Greetings, fellow Newmanites! The following are the announcements from the Newman Centre and the Newman Catholic Students’ Society for the upcoming week.
Highlights this week:
- Uncover McGill
- Tea Time with Newman Alumna Eileen Leyne
- Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Ecumenical Prayer Night
- YOUCAT on Tap: Ecumenism
- Faith Studies Prayer and Training
- Saturday Night Supper
- Soup and Bagel Lunch Program
— Michael
Events and Activities This Week
Uncover McGill
January 18th-22nd at various locations
Uncover McGill is a week of events put on by the Christian groups at McGill, including the Newman Catholic Students’ Society, to facilitate discussion and exploration of life’s biggest questions. Each day during the week there will be two lunch talks with free food, as well as evening events. Visit the Facebook event page for details. We’ve made sure there’s lots going on to interest everyone, so do come and bring your friends!
Please also note that there will be morning prayer at the Newman Centre every day from January 18th-22nd at 7:30am in the form of worship, scripture reading, and more. Join us in focusing ourselves on God every morning before sharing Christ’s light to our fellow students throughout the week
Tea Time with Newman Alumna Eileen Leyne
Tuesday, January 19th (2:00pm)
Ever wondered what Newmanites go on to do after McGill? Come for tea time with special guest Newman Alumna Eileen Leyne, Tuesday, January 19th at 2:00pm in Podles Hall.
Eileen is a member of the Marian Community of Reconciliation, also known as the Fraternas. She was born in Montreal and is an alumna of McGill where she studied a Bachelor and Masters in Engineering (’02/’04). Eileen grew up as a Catholic, but after a life-changing encounter with Christ at World Youth Day in Toronto she became more involved in the Newman Centre and discerned her vocation to be a Fraterna. She joined the community in 2006 and currently lives in Australia where she serves as the Evangelisation Officer at the University of Technology, Sydney. As a Fraterna, she has lived and served in the USA, England, Peru and now Australia.
The Fraternas are a community of women who have responded to God’s call to consecrate their lives fully to Him through apostolic service. As consecrated laywomen their main mission is to evangelise from within the heart of the world. Fraternas live in community, sharing all their goods, and make life-long promises of celibacy and obedience.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Ecumenical Prayer Night
Tuesday, January 19th (7:00pm) at Peoples Church
Beginning Sunday, January 17th and ending Saturday, January 23rd, Christians of all different traditions and denominations around the world will be observing a week of prayer for Christian unity.
To mark this occasion, “The Living Room”, a local Protestant church in downtown Montreal, in partnership with Christian Direction and a few other groups, is organizing a joint worship and prayer night on Tuesday, January 19th at 7:00pm at Peoples Church. The goal is for the churches and ministries in downtown Montreal to come together in unity to pray. Our Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ have invited students from the Newman Centre to join them that evening. It is a unique opportunity to step outside our comfort zone of our own faith tradition and join together with one voice to cry out to God on behalf of our city, our nation and our world.
Our campus minister, , will be leading one of the periods of prayer that evening; please contact him for more information.
YOUCAT on Tap: Ecumenism
Friday, January 22nd (5:00-7:00pm)
This week, Christians from a wide variety of different denominations all over the world are observing the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”. The eventual unity of Christians is the long-term goal of the Catholic approach to ecumenism.
This Friday, YOUCAT on Tap welcomes special guest Richard Bernier, who will help us to better understand what ecumenism is about, why it is important, and how we as regular everyday Christians can participate in this important work. Beer and pizza will be served at 5:00pm and Richard’s talk will begin at 5:30pm.
Faith Studies Prayer and Training
Saturday, January 23rd (4:00-6:00pm)
Please join us for an opportunity to pray together for the semester ahead and the Newman community as a community of faith study leaders past and present. Training will be covered for those who are first time faith studies leaders or those interested in being leaders. It will include a variety of different types of prayer including meditative, invocation, and taize. For those interested in training, please let our VP Spiritual know whatever questions or concerns you have.
Saturday Night Supper
Saturday, January 23rd (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. 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, .
Soup and Bagel Lunch Program
Soup and Bagel Lunch ProgramWednesday, January 13th (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 This Month
Faith Studies Resumes
With the new semester comes a new opportunity to grow in faith, friendship, and virtue through a faith study! Faith studies are small groups of students, led by a trained student guide, that meet once a week over the course of six weeks during the semester to learn about the Catholic faith using specially prepared study guides from Catholic Christian Outreach.
If you’re interested, please sign up for this semester here. Please read the instructions carefully as it asks for the times you’re NOT available to meet. You will be contacted as responses come in so please sign up as soon as you can!
Bible Study on Mercy
Wednesday, January 27th (7:00pm)
Join us Wednesday, January 27th at 7:00pm for our next Newman Bible Study on Mercy. Samuel Farrugia will lead a Scriptural reflection followed by a spiritual meditation led by Julian Paparella. In a change from previous weeks, pizza will be served. Have mercy and attend!
Theology Thursday: Ecology and the Ethics of Christian Stewardship
Wednesday, January 28th (6:00pm)
The causes of environmental exploitation are complex and political consensus on taking action has been difficultto reach. Christians themselves are divided as to how to conceptualize the problem and what to do about it. Leading environmental theologian Dr. Michael Northcott joins Dr. Douglas Farrow in a special Theology Thursday panel on ecology and theology with questions from the audience.
Defrosh
January 29th-31st at various locations
Remember Fish Frosh, but weren’t able to attend? That’s ok! Defrosh is just the same – except colder. All first year and transfer students (who were unable to join Fish Frosh) are invited to participate in this weekend-long event hosted by the Christian groups on campus. This winter frosh is dedicated to introducing new students to our city, our school, and our communities. Those who were part of Fish Frosh are also encouraged to join Defrosh – but this time as leaders! Information about signing up will be posted shortly…in the meantime, keep your calendars free!
Armchair (Lenten) Retreat
February 7th-March 20th (deadline to register January 31st)
Every Lenten season, the Newman Centre, in partnership with the Ignatian Spirituality Centre of Montreal, is pleased to offer an “Armchair retreat” to Newmanites. The Armchair retreat is six weeks of one-on-one spiritual direction with a trained prayer companion from the Ignatian Centre.
The retreat begins with a group gathering on Sunday, February 7th for orientation and prayer. After that, students are paired off with spiritual directors whom you will be able to meet with weekly throughout the six weeks of Lent concluding with a group gathering on Palm Sunday (Sunday, March 20th).
The Armchair retreat is a uniquely personal experience tailored to each individual and their schedule. For more information or to register, please contact our campus minister . The deadline for registration is Sunday, January 31st; space is limited so please register ASAP!
Other Announcements
Call for Previous Semester’s Reimbursement Forms
As the new semester begins, please help us bring the last semester to a close. If you have spent money cooking for an SNS or organizing a Newman activity, and wish to be reimbursed, please submit your requests to our VP Finance, , byJanuary 19th.
Reimbursement request forms can be found in the NCSS mailbox at the Newman Centre or on the NCSS website.
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, .
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.
