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Spiritual Care and Learning Centre: Year in Review 2024 – 2025

As a Centre whose work acknowledges the presence of spirit in the human experience with one another and the earth, we are acutely aware of the origins of Indigenous spirituality. Such wisdom predates all cultural, religious and spiritual identities and practices. We honour this truth, are grateful for it and trust that our acknowledgment leads us toward deeper reconciliation.

The Spiritual Care and Learning Centre (SCLC), part of Student Affairs, fosters student potential by supporting the whole student and their well-being through inclusive care, experiences beyond the classroom and thoughtful partnerships that cultivate belonging and foster shared growth. The SCLC is a vibrant community of communities, where students from diverse religious, secular and spiritual backgrounds find space to reflect, connect, learn and grow, helping them develop resilience, purpose and deeper connections to self and community.

In a year marked by shifting needs and renewed calls for inclusive well-being, the SCLC has continued to evolve — pivoting with purpose to meet fluid challenges while deepening impact. Through dialogue and partnerships, the SCLC fosters a culture of respect, trust and rapport — welcoming all. Whether offering one-on-one spiritual support, facilitating intercultural connections or nurturing spaces of belonging, the SCLC embodies McMaster’s values in action, supporting students to develop attitudes, knowledge and skills to foster positive interpersonal and intergroup relationships.

This inaugural report highlights not only progress, but the power of presence, purpose and possibility.

In a word — peace.

As part of Student Affairs, the SCLC affirms the importance of identity exploration, personal growth and discovery, and making meaning which are essential components of holistic student development.

Well-being Learn more

Supporting the whole student and their spiritual, emotional, mental and physical development 

Belonging Learn more

Nurturing supportive communities where every student can find their place

Growth and Transformation Learn more

Creating a student experience where promise and potential are realized

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Established in 2021, with its first physical space opening in 2022

Situated within the Student Success Centre, Student Affairs

Delivers support to 45K+ McMaster community members (approx. 39K students, 6K staff and faculty)

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Events, programs and activities

Student visits daily (approx. 7,500 in fall and winter)

Spiritual leaders representing nine traditions

Active partnerships with religious and spiritual student clubs

The SCLC helped me integrate better at McMaster University by providing a sense of belonging and a safe and supportive environment. I will always be grateful for the memories and highly recommend any student drop in and say hi — you might just make a new friend! 

Manon Gourieroux
Student 

The SCLC nurtures spiritual and emotional resilience through compassionate care, reflective practices and inclusive, supportive services for all members of the McMaster community, with a particular focus on students. By centring care that is culturally responsive and spiritually inclusive, the SCLC advances McMaster’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence in student support. By fostering meaningful partnerships across campus and in the broader community, the SCLC amplifies its impact — creating spaces where well-being is supported holistically through connection, collaboration and care. Below are highlights from this past year, with a goal of even greater engagement and impact in the year ahead.

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In consultation with the SCLC and campus community, and in partnership with the Student Wellness Centre, psychotherapist-spiritual counsellors with Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim identities were contracted to support the specific needs of Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim students. Contracts have been extended to 2025.

The SCLC worked with the Office of Equity and Inclusion (EIO), McMaster Libraries and McMaster Students Union (MSU) to raise awareness and expand access to on-campus spiritual care and prayer spaces for the McMaster community. In recognition of Ramadan, additional prayer space availability was provided throughout March.

With a focus on fostering partnerships between students and seniors within our surrounding community, leaders of religious, secular and spiritual identities through the SCLC are cultivating a spirit of service and engagement. This includes collaboration with humanitarian organizations such as Aging-in-Community, Wesley Urban Ministries, City Kidz, Good Shepherd, Community Gardens and Neighbour-to-Neighbour.

Especially for our students, the SCLC’s commitment to pluralistic, inclusive care has helped shape a more compassionate university community.

Gillian Goward
Associate Dean, Research & External Relations
Faculty of Science

As a leader of the McMaster Muslim Students’ Association, I’m incredibly grateful for the SCLC. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the spiritual leaders that make up its membership and have seen firsthand the student-centered impact they have.

Mariam Tazkarji
Student 

The SCLC creates spaces of belonging where students of all religious, secular and spiritual identities are welcomed, respected and supported.

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Learn more

The SCLC supported McMaster’s Truth and Reconciliation efforts through partnerships with Indigenous campus leaders and community organizations, including cohosting a screening of the Woodland Cultural Centre’s presentation, followed by a reflection led by Professor Rick Monture. These collaborative efforts created space for learning, ceremony and dialogue — marking an ongoing journey toward justice, understanding and belonging.

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The Annual Fall Harvest Dinner brought together more than 120 international and exchange students, staff and community members in a celebration of shared gratitude and cultural connection. Rooted in a decades-long tradition and reimagined through a pluralistic lens, the event created a warm and inclusive space for international and exchange students to feel at home. This event was delivered in partnership with SCLC and the Ecumenical Chaplaincy Centre.

