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All Tufts students, staff, and faculty members can connect with our chaplains by submitting the brief form below. You can also find our direct emails here.
We are here for you.
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| A Reflection from the University Chaplaincy
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This past week, in the Western Christian liturgical tradition, we celebrated Laetare Sunday. This day is observed exactly twenty-one days before Easter, marking a midway point in the holy season of Lent.
Laetrare means ‘rejoice.’ It is an invitation to pause and embrace a spirit of hope during a primarily solemn and penitential time. This shift is expressed in many ways, in scripture stories of rejoicing—“being lost and now found”—and aesthetically—with the color pink. Altars go from dark violet to rose, symbolizing joy, and clergy don those rose vestments, which they only wear twice a year. Historically, this day has gone by names: Mothering Sunday, the Sunday of the Five Loaves, and Refreshment Sunday. Whatever you call it, the message is clear: we are journeying through the wilderness, but Easter—light, comfort, new life, resurrection—is on the horizon.
As I stood in the back of the chapel this past Sunday, I felt deep tension between the heaviness and fear within our Tufts community and this not-so-subtle liturgical shove to rejoice. What does that mean? To what should I be most true to? I thought of our Muslim friends and neighbors who, on that same day, were celebrating Eid, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. I think of the many griefs that each Tufts community member is holding right now. Our traditions so often require this of us—to celebrate and rejoice even in the most acute and painful moments. It does not dismiss this reality, but it affirms that we are part of something much larger, a story that began before us and will go on after us.
These tensions are real and unresolved. I have no neat way to tie them in a bow, but I take comfort in letting go, for just a moment, to experience the wise and ancient rhythms of my tradition that know our bodies and spirits need nourishment on the arduous journey.
The wilderness has always been exhausting and lonely. May nurturing and freshness find you this week.
With care,
Lynn Cooper
Catholic Chaplain and Associate Director, University Chaplaincy
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Heal the World Series at Auburn Theological Seminary with Dr. Lynn Cooper
Thursday, April 10, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Virtual
Join Auburn Theological Seminary for the Heal the World Series with Dr. Lynn Cooper, Catholic Chaplain and Associate Director of the University Chaplaincy here at Tufts University. She is the author of a new book Embracing our Time: The Sacrament of Interfaith Friendships. Each paid registration will get you a copy of Lynn's book due out in May 2025. Dr. Cooper will be interviewed by Auburn's Associate Dean, Rev. Dr. Shannon Daley-Harris, and our Director of Storytelling and Narrative Change, Erica Littlewolf. You can register to attend below.
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Special Interfaith Opportunities
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Interfaith Field Trip Week
Sunday, April 6, Wednesday, April 9, and Saturday, April 12
Thanks to our Advancing Religious Pluralism Grant from Interfaith America, the University Chaplaincy invites all students to Interfaith Field Trip Week this spring! We will host three field trips between Sunday, April 6, and Saturday, April 12. If you attend two of the three trips, you will be entered into a raffle to win a picnic tote filled with local goodies and supplies for a Prez Lawn picnic. Transportation is provided, and a meal will be served at each event.
- Islamic Society of Boston, Sunday, April 6, 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
- Sri Lakshmi Hindu Temple, Wednesday, April 9, 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (dinner provided)
- St. Cecelia's Catholic Church, Saturday, April 12, 11 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
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Interfaith Shabbat at Tufts Hillel
Friday, April 4, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Tufts Hillel
Join Tufts Hillel for the annual Interfaith Shabbat! We're thrilled to invite you to an evening of conversation, reflection, music, and relaxation, as we kick off Shabbat — the weekly Jewish day of rest. The event will feature University Chaplaincy ensemble Voices for Peace and Light. People of all backgrounds and faiths are welcomed and encouraged to join. To help us accommodate you for dinner, please RSVP below. For more information, please contact Senior Jewish Educator at Tufts Hillel Katie Hamelburg.
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TRANSforming Sacred Texts: Dinner and Discussion
Wednesday, April 9, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Interfaith Center, 58 Winthrop Street
Join the LGBT Center, Tufts Hillel, and the University Chaplaincy for a night of discussing sacred texts from three trans faith leaders from different religious traditions, while enjoying a catered dinner from Zhu Vegan! Please sign up to join us using the form below. Please contact Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell with any questions.
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Religious and Philosophical Events and Gatherings
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Our events and weekly gatherings are open to everyone in the Tufts community. You can find a calendar and descriptions of our regular events on our website. If you have an idea for a gathering or event, please contact the University Chaplaincy.
