Midnight Mass in Warwick, RI?

December 23, 2014 10:38 AM

We are looking for a "midnight" mass Christmas service in Providence or Warwick, RI. We are not religious and don't live there, but nonetheless have very specific desires (after the break).

This year for Christmas we will be in Providence and Warwick, Rhode Island, for the first time. We go to church once a year, for midnight mass. Culturally Anglican and totally secular in practice except for this night, we would like:

--Candles held by individual congregants for part of the service that includes "Silent Night"
--A Lord's Prayer that uses "thy" and preferably "trespasses"
--A service that starts sometime between 8pm and 10pm and doesn't last more than two hours
--The more singing along the better
--A not-terrible sermon
--The closer to Warwick (where we are actually staying) the better

Thanks in advance, Rhode Islanders!

posted by obliquicity to Religion & Philosophy (9 answers total)

May I post your criteria (without linking here) on a couple Facebook groups I belong to? One is for Episcopalians and the other for those with a strong interest in church music (and a largely Anglo-Catholic bias). Or you can do it yourself, if you're comfortable with that. You're very likely to get some quick responses. It's sometimes a little hard to suss out the liturgical churches in an unfamiliar area.
posted by tully_monster at 11:02 AM on December 23, 2014

I should add: not an R. Islander myself. But if you were planning to visit central Illinois, our Christmas Eve mass would be right up your alley (aisle?). These attributes are more preferred than you might imagine in an era where praise bands have displaced choirs in many mainline Protestant churches (baaaarrrf) and congregations think hymn singing is boring.
posted by tully_monster at 11:08 AM on December 23, 2014

According to Rhode Island Catholic, St. Phillip Church in Greenville had a 10:15 mass followed by a midnight candlelight vigil last year, though I know that's later than you were hoping. Here is Saint Phillip's not-terribly-informative Christmas mass schedule for this year. My girlfriend is asking around her family to see if they know of anything else.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 11:43 AM on December 23, 2014

According to Rhode Island Catholic, St. Phillip Church in Greenville had a 10:15 mass followed by a midnight candlelight vigil last year

That was for New Year's though and for a procession after Mass, not for the Mass itself. Roman Catholic Christmas services do not normally include congregants holding candles, though it may be done here and there.
posted by Jahaza at 12:08 PM on December 23, 2014

Christ Church Episcopal has a renowned choir in these parts and have several events scheduled for Christmas Eve. Maybe give them a call about the rest. Probably take you about 45 minutes to get there from Warwick.
posted by Saddy Dumpington at 1:36 PM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: tully_monster, that would be great -- thank you!
posted by obliquicity at 1:45 PM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

St Stephen's Church on or near the Brown U campus advertises itself as Anglo-Catholic. I know nothing about their schedule or liturgy.

http://www.sstephens.org
posted by SemiSalt at 2:38 PM on December 23, 2014

For what it's worth, you are more likely to get Thy and Thee if you seek out a Rite I liturgy. Rite II is more modern.
But I think you have to ask specifically about that when you call. I don't see a Rite posted on a lot of websites.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:05 PM on December 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Best answer from our Facebook group:

check out "my" parish, St. Luke's, East Greenwich (no individual candles, but everything else!) 4 PM, 7 PM. 10:30 for music and liturgy starting at 11. St. Barnabas, Warwick, St. Mark's, Warwick, St. Stephen's, Providence is Anglo-Catholic, as is St. John's, Newport, but those are not so close to Warwick. Check out those churches on Facebook or on the Diocesan website, episcopalri.org. If you want to message me I can give you/them more info, and if they do come to St. Luke's, I'd love to know and meet them. Blessings!

Someone else did point out that pretty much everything in RI is close to Warwick, though I suppose YMMV.
posted by tully_monster at 12:14 AM on December 24, 2014