Most days out of the year in which the Joyce Center is open to the public, it’s to watch basketball at Purcell Pavilion. But when Commencement Weekend arrives at Notre Dame, the facility takes on a different purpose. As is tradition, graduating students and their families gather there to attend Mass. If you haven’t seen it before, take a look at the below video and photos showing off the capacity crowd:
This is what Mass with 10,000 Catholics looks like
Recorded this over the weekend at the University of Notre Dame pic.twitter.com/KQyFZrGeLP
— The Catholic Engineer (@TheCatholicEngr) May 26, 2023
As we do each Commencement Weekend, we gathered in the Joyce Center for Mass last evening for a beautiful and prayerful liturgy.
May the members of the Class of 2023 experience God's grace and love as they begin a new chapter in their lives. pic.twitter.com/1C0jCETM8I
— Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. (@FatherJenkinsND) May 21, 2023
Yes, it’s a little strange to see the area we mostly know for basketball not look its usual way. But it’s a reminder of Notre Dame’s Catholic identity, which Irish fans should reflect on more if they aren’t already. It isn’t only about wins and losses. It’s about doing everything possible to reflect what the university stands for.
You still can cheer for the Irish all you want, but never forget how Notre Dame came to be in the first place. It was Catholic in the beginning, and it will remain Catholic forever.
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