Celebrating Freshman Families

Celebrating Freshman Families

On Tuesday, October 17, the Class of 2021 Tigers gathered in Julie Billiart Hall with parents, guests and mentor teachers to celebrate a special liturgy. This teaching mass aimed to explain why our Notre Dame Catholic community prays the way we do and to make connections with the prayer practices of the diverse religious traditions represented in our student body. St. Julie Billiart's affinity for the sunflower served as an entry point for how symbols can can carry deeper meaning, just as the cross, candles, scripture, bread and wine can articulate fuller understanding of our relationship with God and others in faith.

Presiding over the liturgy, Fr. Joseph Kim, director of vocations for the Diocese of San Jose, invited the students and families to see how this newly formed community would walk together, pray together and celebrate together, just as generations of Notre Dame families have done. This legacy and lifelong network of faith and learning binds us together.

The liturgy was prepared by the Peer Ministry Leadership Team and supported by student leaders from the freshman class as well as "big sister" groups including the Freshman Link and Regent Harmonies. As part of the final blessing, class council officer Taylor prayed, “'Hope changes everything.  May we be able to share with each other the joy and hope that our future holds resting in the knowledge that our good God is with us on every step of our journey."