The Mass, which was concelebrated by 1,000 priests, was held on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The massive congregation gathered on the University Mall, in crowds that spread from the front of the Basilica to Mullen Library and beyond.

Pope Francis began his homily with a message of joy.

Deacons, accompanied by student volunteers, process to Mass in order to distribute communion.

“Rejoice in the Lord always,” he said. “I’ll say it again: Rejoice in the Lord always.”

Rather than settling for earthly pleasures and “things that are comfortable,” the Pope told the massive congregation to avoid falling into apathy, “a habit with a fatal consequence: our hearts go numb.”

Continuing, the Pope said Christians should live out their joyful faith by proclaiming the Gospel to the entire world — going out “to the highways” — and sharing the good news without judgment or condescension.

“Jesus would not provide a short list of who is or who is not worthy of receiving his presence,” Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis also spoke highly of St. Junípero, calling him “the embodiment of a church which goes forth.” He said people should follow in his example by following the new saint’s motto in life: “Siempre Adelante,” which translates to “Keep moving forward.”

The Mass, which was celebrated in Spanish, was intended to shine a light on the diverse Catholic community in the United States and the Washington Metropolitan Area. The program included readings in English and the Native American Chochenyo language. Following the Homily, a Universal Prayer included lines read in Korean, American Sign Language, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Igbo, and Creole.

Simeone Tartaglione, conductor of the CUA Symphony Orchestra, conducts University musicians following the conclusion of the papal Mass on Sept. 23.

Music for the Mass was provided by the CUA Symphony Orchestra and five choirs, including the University Chamber Choir. The orchestra performed under the direction of Simeone Tartaglione, the orchestra’s music director, while the chamber choir was conducted by Leo Nestor, Justine Bayard Ward Professor and director of choral studies and CUA’s Institute of Sacred Music.

Several alumni and faculty members composed original works for the visit, including Nestor. Nestor’s compositions for the Mass included the introit, the communion antiphon, and an original work, “I am the Living Bread,” that was performed during the communion rite.

Following the Holy Eucharist, which was distributed by more than 200 deacons accompanied by student volunteers, Cardinal Donald Wuerl gave a short address to the Pope and those in attendance.

“Not far from here in 1634, the first Catholics arrived in what is now the United States and began the evangelization effort that we see so wonderfully realized today at this great Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the campus of The Catholic University of America,” Cardinal Wuerl said.

“As we seek today to enrich our human culture with the great love — love of God and love of neighbor, we also try to care for our common home, the good earth,” he continued. “We take seriously your call in Laudato Sí to face the challenges of our day and to do so with respect for the dignity of each person; concern for one another, especially the marginalized and the poor; and care for the good earth, God’s gift to us now and for generations to come.”

Thanking the Holy Father for visiting the University and the United States, Cardinal Wuerl continued:  “We look to you, Holy Father, for renewed inspiration so that we might truly be evangelizers.”

> Full transcript of the Pope’s homily

Mass with Francis from CUA Video on Vimeo.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl addresses the media at a news conference on the University Mall.

This morning, dozens of reporters assembled on the University Mall for an inside look at the preparations that are underway for the Sept. 23 Mass on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during which Pope Francis will canonize American missionary Blessed Junípero Serra.

The reporters stood in the very spot where 25,000 people will gather in six days for the Mass. Before the press conference began, reporters got to witness staff members from the Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations remove a light pole that stood in the way of the view of the East Portico of the Shrine.

Catholic University President John Garvey; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor; and Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, took a brief tour of the work underway on the Shrine, including a close-up inspection of the roof and stage that will be the visual centerpiece of next week’s Mass.

During the press conference, President Garvey, Monsignor Rossi, and Cardinal Wuerl all noted the work three CUA architecture students did to design the altar furniture that will be used during the Mass.

With Cardinal Wuerl at the news conference were, from left, Chieko Noguchi, director of media and public relations for the Archdiocese of Washington; John Garvey, president of The Catholic University of America; and Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

“We’re providing the nave for the Mass,” Garvey said. “We’re best of neighbors with the Shrine.”

Garvey noted that on Sept. 23, 500 students from CUA will serve as volunteers and that approximately 6,000 members of the University community would be in attendance.

Cardinal Wuerl said he was hopeful that the sky on Sept. 23 would look “every bit as blue” as the sky this morning.

“Can you envision a better place for this Mass?” he asked.

Wuerl also spoke a bit about the “Francis effect” during the press conference.

“He [Pope Francis] has a way of touching people,” Wuerl said. “We are finding that so many young people especially are touched by Pope Francis.”

Although Wuerl said his office has received requests from approximately 10 times more people than there are spots available at the Mass, he thanked the media present for their role in bringing the Mass to those who will not be able to attend in person.

