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

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