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Spaces to be Human: A One Night Art Show
Saturday, April 5, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Goddard Chapel
What does it mean to feel human? Within systems that don’t account for our whole selves, resistance can be found in life-affirming actions—slowing down, finding common ground, and embracing connection. This ethos shapes Spaces to be Human, a one-night exhibition that unfolds from the warmth of centering wholeness. Artist works will explore themes of spaces of connection—including but not limited to physical shared space, the landscape of our own bodies, and meaningful emotional topographies. Spaces to be Human will be held in Goddard Chapel and is co-curated by SMFA students Tainá Rocha and Elijah Mirman in collaboration with the University Chaplaincy. Please contact Interfaith Ambassador Elijah Mirman with any questions.
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Protestant Students Association Game Night
Sunday, April 6, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Goddard Chapel
Play games, connect with other students, and enjoy ice cream from Toscanini’s! All are welcome! Hosted by the Protestant Students Association. Please contact PSA president Lian Juergens with any questions.
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Death Café
Thursday, April 10th, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. in the Interfaith Center, 58 Winthrop St
Join the Humanist Community at Tufts for their first spring signature Death Cafe event. Death Cafes are an opportunity to reflect, make new friends, and develop a new understanding of the world and how you fit into it. Dinner will be provided. RSVP here. Contact HCAT with any questions.
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Daily Flame Community Prayer
Mondays and Tuesday, see times below
Join Daily flame for our community prayer times happening on Mondays and Tuesdays!
- Mondays at 6:45 a.m. on Tisch Roof
- Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in Eaton 221
- Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. in JCC 180
Join us to pray as we cast our cares onto God & wait expectantly for Him! All are welcome! Please email student leader Tolulope Adewumi with any questions.
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Resources and Opportunities
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New Civic Studies Course for Fall 2025: Religious Diversity, Interfaith Engagement, and Campus Life
Curious about how religion shapes university and civic life? Through real-world case studies, site visits around Boston, and insights from guest speakers, we will critically reflect on the ways religion and religious diversity have shaped higher education in the United States and uncover the role of youth-led interfaith activism in tackling issues like climate justice and in combating religious bias. Please contact instructor and University Chaplain Elyse Nelson Winger with any questions.
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Upcoming Religious Celebrations and Observances
To see more upcoming religious holidays and festivals, including information about seeking religious accommodations at Tufts, please follow the link to the Tufts Multifaith Calendar.
Great Lent
Monday, March 3 – Saturday, April 19, 2025
In Orthodox churches, the first day of Lent marks the beginning of the Great Fast, the final six weeks of a 10-week period leading up to Holy Week and Easter (Pascha). In the churches that follow the Gregorian calendar, Lent is a six-week observance (40 days excluding Sundays) beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating in Holy Week. It is a time of repentance and sacrifice in preparation for Easter. Observance(s) during this time may include fasting.
Anniversary of the Founding of the Church
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints observance. Annual World General Conference of the Church held on Saturday and Sunday closest to this date each year.
Ramanavami
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the God Vishnu. The Ramayana, one of the Hindu epics that tells the story of Rama, is read during the previous eight days.
Hanna Matsuri: Buddha's Birthday (East Asia)
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
April 8 is the day to celebrate the birth of Buddha. It is said that sweet rain poured from the sky at his birth, so the celebration involves pouring Amacha for the Buddhist statue in Hanamido. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Mahavir Jayanti
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Celebrates the birthday of Lord Mahavira. Born with the name Vardhamana in ca. 599 BCE, he was later given the titles of honor, Mahavira ("Great Hero") and Jina ("Conqueror" or "Victor"), a title applied also to the other Tirthankaras.
Passover (Pesach)
Saturday, April 12 – Sunday, April 20, 2025
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated for eight days with special prayers and symbolic foods at home, starting with the Seder, a ritual meal that re-enacts that ancient deliverance and emphasizes the freedom of the Jews under the guidance of God. The first two and the last two days are holidays. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Palm Sunday
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week that culminates in Easter or Pascha. In some churches, Palm Sunday is combined with the anticipation of Christ's death and so is also known as "Passon Sunday." Orthodox Christians often observe this Sunday on a date different from the date on which Protestant and Roman Catholics observe it.
Vaisakhi
Sunday, April 13 – Monday, April 14, 2025
Occurs on the first day of the solar year. It is primarily an agricultural festival, celebrating the harvest, and is especially important in North India. It is named after the month Vaisakh. For Sikhs, it is also the anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa (the "Brotherhood of the Pure") in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
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Support the University Chaplaincy
Supporting programs at Tufts University in religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life is easy and vital to our work. To donate, please click on the button below. Thank you for your generosity.
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The University Chaplaincy is a dynamic hub supporting religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life for all members of the Tufts community. We provide spiritual care, support religious and philosophical communities, educate about spiritual and ethical issues in society and the world, and promote multifaith engagement.
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