Ship of Fools: St Clement’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The Mystery Worshipper

Ship of Fools: St Clement’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The Ascension celebrated richly in this bastion of Anglo-Catholicism

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here

Gee D

Thank you for this. I have a recollection that a Shipmate, now deceased, was either a parishioner or regular worshipper at this church. It could have been LSK but can't be sure. Cany anyone help out please?

Bishops Finger

I believe it was indeed LSK, who (IIRC) also served and worshipped at a well-known London A-C parish.

Re the actual Report, it does seem as if (anecdotal evidence here only, I'm afraid) that Ascension Day is becoming very much a day observed by the Faithful Few, and the Empty Pew!

Gee D

Not in the Catholic church near us. A full car-park for the morning service, and then many more cars for the evening.

Thanks for the confirmation about LSK. He dropped out and then some time later there was a report that he had died. I think that was before the new Ship. A great pity.

Bishops Finger

Yes, I should have said that my remarks were directed at the Church of England! Catholics are indeed better, it seems, at observing the big weekday Festivals.

Re LSK - I think you're right. He died some little while before the new Ship was launched, I believe. RIPARIG.

Rossweisse

I reviewed St. Clement's a few years ago. The music is indeed wonderful.

Gee D

Can you provide a link please? I tried the search function using the search "St Clement's Philadelphia" on the board and it found nothing - despite the most recent visit showing on the same page! A simple "St Clement's" produced 2 reviews of a church in Prague of all places.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

I believe Rossweisse's report may have been pre-2005 and so was not ported over to the new Ship.

Gee D

Thanks. I thought it a bit odd that the present review did not show up on the search.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

There's a report on the old Ship here dating from 2003 but I don't think it's Rossweisse's. I remember Rossweisse's as there were some editing questions involved, but I can't find it. It may have been recalled, but our records don't date back that far.

Columba_in_a_Currach

I'm glad to see that S. Clement's retains its very high standards in the field of being very high. It's probably a bit more than I could manage week by week, but every now and then for a special treat....

Ah, if only Philadelphia were not so far away!

Gee D

Indeed. Good to be able to read the MW report and then the link from that to the church's own site - thanks Miss Amanda.

Hookers_Trick

I had the oddest experience there several years ago. I went to the sung mass, found an almost exclusively male congregation who studiously ignored me (which isn't that distressing as I don't really care to be chatty in church). But when I returned from making my communion I discovered my service papers, prayer book and hymn book had been tidied up and put away, in the brief amount of time it took for me to reach the altar rail and return to my pew.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

Talk about dropping a hint!

Rossweisse

I found the ushers there most unfriendly.

Nope, Miss Amanda, that wasn't mine!

Bishops Finger

@Hookers_Trick - you were obviously wearing your Klingon Cloak Of Invisibility, which must have switched itself off whilst you received the Sacrament.

Hookers_Trick

I was wearing the badge of Exeter Cathedral. Perhaps they were afraid of English Cathedral standards

Bishops Finger