Greetings, fellow Newmanites! The following are the announcements from the Newman Centre and the Newman Catholic Students’ Society for the week of October 11th-17th.
Highlights this week:
- Thanksgiving Clothing Drive
- Jesuits & Globalization Lecture
- YOUCAT on Tap: “Why all the fuss about Mary?”
- Allez!Go! Leadership Training
- Visit to Montreal’s Botanical Gardens
- Saturday Night Suppers
— Michael
Events and Activities This Week
Events and Activities This WeekThanksgiving Clothing Drive
September 13th-October 13th
Our Thanksgiving clothing drive ends October 13th! Please drop off any remaining clothing you wish to donate in the Bagelounge, next to the downstairs entrance to the Newman Centre. Everything collected will be donated to Benedict Labre House, a day center for the homeless in Montreal.
Jesuits & Globalization Lecture
Thursday, October 15th (4:00pm)
The McGill Faculty of Religious Studies is proud to host José Casanova, one of the world’s leading scholars on Catholicism and globalization, for a lecture on Jesuits & Globalization on Thursday, October 15th at 4:00 p.m. in Birks Heritage Chapel on 3520 University St.
Professor Casanova heads up the Berkley Center’s Program on Religion, Globalization and the Secular at Georgetown University. His current research explores the foundational role of the Jesuits in the global expansion of Catholicism and its engagement with diverse cultures and religions of the world.
YOUCAT on Tap: “Why all the fuss about Mary?”
Friday, October 16th (5:00-7:00pm)
To many people outside the Church, Catholics seem to have an unusual obsession with Jesus’ mother, Mary. There are devotions and prayers written about her, songs made for her, statues and images depicting her, and even shines and pilgrimage sites dedicated to her. Some of our Protestant friends even accuse Catholics of worshipping Mary and distracting people from having a personal relationship with Jesus.
This Friday at YOUCAT on Tap, we will be exploring what the Catholic Church actually teaches about Mary, and why we honour her as our queen and mother and as the first and model disciple of Jesus. Join us for beer and pizza starting at 5:00pm and discussion starting at 5:30pm. All are welcome!
Weekly Social Activity: Botanical Gardens
Friday, October 16th (6:30pm)
Join us this Friday, October 16th at 6:30pm, as we make a trip to the Botanical Gardens! The Chinese and Japanese Gardens have been beautifully decorated for the Garden of Lights event and will be even more magnificent as night falls! We’ll be meeting at the Newman Centre so that we can all travel there together. The cost is $14.25 plus taxes for students. Hope to see you there!
Allez!Go! Leadership Training: Promoting Events
Saturday, October 17th (9:00am-12:30pm)
Mission Jeunesse, the Archdiocese of Montreal’s youth ministry, is offering a series of leadership training sessions called Allez!Go! at 2000 Sherbrooke St. West.
During the next session on Saturday, October 17th, we will be learning how to promote and market events and ministry projects by effectively communicating your event information in a visually appealing way, and proficiently following up with those who are interested in attending. We will also explore resources and materials available for you to use to inform the public in your community. For more information, please contact our campus minister, Terrel Joseph, at or register online.
Saturday Night Supper
Saturday, October 17th (6:00pm)
The Newman Catholic Students’ Society has a longstanding tradition of hosting a supper every Saturday night, prepared by members of the Newman community. For only $5, you get a full meal, including dessert. This week’s supper takes place on Saturday, October 17th at 6:00pm. Please come join us and share a great meal and great conversation!
If you’re interested in signing up to help prepare a meal in the future, please contact our VP Saturday Night Suppers, Josephina Lee, at .
Soup and Bagel Lunch Program
Weekdays (12:30-2:00pm)
Every weekday, from 12:30-2:00pm, enjoy all-you-can-eat hot soup and Montreal bagels in the Newman Centre’s Bagelounge for the low price of $3.50, courtesy of our administrative coordinator, Linda Diez.
Events and Activities Later This Month
Dinner with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame!
Tuesday, October 20th (5:30pm)
Join us as the Catholic chaplaincies of McGill, Université de Montréal, and Concordia join forces to co-host a dinner welcoming 55 students and campus ministers from the famous Notre Dame University of South Bend, Indiana, USA. The Notre Dame students will be taking a night off from their week-long pilgrimage to St. Joseph’s oratory to have dinner with us and share stories about their devotion to Saint Brother André, the only canonized saint so far from the Holy Cross community who founded their university.
If you are interested in coming for the FREE dinner, and meeting Catholic students from the other Montreal universities, as well as our American friends, please contact our campus minister, Terrel Joseph, at .
Newman Bible Study on Mercy
Wednesday, October 21st (7:00pm)
Join us for the next Newman Bible Study, exploring God’s mercy throughout the Bible. Our third session will be on Wednesday, October 21st at 7:00pm—led by Samuel Farrugia and Julian Paparella, and continuing biweekly. See you there!
