Welcome to the Harvard Catholic Center

29 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138-6031
Phone 617-491-8400     Fax 617-354-7092


It is hard to stereotype the people in any Harvard crowd and that is certainly true at the Harvard Catholic Center.  Some students come by for Sunday Eucharist, while others get absorbed with projects and friendships that last for years.  Still, all are bound by a common faith in Christ.  For Catholic students, Harvard is as much a pilgrimage of the heart and soul as it as a challenge for strong minds.

Over the years, thousands of women and men have brought a rich tradition of Catholic life to the University.  As a ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston and St. Paul Parish in Harvard Square, the Center keeps this tradition alive and flourishing on campus.  This is reflected in the Center's mission statement:

The Harvard Catholic Center invites students, faculty, alumni and the greater university community to grow into a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ through the Roman Catholic tradition of worship, inquiry, prayer and service to develop informed and compassionate individuals who use their intellectual and spiritual gifts for the benefit of the Church and the World.
 Student Center Sign


 

Undergraduates

Graduate Students and Young Professionals

  

Alumni

  

Staff
CSA Class of 2011
Above are members of the Class of 2011 at the CSA Senior Farewell, along with Fr. Bill Murphy, Undergraduate Chaplain 2004-2011.

The undergraduate group is known on campus as the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic Student Association, more familiarly as the CSA.  Picnics, prayer, discussions, spaghetti suppers and late night study breaks - the CSA combines spiritual and intellectual seriousness with the warmth of community, good fun, and service to people in need in the Harvard Square community and beyond.

The CSA provides a wealth of opportunities to undergraduates: retreats, communal prayer and small groups; discussions of contemporary religious and moral issues; and special liturgical events through the year.  Students volunteer in soup kitchens, schools, shelters for the homeless and tutoring programs for inner city youth.  Within St. Paul Parish, they teach CCD and serve as liturgical ministers.
There are many ways for the students at Harvard's various graduate and professional schools to become involved in Catholic life in Harvard Square.  Many offer weekly discussion groups or Bible studies, and the Law and Business Schools even offer Mass on their respective campuses.

Area young professionals are invited to participate in the programming offered at the Center as well.  Some of the most popular events that bring together graduate students and young professionals include monthly Thursday dinners and the Theology on Tap ministry.  There is even a group geared towards newlyweds and new parents called Young Couples and New Families: A Work in Progress.

CLSA Pro-Life Breakfast Photo
The Catholic Law Students Association hosted a Pro-Life Breakfast this February and raised over $1,200 to benefit Birthright, an organization that assists pregnant women in need. Above are the "chefs" from Harvard Law School and Fr. George Salzmann, Chaplain to the Graduate and Professional Schools.
DC Event in April
Alumni enjoy a reception hosted by the HCC in DC on April 14, 2011, before a presentation by His Eminence Cardinal Wuerl about the "New Evangelization."

We love the opportunity to meet our alumni and alumnae and encourage you to stop by for a visit whenever you find yourself in Harvard Square.

We also hope you will consider joining us at one of our regular liturgies, celebrated next door to the Harvard Catholic Center in St. Paul's Church.  Our summer Mass schedule is below:

Saturday at 5pm
Sunday at 7:30am, 9:00am & 11:00am
Daily at 8:00am & 12:10pm

We host special events for our alums throughout the year, both here at the Center and around the country.  For information about past and upcoming HCC alumni events, please visit the link below.
 A staff of chaplains and administrative personnel provides year-to-year continuity and support to the programming that takes place at the Harvard Catholic Center.

The Center is led by Fr. Michael Drea, Pastor and Senior Chaplain.  He is joined by two other full-time priests who specialize in ministry with the undergraduates and the graduate students.  This past year the Center was fortunate to have three part-time lay chaplains assisting the full-time staff, working with the undergraduates in the areas of small groups and one-on-one ministry.
 
2010-2011 Alumni Lay Chaplains
Left to right: Erica Soto (AB '07), Andrea Daniel (AB '09), and Odeviz Soto (AB '07, MDiv '11).

The chaplains are available for counseling and spiritual direction.  Appointments help, but you are always welcome to stop in.  To learn more about these dedicated individuals, please visit the link below.
 Visit the Site for the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic Student Association  Visit the Site for Graduate Students and Young Professionals  View Alumni Events  Meet the Chaplains




Visit the Harvard Catholic Center
 
  HCC Logo

How Can I Help?
The Center is located at 29 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. The Center is open daily as well as on many evenings and weekends during the academic year when students are hosting events.  If you are coming by to visit during regular business hours Monday-Friday, please ring the bell at the 29 Mount Auburn Street entrance.  Use the interactive map at right for detailed directions. The Harvard Catholic Center receives no financial support from the University.  It is funded entirely through the generosity of students, their parents, interested alumni/ae, and friends.  Please consider making a donation today.