Multifaith Team Volunteers

In addition to our McGill staff, MORSL is blessed to have a wide variety of faith volunteers working to serve a diverse student population. Contact them directly to inquire about their availability. Click the buttons below to navigate the faith team:

MORSL Bahá'í Christian Gnostic

Jewish  Muslim  Quaker  Sikh

 

Carlene Gardner

MORSL Director

Carlene Gardner
Carlene is a life-long Unitarian-Universalist (UU) whose passion for mentoring youth evolved into various jobs working with teens and young adults in campus ministry. Before becoming MORSL's Director, she was MORSL's Faith Liaison to the Montreal UU community for 5 years while simultaneously pursuing a Master's in Teaching and Learning at McGill. She specialized in second language instruction, and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. While Montreal is her beloved home and the city she always comes back to, Carlene is also very curious about the world and enjoys travelling and discovering the many ways that people live and connect to their spiritual self. She is currently pursuing a PhD in contemporary religious studies at Université de Sherbrooke with a focus on young adult spirituality. She is always available to talk with students of any religious, secular or spiritual identity. Reach her by email or phone, or make an appointment to meet in person at our office.

 

Carlene is available for all MORSL inquiries.
Make an appointment with Carlene    ➡️Browse Resource Listings for Unitarians 

Mail iconcarlene.gardner [at] mcgill.ca (Email Carlene)


Adriana Cabrera Cleves

Bahá’í Faith Volunteer

Adriana Cabrera Cleves
Adriana is our Bahá’í Faith volunteer. She is native of Colombia and has served as Director of the Inter-religious Affairs Bureau-External Affairs of the Bahá’í Community in Montreal since 2011. Adriana is a museologist, researcher, and consultant in human rights, social justice, and museology with extensive international experience. She is interested in investigating the challenges and prospects for strengthening human rights and for meeting future challenges to advance equality and social justice through the study of museums devoted to human rights issues. Adriana’s research is aligned with the rise of an unprecedented consciousness that we all belong to a single emerging world civilization and that our survival depends on acceptance of a transcendent ethos of human dignity for all. Moreover, museums are becoming agents of social change and Adriana is exploring how these institutions can contribute to bringing about lasting social, moral and spiritual transformation in connection with social movements and grassroots activism .Her perspective also responds to the need of developing an effective system of global justice with international institutions as part of an evolutionary process and the necessity of building a spiritualized world culture that will enable human dignity to be realized. Her other interests include the internal martial arts of Tai Chi and Qi gong, nature, literature and art. The website of the worldwide Bahá’í Community is bahai.org and the website of the Montreal Bahá’í Community is bahaimontreal.org.

 

Mail iconclevesadriana [at] gmail.com (Email Adriana)

 


Rev. Dr. Anthony Atansi

Christian Roman Catholic Faith Volunteer

Father Anthony
Father  Anthony is Chaplain at the Newman Centre of McGill University and a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Awka, Nigeria. He obtained a Doctor of Sacred Theology (Ph.D. and S.T.D) in 2020, with the greatest distinction, from KU Leuven, Belgium. He brings to Newman years of pastoral and academic experience in Nigeria, Belgium and United States of America. At the Newman Centre, he offers services in liturgical and sacramental ministries such as Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is passionate about having heart-to-heart conversations and positive life-changing encounters, engaging with the "great questions" of meaning and human flourishing in life, and celebrating our unique and common humanity. In his free time, he loves reading a good book.

 

Father Anthony is happy to respond to any communications via virtual platforms during office hours (Tues. and Thurs. 10am-5pm). Email for an appointment.

Mail iconchaplain [at] newmancentre.org (Email Father Anthony)

 


Father Ihor Kutash

Christian Orthodox Faith Volunteer

Father Ihor
Father Ihor is a pioneer of the McGill multi-faith Chaplaincy. He has been on the team since 1975! He has been a member of the McGill community even longer than that, having received his M.A. & Ph.D. from the Faculty of Religious Studies during the years 1970-1987. He is a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and a professor of Eastern Christian theology and culture. He is also the king of unexpected pop culture and science fiction references.

 

 

Father Ihor is happy to respond to any communications via internet, phone or in person during this time.

Mail iconikutash [at] gmail.com (Email Father Ihor)

 


Deacon Jonathan Stewart

Gnosticism/Mysticism/Mindfulness Faith Volunteer

Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan is our Gnostic Faith liaison. He's volunteer clergy for the Gnostic and mystical Apostolic Johannite Church's Montreal community. Originally from Canada’s East Coast he lives in Montreal working as a freelance writer and as professional Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction facilitator and mindfulness coach. Meditation is a particular interest of Jonathan's and he’s been meditating in both Buddhist and Christian traditions since he was a teen; this has come in handy as he married a Buddhist and is happy to have common ground in his interfaith marriage. Outside of his specific Christian Gnostic denomination, he's interested in the mystic traditions of all faiths and is happy to be a resource for any student in regards to both mysticism and meditation regardless of one's beliefs or lack thereof.

 

Jonathan is available via email. You may also use this webform for prayer requests.

