Tilburg University Chaplaincy

Covid-19 situation

For the time being, all activities take place on-line, except the liturgy (morning prayer on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, at 8:15 a.m., at Maranatha; Holy Mass on Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., at Maranatha; Holy Mass on Thursday and Friday at 8:15 a.m., at Maranatha; Holy Mass on Sunday, at 4:50 p.m., at the 'Heikese kerk' (Stadhuisstraat 6)).

For the time being, only 30 people can participate in the Sunday Holy Mass. To be sure to have a place at the International Student Mass on Sundays at 5 p.m. in the 'Heikese kerk' (Stadhuisstraat 6), you can obtain a free entrance ticket:

• after every celebration, in the back of the church or in the sacristy;
• by telephone (+31 (0)13 - 4675302), on Tuesdays, from 1:30 until 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.;
• by e-mail to studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com (until Thursday, 12 p.m.).

For those who have an entrance ticket, their places will be kept until 4:50 p.m. After that time, all remaining free seats will be given to those who arrive without a ticket.

Don't come if you have a cold or high temperature. Read here the entire protocol for ‘Church life at a 1.5 m distance’.

The Sunday Holy Masses are also broadcast via live streaming at live.chaplain.nl.

The zoom link for the School of community (Fridays at 7:30 p.m.) you can ask through our secretariat, studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com.

The zoom link for the Maranatha evening you receive when registering for this event at maranathaevening@gmail.com.

If you need any help in this situation or know a person who does, write us via helpmij@protonmail.com

• Wanna help us help people in this situation (f.e. by doing shopping or going to the pharmacy for people who can't leave their houses)?
  • First of all: take good care of yourself
  • Write us at ikhelp@protonmail.com

Spiritual Exercises for students, 11-13 December 2020

This year, the annual Spiritual Exercises for students will take place on-line. They are from Friday evening, 11 December (8.30 p.m.), to Sunday morning, 13 December. They will be preached by Fr J. Carrón pr., in Italian, with English translation.

The title is Is there hope?

These Spiritual Exercises replace the Spiritual Exercises for students and young professionals that were held at Maranatha in the first quarter of the past years .

Registration: for information on registration, please send an email to info@clnederland.org by 6 December.

Christmas night

As in previous years, Tilburg University Chaplaincy proposes a Christmas Midnight Mass in English on Thursday, 24 December, at 11 p.m.

Since, this year, due to the corona measures, only a limited number of people can participate, it is necessary to register for this Midnight Mass, preferably by 16 December, by sending an email to studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com.

You will then receive information about the exact location (Maranatha or the Heikese church).

Pilgrimage Holy Land 2021

At the moment, the international situation with regard to the coronavirus is too unpredictable to allow this trip to take place properly in the spring of 2021. We have therefore decided to postpone the pilgrimage. Hopefully, it can take place in 2022 (from April 18 to 25, 2022). When the pandemic is over, this will be announced.

Are you interested in the activities of Tilburg University Chaplaincy? Follow us on social media!

• Instagram @tilburguniversitychaplaincy
• Facebook @studentenkerkmaranatha
• Twitch @chaplainnl
• Twitter @chaplainnl

You can also become a member of Facebook group Tilburg University Chaplaincy!

If you wish to have a personal talk about anything (grief, joy, identity or loneliness), or simply for a cup of coffee. Meet the chaplain, Fr Michael Peeters, at 'Maranatha' student church, Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19 (next to the Sports center; from the campus, go three hundred meters towards the city center; the church is on the left-hand side of the road), or in a video call. In order to make an appointment, please send an email to chaplain@tilburguniversity.edu, containing a number of time slots that suit you, preferably from Tuesday to Friday between 4 pm and 5 pm, and also indicate whether you want to come by yourself or if you want to talk by Skype. You will then receive a proposal for an appointment by e-mail, which you then should confirm.

In emergencies, call the chaplain at any time at 06-10405358.

An easy and nice way to see if the Chaplaincy is something for you, is to participate in one of the Chaplaincy tours or Maranatha evenings, usually on Thursdays.

Chaplaincy tours are bike tours to beautiful places around to Tilburg. The tour starts at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. from university church 'Maranatha', Professor Cobbenhagenlaan 19 in Tilburg. Bring your own bike! We conclude with a meal at the same place. At about 7:30 p.m. the program is finished.

Maranatha evenings are cultural evenings, starting with a meal at 6:30 p.m., followed by a movie, listening together to a piece of (classical) music, getting to know a great work of art or literature, or a discussion about a theme.

For both kinds of events, you should register by sending an e-mail, at least one day before, to maranathaevening@gmail.com. For the meal, a contribution of 5 euro is asked.

As long as the Covid-19 safety measures are in place, only a limited number of people can participate in the meals (8) and the cultural program (12). More people can participate in the Chaplaincy tours (bike tours). If the places for the Maranatha evenings are already fully occupied, you will hear this after your registration. Precedence will be given to university students, especially new students.

Come and have a look some Thursday!

The programma of the Chaplaincy tours and Maranatha evenings in 2020-2021:

What is the relationship between my study and the rest of my life? How can I grow without being alienated by sterile specialization? Can we say something about the ultimate meaning of things? Can religious faith possibly be reasonable?

These and other fundamental questions are treated critically and systematically during a weekly 'School of community', every Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 'Maranatha' student church (Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19). Come and participate freely.

Because of the Covid-19 situation, it is also possible to participate in School of community online, via zoom. Ask the zoom link at our secretariat: studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is Study Day at Maranatha from 8:45 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. You can work in Maranatha's library or meeting room. Coffee, tea, and Wifi, are available. You can bring and eat your own lunch. Of course, bring your own textbooks and laptop.

