The New York Times isn’t usually the place we go to find feel-good stories about our Catholic faith. But a recent article was so incredibly heartwarming that we had to share it with you.
It’s called What makes Notre Dame students go wild during home games? Father Pete’s call to Mass. The article explores the warm affection between Rev. Peter M. McCormick, C.S.C., and the student body — an affection so great that the college kids cheer wildly when he appears on the Jumbotron inviting everyone in the stadium to Mass after the game.
Here’s an excerpt:
The cheers that erupt from the student section at the end of the third quarter of each Notre Dame football game have little to do with the score. Instead, they're for Father Pete McCormick as he appears on the video board to invite the fans in the stands to Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
“Students on this campus are the greatest gift that I’ve ever received in my vocation, period, hard stop. And so I will spend the rest of my life trying to repay that great debt.”
I was lucky enough to attend Mass with Fr. Pete many times during my years as an undergraduate at Notre Dame, and his warmth and kindness stand out strongly in my memory. Small wonder that students today share a joyful love for this larger-than-life campus figure.
Katie Prejean McGrady described the incredible reaction of the student section at a recent game:
Onto the screen comes Fr. Pete, who we know and love in our family, and right as my girls pointed at their buddy on screen, the senior student section we were seated next to went absolutely wild.
Perhaps part of the enthusiasm is not only for this beloved priest but also the growing love for the Catholic faith itself. Catholicism is enjoying a resurgence among Gen Z right now, and no doubt that includes students at Notre Dame.
Faith is part of everything we do
Alumni and others at recent games saw the student reactions as a beautiful reminder of what Notre Dame is all about — a place where you can unapologetically and joyfully live your Catholic faith.
Chris Harrington, an alumnus and current graduate student, appreciated the reaction at a recent game:
The students react the way you would if you saw your best friend on the big screen. It’s a mix of excitement, enthusiasm, and affection. It reminded you what Notre Dame is.
His wife and alumna Katrina Harrington spoke of the enduring impact Fr. Pete has had, and continues to have, on students. She said:
Father Pete was the deacon in my husband’s dorm, and then he helped form us as we prepared for marriage fifteen years ago. Watching the video and hearing students cheer, “Father Pete!!” in the same familiar way I was cheering even though I was so much older showed how Father Pete continues to be tireless in genuinely showing everyone the love of Christ.
Erin Lynch added how moving it is to see the student reactions, a confirmation that faith is alive and well under the Golden Dome:
Seeing that video as an alum always gives me chills and getting to see the excitement of the students when it plays is just a surreal experience. It’s a great reminder of what makes Notre Dame special: how faith and community are woven into everything, even game day.
Amen to that. We have nothing more to add except Go, Irish!
