Blessing of the Athletes for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

CHICOPEE, MA - Our Lady of the Elms for over 20 years has always held the Blessing of the Athletes before the academic year begins for all the student-athletes.

"We gather at the beginning of the academic year to bless the players and medals, and pray for the health and safety of our student-athletes" the Director of Campus Ministry, Eileen Kirk had to say about todays event. "The Blessing of the Athletes is a time for the campus community to come together in a spirit of gratitude and support for our student-athletes and to remind them that they belong to a community at Elms that appreciates and likes them for who they are: win or lose". 

All of the coaches and staff within the Elms athletic department enjoy having their teams join together as a whole on Leary Field to celebrate and pray for healthy seasons for the upcoming year.

Fr. Mark Seltzer, the College Chaplain and Associate Professor of Humanities here at the Elms had this to say about the colleges beautiful tradition, "With today's Blessing of Athletes, our students have become part of an Elms tradition that goes back more than twenty years.  In blessing our athletes, we pray for their well-being, health, and happiness in their chosen sport."

Here at Elms College we will be continuing this tradition and entwining our Campus Ministry with the Athletic Department.