“Because of the ability you have to reach people all over the world, there will be millions of people assisting in this Mass.”

> Watch press conference video

Members of the media form a semicircle around Cardinal Wuerl on the University Mall.

The Mass, which took place in the Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, is held annually at the opening of the school year. This year’s celebrant was Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor, who asked God to invoke the gifts of the Holy Spirit on the University community to strengthen and guide students, faculty, and staff throughout the 2015-16 academic year.

In anticipation of Pope Francis’s upcoming visit to the Basilica and the University, Cardinal Wuerl encouraged students to prepare themselves spiritually by working to make a difference in their community.

Faculty members dressed in full academic regalia attend this year’s Mass of the Holy Spirit.

“Pope Francis challenges us to be ‘missionary disciples,’” he said. “We are not bystanders but rather participants in the great human endeavor to make of this world a better place.

“There is a sense in which each one of us has to make that call and anointing in the Holy Spirit our own,” Cardinal Wuerl said. “This is what Pope Francis asks us to do. We are challenged to take the love and mercy of God and share it with others.”

The cardinal encouraged students to use this upcoming academic year to continue spiritual formation and to ask God’s help in living their faith.

“Here at this university, in addition to preparing for a job and a means to a paycheck, we should also accept that we have a deeper calling — to do our part to help make the world just a little better,” he said. “We come together to ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit because we dare to believe we really can make a difference. We are capable of renewing the face of the earth, or at least trying — at least, doing our part with the help of God.”

Following the homily, Cardinal Wuerl conferred the Canonical Mission — the authorization to teach in the name of the Church — to William Daniel of the School of Canon Law.

In his remarks after Mass, University President John Garvey advised students to live the virtue of constancy in their academic, spiritual, and personal lives.

Members of the University community, including Jeanne Garvey, bring up the gifts during the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

“When the alarm goes off at 6 a.m., constancy is the virtue that gets you out of bed in time for Mass, because you are a Christian striving to grow in holiness,” President Garvey said. “It’s the virtue that keeps you in the library when your friends call it a night because you are a scholar determined to excel in your field. It is the virtue that gives you the conviction to opt-out of the hookup culture, because you are a child of God made for love far greater than that.”

Garvey encouraged students to follow Pope Francis’s example of constancy by taking small, concrete steps to follow Christ. Garvey encouraged students to participate in the Archdiocese of Washington’s #WalkwithFrancis initiative by making concrete commitments to pray, serve, and act. Garvey also pledged to participate in the initiative and said he would serve at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Brookland.

“If we call ourselves Christians, we must affirm that fact in our actions,” Garvey said. “This is constancy.”

Following Mass, all students who pledged to participate in the initiative received blue wristbands marked #WalkwithFrancis. In his closing remarks, Cardinal Wuerl noted that if everyone wears the bracelets during the papal Mass on Sept. 23, it will be a visual reminder of the University’s commitment to service and prayer.

President Garvey Pledges to Walk with Francis at Mass of the Holy Spirit from CUA Video on Vimeo.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, addresses media representatives at the news conference announcing the official schedule of Pope Fransis’s visit to Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – The Vatican today announced the confirmed schedule for Pope Francis’s apostolic visit to the United States this September, which includes stops in Washington, D.C., New York, and Philadelphia. This morning, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, met with members of the media at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington to discuss the Washington, D.C. itinerary for the Holy Father’s visit.

Also present at the media event were Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; Frank G. Persico, vice president for university relations for The Catholic University of America; Monsignor W. Ronald Jameson, rector of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle; Monsignor John Enzler, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington; Monsignor Salvatore A. Criscuolo, pastor of Saint Patrick’s Church in Washington; and representatives from the apostolic nunciature.

“Pope Francis has captured the imagination of people around the world and touched the hearts of all of us,” said Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor. “We look forward to our Holy Father’s visit here as it will be a time of God’s grace at work among us in a unique way and an opportunity to be confirmed more fully as missionary disciples of our Lord.”

Pope Francis’ Washington schedule, as confirmed by the Holy See this morning, includes:

Tuesday, September 22, 2015:

• Pope Francis will begin his pastoral visit to the United States with his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in the afternoon. No other public events that day.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015:

• Welcoming ceremony at the White House followed by a private meeting with President Obama.
• Mid-day prayer with the bishops of the United States at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle.
• Mass in the afternoon on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the University Mall at The Catholic University of America. During the Mass, the pope will canonize Blessed Junípero Serra.

