About Georgetown University · Washington, District of Columbia
Georgetown University's Catholic Ministry is the Catholic chaplaincy of America's oldest Jesuit university, providing Mass, the sacraments, retreats, music ministry, and pastoral formation to students, faculty, staff, and alumni on the Hilltop campus in Washington, D.C. Housed principally in Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart — the university's main chapel since 1892 — Catholic Ministry is staffed by Jesuits and lay professionals who animate liturgical life, spiritual formation, and faith communities within the larger Office of Campus Ministry. The ministry falls within the Archdiocese of Washington and collaborates with Holy Trinity Parish (founded 1787), the oldest Catholic congregation in Georgetown, which serves as the canonical home for sacramental records.
- Established
- 1789 (Georgetown itself); Catholic chaplaincy embedded within a centuries-old Jesuit Catholic tradition; principal chapel (Dahlgren) dedicated 1893
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (as Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart); ministry also draws on St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits
- Rector
- Rev. Gregory Schenden, S.J. (Director of Campus Ministry; chaplaincy director for Georgetown's Catholic community); sacramental records held at Holy Trinity Parish, whose pastor is Rev. C. Kevin Gillespie, S.J.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Georgetown's Catholic Ministry combines daily Mass, robust retreat programming, an OCIA process for those entering the Church, contemplative practice through the John Main Center, and a flourishing music and liturgy program — all at the spiritual heart of one of America's most storied Catholic universities. Students encounter a Catholic and Jesuit tradition that has shaped Georgetown since 1789, worship in the 1893 Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart, and are accompanied by a full team of Jesuits and lay ministers who specialize in spiritual formation, liturgical music, sacramental preparation, and interfaith engagement. Whether you are a current student discerning baptism, an alumnus seeking a wedding in Dahlgren, or a parent arranging an infant baptism, the ministry is set up to walk with you through every major life moment of the Georgetown journey.
Mass times at Georgetown University
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:00–8:00 PM, Dahlgren Chapel Sacristy
Adoration times
- Monday evenings following the 9:00 PM Mass until 10:30 PM, Copley Crypt Chapel (resumes 2026–27 academic year)
- Evening Prayer (Ecumenical Chapel) — 8:00 PM (resumes 2026–27)
About Catholic Ministry at Georgetown
Catholic Ministry is the Catholic chaplaincy of Georgetown University, part of the multi-faith Office of Campus Ministry. It is rooted in the centuries-old Catholic and Jesuit heritage that has shaped Georgetown since its 1789 founding by John Carroll, SJ, and it animates liturgical, spiritual, and pastoral life on the Hilltop campus for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The chaplains and ministry staff describe their mission as equipping students 'to lead lives of deeper meaning, belonging and purpose,' providing 'experiences of faith in community' across the highs and lows of a Georgetown career. The director of the ministry, Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J., guides the chaplains and staff in service of students across the university.
- Office of Campus Ministry, Georgetown University
- Roman Catholic chaplaincy within the Archdiocese of Washington
- Affiliated with Holy Trinity Parish for sacramental records
- Contact: [email protected]
Chapels and Worship Spaces
Catholic life at Georgetown is centered on three chapels on the Hilltop campus. Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart is the historic main chapel behind Healy Hall; Copley Crypt Chapel hosts the student-only 9 PM Mass; and the Ecumenical Chapel hosts ecumenical evening prayer. Weddings additionally take place in Sr. Thea Bowman Chapel of St. William in Copley Hall, a 125-seat chapel available for ceremonies of any faith.
- Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart — main chapel, seats 275
- Copley Crypt Chapel — student-only 9 PM Mass and Monday Adoration
- Ecumenical Chapel — Evening Prayer
- Sr. Thea Bowman Chapel of St. William (Copley Hall) — weddings, 125 seats, open to all faiths
- John Main Center for Christian Contemplation (Anne Marie Becraft Hall)
History of Dahlgren Chapel
Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart was built in 1892–1893 with red brick in a Gothic Revival style as a memorial gift from Elizabeth Wharton Drexel Dahlgren and her husband John Vinton Dahlgren (Georgetown C'1889 and L'1891) for their infant son Joseph, who died in 1891. It was the first building on campus funded entirely by outside philanthropy and the first named for a non-Jesuit; Archbishop James Gibbons of Baltimore preached at its 1893 dedication. The stained-glass windows were fabricated in Munich by Franz Mayer; the chapel bell is the Calvert mission's colonial Maryland bell; and the Dahlgren family crypt lies beneath the altar. An $8 million renovation in 2011 reinforced the foundation, restored the stained glass, and installed a new pipe organ, and the chapel now seats 275.
- Built 1892–1893
- Gothic Revival red-brick architecture
- Stained-glass windows by Franz Mayer of Munich (16 scenes)
- $8M renovation in 2011 — new pipe organ, stained glass restored
- Houses the 24-pound 'St. Mary's Cross' associated with the first Mass in English-speaking North America
Meet the Catholic Ministry Team
The Catholic chaplaincy is staffed by a mix of Jesuits and lay professionals, each with distinct portfolios across liturgy, spiritual formation, contemplative practice, music, and student engagement.
- Rev. Gregory Schenden, S.J. — Director of Campus Ministry; ordained 2008, Final Vows professed at Dahlgren 2016
- Dr. Jim Wickman — Director for Catholic Life (M.A., Ph.D. in theology; Georgetown EMBA class of 2020)
- Owen Ruggiero — Associate Director for Catholic Life; coordinates liturgy at Dahlgren and the Contemporary Choir
- Ada Gonzalez — Assistant Director for Catholic Engagement; Salvadoran-American from Prince George's County
- Michelle Siemietkowski — Catholic Chaplain for Spiritual Formation; directs OCIA, retreats; Georgetown alumna (B.A. 1992)
- Lisa Directo Davis — Catholic Chaplain for Contemplative Practices and John Main Center Program Director
- Dr. Russell Weismann — Liturgical Music Director and Organist (DMA, George Mason; MM, Yale; BM, Duquesne)
- Fr. Andrew Downing, S.J. — Director of Ignatian Programs (Office of Mission and Ministry)
- Fr. Jim Shea, S.J. — Director for Mission & Ministry, Georgetown University Medical Center
Sacraments
Catholic Ministry prepares students, alumni, faculty, staff, and their families for the major sacraments, working in close collaboration with Holy Trinity Parish and the Archdiocese of Washington for canonical record-keeping.
- Infant Baptism — Sundays in Dahlgren Chapel, by appointment ([email protected])
- Weddings — Dahlgren Chapel or Sr. Thea Bowman Chapel (Saturdays only; $1,500 fee)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Mondays 5–6 PM; reception at Easter Vigil
- First Eucharist and Confirmation — through OCIA process
- Reconciliation — Wednesdays 7–8 PM, Dahlgren Chapel Sacristy
- Anointing of the Sick and pastoral support on request
Weddings in Dahlgren and Copley
Weddings at Georgetown are held in two chapel venues. Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart — the university's main chapel since 1892 — seats approximately 300 wedding guests and is open to weddings in which at least one party is Roman Catholic. Sr. Thea Bowman Chapel of St. William in Copley Hall seats 125 and is open to ceremonies of any faith. Both chapels are wheelchair accessible. Engaged couples review the Guidelines for Marriage, then contact the Weddings Coordinator to hold a date, finalize with a pastoral visit from Dr. Ennio Mastroianni, and observe Archdiocesan regulations requiring arrangements at least six months in advance.
- Wedding times: Saturdays only at 11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM
- Rehearsals: Fridays at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 PM
- Chapel fee: $1,500 (payable to Office of Campus Ministry)
- Eligibility: current students, alumni, faculty/staff, and their children
- Contact: [email protected]
Retreats and Spiritual Formation
Catholic Ministry runs a robust retreat program under Chaplain Michelle Siemietkowski, including Catholic weekend retreats, prayer-in-daily-life retreats, and evenings of prayer and reflection. The retreats are accompanied by a team that offers spiritual direction and pastoral support, helping students integrate Ignatian spirituality with their academic and residential lives on the Hilltop.
