Nearly 200 students and alumni of the Georgia Institute of Technology came together on Saturday, Oct. 25, to dedicate the Catholic Center plaza to the Catholic student center’s former spiritual guide, Franciscan Father Mario Di Lella.

Father Tim Hepburn, who took over for Father Mario after he retired earlier this year at the age of 81, said the day was about remembering the priest’s 38 years of service to the Catholic students of the school and honoring the “building he built.”

The group engraved Father Mario’s name above the door of the Catholic Center and also purchased a statue of St. Peter for the center in remembrance of Father Mario’s favorite saint.

Since it was Georgia Tech’s homecoming weekend, it provided a great opportunity for current and former Tech students of Father Mario to pay their respects in a unique way.