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. On Wednesdays between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. you can find the chaplain, Fr Michael Peeters, without appointment, at 'Maranatha' student church, at 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). It is also possible to make an individual appointment with the chaplain, either at 'Maranatha' or, on Fridays, in the Academia building by contacting the Student Desk.

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

On most Thursdays during the academic year the Chaplaincy organizes some kind of cultural activity at Maranatha Student Church (Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19).

This can be either

• a movie,
• a piece of music,
• a book,
• a discussion.

The evening starts with a meal at 6:30 p.m. Please register for the meal on Facebook (event 'Maranatha-avond') or by sending an email, not later than Wednesday, to maranathaevening@gmail.com. For the meal, a contribution of 5 euro is asked.

After the meal, at about 7:45 p.m., the rest of the program will start; this part is free and you can participate even when you didn't register for the meal.

Come and have a look some Thursday night! The program for coming Thursday is announced on the notice-board in front of the Maranatha building.

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 Tuesday from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 'Maranatha' student church (Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19). Come and participate freely.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is Study Day at Maranatha from 8:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. At 8:15 a.m. we start with morning prayer in the chapel. There will be two coffee/tea breaks and a lunch break. Please bring your own lunch and, of course, your own textbooks and laptop. Wifi is available.

Of course it is possible to participate for only part of the day, so that your lecture attendance will not be compromised.

The chaplain is also pastor of the Catholic student parish 'Second Coming of Christ - Maranatha'.

Holy Mass on Sundays and Christian holy days

Every Sunday (and also on 1 January and Ascension) at 5:00 p.m. there is a Holy Mass in English for students in our ‘underground church’ at Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19. At Christmas, there is a Midnight Mass on 24 December at 11:00 p.m and at Easter, we celebrate the solemn Easter Vigil on Saturday night at 9:30 p.m.

Christmas and Holy Week

On Wednesday in the week before Christmas (18 December 2019) the chaplaincy proposes a simple Christmas gesture with polyphonic and popular Christmas songs from different traditions. It starts at 12:30pm in the Big Foyer of the Cobbenhagen building. Are you interested to join the choir? Contact the chaplain!

On Good Friday (10 April 2020) we’ll walk a Way of the Cross on the university campus. We start at 2:00pm from Maranatha, Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 19. There’s no need to register.

Holy Mass on weekdays

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m., and on 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.

Ecumenical morning prayer

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

Visit and prayer

Daily, except on Saturdays, the student church 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 sacraments (sacrament of penance, 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. It rehearses every Sunday at 3:30pm in Maranatha’s meeting room. If you like to sing, just come and join!

Tilburg University Chaplaincy organizes

• annual excursion to the most beautiful church of the Netherlands, St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch , to the 'Holy Land', and to the Kröller Müller Van Gogh Museum 
• a nocturnal pilgrimage in July (11-12 July 2019)
• study weekends in the exams periods
• 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.