Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

The Newman Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln recently held a "40 Hours Devotion" to celebrate the feast of its patron saint, Thomas Aquinas. The devotion involved the exposition of the Eucharist in the monstrance for 40 hours and included various activities such as Mass, adoration, talks, and meals.

Father Alec Sasse, the assistant pastor for the Newman Center, brought back the tradition of the 40 hours devotion last year, inspired by his own experiences growing up and his time in seminary. He said, "We decided to try it last year to try to accomplish three things: greater devotion to the Eucharist, greater knowledge and love of St. Thomas Aquinas, and greater sense of community in our parish. The students last year expressed how much they loved it."

Victoria Fassett, the campus minister for the Newman Center, expressed the students' enjoyment of the devotion and highlighted its significance in reminding them of the importance of Jesus in their lives. She said, "[The students] have a deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist, so that's been really beautiful to watch, and it was a really great way to kick off the semester."

The weekend also included a holy hour for unity among Christians, led by Max Chapman, founder of More Mercy, an apostolate focused on restoring Christian unity. Chapman explained that the purpose of the holy hour was to pray for repentance, conversion, and new beginnings in the movement towards unity. Participants were provided with guides to direct their prayer during the hour.

Father Kevin Dyer, S.J., served as the speaker for the weekend, preaching at each of the Masses and giving talks on Friday and Saturday evenings. Father Sasse described Father Dyer as a dynamic preacher with a great love for the saints. Father Dyer's talks and homilies centered around the themes of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Eucharist.

During his Saturday night talk, Father Dyer emphasized the importance of celebrating the Lord's day and being in communion with God and one another. He said, "The most revolutionary thing one can do in the culture today is to celebrate the Lord's day, to be in communion with God by receiving the Eucharist, and to be in communion with one another."

Father Ryan Kaup, the pastor for the Newman Center, encouraged the students to continue celebrating community and to invite others into it. He expressed the desire for the Newman community to foster a greater devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist.

Overall, the 40 Hours Devotion at the Newman Center provided students with an opportunity to deepen their devotion to the Eucharist, learn more about St. Thomas Aquinas, and strengthen their sense of community. It served as a reminder of the importance of Jesus in their lives and the value of true friendship and unity. As Father Dyer stated, "God wants to live in communion with us. This is what happens each time we receive the Eucharist."