On Thursday, Sept. 19, St. Michael Church in Buckman was packed at 7 a.m. Nearly 200 people gathered for the regular daily Mass, many of them high school students.
Last December, St. Michael — part of the St. Francis Xavier Pierz Area Catholic Community — started offering the early morning Mass to allow students to attend before school.
Bishop Patrick Neary celebrated the Mass that morning because he heard that something special was happening in Buckman.
“I had heard that 50 or more high school kids would attend that morning Mass and wanted to see it for myself,” he said.
He was not disappointed. He saw nearly 100 students and their families, including five who participated as altar servers, all of them starters on the Pierz High School football team.
“I couldn’t help but feel that the Holy Spirit was palpably present among them,” he said. “They were attentive, prayerful, engaged and full of obvious joy, despite getting up early.”
Last year, a group of students approached Father Aaron Nett, pastor of the ACC, asking if he could offer one Mass a week early enough so they could attend before school.
When Father Nett talked with the regular daily Mass attendees, they were excited that the students were asking for it, and he agreed to change the time on Thursday mornings.
“I think the Holy Spirit is apparent and active in the lives of these young people that are becoming more engaged in their faith,” Father Nett said. “They desire reverence in the Mass and love the tradition, and they really want to grow in their faith and spread the faith. That’s what I see, and it’s just something we’re very inspired by and we want to keep building on.”
The youth of the four parishes in the ACC — St. Michael in Buckman, Holy Cross in Harding, St. John Nepomuk in Lastrup and St. Joseph in Pierz — are challenged to do at least one daily Mass, one holy hour and go to confession each week.
The students are up for the challenge and are inviting their friends to come along.
“They invite their peers, and so some kids that aren’t really that engaged in their faith will come just because they’re invited and because the other kids give testimony to it,” Father Nett said. “It really is amazing.”
Senior Caleb Koch said he tries to be an example for the younger students and encourages them to attend the morning Mass by reminding them daily. “It’s important because it’s a good way for them to start the day strong,” he said.
“This is a great example of the new evangelization in action and of how to form missionary disciples,” Bishop Neary said. “The older students are seeking out the younger students to preach the Good News to them and to bring them into their own community of faith and friendship.”
Julie LaFlamme, administrator of the Father Pierz School of Religion, attributes everything to Jesus.
“Bring them to Jesus,” she said. “Literally bring them in front of Jesus. Get them to adoration so they can have an encounter with Jesus. Get them to Mass so they can encounter Jesus. Get them to confession so they can encounter Jesus. It’s in the sacraments … that’s where hearts are converted and the change happens.”
Senior Regan Winsther regularly attends the Thursday morning Mass and serves as a lector.
“It’s always good to start your day off with Mass, and how lucky are we to have that before school?”
Father Nett said that amidst the challenges of our world, seeing the students taking their faith seriously is very hopeful for the Church.
“In sharing doughnuts with them after Mass, I simply felt happy to be around such wonderful young people, so open, so welcoming, and so full of a vibrant and living faith,” Bishop Neary said. “I’ve rarely witnessed what I witnessed this morning at St. Michael’s Church.”
Wow this is SO, SO awesome!