Welcome to Keele Catholic Chaplaincy pages
Here you will find information, some of which is repeated elsewhere in the Chapel website, about the Catholic Chaplaincy and Congregation, service times, regular events, forthcoming special events and other news specifically (but not exclusively) aimed at Keele’s Catholics.
The Chapel is a place of welcome, hospitality, community and prayer at the heart of campus. For Catholics it is also a ‘House of God’ in a very special way because of the reservation of The Blessed Sacrament in the Catholic Apse of the East Chapel.
Many find that in the midst of a busy Keele day it is a blessing to be able to come in to a quiet (well most of the time) space to pray in front of The Lord reserved in the Tabernacle. There a candle may be lit as a symbol of continued prayer.
Next to the East Chapel you will find the door to the Office of the Catholic Chaplain. Ray Bayliss is our full-time Catholic Lay Chaplain, with prime responsibility for the Chaplaincy, hospitality, the pastoral support of the Catholic congregation, the encouragement of student groups, the ecumenical dimension of Chapel life (which is very strong at Keele) and the engagement with the wider university.
If you see his door open please do pop in and say hello, he likes to chat and get to know new folks. If his door is closed, leave a message.
We also have a Visiting Priest Chaplain, Fr John Laybourn, who say’s Mass for us at 12.15 on Sunday throughout the year (and 5pm Tuesdays during term) and is available to hear confessions around Mass times. He is also available to speak to people by appointment (see Ray).
This being a university chaplaincy there is a natural emphasis on meeting the needs of students, engaging them in their faith, providing a social arena and providing support when needed.
Keele is unlike other universities, however, in that there is a wider community of non-students – staff, their families and others who have links with Keele, who are here year round and who form part of our Chapel congregations. The Chaplaincy is here to meet their needs as well.
Affiliated with the Catholic Chaplaincy, there is an enthusiastic Catholic student society – CassocK – run by students for students and non-students, both Catholic and non-Catholic. Details about the group can be founds here – CassocK.
We have a lively Sung Mass each Sunday in term, ably supported by our Catholic Music Group