Seated by dorm to demonstrate the unity of the Notre Dame community, students celebrated the start of the 2004-05 academic year in an opening mass held in the Joyce Center Tuesday evening.
Father Edward Malloy, who presided over his final opening mass as University President, served as celebrant and homilist. He began his sermon by describing the ambitions of Father Edward Sorin and his fellow founding Holy Cross members - even sharing one of Sorin's own letters with those in attendance. Malloy read part of a letter that Sorin wrote to Father Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, about his dream for the future of Notre Dame du Lac.
"We are inheritors of a great tradition of a glorious past," Malloy continued. "What will we do with this inheritance that has been passed on to us?"
Calling Notre Dame a "community of faith, service, and learning," the University President said that as members of that community, "we are called to be agents of transformation in the Spirit."
He challenged those attending to build on Father Sorin's dream and carry on the greatness of the Notre Dame tradition.
"We can recognize the power we represent collectively to do great things," Malloy said. "I pray that together we might be blessed that the gift of the Spirit might give us courage, learning, and strength."
New and returning students alike, along with members of the Notre Dame faculty and staff, celebrated with Father Malloy and the Holy Cross priests. A picnic, accompanied by live music and later fireworks, followed the opening mass and was celebrated on DeBartolo Quad.
"The mass was a great bond of community spirit at Notre Dame," said freshman Brian Brownschidle.
Another freshman, Kara Fessler, agreed.
"I think that it was great to see so many people at a mass that wasn't on a Sunday," she said. "It was a great way for the freshmen to see what the Notre Dame community is all about."
"There is no better way to start off another academic year at a Catholic University than to gather together at mass and offer it up to the Lord," said senior Brad Leeman.