- Catholic weekend retreats
- Prayer in Daily Life retreats
- Evenings of prayer and reflection
- Spiritual direction and pastoral support
- Daily Devotionals during Advent and Lent
Music and Liturgical Arts
Music is deeply integrated into Catholic worship at Georgetown. Dr. Russell Weismann, the Liturgical Music Director and Organist, oversees the Music Ministry and serves as musical liaison for additional events in the campus chapels. He works alongside Owen Ruggiero (Contemporary Choir) and welcomes students of all majors, musical experiences, and religious backgrounds into the program.
- Liturgical Music Director and Organist (Dr. Russell Weismann)
- Traditional and Contemporary Choirs
- Dahlgren's 2011 pipe organ
- Email: [email protected] to get involved
The John Main Center for Christian Contemplation
Established at Georgetown in 2005 and located in Anne Marie Becraft Hall, the John Main Center for Christian Contemplation offers a range of Christian contemplative practices, with a particular focus on the Christian meditation practice advanced by Benedictine priest Fr. John Main, OSB (1926–1982). The Center is led by Lisa Directo Davis, Catholic Chaplain for Contemplative Practices and John Main Center Program Director, and welcomes students, faculty, and staff seeking deeper integration of contemplation and compassionate action.
- Founded in 2005 at Georgetown
- Located in Anne Marie Becraft Hall
- Centered on the meditation practice of Fr. John Main, OSB
- Led by Lisa Directo Davis
Catholic Student Organizations and Faith Communities
Beyond the Sunday and weekday schedule, Georgetown students form active Catholic communities, including small student-led faith-sharing groups under Christian Life Community (CLC), the Knights of Columbus Catholic men's service fraternity, and Catholic Women at Georgetown. The Encounter pre-orientation program brings together students across faith traditions at the start of their Georgetown journey.
- Christian Life Community (CLC) — small student-led faith-sharing groups, weekly meetings
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic men's service fraternity
- Catholic Women at Georgetown
- Encounter — Campus Ministry's interreligious pre-orientation program
- Campus Ministry Student Forum Groups in CampusGroups
History, Heritage, and the Sacred Heart Cross
The chapel's most storied artifact is the so-called 'St. Mary's Cross,' a 2-by-4-foot iron cross rediscovered in 1989 in the basement of Healy Hall. Inscribed 'ad perpetuam rei memoriam' and 'This cross is said to have been brought by the first settlers from England to St. Mary's,' it is believed to have been carried by Jesuits from England to St. Clement's Island and St. Mary's City in the Maryland Colony and linked to the first Roman Catholic Mass in English-speaking North America. The cross was used by Pope Francis at the Basilica of the National Shrine on September 23, 2015 — his first Mass in the United States as Pope — and was displayed in 2017 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
- Cross rediscovered 1989 in Healy Hall basement
- Used by Pope Francis at the National Shrine, September 23, 2015
- Displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2017
- Currently housed in Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart
Getting Involved
Students can sign up for retreats, audition for music ministry, join a Christian Life Community group, walk the OCIA journey, or serve as a liturgical minister at Dahlgren. Alumni, faculty, and staff can reserve Dahlgren or Sr. Thea Bowman Chapel for weddings and baptize their children in Dahlgren. Daily Devotionals during Advent and Lent keep the broader community connected to the rhythm of the liturgical year.
- Retreats — Catholic Retreats signups via Campus Ministry
- Music Ministry — email Dr. Russell Weismann ([email protected])
- OCIA — Mondays 5–6 PM with Chaplain Siemietkowski
- Liturgical Ministries at Dahlgren Chapel — contact [email protected]
- Advent Daily Devotional and Lent Devotional signups