Boston University chaplains opened Marsh Chapel for students who want to ‘pray for peace’ this week as the United States inches ever closer to a war with Iraq.
The chapel is now open weekdays from 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., specifically for members of the Boston University community to come and ‘pray for peace.’ Though the sanctuary is always open for silent prayer, Marsh Chapel officials said as of Monday, March 17, the time will be used to focus on prayers for peace.
Marsh Chapel dean ad interim Hope Luckie said students are invited to drop by and light a vigil candle at the front of the sanctuary.
Luckie said the reservation of the afternoon time for prayers for peace is an effort to ‘create a sanctuary in the truest sense of the word’ for members of the BU community worried about the country’s recent progression toward war.
‘We are in a tenuous situation,’ Luckie said.
The chapel’s staff came up with the idea in an attempt to take an active role toward ‘working for peace,’ Luckie said.
So far only a few students have taken advantage of the effort to encourage active prayer for peace, but the chapel staff is ‘not interested in numbers,’ Luckie said.
‘We just want to create a place for people to find sanctuary,’ she said.
Amanda Clark, a freshman in the College of Communication, stopped to pray and light a vigil candle yesterday because the current situation ‘is something that is worrying,’ she said.
‘[Praying for peace] is something I thought I should do,’ she said.
Other students reacted favorably toward the initiative as well. College of General Studies freshman Robin Froehlich said she thinks it is a great idea to get people together to pray, as the country heads toward military conflict and, inevitably, casualties.
‘People need to be in tune with what’s going on in the world,’ she said. ‘I’ve been more worried lately … but praying for peace calms people down.’
Froehlich said she will not attend the prayer sessions at Marsh Chapel because she is Jewish, but she would ‘definitely go to Hillel House’ if they decided to do something similar.
Thao Trinh, a freshman in the School of Education, said praying at the chapel for peace will give her ‘tranquility, something to hold on to.’
‘There isn’t really much we can do now; the only thing left is to pray,’ Trinh said. ‘We can’t be there physically for the people who will be fighting, so at least we can be there spiritually.’
But not all students said they are as enthusiastic about the prayer sessions.
Karlis Bryan, a freshman in COM, said although she prays regularly, she would not go to Marsh Chapel to pray because she is ‘okay with [praying] by myself.’
Erika Spaulding, a freshman in CGS, said she does not consider herself religious and also does not plan to pray at Marsh Chapel.
‘All the prayers on the booklet are Christian prayers, and I’m not a Christian,’ she said.
Instead of praying, Spaulding has been working for peace by educating herself and her friends about the issues.
‘I send my friends quotes and articles about [President] Bush and his policies,’ she said. ‘I think it’s important to know the truth about what is happening.’
Chapel staff said the dedication of the sanctuary to praying for peace during the designated times will continue indefinitely.
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