Sunday 24 August 2025
Notre Dames des Anges, Isle sur la sorgue
The church of Notre Dames des Anges sits in the middle of the town square of Isle sur la Sorgue. Getting in requires a fight.
The fight is not because of the Mass, but the busy Sunday market, which fills every street and alleyway of the old town. It’s wonderful, full of colour and bustle. But it’s chaotic. And it took my mother-in-law waving her white and red “partially sighted” walking cane for the crowds to part long enough for us to slip into the church and find seats at the back.
This Mass was something different for me. I was attending with family, while on holiday in Provence. Not just my mother-in-law with her stick. But also my brother-in-law and his partner. And my wife. Her first catholic mass.
Which might be why I forgot to cross myself, and to genuflect, and pray. And I felt awkward kneeling. My head was a chaotic as the crowd outside.
It’s easy to get distracted when the Mass is in another language. And with the murals above the altar, it was easy to get absorbed by images. And the people, especially those arriving late. And leaving early. Including one young man who left to take a phone call.
I remember thinking that the call had better be from God. Who else would merit leaving in the middle of a Mass?
He soon came back, then left again. Soon a security guard in a stab-proof vest arrived, and after whispering a few things to one of the ushers, stepped outside.
Something was up.
I’ve been on a flight that had a medical emergency. I’ve seen football on TV that required play to stop for a sick fan to be saved. But this was my first medical emergency during Mass.
Should the Mass stop? No. As the three medics arrived carrying big bags of medical supplies, the priest continued. I like to think that the victim first received communion, but it was unclear as the man in question, accompanied by his wife, walked himself to the waiting ambulance. Walking wounded, no more serious than that.
My wife said she’d never seen a medical emergency during a Mass before. I said it was not a common feature. But that I was glad we got to see it together.