St Martha’s Chapel Update

St Martha’s Chapel Update

by DEBORAH MEISTER, JAMES PRATT AND GWENDA WELLS

(from Anglican Montreal September 2026)

For more than twenty years, St Martha’s Chapel has served as a gathering place and spiritual home for young adults in our diocese and beyond. Its origins were in the

ecumenical Protestant chaplaincy at McGill and it built creatively within that identity until a few years ago. The Anglican Diocese’s primarynlong-term partner has been

the United Church of Canada, which has maintained a strong commitment to the ministry.

In recent years, the Disciples of Christ has also made a contribution, while Christ Church Cathedral, provides space and logistical support.

Under the leadership of the Rev Jean-Daniel O’Donncada, St Martha’s made the decision to step away from McGill and seek an identity as an ecumenical young adult ministry housed at the cathedral. Unfortunately, that decision not only cut it off from the stream of young adults arriving in Montreal each fall, but it also left the ministry without a clear vision, mission, or identity.

Following the recent departure of Chaplain Sarah Wicks Potter, the Bishop’s office and the Anglican members of the Board did not feel that the ministry was in a good position to open an immediate search for another chaplain. Instead, we have decided to pause the ministry for a few months while we engage in conversation between the ecumenical partners to clarify the mission and funding, seek ways to re-engage with McGill, and develop expectations for the incoming chaplain.

We also plan to reach out to university chaplaincies across the country to find out what is working well in their contexts, and to exchange with current and potential partners to build a sustainable, inclusive ministry.

Our hope is that these discussions will enable us to re-energize the important work of Christian formation in an atmosphere of inquiry, service and mutual support for young adults in Montreal, and to allow the new chaplain to begin work with clarity as to his/her/their objectives and expectations.

In the meantime, Rev’d Sophie Rolland will offer a Bible study, and the St Martha’s website will direct students to other resources and communities.