Back to Sudbury, day 2: Mass at Holy Name of Jesus

Holy Name of Jesus in North Bay

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, December 31 is the eve of a high holy day (what we call a "solemnity") in which we honor Mary as Mother of God, and in which we pray for peace throughout the world. As part of my project to visit the different churches of the dioceses sooner rather than later I started visiting churches as I made my way back to my home in Sudbury. The government-ordered lockdown meant that only a maximum of 10 people could attend a mass, but thankfully the parish of Holy Name of Jesus was offering the mass via streaming. I'm happy to share it here (you'll need to click the link as video won't play back if it's embedded). The homily starts around 19:30.

UPDATE: You never know how many people are watching a video stream while you are doing it, and I forgot to check after, but a couple of days later a woman from a parish in Sudbury made reference to my use of the umbrella in the homily. It's not just about getting the homily out there, it's about that moment of mutual recognition. She felt she knew me a little bit better, and she wanted to let me know so as to build that connection. That's a big part of what these forms of media are all about: bringing people closer, even if they have to be distanced.