The air hung a little heavier this week in Joan of Arc Chapel, usually known around campus for its high energy and sense of joy, as students shared one of the final Masses with the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson.
After the choir wrapped up their harmonies of the closing song, the Rev. Kent Beausoleil held up a large, framed signed photo to the Joan of Arc congregation. It was a going away present to serve as a reminder to everyone that Hendrickson is finishing up his final days at Marquette alongside the graduating seniors.
Hendrickson has been presiding over the Tuesday 10 p.m. Mass at Joan of Arc since he joined the university faculty in 2012, following in the footsteps of the late campus-icon Rev. John Naus. Next week will be Hendrickson’s last service as he prepares to move to Omaha, Nebraska for his new role as president of Creighton University.
Tuesday night Mass is a special campus tradition. Students pack the tiny, French chapel full nearly every week, often sitting on the floor, for a unique Marquette experience.
“The St. Joan of Arc chapel exudes an instant sense of intimacy,” Hendrickson said. “Sparsely filled or jam-packed, it feels homey and holy.”
The creation of this family-like atmosphere is very intentional.
“We have worked hard to maintain a spirit of hospitality and a sense of energy at the Mass, and (the Rev. Nicholas) Santos has been a terrific partner in the process,” Hendrickson said.
“We pull each others’ legs and go along with the flow, and I think that’s important,” Santos said.
Hendrickson’s successor has not been chosen. The decision for who will preside the service as well as who will replace Hendrickson is in the hands of Campus Ministry and will be revealed in the fall.
Hendrickson expressed that one of his favorite aspects of celebrating Tuesday night Mass is the connection that forms among the students who attend regularly, as well as the ones who pop in on occasion.
Sara Bres, a senior in the College of Business Administration, agrees with him.
“I constantly can feel the Holy Spirit as I hold hands with other students and pray, hug familiar faces and bond with new ones during communal prayer,” Bres said. “You can’t help but feel part of something bigger.”
Other students said it is hard to imagine Tuesday night Mass without Hendrickson and his impactful sermons.
“He has a unique gift for sensing the mood of his audience and shapes his sermons around that,” said Lauren Rimmel, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences. “More importantly, he keeps us grounded, helping us balance our daily lives and stresses with the happenings on the world stage. He is funny, kind, and soothing and will be missed.”
Hendrickson said the sadness will be mutual. Among his daily espressos from the Brew, his colleagues, and the students he has worked with, he said he will miss Tuesday nights the most.
“For a long time to come, I will be sentimental on Tuesdays at 10,” Hendrickson said. “I want to thank the Tuesday night community for letting me join them, and lead them. We have prayed together, and that is not insignificant.”
