Posted on 01/24/2016 5:24:03 PM PST by Kaslin
Friday was the 43rd annual March for Life, and drew hundreds of thousands of people from across the country to march through Washington, D.C. to protest abortion. Due to the massive blizzard that struck the city as the march drew to a close, hundreds of pilgrims (including National Review's Kathryn Lopez, who live-tweeted the experience) wound up stranded on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for nearly a full day as traffic was completely stopped by the storm.
One group of pilgrims, however, did not let the intense conditions stop them from celebrating Mass on the side of the road, complete with an altar built out of snow.
Even stuck on the interstate, we still had Holy Mass. One bus group got out to build an altar out of snow, funny,...Posted by Missionary Benedictine Sisters - Norfolk Priory on Saturday, January 23, 2016
According to the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Norfolk, NE, the Mass drew about 500 attendees and was celebrated by six priests. One priest had 300 hosts on him that were consecrated for the Mass.
Attendees of the "turnpike Mass" tweeted about their unique experience:
Just had Mass on the side of the road in a blizzard. #wearecatholic #turnpikemass pic.twitter.com/ycklZSXMke— Jack Dorcey (@ReluctantJack) January 23, 2016
So amazing to be apart of #turnpikemass one of the coolest things I've ever done. pic.twitter.com/zInU8qZZHS— Anastasia Rogers? (@AnastasiaJoRog) January 23, 2016
#turnpikemass coolest thing eva pic.twitter.com/6qthwtoHmQ— Emily Rash (@emily_rash5) January 23, 2016
And sometimes you get stranded on the #PAturnpike and have Mass on an altar made of snow. #turnpikemass #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/Br9I7K64q1— Pat Millea (@wackybasilisk) January 23, 2016
Bad weather can't stop the Mass! God is great! #TurnpikeMass #Catholic https://t.co/3SGoEgQuk5 pic.twitter.com/pw4QNPimKo— Esmeralda Kiczek (@EsmeraldaKiczek) January 24, 2016
What better way to kill blizzard isolation boredom than mass outside? ?? #TurnPikeMass pic.twitter.com/0SV9Wy3H7q— Erin Staley (@ErinStaley) January 23, 2016
This trip is full of new experiences but the best is probably having mass outside in the blizzard #WeAreCatholic #TurnpikeMass— Kathryn Paszkiewicz (@kathrynpaszkie) January 23, 2016
Not even the snow will stop us from Jesus #TurnpikeMass pic.twitter.com/fzc9c6qFt8— Megan Crotts (@Megansc05) January 23, 2016
Just finished helping put on the #turnpikemass by building the altar. Best mass ever. Never seen so many Catholics so devoted— James Rotondo (@sableyemaster) January 23, 2016
What a beautiful public witness of faith in a frightening situation.
Absolutely fabulous!! GOD BLESS THEM!!
Incredible!! God bless them and God bless America!
BTTT
Gee, you would think a story like this would appear on tv or the newspapers.
Thanks for posting this!
Great story! Thanks for posting.
Awesomeness! :)
What a blessed experience after sacrificing for Christ.
I was stranded in Pennsylvania. Fortunately we were able to get off the turnpike and find rooms. The Lord provided us with 2 priests and 100 high schoolers at the hotel across the street. Had mass in the lobby and these awesome high school kids entertained us (I went with 25 eighth graders) with a talent show. It wasn’t the trip we planned but far greater!
I thought it was neat. It was quite a sight to see all those people standing in snow at the side of the highway offering mass.
I thought they are not supposed to do that without the Bishop's permission, and the altar should be stone I think. That's the legalistic part of me.
Then I thought surely God would be pleased anyway. And how did I know but what they got emergency permission via cell phone. Or maybe it doesn't matter any more; it's been awhile.
How many Masses have been said on the hood of a Jeep? How many consecrated hosts were exposed to snow, mud, volcanic ash and other garbage? The men who were about to do battle and possibly give their lives didn’t worry about such things as permission. They were in the cathedral of heroes.
Those are not required for "battlefield conditions," and I think we'd all agree those folks qualified. (See the Don Camillo books for examples--and some hilarious stories.)
There are portable wooden altars for just these situations, beautifully made. We had a priest come offer the traditional Latin Mass at our fathers-and-sons campout. We built a canopy out of a huge tarp and some wooden stakes. About 60 of us, 6 altar boys with vestments and candles. Yes, it was awesome.
That’s a good way of looking at it. It’s always meaningful, but conditions like that make it extra specially meaningful.
BTTT!
I presume the priest had a Mass kit with him, which would have satisfied the need for altar appurtenances.
I've attended Mass on the deck of a destroyer, in a car of a train, and in some other very unlikely circumstances.
Ordinarily the Bishop's permission is needed for any priests saying Mass in his diocese, but in emergencies it isn't needed.
Prayers were needed all around. I've been looking at some pictures of the storm.
I wonder where all those people are today. I'm confident they made it safely to their destination.
The portable wooden altars must be beautiful. I found some on google images, stone and wood, ancient to the present.
Cool! Literally and figuratively!
Praise God and Bless them one and all.
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