Catholic transplant in search of a parish

Newer resident, occasionally schlep into DC for Italian Mass or random aesthetically pleasing churches but as time goes on and we become less new I’ve been more interested in finding a new “home” parish. Part of my Lent was trying to return to Mass, and I like this Pope a lot so I want to keep trying.

I loved my parish in Buffalo because it had (1) an Italian language Mass and (2) a focus on the Beatitude type Catholicism.

Only the second part is really important to me - there is an Italian Mass in DC if I feel like taking the metro on a Sunday and need a little nostalgia. But if life keeps us in the area and we decide to plant some roots I’d like part of that to be finding a parish we can join and feel at home.

Everywhere else I’ve gone to church I have heard someone talk about loving sinners and welcoming strangers and forgiving transgressors and all those important things.

I have tried two NoVa parishes, both had like evangelical vibes and this strange obsession on abortion and trans/gays.

It’s like all this like fear and demonization of sin which is new to me - I am of what some might call “the Italian type” of Catholics - we were born with sin, God knows we sin so he made confession a thing and loves us even when we fail. Obviously I know where the church stands on these issues, I just would rather be around a community who focus on social justice and forgiveness over demonization of other people, who by their nature as humans are inherently flawed and prone to sin.

I go alone, but sometimes my partner comes with me (he is Orthodox so only sometimes and we are pretty clearly gay to anyone who’s been outside or watched TV since the 90s), and I’ve never felt uncomfortable as one half of a gay couple at Mass before going to Mass here. Not even in like small rural churches in Ireland, Greece, or Sicily. He is not European, yes people ask questions, but we have never felt judged, uncomfortable, or unwelcome.

I realize I live in a different part of the country now and that Mass, like snow removal, has a local flavor, but seeing as I have found churches like this in New York and Europe I am just wondering if there is one here that feels a little more like the “All Are Welcome” vibe I grew up with.