I posted this on the Sunday thread, but it was a bit late, so I don't know who might have seen it:
Just got back from church a little while ago (actually, it was a couple hours, but the kids have kept me away from the computer).
It was the 125th Anniversary Mass for St. Thomas Aquinas Church. (Officially, it's "Holy Family St. Thomas Aquinas" now, but I ignore that.)
There weren't any bishops available to celebrate Mass. However, we did have a Special Guest: the relic of Mary Magdeline. As the priest put it, "the tibia, the shin bone that was the first to kneel down before the risen Lord".
It was an experience to be there. The church was more packed that I have seen in a long time. (I'm technically not part of that parish anymore, but I have family there.) Filled, St. Thomas easily holds over 1000 people in its pews (my estimate).
The Mass was preceded by a precession through the neighborhood, a short walk from our church around to neighboring Holy Family church and back again. My mother couldn't make that anymore (there's a reason it's called Park Slope), so we met her inside the church, which is good, because she managed seats between her pew and my school friend's mother (whom I'll name only because I like saying her name, which is -- I am not making this up -- Nancy Clancy. Proud grandmother whose granddaughter was serving up on the altar, near the relic).
The procession had a mariachi band as well as a bagpiper. They mostly alternated, but oddly enough, when they were playing at the same time, it wasn't anywhere near as cacophonous as I would have expected. (My brother was impressed that I was probably the only person he knew that could use that word and use correctly in a sentence.)
Venerating afterward was a bit of a mess at first. The poor ushers (most of whom were young men pressed into service) were overwhelmed. I got out of line and took my mother downstairs for coffee in the auditorium and returned about 45 minutes later when it was a little more orderly. Other than that, however, it was an amazing event to be part of. I left before the "closing ceremony". Not sure what that consisted of, but I knew that the relic was moving on.
Good evening, TS....thank you so much for reposting this. What an experience...thanks for sharing.