On Sunday, September 1st, the Newman Centre of McGill University and the Newman Catholic Students’ Society welcomed His Grace Archbishop Christian Lépine to the Newman Centre to officially open the academic year with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. This tradition, which began in 1548 with the opening of the first Jesuit school in Messina, Sicily, soon spread outside of the Society of Jesus and is now celebrated annually by Catholic schools and university chaplaincies. The celebrant offers a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, asking God to bestow the gifts and fruits of the Spirit upon the students during the new academic year.

During his homily, Archbishop Lépine reminded the students that God, the “Father of Lights,” a title he noted that only appears once in the Bible in the reading of the day, sends the Word of Truth, Jesus Christ, to help guide us in our academic studies, and how we need to be unafraid to have a relationship with that Word, something that we can achieve through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Archbishop ended his homily by discussing how the Holy Spirit can be a source of comfort and inspiration during the difficult moments of the academic year and reminding the students that the Newman Centre existed to provide them a home on Campus. This notion was expanded upon by the Centre`s director, Liam Farrer, in his welcome address following the liturgy. When discussing which university students had a place at the Newman Centre, Farrer enthusiastically repeated the words of Pope Francis “Everyone! Everyone! Everyone!”

The Mass was followed by a welcome barbecue, at which students and friends of the Centre shared a meal and enjoyed each other's company. Mr. Farrer, who was celebrating his first anniversary as director, noted with joy the number of students at the Mass and barbecue and the amount of time they stayed. “We actually had to close the centre and send people home so that the NCSS executive could leave, and our residents could go to bed. That’s the Spirit living and moving in our community. You can’t create that kind of atmosphere; it’s impossible; I don’t care what anyone says. It’s all God’s grace. It’s a gift. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Liam Farrer
Director
The Newman Centre of McGill University

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