All are welcome at SJUfaith, no matter your spiritual beliefs

Several weeks ago, Megan VanOverbeke and Landon Peterson wrote an opinion piece, “The Catholic and Non-Catholic Take on Mass.”

First of all, how incredible it is to have such an open platform on these campuses to discuss issues of faith and inclusion?

Secondly, how wonderful it is that we have students who are so willing to share their thoughts and experiences? SJUfaith wants to express our gratitude to Megan and Landon for sharing their experience and note that their article has been hanging on the office fridge for weeks while we have been brainstorming a worthwhile response.

One of the first things Megan and Landon pointed out was the difficulty for students who are not religiously practicing, or students who have not memorized the many spoken responses that are used throughout the service, to actively participate in the Mass. From knowing physical responses (like when to stand or sit) to verbal responses (like when and what to speak after readings or sing a certain verse), there are many ways in which the congregation responds to what is happening during Mass that may be foreign and hard to remember for students—even those who attend regularly.

Some people who were raised Catholic view these responses as second nature (however, sometimes we forget to actually think about why we do what we do). It is important to note here that, while the bones of the Mass remain the same wherever people go, there are some subtle changes based on the respective community. For example, some parishes kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer. Here at St. John’s, we remain standing, following the ancient monastic tradition that utilizes standing as a symbol of us assuming the posture of the risen Christ.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference during the 9 p.m. student Mass is when we gather around the altar as we are welcoming all to partake in and witness the Eucharist. This is a special time of thanksgiving for all God has done in our lives throughout the week and a sending of all of us to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world over the next week.

With all of this said, for many Catholics, the Mass and everything it entails brings beauty into their lives. However, this is not always the case, nor does it have to be the case for students of other faith traditions that attend. The principle of having a community gather in a singular place brings so much power to the space.

Catholics and all seekers, Protestants and Muslims, agnostics and other believers or non-believers, come to a space and make it holy and sacred. They bring their joys and sorrows, achievements and failures from the week and offer them to each other and the divine.

To us, the 9 p.m. student Mass is truly the culmination of what St. Ben’s and St. John’s are as institutions. It is a time for all of us to gather as we are and be there for each other and for God, discovering what makes us, us and how we can be used to make a positive change in the world. As we have mentioned, we thank Landon and Megan for bringing this issue of inclusion to the forefront of our attention, and we have taken action inspired by their conversation. We have ordered new worship aids that include the responses for Mass in a format that is easy for students to follow.

Also, 9 p.m. isn’t the only way for students to get involved with their faith, whatever that might look like, on campus. Interested in service? Check out SJUfaith ACTS, a new program that will get you involved in the greater community serving those in need. Interested in sharing your faith stories with others? First-year Johnnies can join a Johnnie Brothers group that brings Johnnies together to share life experiences and grow as people. These are only a couple of the amazing experiences we offer.

If you are still unsure of where you stand, come by Mary 100 at any time and any one of our staff would be happy to grab coffee, lunch or just chat. We are here for you. Lastly, Landon’s encouragement is so true: “engage in cool experiences, have conversations with people from a different background and jump right in.” All of us here at SJUfaith are here to catch you and excited to be part of your CSB+SJU faith experience.