Hundreds of students, faculty and staff members gathered at St. John’s Church on Sept. 8 for the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit.

The service has been a longstanding Jesuit tradition since 1548, and its purpose is to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in the new academic school year.

“Whereas the Welcome Week Mass was the first Mass for freshmen, this is the first Mass of the year where the entire Creighton community gathers together,” Tony Ward, director of music ministry, said.

Ward, who described the Holy Spirit as a “guiding light,” gave the opening welcome at the Mass. Red, the color of the Holy Spirit, dominated the scenery from the candles to the clothing.

The Mass of the Holy Spirit was something for Arts & Sciences freshman Laura Kurata to remember.

“It was cool to have the Creighton community gathered together to dedicate our school year to God,” Kurata said.

For retiring Creighton president, the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., giving the Sept. 8 Mass was an “alpha omega,” or “beginning and end,” experience. At the beginning of his homily, Schlegel referred to presiding over the Mass of the Holy Spirit in 2000, his first year at Creighton. He went on to discuss how the mass brought together all students, freshmen or professional, female or male.

“Diversity is the ‘stuff’ the Spirit works with,” Schlegel said.

Because the beginning of a new academic year can symbolize a fresh start, Schlegel encouraged the audience to “check their inventory” and focus on decisions that need to be made and relationships that need to

be mended.

“The Holy Spirit is not a cowardly spirit but a spirit of courage,” Schlegel said.

Schlegel said he believes the Holy Spirit is always present in our daily routines and the “little things” in life. He compared Nicodemus, a follower of Jesus in the Gospel reading, to the Creighton student body: Nicodemus was looking for something new, just as the students at Creighton are at the beginning of the school year. Schlegel believes that Creighton students can achieve a great 2010-2011 school year through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“God’s spirit gives you the faithfulness of learners and the courage of believers,” Schlegel said.