Just finished a candlelit mass on Dec. 21, 2019 at St. Pius V in Providence RI. This is a nice parish across the street from Providence College. Our mass tonight was a beautiful mass lit only by candles. It was like time travel; you could imagine a church where mass was only conducted by candlelight -- 800 or 1200 years ago. And we had beautiful songs in Latin and Christmas hymns. And this on the brink of Christmas on a Saturday vigil mass that happened to land on the winter solstice. It was beautiful. When I walked up and saw not one light on, I thought I had read the 4:30pm sat. night mass schedule incorrectly and would find the church empty. Instead, it turned out that there was a neighborhood power blackout . . . . No worries! The Dominicans to the rescue. The church deployed candles throughout the sanctuary and despite the darkness of the longest night of 2019, the mass was beautiful. This is a beautiful congregation. It was my first mass in the dark lit only by candles. I hope the practice spreads! And the mass was so moving with no electric lights that I hope the Dominicans will try this again!! Go Friars. read more