Chaplains
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
Our Chaplains
Chaplain Services
Staff & Affiliates
Chaplain Information
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.
August 13: Tisha B’Av (Judaism)
August 15: Feast of the Assumption of Mary (Catholic Christianity)
August 15-16: Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)
August 19: Raksha Bandhan (Hinduism)
August 31 – September 7: Paryushan Parva (Jainism)
September 7: Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaturthi (Hinduism)
September 16: Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
September 21-29: Mabon (Pagan/Wiccan)
October 3-4: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
October 3-12: Navaratri (Hinduism)
October 6: Tzom Gedaliah (Judaism)
October 12: Yom Kippur (Judaism)
October 12: Dussehra (Hinduism)
October 17 – 23: Sukkot (Judaism)
October 24: Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
October 25: Simchat Torah (Judaism)
October 31: Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
October 22-23: Twin Holy Days (Bahá’í Faith)
October 31: Reformation Day (Protestant Christianity)
November 1: All Saints’ Day (Christianity)
November 1: Samhain (Wiccan, Pagan)
November 2: All Souls’ Day (Christianity)
November 15: Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikh)
November 26: Day of the Covenant (Bahá’í)
December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
December 8th: Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Catholic Christianity)
December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic Christianity)
December 21: Yule (Pagan/Wiccan)
December 25: Christmas (Christianity)
December 26: Zarathosht Diso (Zoroastrian)
December 26 – January 2: Hanukkah (Judaism)
SPRING 2025
January 1: Feast of Mary Mother of God (Catholic Christianity)
January 1: Oshogatsu (Shinto)
January 10: Asara B’Tevet (Judaism)
January 6: Epiphany (Christianity)
January 7: Christmas (Orthodox Christianity)
January 14: Makar Sankranti (Hinduism)
January 14: Birth of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikh)
January 27: Lailat al-Miraj (Islam)
January 29: Lunar New Year (Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism)
February 2: Imbolc (Pagan/Wiccan)
February 2: Vasant Panchami (Hinduism)
February 26: Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
March 1–30: Ramadan (Islam)
March 1-19: Nineteen Day Fast (Bahá’í Faith)
March 3: Clean Monday/Ash Monday (Orthodox Christianity)
March 5: Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
March 13: Ta’anit Esther (Judaism)
March 14: Purim (Judaism)
March 14: Holi (Hinduism)
March 19th: Ostara (Pagan, Wiccan)
March 22: Nowruz (Zoroastrianism and Bahá’í Faith)
March 30: Magha Puja Day (Buddhism)
March 31: Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
April 13: Palm Sunday (Orthodox Christianity)
April 13-20: Holy Week (Orthodox Christianity)
April 10: Mahavir Jayanti (Jainism)
April 10: Ta’anit Bechorot (Judaism)
April 13-20: Passover (Judaism)
April 13: Palm Sunday (Christianity)
April 13-20: Holy Week (Christianity)
April 17: Holy Thursday (Orthodox Christianity)
April 18: Good Friday (Orthodox Christianity)
April 14: Vaisakhi (Sikhism)
April 17: Holy Thursday (Christianity)
April 18: Good Friday (Christianity)
April 20: Easter (Christianity)
April 20: Easter (Orthodox Christianity)
April 21– May 2: Ridvan (Bahá’í Faith)
May 1: Beltane (Wicca, Paganism)
May 5: Buddha’s Birthday (Buddhism)
May 23: Declaration of the Bab (Bahá’í Faith)
May 29: Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’í Faith)
May 29: Ascension (Christianity)
First talk to your Chaplain Advisor about swipe access. Swipe access may be granted to a student for a specific purpose.
Upon receiving approval from your Chaplain Advisor, please complete this McAlister Swipe Access Form and to agree to our McAlister Policies and General Meeting Room Rules Agreement. Completing this form does not guarantee access and any violation of the policy may result in losing your card swipe access. Please be sure to get e-mail confirmation from us before you rely on getting into McAlister with your swipe access.
Note: Under normal circumstances, our spaces are available for individual students to relax and enjoy when not in use for a service or program. Please consult the event calendar for vacancies, but please note that not every event or reservation will be reflected in the calendar. Also, please be aware that set-up/take-down can make a room unavailable for as long as 48-72 hours before or after an event, especially in the case of the Lounge. You can always call us if you have a questions about availability.
Before inquiring about scheduling, please check the Chaplaincy calendar for availability.
Groups that want to request space or make a standing reservation must first be a recognized religious/spiritual organization and have completed the Religious Preference Form for the current school year. Once that has been completed, please contact your Chaplain Advisor and/or email chaplains@claremont.edu. Responses are usually sent within 48 – 72 hours. You must also agree to abide by our “General Meeting Room Rules“.
One-time reservations for groups that are not recognized religious/spiritual organization will be considered if space is available. Please contact chaplains@claremont.edu. Responses are usually sent within 48 – 72 hours.