We started the day with Mass led by Father Hathaway our Chaplain from St. Mary’s Church and we were delighted with the turnout from our brother divisions throughout the area. The AOH contingent posted the colors and swelled the congregation. As the nuns of St. Paul came through the church doors they look visibly surprised and delighted to see such a huge morning crowd at Mass. Especially as there was a sea of green jackets!
Mass was a proper and joyful start to the day. As Father Hathaway said, it is Saint Patrick’s Day, not Patrick’s Day. And our coffee and doughnut social afterwards was a great way to introduce ourselves to our Parish and possible future members. We had a great day and special thanks are owed to Pat Troy, Bobby Mahoney and John Kilday for putting the social together.
As Bill McCarthy says, “I’d like to think of this as the start of a new tradition.”
Following the Social, the Division mustered on Cameron Street and joined the parade as it wound its way around Alexandria.
As is customary, the afternoon concluded at Terry Riley’s 18th St. Patrick’s Day party at his home near Mount Vernon.
