McMaster Catholic Chaplaincy

We are so blessed to have such a vibrant and alive Chaplaincy community!  While it can be easy for us to believe the Chaplaincy has been our “invention,” we all are indebted to the faith and work of Catholics for many years.  These students, faculty, pastors, and alumni have all let the Holy Spirit guide and nurture the Chaplaincy up until our own time.

Catholic students have been active at McMaster University since its move to Hamilton in the 1930s.  In the early years of McMaster in Hamilton, the Catholic students numbered 40 members.  Up until the early 1960s, McMaster was a Baptist university, and every student at McMaster was required to take a Bible course; provision was made for the Catholic students to have a course taught by a priest at nearby Canadian Martyrs church.

In 1966 Catholic students received their first full-time Chaplain, Fr. Gerald Gallagher, s.j., and for the next years various Jesuits served the community, followed by the Spiritan Fathers from 1975 to 1985. The Catholic community at McMaster was very active, sometimes drawing 200 people for Masses held in Gilmour Hall on campus. 

From the 1950s until the mid 1990s, Catholic alumni had a significant presence.  The Newman Alumni Association met regularly, organized speakers, held study groups, and even held formal balls to benefit the Newman Club. 

In 2005, Fr. Peter Nguyen was assigned as pastor of Canadian Martyrs parish and as chaplain for all Catholic ministry at McMaster.  Bishop Tonnos had moved the location of the McMaster Sunday mass from on campus at the Divinity College to Canadian Martyrs, with Fr. Peter introducing a student mass at noon on Sundays, though students were free to attend other times.

For most of its existence, Canadian Martyrs church only had a hall and one meeting room, so most chaplaincy events took place on campus. During Fr.Joe Salvanagayam’s time as chaplain starting in 2009, meetings and some socializing took place at the rectory.  

When Fr. Bradley Markus was appointed as pastor and chaplain, he advocated for the creation of a role to assist in the development of campus ministry at McMaster. Bishop Crosby supported this request and in 2017 Kathleen LeBlanc was hired as the first lay campus minister, followed by Rachel D’Souza, Paul O’Hagan, and (our current campus minister) jason greig. It was during the time of Fr. Markus that the members of the Chaplaincy and parish community were integrated as one faith community. 

Bishop Crosby had identified University Campus ministry as an important ministry in the diocese. Fr. Markus proposed to Bishop Crosby the construction of an off campus gathering place for students connected to the church.  Under the generous leadership of Bishop Crosby, the Diocese provided funds for the construction of the St. Kateri Centre, as a place of faith formation and encounter for the Catholic students at McMaster. Fr. Gregory Ogorzalek, current pastor and chaplain, Sr. Mary McIntyre, and other members of the Senior Leadership Team helped bring the Centre to completion. As a further gesture of support for campus ministry, the Hamilton diocese’s One Heart, One Soul 3-year major fundraising campaign, designated that a percentage of all funds raised be set aside for future use by campus ministries in the diocese.

Since its inception, St. Kateri Centre has become a valuable space for community, prayer, and mission for the McMaster Catholic Chaplaincy.  Please come join us and become part of our ever deepening story!