Thanks to a reader who sent along some fascinating links offering sound evidence that the "circus Mass" was not an urban legend...

This article from the Washington Post describes a Palm Sunday liturgy in 1975:

A young woman in pink and gold spangled tights balanced herself on a weaving pole 20 feet above the high altar of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Georgetown yesterday.

A cheeky clown shouted encouragement to the priest; a sequined showgirl piled her cape of fluffy turquoise marabou on the altar as her part of the offertory.

While worshipers throughout Christendom celebrated Palm Sunday yesterday with more traditional commemorations of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Rev. James English of Holy Trinity enlisted the talent of nine circus performers to drive home a gospel lesson.

Here's the article.

Here's a photo and additional information.Make sure you're not holding your coffee when you read it. You might hurt yourself.