Sunday Mass on campus drawing crowds

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Emily Hogan, Staff writer

Father John McDonagh is the new priest on campus this year and is dedicated to getting the student body more involved. He offers a Roman Catholic Mass every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Breck Science building. McDonagh tries his best to promote the Mass. He, with the help of students, has hung flyers all around campus giving people the necessary information. He also sends out weekly reminders through email.

McDonagh’s efforts are being seen and heard.

Attendance is at an all time high for Mass. Last semester a handful of students would attend every once in a while. But this semester there seems to be a group of weekly attendees and the number is growing rapidly. Seeing this involvement is inspiring to those who have always been involved.

“I really like the fact that more and more people are starting to go. I think people feel less embarrassed because they know they’re not the only ones going to this mass and more and more people will go,” said freshman Lorenzo Melchiorre, who attends Mass every Sunday.

It seems that many kids are coming out of their shells and are embracing their faith.

Students are telling their friends and there tends to be at least one new face each week. Faith and religion are deeming more important on the AIC campus than ever before. Students really appreciate that McDonagh has brought Mass to campus.

Father John McDonagh and History Professor Gary Jones chat in the Hive.
Father John McDonagh and History Professor Gary Jones chat in the Hive.

“It’s convenient that they have a Mass right on campus. And I get stronger relationship with God, and the Mass feels more personal because there is a fewer amount of people,” said Melchiorre.

Campus Mass is bringing in many more people but is still a tight knit community. The students who attend may not have known each other before but through religion they are creating new relationships, which is great to see on a college campus. Faith and religion is just yet another subject for students to bond over even though each of them attend for their own personal reasons.

“I go because I have been going to mass all my life before college. What I get out of it is relief of stress and also a place I feel safe to share either with Father M or with the lord,” said senior Josue Guerra, another regular at Mass.

“Receiving the holy communion makes me feel closer to my faith and I know I need to take an hour out of my week to go to Mass and start my week off on the right foot,” is the reason that student, Meg Largo began attending.

Every person has their own reason as to why they choose to attend Mass but all that truly matters it that people are attending at all and enjoying it.

Father McDonagh said he is inspired in all of his work at AIC by his friend, the late Rev. John Debonville, who was campus pastor and professor here until his death last summer.

“Professor Debonville frequently asked me “How can we expect students to be interested in church, if we are not interested in their lives?” I try do both. And, I am grateful to Professor Debonville for his encouragement to do both,” McDonagh said.

“Through Sunday Mass, I hope the students have the wonderful experience of “tripping over the presence of God in their lives”. Sometimes, when we have challenges, we can find it difficult to believe God could be with us. We can easily can become discouraged and feel alone. The Word of God is not only a historical document but also lives,” he added.

“The Word of God still speaks to us – in our studies, athletics, theater productions, relationships and particularly in our challenges. People often find it easier to discover God together. I know I frequently learn much about God from the students. And, I enjoy enabling students to discover God in their own lives.”

McDonagh has done a great job in his first year of bringing students and faculty together. All of AIC hopes that the attendance trend continues throughout the rest of this semester and overlaps into the fall.

“I do think we need to find a way to invite the wider community to submit prayer intentions for prayer at Mass. All are welcome,” he said.