Campus Involvement: The Liturgy at Fordham

My favorite activities on campus that I am involved in are Fordham's masses, held in the University Church at Rose Hill. The masses are primarily student run, and make up one part of Fordham's large and diverse Campus Ministry. Currently, I am an Altar Co-Chair on Fordham's Liturgy Board. This role gives me the opportunity to help run the masses at Fordham, train new campus ministers, and get involved with the many other interfaith and community service-based activities Fordham's Campus

Ministry has to offer. I have been involved with Fordham's liturgy since my freshman year, and it has been a very unique and rewarding campus experience for me.

Fordham's Liturgy celebrations are held in
the University Church on the Rose Hill campus

Fordham's liturgy offers masses every Saturday and Sunday, but some of the most exciting liturgy events are special masses that occur at different times during the semesters.  One exciting mass on Fordham's campus is the Mass of the Holy Spirit that occurs every September. This mass reminds students of Fordham's Jesuit values of education and service to others as the fall semester begins. Another one of the most popular liturgy events at Fordham's Rose Hill campus is the Gaudete Sunday mass to celebrate the holiday season. The mass is presided by the University's president, and is a great opportunity for Fordham students to gather together as a community near the end of the fall semester.

Although Fordham's liturgy is Catholic, students of all different faiths and beliefs enjoy attending the masses on campus. Since most Sunday masses and special masses are led by Jesuit priests and scholars, Fordham's liturgy has a very academic and practical tone that applies to students of all backgrounds. The inclusive environment of Fordham's liturgy is my favorite part about the masses on campus. The liturgy at Fordham welcomes and accepts every type of student, which makes mass at Fordham an event for all interested students to become involved in. 

A great outdoor view of the
University Church

The masses and liturgy at Fordham are only one part of Fordham's rich and diverse Campus Ministry! For more information about the liturgy as well as the wide variety of service projects, retreats, interfaith ministries, and other Campus Ministry opportunities, follow the link below!

http://www.fordham.edu/info/20094/campus_ministry

Ignatian Week 2015

“You may not have S.J. after your name, but Ignatius is still your father and you are still part of our family.” (President Fr. Joseph McShane)

Keating Hall decorated for Ignatian Week!

Before I came to Fordham University, I didn’t know anything about the Society of Jesus and I had never met a Jesuit priest. I chose Fordham because I knew I wanted to be involved in community service and an education that prepared me to serve others in whatever career I choose. Fordham has provided me with both these opportunities, but it has also gone so much deeper. St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, firmly believed in education as the best means to better serve others. Being an integral part of a Jesuit university doesn’t require any religion; it requires a willingness to search for truth and work for justice, while caring for and understanding others (including our Earth) and constantly bettering oneself. President Joseph McShane, S.J. always says students should graduate from Fordham feeling “bothered” by the world, with the skills and the heart to go out and change it. Each fall, Fordham celebrates Ignatian Week: a week full of activities for us to celebrate the Jesuit tradition of our school and to challenge our own individual lives by learning about and connecting through Ignatian spirituality. 

"Jesuit Storytelling" in the St. Ignatius of Loyola Room

Tuesday evening at the Rose Hill campus, I went to an event titled “Jesuit Storytelling: Three Generations of Jesuits Share Their Journeys”, pictured to the right. We learned about the best and most challenging parts of being a Jesuit from an 87-year-old biology PhD, a graduate professor of religious studies, and a 23-year-old Scholastic who will be graduating from Fordham this spring. Getting to know the Jesuits who live, work, and study at Fordham has been a crucial part to my understanding of being a member of the Jesuit family.

I also attended Wednesday’s dinner event titled “Finding God in Failure: Ignatian Spirituality for Our Dark Nights of the Soul.” College will probably introduce you to more failure than high school ever did, and so it was great for students and faculty alike to hear the presenters’ takes on how Ignatian Spirituality can inform your confidence in the face of failure. Tomorrow, I am really looking forward to attending the lunchtime conversation on “Global Justice and Solidarity.” If you're interested, check out this link to the full calendar of Ignatian Week 2015; these events are all examples of typical events put on by Fordham Campus Ministry.

Breakfast for Champions!

Veteran Jason Braase accepting SAAC donation

This morning, Fordham hosted its 12^th annual Breakfast for Champions in the McGinley Center Ballroom and Lounge. This event was created by the university to recognize the student-athletes that perform, not only on the field, but in the classroom as well.  This year, about 67% of Fordham’s student-athletes were honored for having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

During the breakfast, Jason Braase was invited to speak on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project.  His story of his deployment and recovery touched the hearts of everyone in the room.  One of the messages stressed at Fordham is the Jesuit tradition of, “Men and women for others.”  It is one of the things that every student will take away with them from Fordham, the idea that we must be available and willing to offer assistance to others.  The Fordham Student Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC) fulfilled this message today by providing Mr. Braase with a generous donation to support the Wounded Warrior Project.  The event came to an end, following the closing remarks of President, Father McShane, with the singing of the Fordham Fight Song, “The Ram” by all in attendance.  

The honorees from my team!

At Fordham, there is tremendous support for the students.  We are pushed to be the best person we can in all ways whether it's through athletics or charity, but particularly in the classroom.  In addition to this, there is an overwhelming feeling of community among the students and this event is just one of the many times that it is shown.  It is always fun to get together with your teammates and fellow Rams, especially while taking the time to congratulate each other on our hard work and making a difference in the lives of others. 



