A parade of flags from 42 nations marched down the aisle of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and lined up across the transept at the beginning of the mass commemorating the church’s 100th anniversary.

"We are a church of immigrants," declared a Franciscan clergyman at the beginning of the Nov. 30 service.

The congregation that filled the Northwest Washington church at Park Road and 16th Street to overflowing was an eclectic ethnic mix of Latino, Caribbean, East Asian and African immigrants. Many were dressed in traditional garments from their native countries, adding a colorful flair not usually seen in church congregations.

The assembly raised its voice in song as a Latino group played a processional hymn with alternating English and Spanish verses while the pageant of flags made its way down the aisle. They were followed by a gospel choir that sashayed down the aisle singing alternately in English and Haitian Creole.

After the pageant was finally in place, the clergy and the celebrant, Cardinal James Hickey of the Archdiocese of Washington, made their way down the aisle as eager parishioners craned their necks to catch a glimpse or take a snapshot of the prelate. In keeping with the spirit of the day, Hickey addressed the parish in Spanish and English.

In the heart of Mount Pleasant, one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the District, Sacred Heart ministers to Catholics from around the world who have come to the nation’s capital. Every Sunday, Sacred Heart holds four masses in Spanish, two in English, one in Vietnamese and one mass in Haitian French.

Church officials said the number of registered parishioners hovers around 1,600, but the number of people who worship there is much higher and fluctuates due to the transient nature of the neighborhood.

While the majority of the church members are Latin American, every flag in the procession was there at the request of parishioners who wanted their home country represented, a church spokesman said.

Symbolically, the U.S. flag led the procession.

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator