NU welcomes all religions

Norwich students practice a variety of religions. All are welcome to celebrate their respective faith on campus, according to the university chaplain, Reverend William S. Wick.

"Different brands of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, reformed, conservative; we've had Wicca, Buddhism, nature worship; of course there is agnostic and atheistic views, one Shinto a few years ago. That's the gamut I have seen so far," said Wick.

On campus there are several religious services offered to students.

"I've always been able to practice my faith fairly easily here on campus," said Steven Webber, 21, a senior studies in war and peace major from Kittery, Maine, "I know a couple of Jewish cadets that can go off campus for services and I know Rev helps kids get there to help practice their faith. It's a pretty open place."

The chapel is open to students of all faiths. However, some religious groups go off campus to other churches in surrounding communities.

"I go off campus for everything, this little church called Grace, which meets in Northfield High School," said Mark Moran, a 21-year-old senior history major from Colebrook, N.H.

Many non-denominational Christians and students of the Jewish faith must travel off-campus  to be with others of their faith and celebrate together.

Upperclass students provide the transportation. With the Rev's help, students find where they can go to be with others of their faith; they will then drive themselves there.

"We have students who coordinate it, me and the upperclassmen because we have cars; we drive together as a group," said David English, a 20-year-old junior communications major from Cypress, Calif. He goes to a synagogue in Stowe, Vt.

Freshmen of any faith can go off campus with upperclassmen on Sundays. Rooks are allowed leave on Sundays for religious purposes. The tradition is that the freshmen will stay with a family who has "adopted" them.

"After the second week of rookdom, I provide transportation, or get in contact with those that will give those rides. There is a confidential form and not a mandatory form that they can fill out," Wick said.

The chapel on campus is used for Catholic and nondenominational services on Sundays and Wednesdays.

"The opportunity is there if you want to, but usually we can do everything you need to do on campus. We have Mass at 6:30 on Sundays. On Wednesdays we have Mass at 7," said Josh Beardsley, a 20-year-old sophomore criminal justice major from Olney, Md.

Both services are held in the evening so as to not interfere with other religious services in town or around Vermont.

"We do our service in the evening deliberately, so as not to conflict with local churches," Wick said. "We want kids to get off campus and pursue what their parents have raised them. We do it in the evenings but not Sunday morning."

Catholic students also have the Knights of Columbus on campus. Students in both lifestyles may become a knight if they choose.

"Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization that does a lot of good stuff. It does a lot of charity, it started back in the 1880s to provide for the workers, immigrants, Catholics, who were being discriminated against in the country. They came together to share their faith and do good work for the community," Webber said.

Other religious groups may use the chapel. Those that follow the Islamic faith have a prayer room downstairs in the chapel that faces east towards Mecca.

"If they ask, the chapel is theirs, and some just want a small area. There is an Islamic prayer room downstairs in the chapel that our Islamic friends use. If they ask I will do the best I can to facilitate their needs," Wick said.

Though the chapel is available some people still find it tough to pursue their faith at Norwich.

"I would say it isn't easy, for two reasons. One, there isn't a lot of Jewish people here on campus, and for the other reason there is no religious center close by, we have to drive up to Stowe," English said.

English said that more reliable transportation or another place can be provided by the school.

Norwich is open to all religions and faiths. The chapel has no religious symbols on it, so anyone can go and use it as they need to, whether to pray or simply to meditate.

"I think that the Rev does an excellent job providing everybody with a place that they go that's friendly to their beliefs," said Paul Dolan, a 20-year-old sophomore studies in war and peace major from Anchorage, Alaska.