Celebrate Spirit! is the official kickoff to the new academic year and a University-wide celebration that welcomes our entire community of students, staff, faculty and administrators.
The celebration is set for Thursday, Sept. 17 in the Whitty Student Fitness Center. The 150th Jubilee Mass of the Holy Spirit begins at 11:30 a.m.
The celebration includes a Catholic Mass, and individuals from all faith traditions are warmly invited to participate or observe in a manner that feels comfortable to them.
Celebrate Spirit! will be presided over by Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, STD, JCL, the Apostolic Nuncio (Vatican Ambassador) and Pope Leo XIV’s envoy to the United States. The event is hosted by University Ministry and Mission Integration. All are invited to wear red, orange or yellow as part of the event.
A lunch and reception will be provided in the Fountain Lounge & Terrace of the Student Union at 1 p.m.
Celebrate Spirit! is open to all members of the Detroit Mercy community no matter their religious affiliation.
Click here to volunteer at Celebrate Spirit!
Celebrate Spirit! 2026 invites the Detroit Mercy community to reflect on “Faith In Action” as this academic year’s theme as part of our 150th Celebration.
Faith is not stagnant—it is active. It is not an individual proclamation or checklist—it is something that exists in community and in relationship. Just as God animates our lives, we are called to actively respond to God in all things. This active faith moves us to imagine a prophetic future for our community. In our Ignatian and Mercy traditions, faith-in-action requires discernment and imagination—Where are we headed? Where does the world call us to be?
Learn more about Celebrate Spirit!