Thursday, September 24, 2015:

• Address joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the morning.
• Visit St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in D.C. and meet with several clients of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington in late morning.
• Blessing and brief remarks to the clients gathered at lunchtime for the St. Maria Meals Program of the Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington.
• Depart for New York City from Andrews Air Force Base

“The Catholic University of America community is overjoyed to welcome Pope Francis to our campus during his first apostolic visit to the United States,” said John Garvey, president of Catholic University. “When the Holy Father celebrates his first public Mass in the United States on the stairs of the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 23, 2015, he will look out over our beautiful campus, and the congregation attending the Mass will fill our University Mall. We are honored to participate in this historic event. It is an incredibly exciting time for the University as we prepare our campus—and ourselves—for Pope Francis’s visit.”

“We are truly delighted that Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of his predecessors Saint Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in visiting the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during his apostolic visit to the United States,” said Monsignor. Walter R. Rossi, rector, Basilica of the National Shine of the Immaculate Conception. “We are honored that the Holy Father will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and canonize Blessed Junípero Serra, the first-ever canonization to take place on American soil.”

The Archdiocese of Washington has a dedicated presence on the archdiocesan website, www.adw.org/papalvisit.org, to provide information about the Holy Father’s Washington visit. Planning is under way and details will be posted to this site as they are finalized. Media can find information at www.adw.org/popemedia. To receive email and text alerts, individuals may also sign up on the papal visit page to receive emails or text PopeinDC to 84576.

Pope Francis’s visit to the United States will include stops in New York City and Philadelphia; media are encouraged to contact the respective archdioceses for the itinerary for those cities.

The Archdiocese of Washington’s Twitter handle is @WashArchdiocese, and the hashtag for the papal visit is #PopeInDC.

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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 95 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.

Winners Ariadne Cerritelli and Matthew Hoffman (center) with President John Garvey, Monsignor Walter Rossi, and Cardinal Donald Wuerl. Winner Joseph Taylor is not pictured.

Students in CUA’s School of Architecture and Planning Competed to Design Furnishings

This afternoon Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, and other dignitaries were on hand to publicly unveil the design for the altar Pope Francis will use at his outdoor Mass on Sept. 23 in Washington, D.C.

A jury selected designs for the altar furnishings to be used at the Mass the Pope will celebrate on the east steps of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, overlooking the Catholic University Mall. The altar, ambo, and chair were designed as part of a competition at Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and the Basilica.

A six-member jury composed of representatives from the archdiocese, Basilica, and Catholic University selected the first-, second-, and third-place winners as well as four honorable mentions.

In addition to Cardinal Wuerl, today’s public announcement of the winning design at CUA’s School of Architecture and Planning featured University President John Garvey; Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica; Bishop Barry Knestout, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chair of the jury; and Randall Ott, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning.

The first-place design features arches that mimic the architecture of the Romanesque-Byzantine style Basilica. The chair designed for the Pope features a simple high arch “designed to bring focus not on itself, but on the Vicar of Christ himself who will preach from it,” the team stated in their concept. Members of the winning design team include architecture students Ariadne Cerritelli (Bethesda, Md.), Matthew Hoffman (Pittsburgh), and Joseph Taylor (Eldersburg, Md.).

Fellow students who participated in the design competition, faculty, and guests congratulate the winning team.

“As we make plans for Pope Francis’s visit here to Washington this September and the Mass he will be celebrating on the east portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, it is a joy to be here today as we announce the winning design for the furnishings that will be used at that Mass,” said Cardinal Wuerl. ”The creativity, beauty, and thought that went into each of the submitted designs is a visible sign of God’s grace at work among us in a unique way. We look forward to our Holy Father’s visit here as a time to be confirmed more fully as missionary disciples of our Lord,” he said.

“I am always impressed and amazed at the variety of designs that can be presented from a limited program of requirements,” added Bishop Knestout. “The liturgical furnishings are simple and small in number — an altar, ambo, and presidential chair — yet these simple elements find expression in a variety of forms, each unique in creativity and beauty, found in all the 18 designs submitted for the competition. The different styles ranged from classical to modern, each reflecting the unique gifts of the teams that had designed them.”

The Mass will be celebrated during the Pope’s visit to the United States this fall. At the Mass he will canonize Blessed Junipero Serra, the first such ecclesiastical event ever on U.S. soil. Sept. 23 will mark the third time a pope has visited the Basilica and CUA. It will also be the second time CUA students have designed furnishings for a papal visit to Washington, D.C., at the behest of the Archdiocese of Washington.

The design competition was announced on April 28. Students were informed that their designs needed to be based on the assumption that the papal Mass furnishings could find continued use after Sept. 23 as permanent fixtures inside the Great Upper Church of the Basilica. Thus, students had to consider the interior architecture of the Basilica in their designs.

“It’s clear to me that the contestants all did their homework. They put a lot of thought and creativity into their designs and rationales,” said Monsignor Rossi.

