Welcome to Chaplaincy at Digby Stuart College

Here at Digby Stuart College, we have a wonderful and rich heritage gifted to us by our founders, the Society of the Sacred Heart, and their vision and commitment to educating and celebrating the whole person still sits at the heart of what we do.

Through our College Chaplaincy Team, Digby Stuart offers a welcome to all members of our community from all faiths and cultures. The chaplaincy supports each member of our community to flourish by creating spaces and opportunities to practice and explore faith, build community, and experience the gift of hospitality where everyone is invited to come as they are.

You can find out more about the College Chaplaincy Team and how to get in touch with them by heading over to our Meet the College Team page.

Catholic Chaplaincy @ Digby Stuart College

Digby Stuart College is home to the Roehampton Catholic Community. We host a weekly celebration of Mass in the Sacred Heart Chapel for students and staff from the Catholic tradition across the University, and there are plenty of other opportunities to come together for prayer, termly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and gatherings for our many Sacred Heart Feasts connecting Digby Stuart with all Society of the Sacred Heart schools and colleges worldwide.

We have a wide programme with opportunities to explore faith and connect to the Catholic community across the Archdiocese of Southwark and beyond, as well as many social and community gatherings.  To find out more about what is coming up, you can sign up here.

Multi-Faith Chaplaincy

Ginny is the Catholic Chaplain to the University and, along with Julia, is also a member of the wider multi-faith Chaplaincy team. They work with their colleagues across the University to offering an inclusive chaplaincy service.

The multi-faith chaplaincy offers spiritual support for those seeking to follow specific faith traditions, as well as those faiths not currently represented in the team, and commits to creating a vibrant and engaged community which sees the importance of the gift of hospitality, celebrates each other’s joys, and supports one another through hardships.  The chaplaincy seeks to be open and approachable, embracing the motto ‘flourishing in faith and friendship’, and encourages students and staff to get in touch with their needs so that they can be listened to, understood and receive appropriate provision.

As well as spiritual support, the chaplains are also available to anyone exploring vocation, seeking community, or needing a listening ear.

Within Digby Stuart College we have prayer rooms rooted in the Islamic tradition, located on the ground floor of the Fincham building. There is a dedicated space for ablution, and prayer mats and copies of the holy Quran are provided. Here you will find space to pray, relax, read, and contemplate. People of all faiths are very welcome to use them. Please see the Chaplaincy website for further details and a map for locations of all the prayer rooms across the University.

Friday Jummu’ah prayer takes place on campus, and for further details please see our social media platforms or email Sabiha Iqbal, our University Muslim Chaplain.

Within the College you will also find vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and halal food on offer in the Digby Diner and shop.

Contacts for our chaplaincy team, along with more information, social media links, and our chaplaincy map can be found on our University chaplaincy page.

Our Chapels and Chaplaincy Spaces

Since Digby Stuart’s inception as a Society of the Sacred Heart Convent and School in 1874, many people have found sanctuary and rest within our College chapel spaces.  Today, our chapels remain open to everyone at the university and our many visitors and friends. 

The Sacred Heart Chapel is the heart of the college and is the final resting place for our namesakes, Mother Mabel Digby and Mother Janet Stuart.  This is where our weekly celebration of Mass takes place and, along with the St Thomas Chapel, is open daily as a quiet space for personal prayer and reflection. The main Digby Chapel, when not being used for lectures, is also open for you to spend time in the sanctuary and is where we host the annual University Carol Service, to which all are invited!

Digby Stuart is also home to The Base – our college chaplaincy social space and kitchen located on the ground floor of Erasmus House (near the College offices).  The Base is open every day and here you will find plenty of space to chill out and relax. We have books, games, and puzzles for you to enjoy with a hot drink – tea and coffee making facilities are provided! - and it is a lovely space to wind down and socialise with friends.

The Base is available to be booked out for afternoon and evening social groups upon request – please contact the College chaplaincy team for more details.

Lastly, we have a beautiful Peace Garden and Fr Roberts Memorial cherry tree walk in Barat Square between the Chapels and Erasmus House, and all are welcome to sit and enjoy on a sunny day!

HCPT Annual Easter Pilgrimage – Lourdes, France

One of the highlights of the year is our annual Easter pilgrimage to Lourdes with HCPT, where students and staff are invited to join us on a week-long trip supporting disabled and disadvantaged children to enjoy a pilgrimage holiday in the South of France. You do not need practice any particular faith in order to join the trip, but you should definitely be prepared to laugh, have fun, and be challenged!

‘Lourdes was a really amazing and fulfilling trip. It brought me closer to my faith and allowed me to meet new people and make lifelong friends. I strongly recommend it to anyone thinking of going!’
Student Volunteer 2023

We will be running introductory information sessions for the 2024 pilgrimage on the following dates:

Monday 16^th October 2023

Thursday 2^nd November 2023

Please contact Ginny (College Chaplain) for more details.

Barat House Intentional Community

Barat House is part of an ongoing commitment between Digby Stuart and Southlands colleges to celebrate ecumenism.  Every year, a small community of students are invited to live in Barat House for an academic year, supported by our two resident Chaplaincy Community Workers, Julia (Digby Stuart) and Hannah (Southlands), and the respective College Chaplains.

With the support of the chaplaincy, students living in Barat House are expected to work together to create an intentional community, guided by the Christian ethos of Digby Stuart and Southlands Colleges.The intention is for the community to forge a new way of living in a university context, drawing on religious beliefs and values to inspire and have an impact on others. Living in Barat House offer students the opportunity to explore faith in action with an emphasis on ecumenism and the shared values between the Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches, with equality, social justice and a commitment to improving the lives of others informing the ethos of the community.

When you start thinking about your accommodation for next year, why not see if living in intentional community is for you!