Seraphs at Holy Innocents

WELCOME to "the Inn." That's not only a play on its name but also the sense of security that befalls visitors when they enter Holy Innocents Parish in Juniata Park.

The church, at the corner of L Street and East Hunting Park Avenue, draws the faithful from four Catholic parishes that merged two years ago during the Archdiocese's restructuring. Holy Innocents combines St. Joan of Arc, Mater Dolorosa, Ascension of Our Lord and St. Joachim, all within two miles of one another.

Its parishioners hail from the surrounding neighborhoods of Juniata Park, Harrowgate, Frankford and part of Kensington.

Who we are: Holy Innocents has a large and diverse congregation, with about 8,000 worshipers circulating through during the week for Masses in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

About 65 percent of the congregation is Hispanic, said the Rev. Thomas Viviano, the pastor. "We have a vibrant Hispanic community, made up of Puerto Rican and Dominican Catholics that add to our cultural expression."

About 200 Vietnamese parishioners attend.

Where we worship: The main site, at Hunting Park Avenue near Glendale Street, hosts the weekly and Holy Day Masses, with the other merged churches designated as worship sites. "They might be used in special instances, like for weddings, funerals or feast days," Viviano said.

St. Joan of Arc also serves as an outreach center, where people can attend religious and ESL classes and contribute to a food bank.

What we believe: "At the center of our faith is Jesus Christ, who we believe is the son of God and who came to redeem the world," Viviano said.

"As Catholics, we believe in the celebration of Mass and the Eucharist. Jesus becomes substantially present. It is truly his body and blood that we receive through communion."

Cherubs overhead: On the bottom of each of the beams that support the gold patterned ceiling of the church, there are little faces, hard to notice - but there. Viviano said they reflect the story of when King Herod heard of a child born destined to be king, and killed all boys age 2 and younger.

"That pattern of the ceiling is very unique for a Catholic church," he said.

"Those cherub faces are meant to represent the holy innocents, from which the church is named. It almost is more reminiscent of mosques, but is original to the building and fosters the idea of a sacred space."

What we're known for: Diversity - Viviano said Holy Innocents is "one of the most diverse Catholic churches in the city" - and an on-site private school that educates about 300 students. The church also has weekly youth programs for about 50 high school students.

"The kids come every week to grow in faith together," he said.

Good works: Philabundance helps supply the food bank at the church and accepts donations from parishioners.

Big moral issue we're grappling with: People falling away from faith and religion is one challenge, but Viviano said that while the numbers are down, "the quality is real. In that respect, there is tremendous hope in that faith will continue to flourish."

The parish's youth are a "vibrant" sign of good things ahead, he said.

If pennies rained down from heaven . . . "The Inn" would hire a full-time youth minister and a teacher of religious education. If money were no object, Viviano would also use more of it to maintain the church building, which went up in the late 1920s and 1930s. "As the nature of things, it needs some attention," he said.

God moment: Last summer, a mother from the church community was killed in a triple shooting on nearby K Street.

"As you can imagine, the whole community was in shock and turmoil, but just the incredible outpouring of support and love and just walking with that family in that moment as a parish - for me - was a proud moment," Viviano said.

"At the Mass and the funeral, there was tremendous sense of God's peace. That was a really touching moment in feeling God's presence through people at a moment when it was needed."

Words of hope: "The Gospel assures us that Jesus is with us 'til the end of time," Viviano said. "He assures us that he has set his church on solid rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, even in difficult times.

"We have the confidence and sure knowledge that it will be God and his truth that will prevail."