Education

CULTURE AND COLOR AT UCI LITURGY

ANNUAL MASS ON THE PLAZA OPENS ACADEMIC YEAR AND FEATURES ETHNIC CATHOLIC GROUPS

10/29/2014

IRVINE — Nearly 1,000 UC Irvine students and others attended the Mass on the Plaza, the official opening liturgy of the 2014-2015 academic year, at the plaza in front of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering on the UCI campus Oct. 12.

The multi-ethnic celebration featured several cultural groups from the UCI Catholic community, including Korean drummers, Vietnamese liturgical dancers and others, many in national costume. The dancers paid particular reverence to an image of Our Lady of La Vang using incense during the Magnificat following Communion.

Music was provided by the UCI Catholic Community Music Ministry Group, which featured an expanded choir. The singers and instrumentalists regularly assist at the three Sunday Masses at the UCI Interfaith Center on campus.

Father Gerald Horan, O.S.M., the Vicar for Faith Formation for the Diocese of Orange, was the principal celebrant. Father John Francis Vu, S.J., the university’s Catholic chaplain, served as master of ceremonies.