We went to mass yesterday at St Paul's on Mt Auburn Street. It is famous for its choir school, and the Boston Boys Choir. We arrived a little early and sat half way down the church. St Paul's is quite large (a bit of a barn) with a high alter and marble pillars at the front, stained glass windows down the side, a large pipe organ at the back and a smaller organ in front nearer the choir.
The mass started with a little announcement that the church had a new deacon, and the priest indicated that his wife and three children (!) were also present in the church. Hmmm. Since when did deacons have families? It must be some local practice, but it is very unusual.
The boys then came into the church, singing the entrance hymn. They were followed by the men's choir. I must say that whilst it was enjoyable, my expectations were somewhat higher. Perhaps they need to get a few more rehearsals under their belt - this was the first time the choir had sung at mass after the summer break. They did look quite sweet and charming though, walking into church two by two in their black robes with a white smock thing on top.
US mass goers differ in behaviour from Singaporeans. The ladies sitting next to me were really having a nice catching up session before mass, started smiling and waving at the choirboys/ men they knew and said hi to the priest. They also kissed and hugged this other friend of theirs on the way to communion and then after communion. Quite distracting. I must admit that these ladies were the exception rather than the norm. Everyone else appeared to be acting like normal mass goers.
Will probably go visit other churches in Boston, before coming back to St Paul's, to see what they are like.
Deacons can either be married or unmarried. It depends on their marital status at the time they're ordained as deacons. If married they're expected to continue in that state and if not then to not get married. that's always been the rule as far as I've known it. however in Singapore as deacons often tend to be priests in training, they're usually single.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is that there can actually be married priests. Just that normally they're not but if there's a crossover from eg the Anglicans, or Orthodox chuch which do allow married clergy, then they're allowed to stay married if already married.