Category Archives: Interfaith Matters

Six Ways Faculty and Staff Can Support Students During Ramadan: A Letter from Students

Dear Smith College Faculty and Staff, Greetings from Al Iman, Smith College’s Muslim Student Association. We are excited to announce that the Holy Month of Ramadan is approaching us in the Spring 2024 semester. The official start date depends on … Continue reading

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Reflections on Peace

Peace Now: Not the Absence of Tension but the Presence of Justice; Not the Presence of War but the Absence of Weapons By Reverend Matilda Cantwell, CRSL Director and College Chaplain When I was seventeen, I had a purple T-shirt; … Continue reading

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Introducing the Reflect, Resist, Rejuvenate Lounge

REFLECT RESIST REJUVENATE LOUNGE We are proud to announce the official “opening” or coming on-line of our Reflect, Resist, Rejuvenate lounge. This room was re-purposed just prior to the pandemic from a reading room to a reading room plus, with … Continue reading

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People of the Mask

My son is now a project manager for a large hospital system.  Two weeks ago, he took on the task of getting remote communications and monitoring programs into ICUs  so nurses could monitor Covid-19 patients without having to always enter … Continue reading

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Fear and Freedom: Hand in Hand

“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill, of things unknown, but longed for still, and his tune is heard on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom.”  ― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Here … Continue reading

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Times of Captivity, a Time of Liberation

For the next two issues, our newsletter will focus on the theme of liberation. Passover, the holiday which began last night, April 8, commemorates the successful exodus of the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. The COVID-19 crisis kept … Continue reading

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Darkness and Light

There are verses in psalm 139 that I have used (to mix my spiritual metaphors) like a Zen Koan. “If I were to say that darkness will shadow me, then night would be light on my account…Night shines as day.” … Continue reading

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Best Day Ever! Building Interfaith Community One Party at a Time!

This article represents reflections from Maeve Orlowski-Scherer ‘21, a student intern and leader in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. By 5:30 p.m., everything was ready. The chairs had been pushed back to the sides of the Helen Hills … Continue reading

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Our Year on Climate Change: Expanding the Golden Rule

CRSL is part of Smith’s college-wide initiative on climate change. Director of Religious & Spiritual Life and College Chaplain Matilda Cantwell discusses the impact of climate change and its connection to the work of the CRSL. My friend and colleague … Continue reading

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Doing Things That Change You: Action to Reflection at the CRSL

This summer I had the privilege of participating in the leadership of a conference entitled The Body, A Vehicle for Justice, Advocacy, and Change. https://starisland.org/program/star-gathering-2-family-conference-the-body/. Each day we began with a worship service in the Christian tradition, and this was followed … Continue reading

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