More than 100 Georgian Court University students, administration, faculty members and staff traversed lingering snow drifts from the recent blizzard to gather with Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., Jan. 26 in the Dorothy Marron University Community Chapel for the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit.

Dating to 16th century Europe, the Mass has been a tradition at Georgian Court for more than 20 years. The liturgy brings students, faculty and staff together to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom throughout the academic year.

In his homily, Bishop O'Connell, himself a lifelong academic, who had served as the president of The Catholic University of America in Washington for 12 years, reflected that the “brief Gospel of Mark today” moved him to ask them to consider who they loved most in the world: their parents; siblings, someone who loves them and they love in return.”

He pointed out that in the Gospel, “Jesus is doing something important, let's say teaching or preaching. And someone in the crowd tells him his mother and relatives have arrived. Put yourself in his place. He'd been traveling around a good bit away from home. Wouldn't you excuse yourself and go find your mom and relatives?”

But Jesus, he noted, “doesn't do that. There is no doubt that Jesus loved his Mother. He looks around at the crowd hanging on his every word and he says 'whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother.'”

Taking his lead from the actions of Jesus, the bishop exclaimed that “There is nothing more important to the Lord Jesus than doing God's will. And he invites his hearers to have that same priority and, therefore, to enter into an intimate relationship with him,” for they are the people “to whom the Father sent him, those whom the Father gave him are those he loves.”

Just like those people, ““...we are the people he came to save,” the bishop said. “And he loves us and makes us his very own. … That is his gift to us … and, so, as St. Paul writes in Timothy today in our first reading … 'stir into flame the gift you have,' the gift of intimacy and the gift of love and being loved and the gift, that as Christians is your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!”

He urged that “in this Holy Year of Mercy, in this university community founded on the tradition of mercy, let the whole world know how much the Lord Jesus Christ means to you and why. Stir into a flame his gift, his mercy and let that fire light the world!”

When the Mass drew to a close, students, who included 10 in the university Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process, lingered to reflect on the Bishop's visit and the meaning of the day.

“It’s always nice having the head of our Church come out and wish us luck. He has a true and sincere sense of caring for us, especially as the only Catholic university in the \Diocese. Plus, it always helps to have someone that close to God looking out for you!” said Nick Ciccone, 19, nursing major and member of St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant.

Lisa Gravato, 20, Tuckerton, and a member of GCU's Mercy Collegiate Society, reflected on how she entered the Catholic Church through the RCIA in her freshman year and now she attends Mass “all the time.”

“But having Bishop O'Connell come to campus adds another dimension,” she said. “It makes the start of the new semester a little different, and that's not something we take for granted.”