Magis Moment: October 2023
A Message from the Vice President of University Advancement听
I enjoy sharing Magis Moments with you. This month, the most Magis thing I can do (please indulge that expression) is to set aside any of my ideas about what鈥檚 important at Loyola right now. What I need to do is share Loyola student of the university鈥檚 , our annual and sacred way to start the academic year. Please take a minute to hear about what the Mass meant to her:
"Before attending the Mass of the Holy Spirit, it had never occurred to me that a Mass, which is one of the most important rituals for the Catholic faith, could be inclusive and welcoming to all people regardless of their background or faith. The Mass of the Holy Spirit was a really eye-opening experience to me, in terms of what the Catholic Mass can truly be; a sacred place where we can all gather no matter what religion or faith we advocate for. Being born and raised Catholic, I had never experienced a Mass that was so attentive to making everyone feel included. It was also personally exciting because it was the first ever Mass I attended that was fully in English, and it definitely exceeded all of my expectations. The Mass felt like a celebration of inclusivity and acceptance, something that is not only very intertwined with the Jesuit values of Loyola as a university but also, in my opinion, with Catholicism as a whole.
I believe the Mass of the Holy Spirit excelled at making people from different cultures feel united and part of the same Loyola and Jesuit community. I personally really enjoyed the Prayers of the Faithful because it was done in Spanish (my native language), in Hebrew, in Arabic, in French, and in French Creole. I never expected to hear different languages being portrayed in such a beautiful manner in Mass. In my opinion, it goes to show how we are not as different as we may think and that if we try, we can become a joyful and inclusive community.
Overall, the Mass of the Holy Spirit was an experience that I will probably remember when I鈥檓 older. The music, the inclusion, and the welcoming feeling of the community were a refreshing take on the Catholic Mass that I鈥檓 used to attending. More importantly, it made me reflect on how I, as a Catholic, can turn my own faith and religious practices into a celebration of love and inclusion regardless of culture, background, or language."
听
AMDG,听
Chris Wiseman '88