Father Brandt of St. Luke the Evangelist Church, pictured above, was asked if the Eagles being in the Super Bowl caused an increase in today’s attendance at mass. He kindly replied, “An increase of green, absolutely yes, but we always have a great turnout at our Sunday 9:30 mass.” He said “It was greener then St. Patty’s Day in here but I didn’t notice a difference in attendance.
The majority of the parishioners were arriving at St. Luke’s mass wearing their Eagles green. Bonnie Dalzell made certain she had her green coat on, walking into church. “There’s a lot of green in there. It’s exciting”, she said.
Suzann, Michael, Matthew and Stephen Joyce went together to mass as a family, all wearing their Eagles gear with pride.
At the end of today’s sermon, Father Joe Brandt spoke about the friendly wager that’s taking place amongst Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia and Cardinal O’Malley of Boston. If the Eagles win, Cardinal O’Malley will make a $100.00 donation to St. Johns Hospice, and if the Patriots win, Archbishop Chaput will make a $100.00 donation to the Catholic Charities of Boston. Friends and classmates of the Archbishop and Cardinal, added Philadelphia cheesteaks and Boston lobsters to the wager. Archbishop Chaput predicts that the Eagles win with 24 and the Patriots, 20. Cardinal O’Malley’s prediction is Patriots, 34 and Eagles, 21.
The Manchesters and McCauleys pictured above, after mass today at St. Luke the Evangelist, in their Eagles green.