The Most Reverend Oscar Cantú, Bishop of the Diocese of San Jose, visited the Bellarmine campus the morning of March 29 and presided at the annual all-school liturgy known as the Bishop’s Mass.
Students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Patrick Wayne Valley Memorial Gymnasium, which had been converted into sacred space for worship. The visit to Bellarmine by Bishop Cantú was especially meaningful during this Lenten season.
Through his Homily, Bishop Cantú delivered the message that God is love, and encouraged students to ask themselves, “Who am I? Who is God? What is God calling me to do?” Bishop Cantú also mentioned his appreciation for the Jesuit and Bellarmine motto of being persons for others. “There is a very deep truth about who we are as human beings in that motto,” he said, adding that the way we live out God’s love “is by being a person for others.”
Participants at the liturgy, concelebrated by Fr. Mike Moodie, S.J. and Fr. Jerry Wade ’55, S.J., included members of the Jesuit community; students who served as lectors, audio technicians, and as singers and musicians in the Bells Choir (including ASB and Athletes for Justice members); and faculty and staff members who sang and who served as Eucharistic Ministers.
The liturgy, hosted by ASB, was made possible thanks to the involvement of several departments, including Campus Ministry and Religious Studies, with additional appreciation for our facilities crew and sound and technical teams.