The
      UPEI
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      rather
      obscure,
      low-
     
     
      lying
      building
      situated
      across
      the
     
     
      way
      from
      the
      main
      entrance
      to
     
     
      Kelley
      Building
      has
      an
      interesting
     
     
      purpose
      and
      history.
      For
      more
     
     
      than
      thirty
      years,
      it
      has
      been
      the
     
     
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      and
      an
     
     
      integral
      part
      of
      the
      University.
      It
     
     
      was
      under
      the
      first
      administration
     
     
      of
      UPEI’s
      first
      president,
      Mr.
      Ron
     
     
      Baker,
      that
      the
      decision
      was
     
     
      made
      to
      convert
      an
      existing
      coffee
     
     
      shop/bookstore
      to
      the
      University
     
     
      Chaplaincy
      Centre.
     
    

    
     
      What
      is
      a
      chaplaincy?
      That
     
     
      is
      an
      interesting
      question
      and
      the
     
     
      answer
      might
      vary
      from
      institution
     
     
      to
      institution.
      However,
      having
      a
     
     
      chaplaincy
      on
      campus
      is
      part
      ofa
     
     
      long
      tradition
      that
      is
      well-
     
     
      established
      on
      university
     
     
      campuses
      across
      North
      America
     
     
      and
      Europe
      as
      well.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      at
     
     
      UPEI
      is
      an
      ecumenical
      place/
     
     
      space
      that
      offers
      students
      and
     
     
      faculty
      a
      unique
      opportunity
      on
     
     
      campus
      for
      quiet
      reflection,
     
     
      prayer
      and
      liturgical
      celebrations.
     
     
      The
      Centre
      is
      strongly
      rooted
      in
     
     
      the
      Christian
      tradition
      but
      it
      is
     
     
      also
      frequently
      used
      by
      other
     
     
      faiths
      and
      meditation
      groups.
      The
     
     
      Centre
      consists
      of
      a
      number
      of
     
     
      spaces
      or
      rooms:
      a
      small
      chapel,
      a
     
     
      large
      worship
      assembly
     
     
      area,
      a
      kitchen,
      a
      meeting
      area
     
     
      with
      small
      resource
      library
      and
     
     
      offices
      for
      the
      Catholic
      and
     
     
      Protestant
      chaplains
      on
      campus.
     
     
      The
      various
      rooms
      are
      adorned
     
     
      with
      works
      of
      art
      that
      help
      create
     
     
      a
      special
      atmosphere.
      For
     
     
      example,
      the
      main
      worship
      space
     
     
      is
      adorned
      with
      six
      beautiful
     
     
      quilted
      tapestries.
      They
      were
     
     
      designed
      by
      Father
      Adrien
     
     
      Arsenault,
      a
      member
      of
      the
      faculty
     
     
      of
      St.
      Dunstan’s
      (1953-1969),
     
     
      and
      of
      the
      University
      of
      Prince
     
     
      Edward
      Island
      for
      fourteen
      years.
     
     
      They
      depict
      a
      series
      of
      wonderful
     
     
      creational
      themes
      in
      bold
      vivid
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It
      has
      been
      suggested
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      primary
      purpose
      ofa
      University
     
     
      is
      the
      creation
      of
      knowledge
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      communication
      of
      that
     
     
      knowledge
      to
      others.
      Such
      a
     
     
      pursuit
      is
      to
      take
      place
      within
      the
     
     
      context
      ofa
      “community
      of
     
     
      learning
      as
      recognized
      by
      the
     
     
      mission
      statement
      of
      the
     
     
      University
      of
      Prince
      Edward
     
     
      Island.
      A
      chaplaincy
      centre
      has
      an
     
     
      important
      role
      to
      play
      in
      the
     
     
      achievement
      of
      both
      objectives:
     
     
      the
      creation
      of
      knowledge
      and
      of
     
     
      community.
      In
      this
      way
      its
     
    

    
     
      purpose
      is
      integrally
      rooted
      with
     
     
      the
      purpose
      of
      the
      University.
     
    

    
     
      A
      simple
      explanation
      of
      the
     
     
      long
      tradition
      of
      a
      chaplaincy
      on
     
     
      campus
      is
      that
      it
      provides
      a
      forum
     
     
      for
      the
      integration
      of
      faith
      and
     
     
      intellectual
      pursuit.
      This
      is
      in
     
     
      keeping
      with
      the
      principles
     
     
      espoused
      by
      the
      University
      of
     
     
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      to
      foster
     
     
      critical
      thinking
      and
      service
      to
     
     
      community
      among
      its
      graduates.
     
     
      The
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      has
     
     
      enriched
      students’
      knowledge
      of
     
     
      self
      and
      the
      world
      around
      them
     
     
      and
      has
      helped
      create
      community,
     
     
      i.e.
      a
      sense
      of
      belonging
      by
     
     
      serving
      as
      a
      meeting
      place.
     
    

    
     
      Sometimes
      we
      overlook
     
     
      the
      services
      that
      the
      University
     
     
      provides.
      Did
      you
      know
      that
      the
     
     
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      has
      a
      well-
     
     
      stocked
      kitchen
      that
      provides
     
     
      foodstuffs—
      canned
      goods,
     
     
      pasta,
      etc.—
      to
      students
      free
      of
     
     
      charge
      when
      resources
      are
     
     
      running
      low?
      Did
      you
      know
      that
     
     
      the
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      cooks
      up
     
     
      hot
      soup
      or
      chilli
     
     
      during
      exam
      time,
      so
     
     
      that
      students
      can
      grab
      a
      bite
      in
     
     
      between
      exams?
      Did
      you
      know
     
     
      that
      the
      Chaplaincy
      Centre
      helps
     
     
      the
      University
      host
      inter-
     
     
      university
      conferences,
      and
      helps
     
     
      send
      delegates
      to
      regional
      and
     
     
      national
      university
      student
     
     
      gatherings?
      If
      you
      wish
      to
      know
     
     
      more
      about
      the
      Chaplaincy
     
     
      Centre,
      please
      don’t
      be
      afraid
      to
     
     
      ask.
      Contact
      Father
      Charlie
      @
     
     
      566-0376
      or
      Mr.
      Bill
      Wiltshire
     
     
      @566-0574.
     
    

    
     
      Martha
      Gabriel
     
     
      UPEI
      Faculty
      of
      Education
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      mgabriel(@upei.ca
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Phone
      (902)
      566-0503
     
     
      Fax
      (902)
      566-0416