On Sept. 26, St. John’s University paid tribute to its Vincentian heritage at St. Thomas More Church, celebrating the feast day of its patron St. Vincent de Paul, which is on Sept. 27 at 12:15 Mass. This was a part of the Founder’s Week festivities.
In addition to celebrating the University’s spiritual mission, the Mass also recognized student leaders from a variety of organizations, highlighting the connection between Vincentian values and leadership.
Fr. Richard Rock, Campus Minister for Athletics, believes that St. Vincent de Paul can inspire students. “He is the patron saint of charity, and today in our world we need a lot of charity. Hopefully he can energize and move people,” he said.
According to the email invitation that students received, they were personally invited to the Mass by University President
Fr. Brian Shanley due to their exceptional service.
Hundreds of students from organizations such as Catholic Scholars, SGI, Ozanam Scholars and student-athletes attended the celebration. They were greeted at the door with pins that read “Ministrare non ministari,” a Latin phrase that translates to “to serve not to be served.”
Junior and music ministry member Gianna Pasqualicchio was one of the attendees. She explained that “it’s important to celebrate student leaders because it gives them recognition and helps them realize that they’ve done something important.”
Fr. Aidan Rooney, Executive Vice President for Mission, was the main celebrant and homilist. He was joined by Fr. Shanley and several other Vincentian priests who reside on campus.
The Mass opened with a call to worship from the President of St. Vincent de Paul Society, Briana Tola. Tola emphasized to the congregation the importance of service in their roles as student leaders.
Fr. Rooney shared a similar sentiment in his homily, urging students to implement principles such as simplicity and humility in their leadership.
High school students from Xavierian High School joined St. John’s chorus members, creating melodious harmonies throughout the liturgy.
At the end of Mass, Fr. Shanley offered a blessing of the pins that students received as they entered the church. He then called upon them to exchange pins with their neighbors, symbolizing community. Following Mass, all were invited to enjoy lunch, consisting of hero sandwiches and a variety of snacks and beverages. Students and faculty gathered and reflected on their status as role models on campus.
When asked what it means to be recognized as a student leader, Sarah Rao, President of Women in Sports Association and Catholic Scholar, responded “It means a lot to be a leader in a highly male-dominated field. This was a great event and I’m very happy to be here.”
Founder’s Week concluded on Sept. 27 with University Service Day, continuing to emphasize Vincentian tradition and tenets.
