Going to Mass in Misr...

 You might imagine that it'd be difficult to locate a Catholic church in the heart of the Muslim world, especially in a country like Egypt, where, unlike in Catholic-populated Syria and Lebanon, the only significant Christian presence allegedly consists of Copts.

In fact, this couldn't be further from the truth. Although I'm not sure how numerous Catholic parishes in Cairo are, there happens to be one conveniently located just a few blocks from the dorm. Even more fortuitous, they offer a 6 pm. English Mass on Sunday, which suits me just fine considering I have classes until after 3 pm. We've even been able to put together a nice little Sunday crew, consisting of 2 other Domers and 3 kids from other schools.

If you're expecting the name of this Catholic church to be exotic or "Egyptianized," I'm sorry to disappoint you: it's name is St. Joseph's. Yes, just like the medical center in Brainerd, or the church in Crosby, and even the county where Notre Dame is located. Pretty unoriginal, really.

But the Egyptian version of St. Joseph's makes up for its unextraordinary name with plenty of character. The church's high-ceilinged interior is beautifully designed, while maintaining a level of intimacy and approachability. Perhaps even more defining than it's physical characteristics are the traits of a St. Joseph's Mass. From the ancient old nun who leads the singing in, let's just say, "strained" English, to the sometimes indiscernible homilies, to the chaotic, disorganized rush for the Eucharist, Mass at St. Joseph's is a very unique experience.

But what I love the most about St. Joseph's is the congregation itself. Maybe because my home parish of St. Alice consists of probably 99% white people, I find it refreshing to be a part of a multi-ethnic gathering, comprised of a significant number of Filipinos, a decent number of Africans, some Caucasians, and a handful of Arabs (of course, I'm assuming most of the Arab Catholics go to the Mass held in Arabic. There's also one in French, and they have a Tagalog [language of the Philippines] service once a week as well). In fact, in about a month and a half here, I've attended Masses presided over by French, African, and Filipino priests. Pretty neat.

While racial diversity isn't exclusive to the Catholic faith, I really feel it is something that the Church stresses. Its message is the same to everyone and open to all who wish to participate. This is epitomized at St. Joseph's. No one is better than another, no one more worthy than the next. Everyone is truly part of one Body, brought together to celebrate Christ in the same way. Attending Mass here in Cairo has really made me realize what it means when we say that the Catholic Church is "universal." It's a reality that I embrace and am proud to be a part of.