Church Review: Immaculate Conception

Church of the Immaculate Conception
1315 8th St. NW
Website

The church of the Immaculate Conception (not to be confused with the similarly-named basilica on the campus of Catholic University) is in the Shaw neighborhood, a historically black, middle-class area just north of Washington's official downtown.  The church has its own school, which actually matches the architectural style of the church itself (at least on the outside) - in the photo above the church is on the left and the school on the right (duh - how many schools have steeples?  Answer: two.  My middle school and the high school up the street from it).

Anyway.  I had gone up to Target to get lightbulbs and decided that, since Immaculate Conception is just a block away from one of the stations I passed on my way up to Columbia Heights, I could stop by after I had completed my shopping for the 5:30 Mass.  So I did, and here's my report.

I realize that a week during the Christmas season (remember, the liturgical season of Christmas is longer than the secular one) is not the best time to judge the decoration of a church, but I'll attempt to do so.  The narthex (entry way) is all white with dated (read "80's") glass doors, too much fake foliage, and a picture of the pope above the door.  Bad first impression.  But the sanctuary itself (left) looks almost...German.  I imagine that my brain made this judgment because of the wood paneling in the apse, and all the [fake] evergreen branches wound about.  I have found nothing to indicate that there was a German presence at this parish and am inclined to doubt it, as the Shaw neighborhood is traditionally black, not German, and also because Marian devotion isn't really as big a thing among Germans as other Catholic populations (and in addition to the name of the church and the main altar displaying Mary, not Jesus, there's a Lourdes chapel to the main altar's right.  Lest ye have any doubts about the fervor of the Marian devotions here).

It's not a terribly large church, and the congregation was equally small.  They seemed to know each other, though, and their informal clothing indicated that they felt quite comfortable here.  I imagine this is different on Sundays - this is one of only a handful of churches in the District which has a Mass in Latin (Novus Ordo, in this case - there are even fewer who hold Tridentine Masses).  I soon realized, however, that this was to be an informal Mass - just as well, since I had my shopping with me - because there wasn't any music.  Say what you will about music in the Catholic Church, which ranges from full organ and choir to guitars, drums, and tambourines; a lack of music, however, practically guarantees an informal Mass.  A short one, too - we were out in 35 minutes.

The priest was actually a monsignor, but spoke too quickly to be clearly understood, so I confess that after a bit I switched off and didn't listen terribly closely to the homily.  I looked around the church instead.  Although the light was fading when I arrived, I managed to get a few more pictures:

It's not an unattractive church, although the foyer needs work and the abundance of pine was distracting (4).  The sermon and liturgy were, I'm afraid, totally forgettable (3), as was the non-existent music (2, if we count it).  The location is convenient - just off my line on the Metro, but at night the neighborhood is a bit unwelcoming (4).  I'll have to come back on a Sunday, perhaps for the Novus Ordo Mass, to hear the music and maybe walk around Shaw in the daylight, but as it stands, Immaculate Conception wasn't anything to write home about.  Just a blog post.

In sum: if we discount the music, as there wasn't any, 4+3+4/3= 3.67.  Add the music in and you get 3.25.  Nothing great, but I'm willing to give it another try for the Latin Mass.  To be honest, I've become rather fond of St. Peter, because they have Vespers, and a well-attended Sunday night Mass.  No, there's no organ, and the pianist over-embellishes, but there are young people and families, and the place seems quite friendly.  I just have to avoid the folk Mass on Sunday mornings...