a group of student gardening

Campus Ministry

Living the Mission

Campus Ministry at Chestnut Hill College focuses on the growth and development of the whole person in relationship to God, self, and others. Offering opportunities for all to engage both heart and mind, Campus Ministry seeks to give students a groundwork to discover who they are and who they’re becoming through service, spirituality, and community building. Campus Ministry empowers students to create community, rooted in faith that is integrated into their daily life through experience, discernment, and the promotion of justice.

Campus Ministry is a community where people of all faith traditions are welcome.  “Loving all neighbors without distinction,” Campus Ministry creates a home for all without regard for race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Learn about CHC’s Mission and Core Values

Spirituality and Retreats

Retreats are a great opportunity for reflection and renewal, and are an encouraging time to taste and see the goodness of God in our own lives and the beauty of the world around us. Students of all faiths, backgrounds, and religious experience are welcome.

With a variety of unique retreat experiences, beautiful settings, and a gifted team of mentors and student leaders, Campus Ministry offers numerous retreats throughout the year, both on and off campus. These retreats focus on a variety of themes and aspects of the spiritual journey, with the ability to meet all participants where they are. Past retreat experiences include Ignite (first year students), Retreat in Everyday Life (open to students, faculty, and staff), and the Senior Retreat.

Our team is also eager to partner with groups on campus. If your athletic team, residential community, or class is interested going on retreat, please reach out to Anna, Director of Campus Ministry (ryan-bendera@chc.edu), to begin the conversation.

Service and Justice

As a core value of Chestnut Hill College, service provides a basis of learning and growth. Service to the dear neighbor is the genesis of transformative experiences; all those involved benefit and are changed as a result.  Campus Ministry offers a variety of service opportunities to expand the horizons of participants, while facilitating reflection that can create a commitment to service for life.  Campus Ministry creates intentional relationships with community partners, allowing students to delve deeper into the lives of those they serve while also considering their own role and identity in the world.

Are you passionate about social justice? Campus Ministry provides students with leadership development opportunities on and off campus where you can integrate advocacy and action into your life. In the fall semester, we participate in the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice – a leadership summit and advocacy training conference rooted in the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching with a specific focus on compassionate immigration reform and climate justice.

Prayer and Worship

State of the Heart Groups for Faculty and Staff

As we are gearing up for another semester at CHC, we welcome you to consider participating in a State of the Heart group. This practice of sharing faith and reflecting on our lives in community is foundational to the spiritual and communal life of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, and it is a gift for us to gather and facilitate these spaces with you, our colleagues. The groups meet weekly for 30 minutes with an intentional group of 4-6 colleagues who desire to share authentically and listen deeply to the deeper questions of the heart: How am I doing? Where is Love showing up? How is God at work in my life?

Prayer for Peace and Non-violence

Recognizing our place in the global community, Chestnut Hill College joins with this community in praying for peace and non-violence each year.  The prayer is a pilgrimage around campus- beginning in the Rotunda, proceeding to the Peace Pole, and visiting the Garden of Forgiveness. Members of the campus community join their voices in prayer at each location, sharing in the cry for unity and peace in our world, country, city, campus, and our own hearts. Graduate and undergraduate students are invited to share personal reflections on the theme of Peace and Nonviolence.

Catholic Liturgy

As a community of faith, Chestnut Hill College honors the faith traditions of all its members and strives to provide opportunities to worship and celebrate together on a regular basis.

Rooted in the Roman Catholic faith, the Chestnut Hill College Campus Community celebrates Mass on Tuesdays and Thursday in the Carlino Chapel, and joins our larger Catholic community at Our Mother of Consolation Parish for Sunday liturgies.

Community Masses: On Campus and Nearby

  • Monthly Community Masses
    Campus Ministry coordinates monthly liturgies featuring the gifts, talents, and intentions of our community members. Check your CHC email for information about October, November, and December masses!
  • Sunday Masses at Our Mother of Consolation Parish
    For our Catholic students on campus who wish to attend a Sunday liturgy, we wish to communicate that all are welcome “up the hill” at Our Mother of Consolation Parish. Their masses are Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 a.m.. OMC is accessible via the CHC shuttle that runs to the Chestnut Hill East train station.  Please let Anna know if you have any questions about that.
  • Weekly Mass
    Mass is offered every Monday in the Carlino Chapel at 2:00 p.m. This liturgy is open to all members of the campus community. Take time for a prayerful pause in the midst of your day and join us to worship.