By: Amelia Rose Zimlich | Managing Editor | arz1722@jagmail.southalabama.edu
Photos by: Hallie Zimlich | Photographer
The Catholic Student Association (CSA) held a Eucharistic procession starting at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Nov. 18. This marks the first time a Eucharistic procession has been held on South Alabama’s campus.
Although originally publicized as a Eucharistic procession, the event began with Mass at 6 p.m. in front of the stadium. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Rodi with Fr. Victor Ingalls, the vocation director for the Archdiocese of Mobile and Fr. Norbert Jurek, the chaplain of the CSA and the USA Police Department (USA PD) concelebrating.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’” The Catechism also says, “At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ’s Body and Blood.” Last November, the Archbishop of Mobile, Thomas Rodi, announced the Year of the Eucharist and the Parish in the Archdiocese of Mobile, which ends on Nov. 21 of this year.
Mass outside Hancock Whitney Stadium; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
The congregation during Mass outside Hancock Whitney Stadium; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
Mass outside Hancock Whitney Stadium; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
The Eucharistic procession; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
The Eucharistic procession walks by Moulton Tower; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
The procession stops underneath Moulton Tower; photo by Hallie Zimlich 
The procession had a police escort by USA PD; photo by Hallie Zimlich
After Mass, the Eucharistic procession began, with the Eucharist exposed in a monstrance. Participants braved the wind and cold as the procession made three stops at altars set up in front of the sorority houses, at Moulton Tower and at the chapel at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Student Center on Old Shell Road. A Gospel reading was read and a hymn was sung at each location. The Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and several litanies were said as the procession traveled between each location with a police escort from USA PD.
The procession ended at the chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Student Center, where the Eucharist was reposed in the tabernacle. A dinner was then held at the center and shuttles took participants back to their cars at Hancock Whiney Stadium.
“I think it’s just a very bold statement of our faith and, in a campus like this, I think it’s very important for that to be expressed, to really just bring Jesus to the campus in person through the Eucharist,” said junior Jesse Saville.
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