Alumni Memorial Mass Filled with Tradition
Welcome home. That was the theme of Sunday’s Alumni Memorial Mass, as friends and family members of deceased Saint Viator and Sacred Heart of Mary alumni gathered in prayer and remembrance.
“We want to welcome you home,” said President Ryan Aiello, “as we remember the lives of our deceased alumni, who shared their lives with us.”
Nearly 200 people filled the Alumni Memorial Chapel for the morning Mass. Fr. John Eustice, CSV, concelebrated the liturgy with Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, a former president and chaplain of the school.
In fact, it was Fr. Bolser who started the tradition of remembering deceased alumni near the Feast of All Souls’ Day, nearly 40 years ago. It was one of the first celebrations he established after becoming president and overseeing the merger of Saint Viator and Sacred Heart of Mary high schools into a co-educational institution.
“It was Fr. Charlie’s vision to welcome you back home,” said Jeff Ardito, Vice President of Advancement.
Members of the Advancement Office and Campus Ministry work each year with Mrs. Judy Amberg, Director Emeritus of Alumni Relations, to carry on the tradition.
“I consider this one of the best examples of who we are as a faith community,” Mrs. Amberg said. “We remember our loved ones, thank God for their presence, and know that by Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are promised new life.
“But we also come together to support one another,” she added. “There’s a real sense of community. Every person in that room has a heartache.”
Preparations for the Mass begin by identifying alumni who have passed away within the last year, locating their graduation photos, and placing them in frames in front of the altar, much like a Day of the Dead celebration. Those photos will remain on display at the back of the chapel through November.
The Mass booklet also features the entire list of deceased alumni, separated by class years. The names of the most recently deceased were read aloud, along with those requested by family members.
“It’s about the sacredness of life,” Fr. Eustice said, “of being able to celebrate their life in heaven and their life here on earth.”
In his homily, Fr. Eustice assured loved ones of Christ’s promise of eternal life and that God had called these alumni home.
“Like our loved ones, we too are on a journey. A journey to which we have been baptized in Christ, and we strive to follow that light,” he said. “This life we have is temporary, almost on loan to us, and it is the father’s hope that we become light for others on their paths.”
After Mass, people had the chance to search for the name of their loved one, etched in plaques across the back wall. Each plaque – now more than 800 – features the name and class year of deceased alumni.
“There is no donation required for the plaques,” Mrs. Amberg says. “We have them printed when we become aware – and can verify – an alumnus’ death. It’s just a public way of honoring their memory.”
The plaques also stand as a testament to the name of this sacred space, the Alumni Memorial Chapel.
