Catholic (lol). I go to St Marks Episcopal in Alexandria now. It is very similiar to Roman Catholic. The liturgy is almost exactly the same, the music is different (and very boring). The mass itself isn't that lively, but the sermons are great, it is a small and very welcoming community. Most everyone stays after mass to socialize. If you go, you'll notice that the congregation initially seems older. But the youth have a separate program during mass and join after the peace offering. It's not mandatory (my kids don't go to the youth part), but most parents do send their kids.

The head pasotr, Rev John, has grown children (I believe they are in their 20s), The associate, Rev. Meredith, has 3 teenagers. The youth part is very active.

I'm from Colorado, and miss the community feel I grew up with. That's why I like St Marks - it really reminds me of my small town Catholic church.

[Anonymous]

The Diocese of Arlington covers all of NVa, down to Fred'bg and across to W Va.

Female altar servers vary church by church, it's really dependent on the pastor.

Church of the Nativity in Burke has upbeat services and is more "liberal" than some of the other diocesan parishes, but it's HUGE, 10,000+ parishioners.

[Anonymous]

St Joseph's in Alexandria may fit the bill for you. It's the historically black church from when Alexandria was segregated, and is run by the Josephite order who have a long history of civil rights work. Every other weekend they have an amazing gospel choir--it's definitely unlike any other Catholic service I've been too.

Every mass starts with welcoming new people and greeting your neighbors and a lot of people hold hands during the Our Father (even with strangers). It's a pretty small church (only 2 masses a weekend, and less than 500 people attend between them) so it's easy to get to know people if you want to.