Saint Francis held its first liturgy on September 10 to celebrate the beginning of the school year and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Since the school made some changes to the liturgy dress code, there were questions among students about what they could wear and why these changes were made. Are denim and Lululemon dance pants allowed for liturgy? There were additions to the format of the liturgy itself, which were specific to the Mass of the Holy Spirit. This led to more questions as to why there were multiple adjustments to this Mass.
To understand the reasoning behind these alterations, I had a conversation with Mr. Phil Pompei, one of the teachers who works with Campus Ministry. He clarified that “the whole goal of the liturgy dress is about unity and doing this [liturgy dress code] is to unite the students so they look the same and have a sense of pride regardless of how comfortable the students are with the attire, because ultimately, the most important thing is to unite everyone to honor God.” Mr. Pompei further explained that another benefit of the new dress code is its uniformity, as it is “much simpler and helps educators be consistent and fair.”
Not only was the dress code changed, but the format of this Mass was modified as well, in order to emphasize the presence of the Holy Spirit. New props and decorations, including red carpets, red scarves, and wind sound effects, were introduced. The wind effects represent the Holy Spirit, and the red cloths symbolize fire, which honors the Holy Spirit. Mr. Pompei explained that more props and decorations were used to “improve student engagement, have higher production value, and to elevate the experience.” The most important part of these changes was to “make students look forward to Mass.” When more work is put into Masses, students and staff feel more “excited and united.” Mr. Pompei also mentioned that more changes will continue to take place at the upcoming liturgies.
Mr. Pompei reflected on his favorite part of Mass: “The confirmation of students with the red cloth and the fire, specifically the seniors, because they made a commitment in their belief to God.” As we look toward future Masses, it will be exciting to see how these innovations impact student engagement and attitudes towards the monthly liturgies.
