Tilburg University Chaplaincy

Don't come to Maranatha if

• you have complaints that are compatible with corona or when you have tested positive for COVID-19;
• your household member has complaints that are compatible with COVID-19 or if your household member tested positive for COVID-19;
• you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19;
• you come back from a risk area indicated by the Dutch government and there is a compulsory home quarantine.

The Sunday Holy Masses (at 5:00 pm) are also broadcast via live streaming at live.chaplain.nl.

Some activities are hybrid (i.e. you can follow them both at Maranatha and online). More information on our app (see below: 'Have you already installed our app?') or via our secretariat: chaplainnl@protonmail.com.

In order to thank for the past year, and to ask the Mystery for everything we desire, at the end of each academic year we propose a pilgrimage to a significant shrine in our region. In the last years, we made a nocturnal pilgrimage on foot from Tilburg to St John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch.

This year, for the first time, we propose a pilgrimage on bike. We'll go to the famous Marian pilgrimage shrine of Scherpenheuvel in Belgium, about 80 kilometers south of Tilburg.

We’ll leave from Maranatha on Saturday, June 25, at 8 am, and will ride the entire day, pausing in the beautiful city of Turnhout, at the church of St Dymphna in Geel, and at the Abbeys of Tongerlo and Averbode. In the evening, we’ll arrive at Scherpenheuvel, where we’ll celebrate the Sunday Mass in the beautiful basilica on the hill. Afterwards we’ll have dinner. We’ll stay overnight in a dorm in the Pilgrim’s House. Next morning, after breakfast, we’ll be picked up by cars, and a special truck will bring our bikes back to Tilburg.

Contribution: for high school students and university students (Bachelor & Master students): EUR 25; for all others: EUR 49. Included:

• dinner in Scherpenheuvel;
• overnight stay in Scherpenheuvel (in a dorm in the Pilgrim's House);
• breakfast in Scherpenheuvel;
• transportation back to Tilburg on Sunday morning, both for you and for your bike.

Register yourself in the app MijnRKK, or by sending an e-mail to chaplainnl@protonmail.com, while, at the same time transferring the contribution (25 EUR for (high school or BA/MA students), 49 EUR for others) to bank account NL76RABO0354297589 of "RK Par. Wederkomst van Chr.", stating "Pilgrimage Scherpenheuvel 2526JUN22 [your name] [your surname]".

Register as soon as possible, for the number of places is limited, but no later than June 12.

On June 25, bring:

• your own working bike;
• clothing, adequate for the weather;
• -sheets and towel(s); you may rent sheets from the venue; in that case, add EUR 7 to the contribution mentioned above;
• enough food and drinks (water!) for the road to Scherpenheuvel (dinner and breakfast in Scherpenheuvel will be provided).

Install our app MijnRKK in order to receive access to Tilburg University Chaplaincy's and University parish Maranatha's updated Agenda and to register easily for all activities.

To get full access to this app, including the Agenda, you need to send an e-mail to our secretariat (chaplainnl@protonmail.com); indicate whether you are a student or employee of Tilburg University or another institution of higher education, and/or that you attend the activities or celebrations of Maranatha, and that you want full access to the app. You will then be invited by us to join the app for free.

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 on Monday, Thursday or Friday in the afternoon, and also indicate whether you want to come 'in person' or if you want to talk on Zoom. You will 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 Maranatha evenings, (almost) every Thursday (not in July and August).

Maranatha evenings are cultural evenings, starting with a meal at 6:30 pm, 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. The evenings are held in English.

In the months of September, May and June ,the Maranatha evenings are in the form of a Bike Tour in and around Tilburg. They start at 5:00 pm (the meal is then after the tour). Bring your own bike!

To participate, you should register by Wednesday, either in our app MijnRKK (see above), or by sending an e-mail to chaplainnl@protonmail.com. For the meal, a contribution of 5 euro is asked (drinks not included). Please bring this in cash. (Note: the meal is only for those who participate in the entire Maranatha evening; and if you register but do not show up (or cancel on Thursday), you still have to pay the 5 euros, because the purchases are already made).

