First up, this being a Sunday, we were late for mass. A week late and then some, as we were too lazy last week to go at all and too slow out the door this time - nothing new there. The Yout knew we were having too much difficulty getting ourselves out the door to have enough energy to fight them, so they hunkered down and left Clare and I to go on our own.
Which is a pity, because they missed something special. We went to the local catholic church, St Ursula's, 
and though it took us a while to find the actual church, we struck lucky on three counts. Firstly, it was the feast of the Assumption, so the mass would have had a little bit more about it in any parish. Secondly, it was the 20th anniversary of the building of the church so this was quite a special mass in this parish. Thirdly, because of the first two, they had guests coming from the catholic community on Tortola and had to wait for the boat to arrive. That meant mass started twenty minutes late, and we made the start by the skin of our teeth.
and though it took us a while to find the actual church, we struck lucky on three counts. Firstly, it was the feast of the Assumption, so the mass would have had a little bit more about it in any parish. Secondly, it was the 20th anniversary of the building of the church so this was quite a special mass in this parish. Thirdly, because of the first two, they had guests coming from the catholic community on Tortola and had to wait for the boat to arrive. That meant mass started twenty minutes late, and we made the start by the skin of our teeth.As you might imagine, a Caribbean mass is a very different experience from a British one. The two electric guitars (one lead, one rhythm), keyboards, conga and massive speaker give a clue. The congregation was pretty small (maybe 100 people in all, including guests) but boy can they sing! The priest, Polish I think, also got with it and the whole mass was loud, colourful and vibrant. The offertory procession was led by a really elegant dance from the senior girls, and there was a separate dance from the junior girls at the end. Everything that could be sung was sung (including the "I Confess", new to me but very effective) and a very memorable Our Father that started solemnly then clicked into a Calypso swing.
As if all that wasn't enough they asked if there were any first-time visitors to the parish - Clare and I fessed up and got to stand up and have the whole parish sing us a welcome song. 
They then asked if anyone had a birthday in the coming week, so Clare gave me a shove and I joined three other happy campers at the front to get a special blessing, a song from the parish and a special birthday ribbon pinned on me by two members of the choir. Finally they asked if anyone had an anniversary in the coming week and repeated the special attention for an elderly widower and his children and grandchildren. The whole service felt like it came from the parish community, and indeed this is reflected in the history of the parish. It was very thought provoking and they invited us to stay for food afterwards and join them in the afternoon at Savannah Beach, but we'd been out for nearly two hours and had visions of crucifixions taking place back at the ranch.
They then asked if anyone had a birthday in the coming week, so Clare gave me a shove and I joined three other happy campers at the front to get a special blessing, a song from the parish and a special birthday ribbon pinned on me by two members of the choir. Finally they asked if anyone had an anniversary in the coming week and repeated the special attention for an elderly widower and his children and grandchildren. The whole service felt like it came from the parish community, and indeed this is reflected in the history of the parish. It was very thought provoking and they invited us to stay for food afterwards and join them in the afternoon at Savannah Beach, but we'd been out for nearly two hours and had visions of crucifixions taking place back at the ranch.
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