Council Meeting
Thursday, October 22nd (7:00pm)
Make your voice heard! Did you know that every member of the NCSS is also a member of Council, the Society’s legislative body? Tell the executive about your new event idea at our next Council meeting on Thursday, October 22nd at 7:00pm, continuing biweekly.
Theology Thursday: Synod on the Family
Thursday, October 29th (7:00pm)
The Society is pleased to welcome back Dr. Douglas Farrow, Professor of Christian Thought and Kennedy Smith Chair in Catholic Studies for our monthly series, Theology Thursdays. This month we’ll be looking at the Synod on the Family. Refreshments will be provided. See you there!
Sandwiches for the Homeless
Saturday, October 31st (11:00am-2:00pm)
Have you ever passed by a Montrealer experiencing homelessness, and wondered how to serve and love these people as Christ calls us to do? This year, the McGill Anglican-United Chaplaincy/Aumônerie Anglicane-Unie à McGill, Newman Catholic Students’ Society of McGill University, the Orthodox Christian Fellowship of McGill University, and ICON are teaming up to provide students an opportunity to learn more about Christian street ministry with an ecumenical service project: making and distributing sandwiches to Montrealers living without a home.
- 11:00am — Sandwich making at the Newman Centre. If you are able, please bring a sandwich-making item (most needed are lunch meat, tuna, cheese).
- 12:00pm — Sandwich distribution (various locations). Teams will be sent into the city (metro passes provided if traveling further than walking distance) to interact with the homeless population in Montreal and give them some of the sandwiches we made.
You are welcome to come for both sandwich making and distribution, or just one portion of the event. Everyone is welcome!
Fall Coffeehouse
Saturday, November 7th (7:30pm)
Have a hidden talent you’d like to share, or perhaps a performance you’d been working on? Here’s your chance to show us what you can do! The Newman Coffeehouse will be taking place on November 7th, and we are in the process of selecting acts. If you’re interested in performing, please contact our VP Social Activities, Charlotte Vester, at .
Challenge 33
October 23rd-25th
Challenge is a Catholic young adults retreat organized by other young adults and centered around the “challenge” (pun intended) of living the Christian life in today’s culture, spoken through the personal testimony of other young people. The weekend includes a number of talks, as well as, group discussion, prayer, games, food, and fellowship.
A weekend filled with spiritual exploration and enlightenment, Challenge will provide an experience that you’ll never forget! Please visit their website to sign up for the next retreat from October 23rd-25th, or check out their Facebook page for more information.
“Called to Love” – The Canadian Catholic Students Association (CCSA) Central Region Conference
October 23rd-25th
All Catholic post-secondary students are invited to the University of Toronto Newman Centre for the 2015 Canadian Catholic Students Association Regional Conference. Throughout the course of the weekend, there will be opportunities for prayer, worship, talks, workshops, networking with other students, sightseeing, and more!
Our theme is formed around the Synod on Marriage and Family that will be concluding the same weekend as the conference. Keynotes and workshops will aim to give us a better understanding of many of the topics covered during the Synod, and will be given by accomplished speakers from Regis College, St. Augustine’s Seminary and even beyond the Archdiocese! Participants can expect to depart from the weekend having met many other amazing students, being strengthened in their faith, and gaining a deeper understanding of the vocation to marriage and family life, as well as other vocations in the Church and how they spring from authentic and strong family life.
The registration deadline is Friday, October 9, 2015. While everyone is welcome to attend, the NCSS has pledged to sponsor one student to attend and represent the McGill Newman Centre at this conference. If you are interested, please contact our campus minister, Terrel Joseph, at .
Uncover McGill
Saturday, November 7th (2:00-5:00pm)
“You are the salt of the earth…” [Matthew 5:13a] But what does that really mean? On the afternoon of November 7th, all are invited to a seminar that dedicates its first two hours (2-4pm) on providing information about mission, and offers its last hour (4-5pm) to teaching on evangelism. Led by Alycia Wood (from the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries), it is a great opportunity for all students to further explore and learn how to share their faith! Location TBD.
Other Announcements
Become a Newman Catholic Students’ Society Member!
Membership in the Society is open to everyone and comes with the following benefits:
- one free Saturday Night Supper (normally $5),
- right to attend Council meetings,
- right to vote in Society elections (if you are a SSMU or PGSS member), and
- a snazzy red membership card!
Memberships cost $2 and can be purchased from our VP Finance, Tim Vuksic, at .
Parking at Newman
Parking spaces are reserved for staff, all others by permission only. Fees apply. See a member of staff before parking. Unidentified vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Mass Schedule
The Newman Centre has Mass every Sunday at 5:00pm. Weekday Masses are held from Tuesday to Friday at 4:00pm, with Eucharistic Adoration from 4:30-5:30pm. Confessions are heard before all Masses.
Centre Hours
The Newman Centre is open weekdays from 10:00am-5:00pm (extended hours on some days) and on weekends during scheduled events such as Mass.
