Following the Spirit on a WHIMM: The Story of the Washington Home Inclusive Monthly Mass

When the 2018 Pennsylvania report on clergy sex abuse was released, Jane Malhotra and her Aunt Mary Patrick were dismayed. How could this have happened? Where was hope to be found after such devastating news about their church and church leaders was revealed? So from a place of desolation, they talked, they prayed, and they read a book by Mary’s sister, Anne E. Patrick, SNJM, titled On Being Unfinished. Though Sr. Anne had passed away two years prior, reading the text at that particular time was extremely powerful for Jane: “it basically made me realize that when I feel that desolation, there’s an invitation from God, from the universe, from that divine Holy Spirit, to respond creatively.” 

While they didn’t yet have a clear vision of what they would be called to do, Jane and Mary felt a pull to follow the Spirit in a new direction. “Mary and I heard about a Mass organized with the Roman Catholic Women Priest Movement that was taking place in Maryland,” shared Jane. “This was the first time there was one in the DC area that we had heard about. So we went to this Mass at somebody’s house, and it was so… electric.” 

After experiencing this type of liturgical celebration, Jane and Mary felt as though more people needed access to an inclusive and intimate Liturgy in a home setting led by a woman priest. So they decided to try their hand at some organizing. “Mary and I said, all right, let’s do three. We’ll just try for three. And then that’ll be it. And then more people will get to know what it’s like to see a woman priest in action.” 

What started off as “just three” Liturgies in early 2019 has since become over five year of monthly inclusive home gatherings, and the leadership circle– affectionately called the Donut– has no plan to slow down. The group has even expanded to host bi-annual Liturgies at a local park on Massachusetts Ave., calling the Liturgy Mass on Mass. “It’s fun to be in the park outside, and it’s beautiful. And then also we can try to encourage a bigger group to come together. Our next Mass on Mass is October 12th at 4pm, at the park at 35th and Fulton streets NW,” Jane added, “if you happen to be in town. All are welcome.” While the home Masses usually cap at about 25 people, the outdoor Masses have attracted up to 70.

Each WHIMM Liturgy has a women priest preside, and they use the Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary, which is being developed by the Women’s Ordination Conference. But it is the intimacy of the home setting, said Jane, that really sets the Mass apart. “Going to people’s houses,” she shared, “I feel like I know a side of them that I never would have known if I had not sat in their living room with them, and cried with them, or laughed with them, or shared tea afterwards out of their grandmother’s cups. It’s really a deeper community connection than I’ve ever had.” And of course, donuts and other refreshments after Liturgy are a must. “I wonder,” Jane pondered playfully, “if Jesus only had an hour to spare on a Sunday morning, would He show up for the donut hour over the Mass? I feel like that’s where everybody gets to talk. It’s where, you know, there’s no one-step-up altar. Nobody in special robes or anything. You know, it’s all the people being together and sharing stories.” And it is this sense of community, shared Jane, that keeps people coming back.

As our conversation started to wind down, I asked Jane if there was anything else that needed to be shared about the origins and the future of WHIMM. While she wasn’t quite sure how the group will evolve five or ten years down the line, the uncertainty did not spark any fear. Instead, there was a sense of trust that, just as the origins of the movement had begun with a call from the Spirit, the future will be Spirit-led as well. Then, Jane thoughtfully encouraged me to read her Aunt Anne’s book. “I should warn you though,” she added, “it’s a little dangerous. You’ll want to find yourself doing something that is sometimes a pain in the ass! But it’s good,” she assured me. “She [Anne Patrick] planted in us this idea that despair is always an option, but it’s not very fun, so when you see things that are wrong in the world, you can turn away from it, you can despair, or you can make something new.” 

WHIMM Masses are held monthly in the D.C. area, and can be attended both in-person and via zoom. If you are interested in learning more, visit their website at https://whimmdc.com/.

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