Lunchtime Congregation

Today is a holy day for Catholics, who congregated in the concourse level of the DePaul Center for a 12:00 p.m. Ash 

Wednesday musical mass.

Ryan Daliege, a junior Finance major with a minor in Spanish, has been serving in mass for his 3 years at DePaul. He was greeting congregants and posing for my photos during the preparations for the service today.

For an area that seats maximum capactity 125, the crowd approximated more than that, representing  DePaul's community and the general public.

Monsignor and one alter server were preparing the host as an usher distributed programs for 15 minutes before the event. Worshippers filed into their seats, reminding DePaulians that faith escapes St. Vincent's chapel walls.  

I shot this video as the pianist struck the keys, the congregation stood, and last minute attendees rushed in to answer a call to worship, the hymn, "The Cross of Jesus."    

If you're interested in praying with the Catholic Campus Ministry, services are scheduled on the Loop campus every 12:00 p.m. on weekdays in the Lewis Center Chapel while just a few L stops north another service is held in the St. Louise de Marillac Chapel in the Student Center's first floor.   Sunday mass is held every Sunday in St. Vincent de Paul Church on the southeast side of campus at Webster and Sheffield.

Today you get get ashed at 5:00 p.m. at both Chicago campuses.   

This means lent is here.  Though the economy might have forced some sacrifices onto you already, catholic or not, it's never a bad time to re-instate your defaulted New Year resolutions!