Our Lady of Mount Carmel

bless me Father for i have sinned and i am about to say some not so nice things about this Roman Catholic church. my mother really likes this place because it is — oh so — glorious in its marble and ionic (?) columned ways. but, there’s something about all its grandiosity that oddly screams «I’M AUSTERE!» to me. how can I focus on the readings and homily when i’m literally shaking in my boots, whether from the constant doors opening and closing or from the cantankerous old man sitting in the corner (tangent time, boys and girls: mass has already started and a young east asian couple motion to the elderly man — sitting in a row all by himself — that they’d like to sit in the pew. acting as if the couple asked him for his first born child, the man huffs, puffs and gruffs, gets up and lets the couple in to take their seat, but not before he mumbles, «there’s just no winning.» hey, old farts gotta pray too!)
the parish, again… mostly polish with a sprinkling of filipinos that will show up late. hahah i’m noticing a trend.
then, collection time rolls around and the ushers were all dark haired guys in their 20s, dressed in black leather jackets and jeans. where am i? what time is it? is this a sunday afternoon or a saturday nite?
the only reason i gave this 3star/​A-​OK is because, according to the website, the church provides gluten free communion hosts. how 2011 is that?!