Every year the Loyola community gathers for the Mass of the Holy Spirit, which is the university’s biggest spiritual event of the year according to Ken Weber, associate chaplain for Liturgy and Music.

“We celebrate this Mass every year because we believe that every year offers new opportunities for growth and for glorifying God,” said Weber in an email. “From the addition of new faculty, staff, and students, to new physical enhancements to our campus, to new opportunities to serve the city of New Orleans and beyond, the beginning of each academic year calls forth from us a desire to renew our relationship with God through the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

Mass of the Holy Spirit is an annual Catholic mass that celebrates people, particularly students and law officials, seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit. Churches across the nation honor this tradition and Loyola is among those who honor this tradition.

“This Mass is unique among all

other Masses in that it is celebrated specifically to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and support all the efforts of the university community to fulfill the university’s mission throughout the year,” said Weber.

Weber also said that the mass is “an expression of the joyful and unifying nature of the Holy Spirit.”

According to Weber, there will be a lot of unique things included in this mass. The opening procession will include student athletes carrying 200 yards of red fabric and students, faculty, and staff will process with their respective college banners.

“The entire university community is invited to come together to pray for the guidance and aid of the Holy Spirit as the new academic year begins. As a Jesuit, Catholic university, we celebrate God’s gift of God’s creative, sustaining Spirit which graces us with every opportunity to grow intellectually, socially, morally, and spiritually,” said Weber. “Students are invited to celebrate this mass with each other because doing so articultes their unique identity as part of a Jesuit university.”

Mass with each other because doing so articulates their unique identity as part of a Jesuit university.”

Mass will be held Thursday, Sept. 13 at 11:30 a.m. in Holy Name of Jesus, and all 11 a.m. classes will be canceled so faculty, staff, and students can attend.

Hannah Iannazzo can be reached at [email protected]