Written by Daniel MacGregor

Thumbnail Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

Increasingly, it seems that religion is playing less of a role in secular academic life, aside from religious studies departments, of course. However, we are living in a time where the world has been closed-off due to Covid, along with the threat of climate disaster, wars, and economic troubles. With that in mind, there is more of a need than ever for spiritual guidance of all flavours. The most prominent spiritual institution on campus is Saint Mary's Chaplaincy, also known as the Holy Cross Chaplaincy centre. Note that the Chaplaincy is a Catholic institute, but all faiths are welcome. Furthermore, this article will briefly introduce the many other religious and spiritual groups active within the university community.

The Chaplaincy is located at the centre of the Loyola Academic building in room 183, directly across the hall from the Tim Hortons. The chaplain of the centre is Father Craig Cameron. The Chaplaincy's doors are open most weekdays, and luckily, the Chaplaincy happened to be open during reading week when I visited to investigate the Chaplaincy firsthand. On this particular sunny fall day, the lights were dimmed, except for the odd lamp, giving the long rectangular room a relaxed ambiance. It was an extremely welcoming room with a coffee maker to the side accompanied by an armada of sitting options, from chairs to couches. When I walk by on an average week, the room is fully lit and filled with students socializing or relaxing during lunch. On this day, the space was empty of the usual cohort of students. Still, Sister Gemma MacLeod, one of the staff members with the Chaplaincy, was there.

The main reason for my visit was to discuss what the Chaplaincy has been up to over the pandemic, how it has met the pandemic's challenges, and the Chaplaincy's plans for the future. In this vein, Sister Gemma, who joined the Chaplaincy team this April during the pandemic, noted that the primary goal of the Chaplaincy was to foster engagement. For the most part, student engagement, both in terms of events and informal visiting, has been quite significant. During the pandemic, the Chaplaincy did as much as possible to and followi Covid protocols and engage with students through an online medium, specifically Zoom. One example was the care packages they distributed to interested students in residence, which included a set of string lights, snacks, and your very own copy of the Bible. Furthermore, for students with questions of faith or general problems, the Chaplaincy provides counselling, which was likely carried out over email and zoom during the pandemic.

Aside from being open for informal visitations, the Chaplaincy hosts several events, such as Adoration (Mondays 12:30-1:00) and Mass. Furthermore, the Chaplaincy hosts retreats with various activities from crafts to prayer. The Chaplaincy also hosts various faith-based societies within the university community, such as Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), Power to Change (P2C), and Development and Peace. CCO is a student missionary group with missions to Belize, Kelowna, Mexico, Montreal, and Toronto. P2C is a Christian organization with branches throughout the country which organize events and gatherings. For example, the Halifax Branch organizes missions to spread Christian principles and hosts a Discipleship group that functions as a Bible study and lunch. However, the group does not meet on set dates, so the best bet is to regularly check the group’s Facebook page. If you are interested in any of these societies please refer to the links included.

It is common to hear in mainstream media and conversations that the world is becoming more secular, as it is sometimes said that science and reason are replacing the need for religion. Sister Gemma noted, referencing a conversation she had with the chaplain, that the world is currently as secular as it can get in terms of a lack of belief and no participation in religious/spiritual institutions. Yet, the world still requires some form of faith or belief to help us understand the often cruel and cold world in a subjective and personal sense. At the very least, the chaplaincy centre is a quiet place to pray, sit quietly in reflection, or interact with new people.

As the interview neared its conclusion, I asked what final message Sister Gemma would like to deliver to the student body at large. She replied that all students should know the Chaplaincy centre is a place where everyone can feel welcomed, regardless of their faith, or even if they aren’t religious. It is a place where they can be listened to and find a community among fellow students in the academic hub of Loyola.

Other religious groups within the university include the Saint Mary's University Muslim Society, who are focused on representing the university's Muslim students, fostering interfaith communication, and promoting a space for the Muslim community. Also, according to the group's Facebook page, it appears the society just formed this year. As for those still looking for a place to worship their faith or explore new beliefs, Dalhousie University has put together a list of places of worship within Halifax for 35+ religions, including Paganism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, a dozen Christian sects, Islam, and Judaism.

The Religious Studies department at Saint Mary’s provides an academic perspective on the matter of religion. The department is significant because it allows for the study of religion without the requirement of being a spiritual or religious person. Religious Studies courses cover the whole breadth of the religious domain, including RELS 2347 Ecology and Religion, RELS 2401 Religions of China and Japan, and RELS 3220 African Diaspora Religions. Finally, a place where religion and education are combined in post-graduate study close to the university is the Atlantic School of Theology.

We all have questions about faith, who we are, where we are going, and the meaning of life. However, we all come to our own conclusions and thus pray in different corners. Hopefully, this article provided insight into the prominent religious organizations active on the campus. If those do not align with your beliefs, then the larger Halifax community has your views covered. Or, even yet, there is always room for more student-run organizations and societies.

The Holy Cross Chaplaincy and Faith in Halifax

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