Slideshow: Livestreaming Easter Mass from the California Chapel

“A very happy Easter to everyone as we overcome our separation, not only through the help of technology, but especially through the bond of Christ uniting us in His mystical body,” began Head Chaplain Rev. Paul Raftery, O.P., in his Easter Vigil homily on Saturday night. “We are at this time witnessing in a special way to the spiritual union we have in Christ, united but apart in our various homes.”

Although members of the Thomas Aquinas College community have been unable to attend the College’s Paschal Triduum and Easter liturgies in person, they have participated via video livestream and, of course, spiritually. Thousands of students, alumni, faculty, staff, governors, parents, friends, and their family members have watched Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter services from Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel on the California campus. 

“Our family turned off all the lights and lit all our candles before the Vigil,” reports junior Elanor Piquette. “My sisters and I sang along to the songs we knew. We are grateful to maintain a connection with our beloved college even if we cannot be there in person.”

The individual most responsible for making the livestream possible was alumnus Lawrence Donnelly (’17), who spent much of the last two weeks configuring the Chapel for video and who manned the camera and microphones throughout Holy Week and Easter Sunday. “It’s been an absolutely amazing and humbling experience being a part of bringing the Holy Triduum and Easter into people’s homes during these distressing times when we are unable to draw consolation from going to Mass,” says Mr. Donnelly, a development administrator for Catholic Charities of Ventura County. “Every time I found a solution to the many technical issues, I was humbled by how much God was helping us to make the spiritual connection among the mystical Body of Christ as apparent as possible through livestreaming.”

In addition to the heroic efforts of Mr. Donnelly were those of the Thomas Aquinas College Choir, especially its California director, Dan Grimm (’76), who brought beautiful sacred music to the liturgies under trying circumstances. “Trying to do the difficult music for Holy Week under current government restrictions was nerve-wracking,” says Mr. Grimm. “All the same, we feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to be at these liturgies.”

The College will continue livestreaming Masses daily throughout the Octave of Easter and then on weekdays and Sundays for as long as California’s “shelter in place” edict remains in effect. The embedded streams are available at ThomasAquinas.edu/Mass and on the College’s YouTube Channel. Recorded videos are posted shortly after the conclusion of each observance.