U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine returned to the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia for Sunday mass after being picked as Hillary Clinton's vice presidential bet. He found things to be a little different this time.
The media greeted him and his wife, Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton at the church, where he has been a parishioner for 32 years.
"Hey, Saint E's folks, I hope you're watching," Kaine told the crowd Saturday when he was publicly introduced to America, according to NBC News. "We will be there at 9 a.m. tomorrow."
After the Sunday mass, he told reporters, "What a special community this."
"Anne found it in the summer of 1984. We were married here in November of 1984, and this and our neighborhood are really the centre of our lives here. So we needed some prayers today, and we got some prayers, and we got some support and it really feels good," he said.
Before becoming U.S. senator, Kaine served in Virginia as city council member, mayor of Richmond, lieutenant governor and governor of the state.
Pastor Daniel Brady delivered his homily about bargaining and continuous prayer.
Parishioners offered a prayer of petition "especially we pray for Tim Kaine and Anne Holton."
The senator was also asked to sing with the choir and he sang "Taste and See" for the congregation.
His wife then spoke to thank the community.
"Tim and I found our way to his parish 32 years ago almost by accident," she said and thanked the congregation for the prayers and promised that "we will all have a big party at the end no matter what happens."
During Saturday's event in Miami, Clinton spoke about Kaine's faith.
"In both of our families, faith wasn't just something you talked about at church on Sundays," said Clinton. "It was a call to serve others in every way that we can. And as you get to know Senator Kaine, you will see, that Tim's lifelong commitment to social justice is a shining example of his faith in action."
However, Kaine was criticised on Twitter by Father Thomas Petri, vice president and academic dean of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies, who told him, "Do us both a favour. Don't show up in my communion line. I take Canon 915 seriously. It'd be embarrassing for you & for me."
Petri scored Kaine for his pro-abortion stance.
It was two weeks ago when Kaine attended mass after the shootings in Dallas.
Rev. James Arsenault said then that it was a "rough" few weeks for the country.
"We come every Sunday," said Katrinia Blesdoe, a choir member. "Having Tim here -- he always comes when he's in town -- we're just blessed to be a part of this moment. He does have our prayers and support as always. This is real. This is our service every Sunday. And just being able to support him is a big thing for us."
