Loading...

Contact the Chaplains

Phone | (909) 621-8685
Email | chaplains@claremont.edu
Hours | Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Chaplains Office
McAlister Center for Religious Activities
919 North Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711

Chaplains Office Factsheet
Join our Mailing List

Chaplains

At The Claremont Colleges, Chaplains serve as confidential spiritual counselors, emotional leaders, and provide ethical leadership to the campus community at large. There are four Chaplains onsite, a Protestant Pastor, Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Muslim Chaplain. Though each Chaplain holds a specific faith, they encourage and support all religious and spiritual student groups and communities on campus. It is the goal of the Chaplains to strengthen individual faith and promote interfaith relations. The Chaplains offer religious support, engagement opportunities, and foster a faith community for students as they pursue their education.

Our Chaplains

Father Joe Fenton
Catholic Chaplain
Rabbi Hannah Elkin
Jewish Chaplain
Rev. Dr. Joel Daniels
Protestant Chaplain
Shaila Andrabu headshot photo
Shaila Andrabi
Coordinator of Muslim Life

Chaplain Services

Staff & Affiliates

Chaplain Information

At The Claremont Colleges, Chaplains serve as confidential spiritual counselors, emotional leaders, and provide ethical leadership to the campus community at large. There are four Chaplains onsite, a Rabbi, Imam, Catholic Priest, and Protestant Minister. Though each Chaplain holds a specific faith, they encourage and support all religious and spiritual student groups and communities on campus. It is the goal of the Chaplains to strengthen individual faith and promote interfaith relations. The Chaplains offer religious support, engagement opportunities, and foster a faith community for students as they pursue their education.

Are there religious services I can join?
Yes! The Chaplains host weekly Shabbat Service, Jummah Prayer, and Catholic Mass. If these services do not align with your faith, we can connect you to student organizations (Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, LDS, etc.) that host services and worship as well.

Do I have to be religious to join events or services?
No. The Chaplains support all students regardless of faith or being nonreligious. Fill free to join any service, event, or meal. At these events, there is no pressuring or recruiting. The Chaplains want you to make friends, join fun events, and grow as an individual whether that is through faith or community.

How do I meet with a Chaplain one on one?
Contact our office via email, phone, or in person and we will schedule a pastoral counseling appointment for you. Remember that these meetings will remain confidential. The Chaplains are not mandated reporters, thus anything you share will be confidential and respected.

Can I pray privately on campus?
Yes, the McAlister Center for Religious Activities has a private prayer room. You can access the prayer room anytime, no sign-in is required. In the prayer room, we have prayer rugs, worship clothing (hats, shawls, kippot), and religious texts available if needed.

Religious Holidays Update

August8AshuraIslam
August30Ganesh ChaturthiHinduism
September25-26Rosh HashanahJudaism
September26Navaratri BeginsHinduism
October4-5Yom KippurJudaism
October5Vijaya DashamiHinduism
October9-16SukkotJudaism
October17-18Shemini Atzeret/Simchat TorahJudaism
October24DiwaliHinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism
October26Birth of BabBaháʼí
October27Birth of Baha’u’llahBaháʼí
December18-26HanukkahJudaism
December25ChristmasChristianity
January7Julian ChristmasOrthodox Christianity
January14Pongal/Makar SankrantiHinduism
February5-6Tu B’ShevatJudaism
February18Maha ShivaratriHinduism
March6-7PurimJudaism
March7HoliHinduism
March21Naw RuzBaháʼí
March22Lunar New Year/YugadiHinduism
March23-31RamadanIslam
April1-20RamadanIslam
April5-13PassoverJudaism
April7Good FridayChristianity
April8Holy SaturdayChristianity
April9EasterChristianity
April13Solar New Year/Vaisakhi/PuthanduHinduism
April14Good FridayOrthodox Christianity
April16Pascha/EasterOrthodox Christianity
April211st day of RidvanBaháʼí
April21Eid-al-FitrIslam
April299th day of RidvanBaháʼí
May212th day of RidvanBaháʼí
May24Declaration of BabBaháʼí
May25-27ShavuotJudaism
May29Ascension of Baha’u’llahBaháʼí

Swipe access to the McAlister Center for Religious Activities is currently unavailable.

Reserving spaces at the McAlister Center is currently unavailable.

Upcoming Events

RAMADAN