As is our tradition at the University of Notre Dame, let us begin in prayer.
Salutatorian José Alberto Suárez delivers the invocation at the 2017 Commencement ceremony in Notre Dame Stadium.
Loving God, on this morning of celebration we place ourselves in your presence and pray that we always remember that You walk beside us today and in the next phase of our lives.
Gracious God, we pray in gratitude for all those who have helped us reach this wonderful Commencement Day. Bless our family and friends, for their continuous support as our cradles of morality and virtue. Bless all who enliven the University of Notre Dame and foster the nourishment of our minds and hearts; including faculty, staff, Holy Cross religious and campus administrators. Bless all departed members of the Notre Dame family, especially the souls of those who would have graduated with us today: Daniel Kim, Jake Scanlan, and Theresa Sagartz. May they find peace in the arms of Notre Dame our Mother and their families be consoled by Your never-ending love. We pray that, even as we prepare to depart from one another, their memory will never be separated from this community, which always lives between memory and hope.
Generous God, on this morning of graduation we gratefully place ourselves in your presence and pray that you send down your Holy Spirit upon us. May the Holy Spirit always be the inspiration of our lives: of our actions and our words, that they be life-giving and never oppressive; of our compassion, that we continue to suffer with the suffering and rejoice with the rejoicing; of our generosity, that we remain always willing to listen and to help those in dearest need. Come Holy Spirit, be the inspiration of our faith, that everything we do is for love of you, oh Lord.
Loving God, through the intercession of Notre Dame our Mother, who saw your presence in every moment of her life, grant us eyes of faith to see how you are responding to our prayers. Loving God, we surrender our will to Yours and trust in Your faithfulness forevermore. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.