Mass of the Holy Spirit: A Tribute to Father Pilarz

September’s Mass of the Holy Spirit was offered in honor of the late Rev. Scott Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24th and 27th president.

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September’s Mass of the Holy Spirit was offered in honor of the late Rev. Scott Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24th and 27th president. Thomas MacKinnon, vice president for Advancement, offered a reflection about Fr. Pilarz’s life and career at the Mass. Here is an excerpt.

Mary Oliver, the famed American poet, and one of Father’s favorite writers, once wrote “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” In those moments and days following his ALS diagnosis, Fr. Pilarz chose us. Scranton. He chose our faculty. He chose our staff. He chose our alumni. And mostly, he chose our students. He decided he wanted to spend the rest of his “one wild and precious life” at Scranton. Leading us. Teaching us. Loving us.

There are profound lessons to learn from the way Fr. Pilarz lived out his disease. He often said, “This is God’s way of calling me closer to Him.” And to quote St. Ignatius, “find God in all things.” Fr. Pilarz did just that. He didn't just say we need to find God in all things, he did it. Even when his body was betraying him, he was looking for God. And finding God.

Read the full reflection, here.

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