Program 2021-2022:

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 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Maranatha (but it is also possible to participate in zoom. Find the zoom link in the MijnRKK app).

Come and participate freely!

From Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm, you can study in Maranatha's library. There is coffee and tea, as well as a place to eat your lunch. You don't need to make a reservation, but you do need to check in between 8:45 and 9:00 am! So get up early, but then you can work fine!

Not in the week after Easter, the months of July and August, and the weeks 52, 53, 1, 2, and 3. Access can be denied without public justification.

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

Holy Mass on Sundays

The Sunday Holy Mass of Tilburg University Chaplaincy  is at 5:00 pm.

The Mass is alternately in English (odd week numbers) and Dutch (even week numbers). However, the booklet, the homily, and the announcements, are always in both languages; therefore, English-speaking people can always follow the entire service.

Holy Mass on Christian holy days

On the following Christian holy days during the academic year 2021-2022, there are extra celebrations:

• Monday,  November 1, All Saints: International Student Mass at 17:30 hrs.
• Tuesday, November 2 , All Souls: International Student Mass at 17:30 p.m.
• Saturday, December 24, Christmas: International Student Mass at 11:00 hrs.
• Saturday, January 1, 2022, New Year: International Student Mass at 11:00 hrs.
• Wednesday, March 2, Ash Wednesday: International Student Mass at 17:30 hrs.
• Thursday, April 14, Maundy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper at 20:00 hrs.
• Friday, April 15, Good Friday: Way of the Cross at 14:00 hrs.; Good Friday Liturgy at 17:00 hrs.
• Saturday, April 16, Easter Vigil at 21:30 hrs.
• Thursday, May 26, Ascension: International Student Mass in English at 17:00 hrs not at Maranatha but at the HASSELTSE KAPEL (Hasseltplein 7, Tilburg). For those who want to go there together by bike: we leave at 16:30 hrs from Maranatha.

Holy Mass on weekdays

(From September 1 until December 24, 2021, from January 24 until April 8, 2022, and from April 25 until June 30, 2022)

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

Install our app!

Install the app MijnRKK to receive access to Tilburg University Chaplaincy's and University parish Maranatha's updated Agenda. After installation, choose as "Mijn parochie" (= "My parish"): "Studentenkerk Maranatha". Then you can enter the app as a guest. To get access to the entire app, including the Agenda, then choose at the bottom of the Menu the option "Lid worden" (= "Become an app member"). After a few days University parish Maranatha will invite you to become an app member. Then you can use the entire app, including the updated Agenda.

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 16:45 until 18:00 hrs at 'Maranatha' (Professor Cobbenhagenlaan 19).

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.

The church is open

Daily, except on Saturdays, university church 'Maranatha' is open from 8:00 until 16:00 hrs for visits and prayers.

A small polyphonic choir with a beautiful, international repertoire, accompanies the International Student Mass. It rehearses every Sunday at 4:00 pm at 'Maranatha', Professor Cobbenhagenlaan 19. If you like to sing, just come and join!

Tilburg University Chaplaincy organizes

• excursions to Tongerlo Abbey (October 9, 2021), St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch (February 5, 2022), 'Catholic Amsterdam', with the Silent Procession (Stille Omgang) (March 19, 2022), and to the Holy Land (April 10-17, 2023)
• a study weekend in the exams period (November 26-28, 2021)
• a day of Spiritual Exercises at the beginning of Lent, for students and young professionals (March 12, 2022);
• an all-day proposal to live together Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (April 14-15,  2022);
• a Pilgrimage on bike to Scherpenheuvel (Belgium) at the end of the academic year (June 25-26, 2022)
• 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: chaplainnl@protonmail.com

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

Opening hours secretariat: Mondays from 9 am until 12 pm

Bank account: IBAN NL76RABO0354297589; Subject: 'R.K. Par. Wederkomst van Chr."

• Route description
• Campus Map

Would you like to be kept informed of all the activities of our Chaplaincy and be able to register easily?

Then install our 'MijnRKK' app!

Instructions: see above under 'Have you already installed our app?'

You can also follow us on social media:

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