Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy is at the heart of the College, welcoming and offering hospitality to all. Chaplaincy provides care and support to all members of the College community. We will do our best to make you feel at home. We offer:

– Moments of prayer
– Celebration of the Eucharist and liturgies
– Our Chapel is open every day. There is also a separate quiet prayer room, which is open to all students
– A sympathetic listening ear
– Practical care in time of need
– Student groups promoting justice, peace and charity
– Space and opportunities for a deepening of faith to take place

You will be made welcome anytime! Our Chaplaincy team helps to promote community and reminds us of the community’s wider responsibilities to create a more just society. You can get involved in charity work, Newman Day, student groups, Soup Day, lunches for the elderly, SVP, CAFOD, Fair Trade, retreats, trips, pilgrimages and much, much more!

There is always lots going on with students and staff regularly taking part in and arranging fundraising events for a variety of worthy causes and there are also lots of occasions where people come together and celebrate being part of such a diverse community.

The Chaplaincy area is located in the student lounge and you are welcome to drop in anytime. It’s used by a variety of students and staff as a place for meeting friends for tea, coffee or simply relaxing! There is never any religious pressure and all staff and students are welcome. People come from various faiths or from none at all.

The aim of Chaplaincy is to offer a space within the College for students and staff to explore the issues that are important to you; issues of faith or no faith as well as a space to grow and know that you are accepted for the person that you are.

Welfare

Chaplaincy offers support and pastoral care to all. It engages with staff and students in their work, supporting and affirming all that is good and creative as well as encouraging a sense of self-worth and pride in all that they do.

College life, although full of opportunities, can also bring problems and difficulties; a confidential listening ear is always available from the Chaplaincy team, this is open to anyone! You can come and talk to us about anything, we will be only too happy to offer a non-judgmental ear. If you want someone to talk to then drop into the office, or catch any member of the RE team around the College.

The College also offers a counselling service, so there is no need for anyone within our community to feel like they have no one to talk to.

Worship

Chaplaincy nurtures the richness of the College as a worshipping community, which is inclusive of all, providing opportunities for prayer, worship and exploration of faith.

Worship gives us an opportunity to be still in God’s presence to reflect, to listen, to pray, to grow and to share in God’s gifts of love and friendship. Each morning the College community begins the day with Morning Prayer at 8:45am; all are welcome; Mass is celebrated every Wednesday in the Chapel at 12.15pm. Times of Masses on Holy Days and other College liturgical celebrations are circulated to staff and students via e-mail.

The College Chapel and quiet room are places of silence and are available for those who wish to step away from the busy nature of the College day. You will also be given the opportunity for reflection, prayer and meditation throughout the RE programme.

Witness

Chaplaincy promotes the College as a witnessing faith community, enabling staff and students to link their faith with action. It encourages individuals to reflect on their own faith, their values, nurturing them in understanding their own spirituality and recognising this as an important part of personal growth and development. Various groups meet in the College seeking to promote justice and peace such as Amnesty International, CAFOD, HCPT and Fairtrade etc.

RE

We believe that the study of RE is central to each student’s experience at Cardinal Newman. As part of your programme of study at Newman, you will do one hour a week of RE, but it is not RE as you know it!

RE is all about challenging and encouraging you to question and evaluate who you are, what you believe, your role in society and what others believe and why. It does not just cover one religion, you will look at all faiths and no faith.

RE does not aim to provide answers to the ‘big questions’, but simply encourages you to think and challenge your own perspectives.

RE is not an assessed subject. There will be no homework, coursework or exams and there aren’t even any desks! The sole purpose is to broaden your horizons and it embodies the respect and aspirations we have for all our students as we strive to educate the whole person.