About The Catholic University of America (Saint Vincent de Paul chapel) · Washington, District of Columbia
The Catholic University of America (Saint Vincent de Paul Chapel) is the largest chapel on the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., located on John McCormack Road between the Millennium North and Millennium South Residence Halls. Dedicated in April 1950, the chapel was renovated in 1981 (with a new Schudi pipe organ) and again in 1992, and today seats just over 260 adults when the balcony is in use. The chapel is air-conditioned, handicap accessible, has two confessionals, a baby grand piano, and an attached 24-hour prayer chapel. As the worship heart of the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States — and the only institution of higher learning founded by the U.S. bishops — St. Vincent de Paul Chapel serves the daily, Sunday, and Holy Hour liturgical life of students, faculty, and staff, under the pastoral care of the Office of Campus Ministry staffed largely by Dominican friars.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- Saint Vincent de Paul
- Rector
- Rev. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P. (University Chaplain, Director of Campus Ministry, Vice President for Ministry and Mission)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
St. Vincent de Paul Chapel is the daily liturgical home of The Catholic University of America community, offering multiple Sunday Masses (11:00 AM, 9:00 PM, and 10:00 PM), a daily 5:10 PM Mass, weekly Holy Hours with adoration and confession, bilingual and Latin Masses, and a 24-hour prayer chapel open to all. Rooted in the Dominican and Catholic intellectual tradition and supported by a vibrant Campus Ministry, the chapel anchors retreats, liturgical minister formation, service and justice work, OCIA, small faith-sharing groups, and a flourishing student life — making it an unusually rich spiritual home for anyone connected to or visiting the Brookland campus.
Mass times at The Catholic University of America (Saint Vincent de Paul chapel)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 10:30 AM (before 11:00 AM Mass)
- Sunday 8:30 PM (before 9:00 PM Mass)
- Sunday 9:30 PM (before 10:00 PM Mass)
- Monday 4:30 PM (before 5:10 PM Mass)
- Tuesday 4:30 PM (before 5:10 PM Mass) and 8:45 PM (Holy Hour)
- Wednesday 4:30 PM (before 5:10 PM Mass) and 8:45 PM (Holy Hour)
- Thursday 4:30 PM (before 5:10 PM Mass)
- Friday 4:30 PM (before 5:10 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:45 PM — Simple Adoration with Confession (St. Vincent de Paul Chapel)
- Wednesday 8:45 PM — Adoration and Confession (St. Vincent de Paul Chapel)
- Thursday 8:45 PM — Solemn Adoration (St. Vincent de Paul Chapel)
About St. Vincent de Paul Chapel
Saint Vincent de Paul Chapel is the largest chapel on the campus of The Catholic University of America, situated on John McCormack Road between the Millennium North and Millennium South Residence Halls. Dedicated in April 1950, the chapel was renovated in 1981 (with the addition of a Schudi pipe organ) and again in 1992, and seats just over 260 adults when the balcony is in use. The space is air-conditioned, handicap accessible, has two confessionals at the rear, a baby grand piano, and an attached 24-hour prayer chapel accessible from inside the sanctuary or by an exterior door. It is named for Saint Vincent de Paul, the 17th-century French priest who is the patron saint of charities.
History of the Chapel
Dedicated in April 1950 soon after the construction of Ryan Hall (1945) and Regan Hall (1949), the chapel was built to serve the post-war growth of the undergraduate community on the Brookland campus. The sanctuary was renovated in 1981 with the installation of a Schudi pipe organ, and the entire chapel underwent a further renovation in 1992. Today it remains the principal site for the university's daily and Sunday liturgical life, as well as weekly Holy Hours and major devotional events such as the candlelit Stations of the Cross during Holy Week.
- 1945 — Ryan Hall built
- 1949 — Regan Hall built
- April 1950 — St. Vincent de Paul Chapel dedicated
- 1981 — Sanctuary renovated; Schudi pipe organ installed
- 1992 — Full chapel renovation
- 24-hour prayer chapel attached, open to all
Sacred Spaces on Campus
St. Vincent de Paul is the centerpiece of a network of chapels on the CUA campus. The Office of Campus Ministry lists five principal sacred spaces: St. Paul Chapel in Caldwell Hall (the original 1888 chapel with an 1889 Odell pipe organ, now closed during weekday construction), St. Vincent de Paul Chapel (the largest), St. Michael the Archangel Chapel in Maloney Hall (dedicated spring 2019), the Sacred Heart Chapel in Flather Hall (24-hour, opened 2012), and the Mary, Mirror of Justice Chapel at the Columbus School of Law (dedicated February 13, 1996).
- St. Paul Chapel (Caldwell Hall) — dedicated 1888, seats 70–80
- St. Vincent de Paul Chapel (John McCormack Road) — dedicated April 1950, seats 260+
- Sacred Heart Chapel (Flather Hall) — 24-hour, opened 2012
- St. Michael the Archangel Chapel (Maloney Hall) — dedicated spring 2019, seats 25
- Mary, Mirror of Justice Chapel (Columbus School of Law) — dedicated Feb. 13, 1996, seats 72
Clergy and Campus Ministry Staff
Pastoral care of the chapel is provided by the Office of Campus Ministry, led by Dominican friars with additional chaplains from other religious institutes and diocesan support. The University Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry also serves as Vice President for Ministry and Mission. Several chaplains are assigned to particular communities — undergraduate, graduate and law, athletics, and faculty/staff — while lay and religious staff coordinate liturgy, music, retreats, and service initiatives.