Mail iconjonathanchristopherstewart [at] gmail.com (Email Jonathan)

Apostolic Johannite Church linkApostolic Johannite Church

 


Rabbi Shmuly Weiss

Jewish (Chabad) Faith Volunteer

Rabbi Shmuly

Shmuly, our Chabad Rabbi, writes, “The Chabad Student Center of McGill University is a home away from home. We, at Chabad, are dedicated to the holistic well-being of each and every student and strive to be the nexus of their social, cultural, and religious needs. We offer students emotional security, spiritual growth, and personal guidance in a warm and nurturing environment. Furthermore, we empower students with the tools to engage in the higher education of Judaism. Students are able to explore and discover their heritage in an atmosphere of intellectual stimulation infused with Jewish values and traditions.”

Rabbi Weiss can be reached via phone or email or at Chabad House for inquiries.
➡️Gatherings

Phone icon514-661-6971

Mail iconshmuly [at] chabadmcgill.com (Email Rabbi Shmuly)

Chabad McGill linkChabad McGill

 


Rabbi Greenspan

Jewish (Reform) Faith Volunteer

Rabbi Greenspan
Rabbi Ellen Greenspan served from August 2014 to June 2022 as the Rabbi-Educator at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom. She moved to Montreal from New Jersey, and is excited to remain in Montreal to pursue various interests, including serving as a Faith Volunteer at MORSL. Rabbi Greenspan is a Reform Rabbi, Judaism’s most liberal movement. She is passionate about helping people explore their spiritual and religious identities. Rabbi Greenspan is available to teach, lead workshops, and for private conversation. She was ordained at the Hebrew Union College, (HUC), in New York. She received two Masters Degrees from HUC in Los Angeles: a Masters of Hebrew Letters and a Masters in Jewish Education. She served as a rabbi and in other educational and community building capacities for many years in New Jersey. 

 

Mail iconrabbiegreenspan [at] outlook.com (Email Rabbi Greenspan)

 


Faisal Malik

Muslim Faith Volunteer

Faisal Malik portrait

Faisal has a BA in Religion from Concordia University, MA in Near/Middle Eastern Civilizations from University of Toronto and a Diploma in Arabic from International Open University. Along with his academic studies he continues to pursue Islamic studies from various institutes and scholars. Along with his studies he has years of experience in community grass roots work and currently works as Marketing/Project Coordinator for ICNA Relief Canada. His interests include topics such as tafsir, tazkiyah, Islamic psychology, colonialism and Islamic education.

 

Faisal is available via email. Use the Mont-Lumiere website to set up an appointment via Zoom or in person.

Mail iconchaplain [at] montlumiere.ca (Email Faisal)

Mont Lumiere linkMont Lumiere Website


Mr. David Summerhays

Quaker Faith Volunteer

David Summerhays
David Summerhays is one of our Quaker Faith volunteers. He graduated from McGill carrying a B.A. in history, with a concentration in colonialism. He helps to organize meditations in the Quaker tradition at McGill. He’s recently been teaching piano to pay his exorbitant muffin bills. He’d love to help connect some Quaker dots on and off campus. Not many people know about Quaker practices so he welcomes e-mails with any questions. If anything’s on your mind, David is available to talk anywhere muffins are for sale, as well as select other locations. While midweek Quaker meeting typically takes place at the Newman Centre during fall and winter semesters, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings will occur weekly online, Wednesdays at 7:00pm EDT, for at least the fall 2020 term. Please contact by email for further details.

 

Please direct any inquiries by email.
➡️Virtual Gatherings

Mail icondavid [at] montreal.quaker.ca (Email David)

Facebook iconQuaker

My Clearness Committee

 


Dr. Juss Kaur

Sikh Faith Volunteer

Juss Kaur
Dr. Juss Kaur is the Sikh faith liaison/volunteer for the Multi Faith Spiritual Centres at McGill and Concordia. She is a former Adjunct Professor in the McGill Department of Education where she has been involved in research about Inquiry based Education for several years. Juss is an International Education Consultant and has mentored over 800 teachers. She finds the experience of meeting people from diverse backgrounds a joy and enjoys their personal connection to the Divine. Juss is also a renowned visual artist and has exhibited her artwork all over Canada and UK. She produces meditative paintings that create beautiful visual images using extremely tiny phrases of devotion. The sale of her paintings directly supports humanitarian organizations, like Doctors Without Borders and Khalsa Aid. She most recently published a book called Mantra Art: The Journey Within. Come see her leaf painting in our student lounge and be sure to use the magnifying glass to take a closer look! Juss also holds regular motivational workshops that engage students with questions of faith, spirituality, mindfulness, and positive thinking. She says it is a pleasure for her to be involved with the MORSL team where learning to love each other is an ongoing process. Please feel free to reach out to Juss jussrani [at] gmail.com (by email) if you have any questions, worries or anxieties or simply because you want to discuss something and she will be happy to connect with you.

 

Dr. Juss Kaur will be holding weekly webinars on Sundays. Please email her to register.
➡️Virtual Gatherings

Mail iconjussrani [at] gmail.com (Email Juss)

Gurdwara Brahm Bunga Sahib linkGurdwara Brahm Bunga Sahib

 


 


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