Feast of St. Ignatius Day celebrated with Mass and festivities

Loyola University Chicago commemorated the Feast of Saint Ignatius on July 31, 2024, with a day of reflection and community for faculty, staff, and retirees on the Lake Shore Campus. On this day, Jesuit institutions around the world honor St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus. This annual event at Loyola brings together the campus community to celebrate and connect. 

The day’s festivities began with a solemn Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel presided by Fr. Tom Neitzke, S.J., and concelebrated by members of the Loyola Jesuit Community. The choir led the congregation in song, led by Peter Morey, campus minister for Liturgical Music. Servers, greeters, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers were a mixture of students, faculty, and staff members, including Claire Noonan, vice president for Mission Integration; Mara Brecht, associate professor and assistant chair of the Theology Department; and Steven Betancourt, director of Campus Ministry. The Mass was a prayerful and joyful beginning to the day’s activities as attendees celebrated Loyola’s patron, St. Ignatius Loyola. 

Following the mass, attendees gathered at the Damen Center atrium and West Quad for a lively picnic. The event was filled with colleagues mingling, sharing stories, playing games, and enjoying a variety of food and refreshments.

One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity to support the Loyola Employee Emergency Fund (LEEF). Faculty and staff generously contributed to help individual faculty and staff members recover financially from loss due to natural emergencies, accidents, catastrophes, deaths or illnesses which are no fault of the employee. 

The Feast of St. Ignatius Day Mass and Picnic remains a cherished tradition at Loyola University Chicago, embodying the spirit of Ignatian spirituality and the vibrant community that defines the University.