- Rev. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P. — University Chaplain, Director of Campus Ministry, VP for Ministry and Mission
- Rev. Bernard Knapke, O.P. — Associate University Chaplain, Liturgy Coordinator
- Rev. Ceslaus Kowalkowski, O.P. — Chaplain for Undergraduate Formation
- Rev. Gilbert Andama, O.P. — Chaplain for Graduate and Law Students
- Rev. Maximo Stöck, S.S.J. — Chaplain for Undergraduate Formation and Athletics
- Julie Cilano — Associate Director of Campus Ministry
- Joshua Abando — Campus Minister for Undergraduate Formation
- Sr. Chiara Orsini, SM — Campus Minister for Service & Justice
- Sr. Anunciata Freitag, SM — University Sacristan, Assistant Liturgy Coordinator
- Kari Flynn — Project Coordinator for Undergraduate Formation
- Elizabeth Dern — Project Coordinator for Service & Justice
Music and Liturgical Ministry
Music and liturgy at St. Vincent de Paul Chapel is coordinated by the Chaplain for Worship / Liturgy Coordinator, supported by graduate assistants in music and liturgy, the University sacristan, and student liturgical ministers. The chapel's 1981 Schudi pipe organ and a baby grand piano are available for qualified use, and Praise and Worship is offered weekly.
- Schudi pipe organ (installed 1981)
- Baby grand piano
- Two confessionals
- Weekly Praise and Worship
- Graduate Assistants for Music and Liturgy
Faith Formation: OCIA, Spiritual Direction, and Vocation
Campus Ministry offers a full range of faith formation programs. The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) welcomes adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their sacramental initiation with First Communion and Confirmation. Students may also pursue one-on-one spiritual direction with any of the full-time campus ministers, and the Office supports vocational discernment for those considering priesthood, religious life, or lay ministry.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Spiritual Direction with full-time campus ministers
- Vocational Discernment resources
- Confirmation preparation for already-baptized adults and students
Retreats
CUA's retreat program is a cornerstone of student faith life, with separate offerings for first-year, men's, women's, and senior undergraduates, as well as co-ed, Lenten, and immersion retreats. Most retreats cost $50 and take place at retreat houses in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The annual FOCUS SEEK conference is also accessible through Campus Ministry.
- Freshman Retreat (September; Sandy Hill Retreat Center)
- Undergrad Women's Retreat (November; Hunting Ridge, Winchester VA)
- Undergrad Men's Retreat (November; O'Dwyer Retreat Center, MD)
- Ignite Co-ed Campus-Wide Retreat (January/February)
- Senior Retreat (spring; Skycroft Retreat Center)
- Lenten Day Retreat at the JPII Shrine
- FOCUS SEEK Conference
Service and Justice
The Office of Campus Ministry operates a robust service and justice arm rooted in the Catholic social tradition. Each year approximately 100 students participate in mission and immersion trips during spring and summer breaks, walking with communities in Ecuador, Camden, El Paso, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and beyond. The Charitable Services branch runs three core ministries — Cardinal Closet, Cardinal Cupboard, and The Guadalupe Project — and the campus annually observes Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
- Mission / Immersion Trips (Ecuador, Camden, El Paso, El Salvador, Dominican Republic)
- Cardinal Closet
- Cardinal Cupboard
- The Guadalupe Project
- Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (HH Week)
- Cardinals for Life (pro-life student club)
- Best Buddies (friendship ministry with individuals with intellectual disabilities)
Student Faith Communities
Beyond retreats and service, students can plug into ongoing faith communities that meet weekly or monthly. Women's Ministry and Men's Ministry offer events for Catholic fellowship and virtue formation, while Small Groups provide faith-sharing communities focused on Scripture, theology, and spiritual topics. Cardinals for Life promotes a culture of life through education, prayer, service, and activism.
- Women's Ministry
- Men's Ministry
- Small Faith-Sharing Groups
- Cardinals for Life
- Best Buddies
Practical Information
The chapel sits on John McCormack Road between the Millennium North and Millennium South Residence Halls on the CUA Brookland campus. It is handicap accessible, with a restroom just to the left of the main entrance. The 24-hour prayer chapel can be entered from inside the sanctuary or by an exterior door. Use of the chapel is governed by the Office of Campus Ministry and is reserved for Catholic worship; weddings and one-time non-University Catholic-group events incur a $150 chapel fee ($30 sacristan fee included).
- Address: 3502 John McCormack Road NE, Washington, DC 20017
- Handicap accessible; restroom near main entrance
- 24-hour prayer chapel (interior + exterior access)
- Two confessionals at the rear of the sanctuary
- Reserved for Catholic worship; $150 fee for non-University one-time use