Christ Chapel will have its first full religious ceremony next Tuesday with the celebration of a Catholic mass.
Catholic Bishop of Lansing, Bishop Earl Boyea, will be celebrating mass on October 22, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. The mass is in honor of the feast day of Pope John Paul II and will be preceded by a talk given by a member of the Pontifical John Paul the Second Institute, Michael Hanby, in Plaster Auditorium at 4 p.m.
Hanby is a Professor of Religion and Philosophy of Science at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His talk is entitled “Sexual Revolutions: The Abolition of Man and Women.”
This topic was chosen because of Hanby’s expertise in the field of sexuality from a religious perspective, according to Professor of Philosophy and Religion Nathan Schlueter .
Bishop Earl Boyea has served the Lansing diocese for eight years and was raised to the office of Bishop by St. Pope John Paul II in 2002. His mass at Hillsdale will be a rare event for the college and the Hillsdale College Catholic Society. The event marks the first Catholic mass in the chapel and gives the Catholic Society an opportunity to express their fidelity and gratitude to Bishop Boyea for his continual support.
According to Catholic Society Treasurer Bridget Breckler, it is especially significant that it happens in honor of Pope John Paul II.
“He was able to live the vitality of the Catholic faith in a way that spoke to people of all walks of life and ages,” Breckler said.
Schlueter emphasized that the event isn’t just for Catholics.
“St. Pope John Paul II was heavily influential for the defeat of communism in 1989 when the Berlin wall was dismantled,” he said. “This event is partly in celebration of his role in that turning point of history.”
While the event is in honor of Pope John Paul II’s incredible legacy, Breckler also stressed its role in thanking the college.
“Catholic Society is so grateful to Hillsdale for its partnership,” she said. “This entry into the chapel is a symbol of our gratitude.”