By Lauren Hunter
Staff Writer
Several men’s and women’s households won awards at the final Household Life Mass of the school year in the Finnegan Fieldhouse on April 21.
Mass started with the procession of the household banners. Congregants cheered and sang “Lift High the Banners of Love” by Graham Kendrick as each household’s banner made its way down the aisle.
The Rev. Rufino Corona, TOR and seven other priests concelebrated the Sacred Liturgy. During his homily, Corona called the brothers and sisters of household to further continue seeking personal formation.
He acknowledged the students that would be graduating in a few short weeks as well as those who were still here and those who just newly joined.
Corona said, “Here you get the opportunity to be formed. But it’s not just about staying here…and as beautiful as these communities are and as much as they’re going to form you, the beautiful thing about this is that it continues.”
He continued, “Before we send you forward, you need to be formed, you need to be evangelized…As difficult as it is to say goodbye the most beautiful thing is to see you guys go forward and to see the ways your households formed you.”
Corona went on the encourage the congregation to be as present as possible in household and to pass on the wisdom they learned from others. He added that formation happens through one’s entire time in household.
After Mass, those in attendance sat down for the distribution of awards. Daughters of Divine Mercy women’s household began the ceremony with a few words of thanks for all of the support they had received from other households as they went through the difficulty of one of their sisters, Cassie Martinez, passing away during the semester.
Coordinator of Household Life Gabe Salamida announced all of the awards, the first of which was the “TOR Tough Guy” award, presented to the Rev. Shawn Roberson, TOR. Next, the St. Clare Award was presented to Daughters of Divine Mercy.
The recipient for the St. Francis Award was Defenders of Purity.
The Female Coordinator of the Year Award was presented to Faith Buck of Metanoia et Missa and the Male Coordinator of the Year was awarded to Martin Sanchez of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
The women’s Steel Cross Award was awarded to Jesters of YHWH and the men’s Steel Cross Award was awarded to Corpus Christi.
The Dumbest Household Award was presented to Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam once again.
Before the close of the ceremony, Corona presented Salamida with the All Around Tough Guy Award and gave a brief speech on Salamida’s service to household life. Salamida is stepping down from his position at the university.
The Mass and ceremony had a significant turnout, with students filling nearly every seat in the Fieldhouse.