Students, faculty and staff exit the Egan Chapel, the home of mass on campus. Photo credit: Nicholas DiFazio
All is quiet on a Sunday evening as Fairfield students recuperate from a long week and prepare for the one ahead. Suddenly, a clanging bell breaks the silence and its tune is heard all over campus. Students begin to emerge from the library, the campus center and their apartments and dorms. Books are closed, late-night dinners end and televisions are turned off as students come together for one special event each Sunday night. They flock towards Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola and gather to celebrate and share a common thread: their faith.
Most students who attend Mass at Fairfield go to the 9 p.m. student Mass on Sunday. Despite other Masses offered, this one remains “the most popular and predominant choice for students,” according to Director of Campus Ministry Fr. George Collins, S.J. The lax and comfortable atmosphere, filled with students of all ages, hobbies and backgrounds, signifies that, for at least one hour a week, other obligations and school activities are not as significant as the celebration taking place. Sometimes, Campus Ministry even provides Super Duper Weenie after Mass, supporting the fun atmosphere of this laid-back liturgy.
With over 90 percent of the congregation being students, there is relaxed feel to the Mass. Looking around the church, any spectator would notice the backpacks pushed under chairs, girls in yoga pants and boys in oversized sweatshirts, clearly coming to Mass straight from their previous obligations. Although it is late on Sunday night, the energy level in the chapel is at its maximum compared to any other Mass held there.
Unfortunately, since the beginning of the school year, there has been a smaller student turnout at the 9 p.m. Mass. With such an accessible atmosphere and the community’s love of this specific liturgy, many wonder why fewer people are showing up. However, it is possible that this year’s new Mass schedule has caused attendance to be rearranged. This year, the 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass was cancelled, with a 6 p.m. Mass on Sunday instead. This change means that there are only three weekend Masses available on Sunday, the third at 11 a.m.
One very identifying part of the 9 p.m. Mass is the student choir, the Lord’s Chords. Made up of about 30 people smiling brightly and excited to sing for the congregation, this student group sets the tone for the liturgy. Youthful and powerful voices fill the chapel with song and students clap along and sway to the beat. The whole church participates in the beautiful rhythm. To match the Lord’s Chords, a group of students created a choir known as the Praise Project for the 6 p.m. Mass.
Though the priests refuse to choose one Mass as their favorite, Fr. Collins admits, “If you ask the Jesuits, they would say they like that [9 p.m.] Mass just because it has a lot of energy, and as a presider, you feed off the energy in the chapel.”
Similarly, student ministers agree that the 9 p.m. liturgy is special, set apart from most. Eucharistic minister Greg Chase ‘13 explains, “I really like serving at the 9 p.m. Mass because it’s great to see all of your friends’ faces. Oh, and I love the Lord’s Chords,” he added. “They just bring a lot of positive energy to the Mass.”
While Fr. Collins recognizes that the 6 p.m. Mass is cutting into the attendance of the 9 p.m. Mass, he explains that there was much thought put into the change. “The attendance at the Saturday liturgy was very small, primarily, almost exclusively, community members and very few, if any students, other than the ministers,” explains Fr. Collins. “So there were a small number of community folks that were disappointed, but I think they understand that primarily the Egan Chapel is here to serve the University students.” Fr. Collins implemented the change after researching the Mass schedules of other Jesuit schools, such as College of the Holy Cross and Loyola University Maryland.
Although Fr. Collins was working for the greater good of the students, frequent attendees were upset that their weekly Mass was cancelled. “Mass should be Mass for anybody,” said Cath Borgman, director of Career Planning Center and previously a 4:30 p.m. regular. “There were students, but I just think it’s a great place to come being a resource for the community. To me, it shouldn’t matter if it was students or the community. It’s almost like a service.”
This year’s schedule does create more variety for students who choose to attend Mass. Though the 9 p.m. Mass is the most popular, each liturgy has a unique personality and students are welcome to attend all three. “There’s the more traditional 11:00, or the quieter 6:00 or the more vibrant 9:00,” explains Fr. Collins. “I think each [Mass] in its own way has something to offer, and I’m really happy that there are three options for the students to choose from.”
The 11 a.m. liturgy is available for students who want to attend a Mass similar to their parish at home. With an adult cantor and traditional church hymns, this service is filled with community members and is very family-oriented. The 6 p.m. Mass allows the congregation to be more contemplative and embrace being one with God. Then there’s the 9 p.m. Mass that encourages singing, dancing and laughing with the presider and friends. Fr. Collins recommends that students base their choice for Mass on their need for that day. “It depends on what your mood is, what you’re hoping for, what you want to experience.”
Regardless of the Mass students attend, they will definitely leave feeling differently than when they entered the chapel. “I personally prefer to go to Mass here because it’s a different environment. It allows me to accomplish what I need to accomplish in my own little head,” said Borgman.
There is something special about Mass at Fairfield that cannot be explained. With an opened mind and an opened heart, people must experience it in order to realize its uniqueness. “I really enjoyed going to Mass with students because they want to be there. I just like seeing them,” explains Borgman. “And then, the kiss of peace, I love that part, getting to extend that to some of the students I’ve worked with. You know, not in my office, kind of in their territory. We’re sharing something that we all have in common.”
The change in the Mass schedule has rearranged the distribution of attendees and is affecting the overall theme that each service is traditionally known for; however, regulars keep going to Mass and newcomers continue to randomly stop by. Despite the transition period, why do Fairfield’s Masses continue to thrive and attract so many people?
The answer is simple. Mass at Fairfield does not only solidify the tight-knit community like most parishes. It’s more than that. Mass at Fairfield creates a family.
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