Mystery Worshipper: Brandi Anderson
Church:
St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City
Location: USA
Date of visit: Sunday, 31 May 2026, 8:00am
The building
St Patrick’s Cathedral looks ancient, beautiful, and out of place in NYC. It takes up an entire city block between 50th and 51st Streets, and Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, with steeples that touch the sky. Ornate bronze doors with security guards keep this holy place in order. The cathedral was mostly built in the 1860s and 70s, and was dedicated in 1879.
The church
The cathedral describes itself as ‘America’s parish church’ and actually functions as a parish church, with community outreach, a young adult ministry, and social events. Mass is celebrated six times a day except on Sundays, when there are eight Masses, including one in Spanish.
The neighborhood
St Patrick’s is in Midtown Manhattan, and is directly opposite the Rockefeller Center. On the day I visited, the neighborhood was blocked off by police, but it was a bustling Sunday morning in New York.
The cast
A woman in a plain gray suit welcomed everyone and appeared to be organizing the service and providing cues to the ushers and others. Security people checked my bag at the door.
What was the name of the service?
Holy Trinity.How full was the building?
About half full – there was definitely room for more.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
No. There was a bag check, where three guys asked to look in my purse and then said, ‘You’re good to go.’ Think TSA security type without the badge, and possibly a bit nicer.
Was your pew comfortable?
No hard wood. The pew was a bit cramped for my legs, and I am not that tall. Perhaps 150 years ago people were smaller.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Touristy, churchy, and a bit like walking back in time. The cathedral is a tourist trap for seekers of holy spaces and beautiful buildings in NYC, and possibly others interested in the Catholic faith.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Welcome to St Patrick’s Cathedral. We are glad you are here.’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
No books, hymnals, or Bibles were used at this service. I saw two hymnals in the pew: the St Michael Hymnal, and Celebremos, Let Us Celebrate! I did not pick either of these up. They also included QR codes on the back of the pew for Mass information and donating.
What musical instruments were played?
None, zero, zilch. Not even a pre-recorded soundtrack. This was disappointing. Very disappointing.
Did anything distract you?
Lots of tourists were wandering around looking at the shrines, lighting an occasional candle and taking a ton of photos. Like the Disneyland location of a famous movie star, but a church location instead. For me, this took away from the sacredness of this space, but it could be that I am easily distracted – so I have been told.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
It was stiff, heavy, and a felt a tad obligatory. The young woman in front of me wore a white lace vail over her brown curly hair. She and the young folks with her chanted loudy (think military type shouting) in the liturgical dialogue, which went back and forth throughout the service. They had it all memorized, speaking these words since they were born. I was having a hard time reading and following along.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
It was about 20 minutes. I was not precisely clocking it, but it was rather fast. All in all, we were out (communion and goodbyes) at about 8.40am. A 40-minute church service is a new speed record for me.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
2 — Completely off his rocker and out of touch. There were a few scriptures read and cited, from Exodus, Daniel, John’s Gospel and 2 Corinthians. I don’t have a problem with scriptures. I do have a problem with sermons that fall flat – and this one did.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
The sermon lacked a real-world connection to understanding the Trinity. The priest said: ‘There is one God, beyond our comprehension,’ and I thought to myself, this must be why I am not comprehending anything you are saying to have heartfelt or Spirit-led meaning. He told us that baptism is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and if we are not baptized using these terms then the baptism is basically a hoax. He said we are unworthy, but we want God, and we need to live in peace, and be kind to one another.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
St Patrick’s Cathedral must be like heaven – although I have never been. Walking up the steps to the cathedral, the steeples seem to touch the sky. All the marble, gold and wood tell me this is an historically sacred and significant place. The stained glass windows, statues, gold ornaments, and the stone used to create the building make me pause to thank the ancestors, the creators of this space, dreaming about a gathering place for Catholics.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Listening to the priest. Observing the consumers taking photos of it all, to post on social media or send to their favorite cousin. This takes away from the sacredness of the experience and makes this beautiful space feel cheap and touristy.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I did not linger long – more tourists were flooding in. They were getting ready for another service at the top of the hour. A production line.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
There was no coffee in sight. The bustling New York City streets have coffee for $7 a cup, but there was no after-service free coffee here.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
1 — I would go back to spend time in the cathedral. I would not listen to this priest again.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Not at all.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The beauty of the cathedral and my Uber ride with Freddie from Ecuador, telling me about being Catholic, and the history of the Catholic Church in his country. The use of the ‘Black Book’ instead of their traditional beliefs. I asked, ‘What did you believe before the Catholics came and colonized your country?’ He turned around while driving down the busy New York City street and said, ‘The sun.’ Freddie is proud to be Catholic; everyone is Catholic in his country. But he did not want me to think for a minute that being Catholic was all there was. I will remember this conversation and his car. No holy experience to remember in my wandering mind – sorry.