Making a joyful noise. . .

Father Cassidy led the parade of creatures, followed by the choir. He set two alarm clocks for 4:45 this morning so he wouldn't miss the first edition. Got up in the dark and heard a hoot owl. Might have written the homily then too.

A 20-year partnership
celebrated in sawdust.

If you wanted a seat at the St. Joan of Arc Easter mass this morning, you needed to grab one immediately after the packed 9 a.m. session let out. By 11:15 the joint was thumping and rocking yet again, wall-to-wall worshippers clapping their hands, swaying and generally feeling good just being there. Among the favorites getting a workout were "Oh Happy Day," "What a Wonderful World," "Eagles' Wings," "Alleluia," and many others, accompanied by a six-piece orchestra, full choir, fabulous soloist, and an old white trumpeter who could sing just like Louis Armstrong.

Displayed beside the pathway into the "gym mass," a colorful sawdust mural (above) linked the congregation to its sister church in Guatamala. On the way out, to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching," the mural was trashed by an enthusiastic procession of very odd-looking beasts led by the holy-man-in-charge, whose earlier explanation of the tradition and meaning of this arcane ritual has since been forgotten by your faithful reporter.

Church mice? Rocky Raccoon? 

Mom, 93 Easters old, didn't make it to these services this morning, but she did sing us a bit of "Oh Happy Day," in a clear Easter morning voice:
Oh, Happy Day
(Oh, Happy Day)
When Jesus washed
(When Jesus washed)
Oh, when he washed …...
He washed my sins away!

Oh Happy Day!