Inauguration Planned for September 21

Community invited to celebrate the Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the University’s 27th President.
The University of Scranton will hold “A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President” Friday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Byron Recreation Complex.
The University of Scranton will hold “A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President” Friday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Byron Recreation Complex.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders and area residents are invited to attend “A Celebration of Community: The Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as The University of Scranton’s 27th President” on Friday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. University classes have been canceled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and offices will be closed during that time to allow attendance at the ceremony, which will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex. A luncheon will immediately follow the ceremony on the Dionne Campus Green.

In addition to the ceremony, a Mass in Celebration of the Inauguration of Father Pilarz will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. in the Byron Recreation Complex.

Both events will be live streamed at scranton.edu/eventslive. An archived video will be available immediately following each event and will remain available for viewing on this site for 30 days.

The University’s Inauguration events will conclude with the “Family Weekend President’s Concert: Celebrating the Inauguration of Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., as the 27th President” Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. The concert will feature The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir with special guest Wycliffe A. Gordon H’06.

The Inauguration will include the world premiere performance of “Don’t Waste Love,” which was composed by Joshua Rosenblum and commissioned especially for Father Pilarz’s Inauguration as the University’s 27th president. The piece will be performed by the University’s Concert Band and Concert Choir and will be conducted by the composer. The text of “Don’t Waste Love” is drawn from inspirational words from Father Pilarz’s addresses to the University community made during his first tenure at Scranton, combined with phrases from poems and writings by other members of the Society of Jesus, including St. Robert Southwell, Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J., St. Ignatius of Loyola and Pope Francis. The piece will also be performed at the concert Saturday evening.

All three Inauguration events are free of charge and open to the public.

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