THUNDER BAY — The long-serving chaplain of Lakehead University, Sister Alice Greer is stepping aside.
Greer has just wound up her three-decade career at the university to take on a new ministry in Sudbury.
She says she's looking forward to a rest before assuming her new responsibilities, but will miss the people she's worked with and helped at Lakehead over the years.
"I've been really blessed to encounter so many people," Greer told tbnewswatch.com.
"As chaplain, I was able to reach out to students, staff and faculty, so my position encompassed the whole university. That meant I was privileged to be with people in all sorts of situations," she said.
Greer said those experiences ranged from celebrations to difficult times, when individuals were questioning what they could do next.
"When I look back, what I'll miss most is the interactions I've had and recognizing the gifts that were given to me on account of that."
In an interview conducted for the university's communications bulletin, Greer recalled attending mass in the Avila Chapel as a teenager, long before she began her job.
"The Sisters of St. Joseph, the religious congregation that I am now a member of, had a coffeehouse after mass – where a large group of us enjoyed staying around and chatting," she said.
"I recall thinking that I would like to be part of all that sort of activity," Greer said, adding that at the age of 17 or 18, little did she know that one day she would be the university chaplain and have the task of organizing the mass and post-mass gatherings.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie sold Avila to Lakehead in 1993.
They also donated the chapel, where a plaque mounted at the entrance expresses their desire that it stay a place of worship.
"During times in our lives when things may seem unsettled, when we need a quiet spot or want to pray and be assured of peace, then Avila Chapel is such a place," Greer said.
In the interview, she reflected on the early challenges she sometimes encountered in gathering resources for students needing help.
One incident inspired her to initiate a program called Keep a Friend Warm.
Greer became aware of a student who had come to mass shivering because it was winter, and he had no hat or mitts.
She distributed a notice across the campus asking for hats, mitts and scarves, and received a "phenomenal" response.
The donated items were then put on a table in the Agora for any student who needed them.
In lieu of a farewell gathering to honour her, Greer has asked for donations to be made to the Dew Drop Inn.
