Why do I so enjoy attending a church service in a language that I don't understand? Beats me, but it was an experience I totally relished today at this church. I made out about five words total, including "apostolski," "Benedictus," and "kielbasa" (that last one during the announcements at the end). "Santa Claus" was also mentioned in the announcements, and my mom, who accompanied me, swears she heard "bingo." ("I couldn't go to their bingo," she confided. "They'd call out the numbers in Polish and I wouldn't be able to understand them.")

I haven't sat through an entire Mass in another language since Portugal and Spain five years ago. I know how almost all of the service goes in English, and so it's easy to follow along in a general sort of way. I think the most fun is being in the middle of a community of worshippers who don't often have an outsider in their midst. You get to see them in a setting usually visited only by members of their own group.

Whatever the attraction is, it was inspiring. Not to mention the delicacies on sale in the church hall on the way out.