Students and community members participated in song, prayer and ritual as they celebrated Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, inside Cesar Chavez Student Center.

Bishop William Justice of St. Thomas More Parish, led the hour- long mass for over 130 people.

"I was impressed with their seriousness," said Justice after the service in reaction towards the many people that came. "I love doing this. This reanimates me more than other daily things I do."

Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity and the Newman Club, the Catholic student organization, hosted the Mass and have been doing so for the past five years.

"This is a part of the student faith and having it is to make it accessible in the middle of the activities," said Sister Karla Felix, a member of the fraternity.

Yadira Zendejas, a pre-nursing student, was part of the service and was very thankful that she had the opportunity to attend.

"I think it's a blessing to have them here and I'm just thankful for the Newman club," Zendejas said.

Natalie Franklin, the president of the Associated Students, Inc., stopped by the Mass for a quick blessing and was pleased with how respectful students were of the service in comparison to the conflict surrounding the anti-Hamas demonstration two weeks ago.

"I think its good to show an openness of other religions," Franklin said.

Barbara Quigley, a student leader of the Newman Club, was part of the service and at one point, placed an ash marking of the cross on participants' foreheads.

"It represents a time of rebirth," Quigley said.

Quigley explains that the main point of the ash marking is to serve the reminder that we are humans.

"We are humans and we are going to die and so this is the time to do good," Quigley said.