And the best thing about it? When we (the congregation) get to do the blessing for someone, like a few Sundays ago, we blessed the graduates of 2016 and the Veterans.
My first experience with this at Old St. Pats was at a mass in September when I began RCIA. There was a ceremony for us (maybe it was one of the Sacraments? I'm still a newbie, forgive me!) Anyways, they had us all come up to the altar, and the choir and congregation sang, and our sponsors put the sign of the cross on our thoughts (crossed our foreheads), our sight (crossed our eyes), our words, (crossed our lips), heart, feet, etc. So there I was, up in front of a church of people I hardly knew, having this special thing happen to me, trying to hold it together and not cry.
But then...
Then, Father Hurley asked everyone in the church to hold up their hand in blessing of all of us who were discerning if the Catholic faith was the place we were really being called to, and a whole church full of people raised their hands to bestow a blessing on all of us, and I lost it.
I tired not to do the ugly cry but it was super overwhelming and so so beautiful.
Fast forward to the Easter Vigil, and I knew this was going to happen. I knew that after the Priest did the official ceremony part, then he would ask the people of the congregation to raise their hands and then together they would bless us. At the Easter Vigil, I was expecting it and excited for it, and totally didn't cry, well, until I saw Peg who was hollerin' for all of us... then I did the ugly cry. But it's just so beautiful and it's my favorite part of church at OSP's.
So a few weeks ago, when Father Novak asked all the graduates to stand up, and then asked each of them to share what program they just finished, and then asked all of us (me included) to raise our hands in blessing, I was just so so happy to be on the other side of it.
I really love it there at Old St. Patrick's. Finally found a place that feels like home.
Do you have a special church like this? Please share!
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