One of Fordham's Best Kept "Secrets"

One of the best-kept secrets at Fordham is the Saturday night mass in Keating Blue Chapel. I say “secret” because it is a small, intimate mass that generally only about twenty or so members of the Fordham community attend. Since Sunday masses are so popular and lively most of the community will begin their week/end their weekend by attending the 11:00 AM, 5:00 PM, or 8:00 PM masses on Sundays.

This is a photo taken from the back of Keating Blue Chapel. You can see it is beautiful, little chapel. 

However, Saturday night mass is offered at 5:30 in Keating Blue Chapel for people who are unable to attend mass on Sundays due to their busy schedules. The Blue Chapel is on the third floor of Keating and it is a small, beautifully decorated chapel in which I find myself able to reflect deeply on my Jesuit values. The chapel seats about 20 people, but recently I have noticed more and more members of the campus community attending. I enjoy celebrating mass in this smaller setting and was glad when my friend and I came across this mass time last year when we were unable to attend mass one Sunday.  If you like attending mass on the weekends, but find Sundays too hectic you should definitely try going to Saturday night mass!  

Sunday Mass at Fordham (and in the city)!

One of the primary reasons I choose Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, was its Jesuit mission. While Fordham is welcoming to people of all faiths, it is important to recognize our unique Jesuit, Ignatian identity and Catholic faith. 

The University Church

As a child who grew up attending mass every Sunday, participating in weekly mass has become second nature. Fordham Campus Ministry offers so many means for students to become involved in the spiritual atmosphere at Fordham including, but definitely not limited to, Christian Life Communities, Ignatian Programs, Interfaith Ministry, Liturgical Ministries, Music Ministry, Retreats, Bible Study and of course daily masses.

When I came to Fordham I decided I wanted to become more involved during masses so I decided to become a Eucharistic Minister. Now, as a junior, I continue to serve at Sunday masses and masses on special occasions. When I serve as a Eucharistic Minister I feel a strong connection with the Fordham and Jesuit community, and I am able to reflect on my values and beliefs. I would strongly encourage anyone who is invested in his/her faith to take part in Fordham’s Campus Ministry Program and mass in some way.

Inside the University Church

With that said, I also love attending masses at different parishes to broaden my perspective. While Fordham has its own beautiful church, being so close to the city also allows one to go out and explore other parishes and churches, such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This past weekend I was in the city with friends. We spent the day shopping and dinning. However, we decided to try something different and, in fact, went to mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The cathedral is absolutely stunning and to be able to celebrate a mass there was unreal. There were people from all over the world visiting and professing the same faith; it amazed me!

St. Patrick's Cathedral 

While walking out of St. Patrick’s I took special note of the stained glass windows. The stained glass windows in Fordham’s church were originally gifts from King Louis of France to Archbishop Hughes and were intended for the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral. However, when they did not fit, Fordham built a church that would fit these windows. So, the next time you are in the Fordham University Church, take a look! 

The University Church was dedicated to Archbishop John Hughes in 1845

Why I Became a Fordham Ram

1. Strong Academic Reputation

One of the reasons why I chose Fordham is that I knew I would be challenged academically. Fordham offers a high-quality education no matter what you come here to study, and it keeps improving: the University moved up in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings to 57th for national universities and the Gabelli School of Business moved up to the No. 38 spot in the 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek ranking of U.S. undergraduate business schools. In addition, the core curriculum has allowed me to explore my strengths, weaknesses, interests and dislikes. My core classes have been some of the most intellectually stimulating classes I’ve taken while at Fordham.

 

St. Ignatius statue and Hughes Hall,
home of the Gabelli School of Business

2. Jesuit Tradition

Having attended a Catholic high school, I was interested in attending a Jesuit university because of the Jesuit tradition's strong values. The Jesuit philosophies of cura personalis (“care for the whole person”) and homines pro aliis (“men and women for others”) resonate heavily throughout the Fordham community. Over the last three years at Fordham, I have interacted with professors and administrators who truly care about my potential as both a scholar and a person. Fordham has not only prepared me for a career, but for life. When it comes to the philosophy of “men and women for others,” Fordham offers many community service clubs and volunteer activities. This philosophy is even evident in the way students always hold the door open for one another on campus.

3. Perfect Size

I wanted a school that wasn’t too big but also wasn’t too small. At Fordham, I love how I am able to walk to my classes and always run into familiar faces but, at the same time, I feel that I am constantly meeting new people around campus. The small class size, usually around 25 students, creates an intimate classroom setting. My professors able to know me on a more personal level and my relationships with my peers have lasted beyond the semester and turned into friendships.

4. The Best of Both Worlds

I wanted a campus but also a city nearby. If playing Frisbee on Eddie’s lawn, eating delicious Italian food from Arthur Avenue (“The Little Italy of the Bronx”), spending a day for free in the New York Botanical Garden, or seeing polar bears at the Bronx Zoo aren’t enough for you, New York City is also right in our backyard. New York City provides endless cultural experiences, internship opportunities and so much more.

5. Diversity

I wanted a school that was diverse. At Fordham, I have met people from all across the United States and the globe. While we recognize and appreciate our differences, we also embrace our many similarities.

For those of you who are Admitted Students, I wish you the best of luck with your decision and I hope you choose to join our Fordham “Ramily” this fall!