Eighteen teams of at least two students each competed. They each had to build a scale model of at least one of the furnishings and make presentations of their designs to the jury on May 15.

A team of architecture students, Christian Zeitler and John Homer, won second place. The third-place team was interdisciplinary, with architecture students Alyssa Lapan and Brendan Murphy and philosophy student Rev. John Mellein, O.P. Honorable mentions were awarded in the following categories:

• Meaningful Simplicity: architecture student William Sullivan and politics student Dennis Nilsen
• Noble Simplicity: architecture students Phooko Phooko and Margherita Pongiglione
• Most Innovative Design: architecture students John Abowd and Zach Caplette
• Best Presentation: architecture students Begona Blasco, Philipe Pessotti, and Alejandra Rossi

At today’s event the winning team received $6,000, the second-place team $3,000, and third place $2,000. Honorable mention teams each received $1,000.

In 2008, architecture students designed the furnishings used at the Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Nationals Park and the chair he used when he spoke to Catholic educators at CUA.

“History repeats itself!” remarked Dean Ott. “Never would I have thought that seven years later we would have the opportunity to do this again.”

During his opening prayer at the May 16 Commencement ceremony, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, University chancellor, stood on the steps of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception looking over the campus of CUA. He reminded students that “In four months’ time, we’re going to have a special guest.”

“He’s going to be standing here celebrating Mass and looking out over our campus,” Cardinal Wuerl said. “Pope Francis will be here to celebrate with all of us and I ask you, the class of 2015, when you look at your diplomas, always to remember that this was the year, your year, that the Pope chose to come and visit our country and your campus.”

Rev. Jude DeAngelo, O.F.M. Conv., addresses graduates during the Baccalaureate Mass.

Rev. Jude DeAngelo, O.F.M. Conv., University chaplain, also referenced the upcoming papal visit while addressing graduates during his homily at the Baccalaureate Mass, which took place in the Basilica on May 15. He congratulated members of the Class of 2015 on their willingness to “wrestle with many of life’s important questions.”

“But, today I admit to you that your four years of education cannot give you the answer to one of the most pressing questions of our time,” he said. “No one in the administration, the faculty, or the staff … can give you the answer to the following important life question: ‘How can you secure tickets to see the Pope on September 23rd?’”

Joking, Father DeAngelo encouraged graduates to “forget all of the advice you received about intellectual pursuit as a lifelong vocation and stop asking, calling, e-mailing and texting us” and to simply wait for new information about the papal visit to be announced on the University website.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor, center, talks with students from Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning about the competition to design the altar and other furnishings for the papal Mass. Also pictured are Auxiliary Bishop Barry Knestout of Washington, left; John Garvey, persident of Catholic University, second from right; and Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica, right.

The leaders of the Archdiocese of Washington, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and The Catholic University of America met today with students from CUA’s School of Architecture and Planning to announce a contest for the design of the altar, chair, and ambo to be used by Pope Francis during the canonization Mass of Blessed Junípero Serra on Sept. 23, 2015.

“How exciting it is to be here with you on the steps of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception looking out over the campus of The Catholic University of America, where in five months, in this very place, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, will celebrate the canonization of Junípero Serra,” said Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and chancellor of CUA. “What makes this even more exciting is that we have all you young people with us. I can’t think of a better way to engage the spirit of the young than through this design competition.”

The contest marks the second time that CUA students will design furnishings for a papal Mass. In 2008, students designed the altar, ambo, and chair used by Pope Benedict XVI when he celebrated Mass at Nationals Park, and the chair he used when he visited the University.

Commenting on how often the Basilica and CUA collaborate on events (including University Masses and Commencement), Monsignor Walter Rossi said that he is “delighted” that the architecture and planning school is involved in the preparation for the papal visit. After the visit, he said he hopes to be able to continue using the altar and the other furnishings in the Basilica.

Bishop Barry Knestout, auxiliary bishop of Washington, also talked briefly with the students about the contest. Bishop Knestout, who has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Maryland, oversaw the 2008 contest in which students designed the furniture used by Pope Benedict XVI.

Rev. Ugo Mmebue, a graduate student in architecture from Nigeria, commented that the students are “so privileged to be [at CUA] at this point in time. We’re planning to come up with something that will represent the good work of the School of Architecture and Planning. We will make the furniture something worth seeing. We thank you for giving us this opportunity.”

“We’re proud to note that when Pope Francis visits Washington we’ll welcome our third pope to campus,” said University President John Garvey. “Participating in the design contest is indeed a special opportunity for our students. I’m sure it will be an experience of a lifetime for them. I can imagine how exciting it might be to design something that will be here 200 years from now.”