Photo Credit: Quig Lee Photography
It may not always seem like it, but faith is alive and well at U of T’s Catholic college.
Victor Buklis, Editor-in-Chief
Among the seven colleges available to undergraduates in the Faculty of Arts & Science, St. Michael’s College is the only one with a Roman Catholic affiliation. What does that mean?
In some ways, not much. There are no uniforms, which often come to mind when thinking about Catholic schools. Classes taking place on the premises of St. Mike’s need not begin with prayers. St. Mike’s students are not required to take classes on Catholicism, nor are they required to commit to memory certain Christian prayers prior to graduating. Indeed, those that do not wish to engage with Catholicism or Christianity may successfully avoid such encounters for the entire time that they are students here.
We could debate these and other questions at length. Should instructors teaching in St. Mike’s buildings begin their classes in prayer? Should undergraduate students registered at St. Mike’s have, as a requirement for graduating, a basic intellectual grasp of the Catholic faith? I think so, on both counts. At the moment, however, the more pressing matter is whether, despite the ability to avoid religion if one so chooses, students can still engage with faith to a satisfying degree.
And the answer to that question is yes. The chance for students to deepen their faith is available to all who are interested in doing so. The key is to know where to look.
For instance, St. Basil’s Parish is on the northeast edge of campus. But it’s not hidden — the steeple is visible from the St. Mike’s quad, so those looking will easily find the church. The church is open daily for Mass, and on Sundays, there are times that can fit any student’s schedule: the earliest Mass is at 9 am while the latest is at 4:30 pm. If you want a visual reminder that St. Mike’s is a Catholic college and that faith has a place on campus, simply turn your head toward the church when you’re outside. Or better yet, attend Mass.
Campus Ministry is another place I’ve found many opportunities to deepen my faith. As a member of last year’s student team, I refined my own grasp of the faith by developing programming that encouraged others to engage the faith on various levels. I would point anyone serious about prayer, faith discussion, and service to others in the direction of Campus Ministry. You will meet like-minded people, and that is a great help on the journey of faith.
A smaller detail: some of the historic houses are named after Catholic thinkers. Gilson House and Maritain House, for example, are named after the Catholic philosophers Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain, who were both associated with St. Mike’s in their time. Use those subtle references as an opportunity to explore their work, or even other writings in the broader Catholic intellectual tradition.
In the end, the goal is that a Catholic university can deepen the faith of its students and lead them closer to God, no matter what subjects those students major in or what career paths they lean toward. My suggestion, for all interested in the faith, is to get your money’s worth: explore the faith as much as possible this year and take advantage of all that this Catholic university has to offer.