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In celebration of Black History Month 2025, the SCLC partnered with the Equity and Inclusion Office and campus collaborators to support programming that uplifted Black voices and fostered spaces of reflection, healing and connection. Through events like Reclaiming Wellness: Afrocentric Vision of Health, Wholeness and Well-being, the SCLC helped create inclusive environments where students could explore spirituality, ancestral knowledge and community care.

The SCLC participated in the Annual Conference of the Bi-National Christian Reformed Campus Ministry Association (CRCMA), a continent-wide conference for over 50 spiritual care leaders (chaplains) working in institutions of higher learning across North America. McMaster served as both host and prototype, engaging participants in theoretical, practical and contemporary discussions on the evolving role of spiritual care on university campuses. 

Learn more about the SCLC’s partnership initiatives

Our department feels supported by the SCLC as they are key to ensuring our well-being.  Reverend Crowell, is the officiant at the service of gratitude for the Education Program in Anatomy. This annual memorial service cares for 300 members of the community, staff, students, and faculty.

Bruce Wainman
Professor Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Director, Education Program in Anatomy and Surgical Skills Centre
Faculty of Health Sciences

As a member of the Hindu community, the SCLC has been a space where I’ve deepened my understanding of my faith, built meaningful connections, and met others with both shared and diverse spiritual perspectives. The Centre opens dialogue for all, regardless of faith, and having a sense of belonging. Universities often focus solely on academics, but the SCLC expands that experience by supporting our well-being in truly meaningful ways.

Sadhvika Manghat
Student

By fostering growth beyond the classroom, the SCLC contributes meaningfully to McMaster’s strategic priority of advancing teaching and learning, empowering students to engage with complexity, cultivate purpose and transform through lived experience.

I am humbled by the dialogue, deep listening, partnerships, and progress made by all who engage in the work of the SCLC.

Andrew Crowell
Director, Spiritual Care and Learning Centre

Looking ahead, the SCLC remains committed to nurturing spaces where students can grow — not only through conversation and action, but also through stillness. Spiritual care is a dynamic balance: a dialogue between speaking, listening and acting. At the heart of this balance is the practice of silence.

In a world that often moves too fast, we teach the value of slowing down. Silence is not emptiness, it is a powerful space where clarity emerges, where we learn to listen deeply, speak thoughtfully and act with intention. This lifelong discipline will continue to guide our work as we support students in their journeys of meaning, purpose and connection. In fostering a service of care that resists polarization and embraces engagement, the SCLC continues to be a community that is neither siloed nor neutral, but open, reflective and deeply rooted in community, guided by care.

We are never more fully alive than when we journey together.

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Spiritual care and prayer spaces Learn more

Since opening its doors in 2022, the SCLC’s commitment to ensuring students and community members have access to spaces where they can embrace their religious, spiritual or secular identities in ways that are authentic to them, has resulted in a steady increase in spiritual care and prayer spaces on campus. As of the 2024–2025 academic year, there are now 12 of these spaces on campus, all places that nurture belonging and well-being for our diverse community.

The SCLC are widely viewed as having a positive influence on campus. The SCLC helped preserve the MUFA Committee of Divestment’s processes at a time of great tension, and we are very grateful.

Paul Andrews
Associate Professor, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Faculty of Science

My positive and meaningful experiences with the SCLC have reinforced my belief that it plays an essential role within the university and contributes greatly to students’ success through spiritual and emotional support. As the President of Hillel McMaster this past school year, I can say that the SCLC made us feel welcome at the Centre and belonged as a part of the broader McMaster spiritual and religious community. 

Hayley Kupinski
Student

Thank you

At the SCLC, we believe in the power of community, and we are deeply thankful for the many people and partnerships that make our work possible.

We are especially grateful to the students and mentors from the Christian, Judaic and Muslim traditions — those who carry the wisdom of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar — for their leadership, courage and presence during these extraordinary times. Their contributions have shaped the heart of our Centre.

We acknowledge you, we thank you and we are here on this journey with you.

Every day, we witness students from diverse backgrounds come together, bringing their stories, struggles and hopes. These moments of connection allow us to respond in real time with real care, compassion and understanding. It’s not always easy, especially in times of tension or uncertainty, but these experiences have taught us the value of listening, learning and growing together.

Andy Crowell
Director, Spiritual Care and Learning Centre

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Student Affairs: Together We Thrive 2024–2025 Annual Report Learn more

Learn more about how departments across Student Affairs are making an impact. 

Student Success Centre: 2024-2025 in Review Learn more

Learn more about how Student Success Centre is providing support tailored to our student’s unique journey.