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| 1577: Guardian
Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Francis Xavier.
The church:
Guardian
Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Denomination:
Roman Catholic, Diocese
of Las Vegas.
The building:
The cathedral is a set of triangular peaks in a row, all white,
with some modern artwork at the front. The grounds are average
looking. To the left rises a tall cone-shaped tower topped by
a large cross. The facade features a mosaic depicting a guardian
angel watching over three figures depicting Prayer, Penance
and Peace. Some of the exterior paint is peeling. The interior
is replete with touches of Las Vegas: a baptismal font resembling
an oversized marble hot tub; one stained glass window depicting
hotels rising above a maze of concrete freeways; another depicting
the Roman soldiers rolling dice at the foot of the cross; etc.
The church:
They celebrate four masses on Saturdays beginning at 12.10pm,
and five on Sundays, with the latest being at 5.00pm. Worshippers
are famous for depositing casino chips in the collection, which
are gathered up by a "chip monk" and cashed in. Devotions
to St Jude (patron saint of hopeless causes) and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help are held during the week. On Christmas eve each
year, midnight mass is broadcast on local television and consistently
receives the highest Neilsen rating for the evening.
The neighborhood:
The cathedral sits in the shadow of one of the massive Las Vegas
hotels and is a rather unassuming structure on the Las Vegas
Strip. I am sure it looked much more impressive before the 70
story hotel went up next door.
The cast:
The Revd Alan Sislow.
The date & time:
Friday, June 6, 2008, 8.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Mass.
How full was the building?
About 20 percent full (50 people) – good crowd for a weekday
mass.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
No.
Was your pew comfortable?
No cushions, but the wooden pews were comfortable enough. The
kneelers were padded and were very comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and reverential.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good Morning."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The Wonder, Love and Praise missalette.
What musical instruments were played?
None. A cantor intoned the alleluia verse before the gospel,
but there was no other music.
Did anything distract you?
The modern artwork was a bit distracting. At first I couldn't
make out whom the figure behind the altar was supposed to depict,
but then I noticed nail marks in his hands and realized that
it was the risen Christ.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Middle of the road. The celebrant was very animated, but the
congregation remained reserved. It was, after all, 8.00 on a
Friday morning in Las Vegas.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
4 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – Very lively and engaging. He walked down from the pulpit
to give the homily.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
In St Paul's time, persecution meant physical suffering, but
in our time it more often than not means ridicule. We must receive
Jesus and become an example and support to others. Our beliefs
can bring quality to humanity.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The eucharistic celebration was very reverent. The priest made
many references to the supernatural reality of what was taking
place here.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
The priest changed one word in some very common Catholic prayers.
Instead of saying, "The Lord be with you,"
he kept saying, "The Lord is with you."
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
I am new at this, and am not sure I did a good job of looking
lost. I looked over the bulletin board at the entrance and leafed
through the welcome literature, but no one said a word to me
– not even the security guard! The priest walked by and
sort of glanced in my direction, but kept on going without stopping
to speak. I browsed the gift shop for awhile and made a purchase,
for which the clerk said, "Thank you."
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
There was none, as is typical of most daily masses.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – It seemed more like a cathedral to me than a parish.
Too disconnected. Maybe a Sunday mass would change my mind.
The bulletin claimed a membership of over 1,000 families.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. The mass was the same as in all other Catholic churches
I have attended, and I felt the universality of the Church in
this service.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The interesting modern artwork I spoke about earlier as distracting. |
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| The Mystery Pilgrim |
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| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
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| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
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