Students walking into Egan Chapel on the campus of Fairfield University last Sunday evening were met with rows of their peers filling the room’s seats. By the time Mass started at 5:30 p.m., the chapel was busy with students chattering as attendees continued filing in.
The 5:30 p.m. mass is a relatively new addition to campus. The time slot made its debut at the chapel on Feb. 23, a week before the Catholic season of Lent began.
Campus Ministry made the decision to add the 5:30 p.m. Sunday mass to the schedule after existing services experienced an overflow of attendees. Starting last fall, services were often standing room only and required chairs to be brought in from other rooms.
“Adding the 5:30pm Mass has been an overwhelming success,” Director of Campus Ministry Fr. John Savard ‘78 said. “This past Sunday we had around 250 students at that Mass, and the 7:30 PM Mass had around 375 in attendance. Hence, no one is standing in the chapel or in the front lobby.”
Before the new mass was added, Campus Minister for Liturgy Valerie Kisselback noted that admissions and an increase in faith on campus may have contributed to the high attendance.
“As the number of admitted students has increased over the past several years, there has been a need to accommodate more people in classrooms, residence halls and all of our facilities across campus,” Kisselback said. “What we are seeing in the chapel is certainly a reflection of this reality as well. There are more people on campus.”
Now, students and others can attend Sunday mass at 11:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Even with three separate services, the chapel remains busy. Junior Kevin Camy, a liturgical minister who served at Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. mass, says the service is regularly attended.
“It is [a] nice balance,” Camy said. “Not too late or early.”
Similarly, Savard noted that the new time provides students with more flexibility.
“I have a sense that the time of the Masses, one being before dinner and the other being after dinner, works well with the students’ schedules and gives them options and each one has a wonderful sense of community,” Savard said.
The new mass comes at a time when data shows religion is on the rise among young people. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, recent data from the nonpartisan Springtide Research Institute shows that about one-third of 18 to 25-year-olds believe in “the existence of a higher power.”
In 2021, the number agreeing with that statement was about one-quarter of those ages 18 to 25. Students can find more information on the newly updated Mass schedule on the Campus Ministry website.