Students had the opportunity to attend Ash Wednesday Mass — not at a church but on campus.
Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro and his wife Mary hosted the event that took place at noon and was followed by a lentil soup and artisan bread lunch outside of the Satellite Student Union.
The Rev. Monsignor Raymond Dreiling, vicar general for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, officiated the hourlong Mass that marked the start of Lent.
In the Christian religion, the season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days until Easter Sunday.
Dreiling said Ash Wednesday is a time for Christians to have a moment of prayer and preparation for the 40 days of Lent and to reflect on their lives and make changes to live a faithful Christian life.
“The Mass is always the center of our worship, but also the distribution of ashes on our forehead symbolizes our inner commitment, what goes on here in our heart,” Dreiling said. “Not just on the outside.”
Jesus Larralde, associate dean for the Lyles college of engineering, who attended the Mass, said there was a nice turnout and more students and faculty were becoming aware of the Mass and distribution of ashes.
Larralde said it is important for the university to allow the expression of freedom of religion on campus.
“For Christians, Ash Wednesday is a good reminder of who we are and what we are here for,” Larralde said. “We are here to serve others and to bring the light and mercy of God to others.”
Lilliana Toste, speech-language pathology student, attended the Mass with the Newman Catholic Student Association of Fresno State (NCSA), which sponsored the event, and had the opportunity to sing in the Mass.
Toste said Bishop Armando Ochoa of the Diocese of Fresno started the Mass tradition at Fresno State a few years ago, and students have responded to it.
“There were so many people here,” Toste said. “The SSU was set up for like 800 people and it looked pretty packed. I was impressed and really excited.”
Dreiling said it was the first time he conducted Mass at Fresno State, but he previously had celebrate Mass at Cal State, Bakersfield.
He said that it was great for him to see so many students and faculty at the Mass.
“To be able to be with students on the campus was a wonderful opportunity for me,” Dreiling said. “These young people are so full of life.”
Having Ash Wednesday Mass on campus is important for Catholic and Christian students to share their faith, but also because it invited other students to join in as well, Dreiling said.
“It’s important to be here,” Dreiling said. “Not to proselytize, not to try to convert people, not to try to twist people’s arms, but to just have a presence on the campus is a really good thing.”
Toste said that she thought it was awesome that students can come right on campus to get the ashes.
“This is a beautiful show of diversity and accepting different religions,” Toste said. “The fact that we’re allowed to do this is beautiful. We can do this as loud and proud as we want to.”
Dreiling was grateful the student body allowed him to be on campus.
“On behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Fresno, I want to say thank you for the invitation to be here,” Dreiling said. “Thank you to all the people, the president and his staff and all the student leaders. This is a real blessing for us as well as it is for the young people.”
