Students reignite their faith at candlelit mass

Candlelight Mass is one of the most treasured student traditions at Creighton. Each Sunday night at 9 p.m., this beautiful celebration of the Eucharist is a way for the student body to come together.  

Taking place in St. John’s Chapel, Candlelight offers an environment welcoming to all students. Starting the week off in community at Candlelight surrounded by the sounds of praise is deeply impactful and a shared joyous experience.  

Candlelight is the most highly attended student mass on campus, and some find extra meaning in this weekly experience by serving as choir members, lectors, readers and altar servers.  

Rachel Cincetti Gallegos, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, relishes the opportunity to be a sacristan. “Altar serving is just another way for me to be directly involved. I find that I can see Jesus more closely in serving others. There is a sense of power and love that I get from being on the altar,” she said.  

She shares that this role allows her to feel a direct sense of impact from mass. 

“I find that I get more meaning from Mass and more closely pay attention when I am directly involved.” 

 The students who serve and share their talents are a special part of the mass that contribute to the celebration for the community gathered in St. John’s Chapel.  

Throughout the whole church, a special feeling radiates among the students gathered in praise.  

“This mystique is the community; it is quite an amazing sight to celebrate the gift of the mass with about 100 of your fellow classmates and closest friends. This is what keeps bringing me back,” said Ryan Smith, a regular attendee who is a junior in the College of Business. 

This cherished community aspect of Candlelight is witnessed during the Our Father. In this special moment of prayer Smith says, “everyone stands together hand in hand and prays the prayer together. This is the definition of the community of St. John’s.”  

Similarly, Cincetti Gallegos treasures participating in the Lord’s Prayer in this special way. “I find it to be so beautiful to see the collective community praying as one.”  

Together, the act of joining together as one body in church in prayer is a moving vision for those sharing a celebration of faith.  

Candlelight offers a special place every week for each individual student to come as they are to celebrate a special hour surrounded by other students, each singing their own praises with their own perspective. 

Mass takes place every Sunday at 9 p.m. in St. John’s Chapel and all are welcome.