Mass of the Assumption today in DC ...

... was celebrated at the National Basilica by Archbishop John Foley (ex. president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications), with (obviously frail) Cardinal Emeritus Baum of Washington DC in attendance. Mass clocked-in at a healthy hour and forty minutes, mostly due to the after-celebration prayers for peace and the contributions of the Basilica choir. Here is a blurry picture which I snapped with my cameraphone of Abp. Foley dismissing the congregation. The liturgy was meticulously celebrated, which is encouraging considering it was the first Mass of the Basilica's new master of ceremonies (whose name, sadly, escapes me at present).

After the liturgy it was announced by Msgr. Rossi, rector of the National Shrine, that the foreword dome mural, paid for by the Knights of Columbus, had just that day been completed. I managed to snap a slightly better (and larger) picture of this most recent addition to the Basilica's sacred decoration. The mural is entitled "The Incarnation of our Savior" and will (I think) be officially dedicated November 16th - an event which I hope to attend. The central and final dome to be decorated (also the largest) is scheduled to be installed sometime in 2009.

Incidently, the cause for the beatification of the KofC's founder, Father McGivney, is being promoted by Dominican Father Gabriel B. O'Donnell, who I just met with during the week previous to go over my planned course of studies at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. Father O'Donnell has "written extensively about the life and heroic virtue of the founder of the Knights of Columbus", and those articles are archived here.

I hope, as I become more involved in local Catholic events here in DC, to continue posting short updates on them and related topics, along the lines I've begun here. I hope this is of interest to my readers!