St. Catherine's Mass of the Holy Spirit moved off the grass

IC photo by Christine Young

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Father Peter Do (right center) blesses rosary beads before they are presented to the interns and volunteer student leaders as they are commissioned into office during the Mass of the Holy Spirit Aug. 29. With Father Do are Father Carl Schliche, pastor

SALT LAKE CITY — The Mass of the Holy Spirit had some technical difficulties and was not held on the grass in the University of Utah’s President’s Circle as is tradition. It was held at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish and Newman Center Aug.. 29.

The university’s sprinklers that were promised not to come on, came on, and the generator that was promised to arrive, did not.

“The Holy Spirit had other plans for us, so we ask the Holy Spirit’s blessing on the works of this university’s staff, faculty and students,” prayed Dominican Father Peter Do, St. Catherine of Siena parochial vicar.

Dominican Father Carl Schliche, pastor, in his homily said without a generator there was no juice, and in a sense that is like the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit is the juice for the Christian life; the Holy Spirit is what makes us go,” he said. “It is today that we invoke the Holy Spirit on all of our endeavors for this year and for our being Christ’s witnesses and bringing Christ to the people of the University of Utah, Westminster College and Salt Lake Community College.”

Fr. Carl said it is like rekindling the fire of a romance to bring our gifts and bring Christ to others. “We are always sent out to go beyond our comfort zone to new places and to new people,” he said. “We encounter difficult situations that unsettle our complacency. That is precisely where the Spirit can work most effectively through us.”

Fr. Do asked the Holy Spirit to work through the three campus ministry interns – Katie Hobbs, Ryan Ingle and Hanna Lentsch – and volunteer student leaders as they were commissioned into office during the Mass. Ingle will lead the music ministry; Lentsch will lead community service activities such as the alternative spring break. Hobbs will be the social coordinator.

“Our program changed from last year when our campus minister resigned,” said Hobbs, a University of Utah senior and exercise physiology major. The change involved hiring interns and a core committee made up of volunteers, she said. “Some of our activities will include pumpkin carving, attending campus activities and tailgating with the newly formed collegiate Knights of Columbus.”

Hobbs said she entered as a freshman from Price and the Newman Center became home for her. She was without her family and friends and it allowed her to get to know herself and grow in her faith.

Arron Miller, a sophomore at Salt Lake Community College, is a resident in the Newman Center. He is part of the Campus Ministry Leadership team. “One of the things we’re hoping to do is to plan retreats and also start a blog on our website with commentary in the style of a forum where people can pose faith questions,” he said.

Miller grew up in Colorado until he was a teenager and said belonging to the Newman Center has helped to encourage his faith with people his own age.

Brother Michael James Rivera will also be involved with the college students and the youth group. He is completing his residency and is new to St. Catherine this year. “We hope to make this a good year for catechizes so the students know more about our faith, have some fun activities and will have the opportunity to attend the religious education congress in Los Angeles in the spring,” he said.