The university chaplain is also parish priest of Catholic student parish 'Maranatha' (Professor Cobbenhagenlaan 19).

Holy Mass on Sundays (at the 'Heikese kerk')

The Sunday Holy Mass of Tilburg University Chaplaincy  is at 5:00 p.m.  Attention, not at Maranatha, but in the so-called "Heikese kerk" in the city center. Address: Stadhuisstraat 6, Tilburg.

The Mass is alternately in English (11, 25 Oct., etc.) and Dutch (4, 18 Oct., etc.). However, he booklet, the homily, and the announcements, are always in both languages; therefore, English-speaking people can always follow the entire service.

For the time being, only 30 people can participate in the Sunday Holy Mass. To be sure to have a place, you can obtain a free entrance ticket:

• after every celebration, in the back of the church or in the sacristy;
• by telephone (013-4675302), on Tuedays, from 1:30 until 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.;
• by e-mail to studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com (until Thursday, 12 p.m.).

For those who have an entrance ticket, their places will be kept until 4:50 p.m. After that time, all remaining free seats will be given to those who arrive without a ticket.

Holy Mass on Christian holy days (at 'Maranatha')

On the following holy days in 2020-2021, there are extra celebrations (they will all take place at 'Maranatha', Professor Cobbenhagenlaan 19)

• Monday, 2 November, All Souls: Holy Mass in English at 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 24 December, Christmas Midnight Mass in English at 11:00 p.m.
• Friday, 1 January 2021, New Year: Holy Mass in English at 5:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, 17 February, Ash Wednesday: Holy Mass in English at 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 1 April, Maundy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper in English at 8 p.m.
• Friday, 2 April, Good Friday: Way of the Cross at 2 p.m.; Good Friday Liturgy in English at 5 p.m.
• Saturday, 3 April, Easter Vigil in English at 9:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 13 May, Ascension: Holy Mass in English at 5:00 p.m.

Holy Mass on weekdays (at 'Maranatha')

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., and on Thursdays and Fridays at 8:15 a.m., there is a short weekday Holy Mass at Maranatha. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the Mass is in English, on Wednesdays and Fridays it’s in Dutch.

There are no weekday Masses in the week after Easter (6-9 April 2021), the months of July and August, and the weeks 52, 53, 1, 2, and 3.

Ecumenical morning prayer (at 'Maranatha')

On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, at 8:15 a.m., there is an ecumenical morning prayer in English, at Maranatha.

There is no morning prayer in the week after Easter (6-9 April 2021), the months of July and August, and the weeks 52, 53, 1, 2, and 3.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation can be received at 'Maranatha' on appointment with the student chaplain, and also, without appointment, every Sunday from 4:30 p.m. in the 'Heikese kerk', Stadhuisstraat 6.

The church is open

Daily, except on Saturdays, university church 'Maranatha' is open from 8:00am until 6:00pm for visits and prayers.

Other Sacraments

The chaplain is also available for preparation for and administration of the other Sacraments (Baptism, Marriage, Sacrament of the Sick) for members of the university community.

A small polyphonic choir with a beautiful, international repertoire, accompanies the International Student Mass. From 4 October 2020 onwards, it rehearses every Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Heikese kerk, Stadhuisstraat 6. If you like to sing, just come and join!

The Chaplaincy offers a cheap course of Dutch grammar for those foreign students, and others, who would like to enter into the reality in which they find themselves, through one of its main instrument: the language.

This course explores Dutch Grammar, it suits beginners but also those who want to deepen their knowledge of Dutch language. 

The course takes place once every two weeks, on Wednesday evenings, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

The starting date is Wednesday 16th September 2020. 

It is possible to come to Maranatha or to follow the course in Zoom.

The book of reference (which you should bring), is: Carol Fehringer: A Reference Grammar of Dutch. With Exercises and Key, Cambridge University Press.

The contribution for the course (for 1 year) is 25 euro for (BA/MA) students and 50 euro for others (to be paid prior to the beginning of the courses - details to be communicated).

If you are interested in enrolling in one of these courses please fill the registration form:  dutch.chaplain.nl by 6 September 2020 (after this deadline demands will be considered only in exceptional cases). 

After collecting the demands we will  get back to you with all the necessary practical details. 

Tilburg University Chaplaincy organizes

• annual excursion to the most beautiful church of the Netherlands, St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch (6 February 2021), to the Kröller Müller Van Gogh Museum (26 September 2020), and to the Holy Land (5-12 April 2021)
• a nocturnal pilgrimage in June (26-27 July 2021)
• study weekends in the exams periods (f.e. 27-29 November 2020 [Covid-19 permitting])
• charity activities
• many other things

Feel free to come by to see what's happening!

A hospitable inn

The meeting room of student church 'Maranatha' regularly opens its doors for activities by students and student associations. Do not hesitate to ask about the possibilities.

University chaplain Fr Michael Peeters (1976) studied Slavonic languages and Law at Leiden University. After a year of working at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he went to Rome in 2001 to study philosophy and theology.

Since 2007 he is a Catholic priest and from 2006 until 2011 he worked in Russia: first in Siberia and then in Moscow.

In 2011 he came back to the Netherlands, and he is the chaplain of Tilburg University since September 2012.

University church 'Maranatha'

Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19

5037 DB  Tilburg

Telephone: 013-4675302

E-mail: studentenkerkmaranatha@gmail.com

Opening hours church: Sunday-Friday from 8 am until 6 pm

Opening hours secretariat: Tuesday from 1:30 pm until 5 pm and Thursday from 9:30 am until 1 pm

Bank account: IBAN NL76INGB0001945054 ; Subject: 'Maranatha Parochie'

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