CANNOLI FOR COMMUNION

 I always love how my parish decorates the church and alter at Christmas time.  My Florida parish is fairly large, the church is fairly new and it is ALWAYS decorated beautifully. My Michigan church is under major renovation which will hopefully be completed by the end of this month,  During the major construction on the 100+ year old building all the masses are being held in the church basement. It is a small parish so the decorations this year were minimal but lovely.  (I can watch mass in MI on my computer so I was able to attend their Christmas service.). 

When I had returned to Florida this year the pastor of my Florida Church, St. Patrick, commented on the fact that it would be quite a challenge this year to get the church decorated for Christmas. Because Christmas was on a Monday the church would/could not be decorated until after the 11:15 mass on Sunday.  At that time they would have exactly THREE hours to get everything set for the 4:00 Christmas vigil mass.  That is quite a challenge for a church of our size. But sure enough . . . they did it!

                                                  . . .  EXCEPT , , ,

When I walked into church on Christmas morning I felt like I was attending an Italian festival. Flash backs of San Gennaro Italian festival in Little Italy, NYC flashed through my head. From the top of the ceiling at the back of the alter all the way down to the floor the wall was draped in red, white and green fabric.  I expected Christopher Columbus to be on the alter saying mass and instead of the host at communion we would be served Chianti and Cannolis. 

 There were lovely Christmas trees with twinkling white lights, the life size manger scene at the foot of the alter and beautiful green garlands sparkling with lights hanging on the side walls of the alter.  But front and center, larger that life was the Italian flag !!!!   

I came to realize later that the "white" bunting was actually "gold" but the color was so light that it appeared to be white.  I couldn't focus on anything else.  

True to form mass was lovely, our pastor gave a wonderful homily, the choir was accompanied by trumpets and drums but it still felt like I was in Italy.