Chaplains

Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life (OCRL)

Mission Statement
Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life
Bucknell University

OCRL's mission is to celebrate and support Bucknell's religious communities within the overall academic and developmental mission of the university.

This mission includes:

Providing worship, learning and social opportunities appropriate to university students
building creative connections between the life of the mind and the life of the spirit
education and formation of students in their religious and cultural traditions, as well as individual spiritual development
fostering a safe environment for spiritual and religious exploration
facilitating respect, civil dialogue, and responsible critique between religious groups and individuals of different backgrounds
creating occasions for engagement with moral and ethical issues on campus and in the wider world
providing opportunities for students to do substantial service on and off campus with opportunities for reflection
extending welcome to new religious populations not previously present at Bucknell
serving as pastoral ministers to Bucknell and Bucknellians in times of crisis, moral challenge, or loss.

~September 2004

If you have a religious, ethical or personal question you would like to discuss confidentially, the University Chaplain, the Catholic Chaplain, and the Jewish Chaplain are available to talk with you. Call for an appointment, or simply drop in. Regular private time for longer-term spiritual guidance and development can be arranged.

Ian Oliver, University Chaplain
Rooke Chapel
570-577-1592
oliver@bucknell.edu

Ian Oliver serves as the full-time head of religious life and Protestant Chaplain at Bucknell. He leads worship at the Sunday morning Rooke Chapel Congregation services and coordinates the work of Bucknell’s thirteen religious groups, as well as many other campus duties and projects. He came to Bucknell in 1996, after serving as chaplain at a multi-religious, international Christian school in South India. He was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and educated at Amherst College and the University of Chicago Divinity School, and is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. He was one of the founders of the Bucknell Brigade service/learning project in Nicaragua. Chaplain Oliver lives across the street from campus at the Chaplain’s House, where students gather every Wednesday night for dinner. He is a born-and-bred Dallas Cowboys fan and a devoted reader of cheap murder mysteries. He is always available to meet with students or their families about any concerns.

Michael C. Letteer, Catholic Chaplain
Newman House
570-577-3766
mcl014@bucknell.edu

Father Letteer has been a Roman Catholic Priest for the past 11 years, serving as a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Father Michael has just arrived in June 2007 to join Bucknell as the full-time Catholic Chaplain. His previous assignments have included parishes, high schools, and hospitals in York, New Cumberland, Coal Township, Trevorton, and Middletown, PA. Since his ordination, Fr. Michael has been involved in many activities and programs, locally, diocesan, and nationally. Some of his work has been with the Diocesan Vocation Office on vocation awareness programs and the Diocesan Office for Youth and Young Adults, including work on a range of youth retreats. He is an Eagle Scout and has been a member of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting as well as assisting local Boy Scout councils. Fr. Michael is currently the Clergy Advisor for the Catholic Youth Foundation.

Fr. Michael is a native of Lancaster, PA, where his parents and sister still live. His studies at the University of Scranton, PA, included the fields of Philosophy, Religious Studies, Education, History, Psychology, and International Studies. He went to Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA where he earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Sacred Scripture. Since college, Fr. Michael has traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia where he enjoys learning the local languages and meeting new people. He likes a variety of sports and his favorite colors are Blue and Gold NOT Blue and White, i.e. he is a Notre Dame fan and not a Penn State fan, sorry everyone! You can find Fr. Michael at the Newman House when he’s there. Otherwise you might see him somewhere else. Please feel free to talk to Fr. Michael as he tries to find his way around the University campus, and if he looks lost, he probably is.

Serena L. Fujita, Jewish Chaplain
Berelson Center for Jewish Life
570-577-2273
sfujita@bucknell.edu

Rabbi Serena Fujita was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform Movement's seminary. Her first year of seminary was spent in Jerusalem and her four stateside years were at the New York campus. During her seminary studies, she worked as an intern for the Reform Movement's Commission on Interreligious Affairs and was the student rabbi in East Liverpool, Ohio and Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains, New York. She also worked as a student chaplain at New York Presbyterian Hospital for a summer. One of her main interests has been interfaith communication, and she participated in several ongoing dialogues with seminarians from many different faith communities.

Before entering the rabbinate, Serena was a Montessori School teacher. She taught in the elementary program at the Shrewsbury Montessori School and before that at the Cambridge Montessori School. Serena was also the director of the pre-school programs for Boston Community Schools. She has two grown sons, Ross and Craig, who reside in the Boston area, but will pop up on the Bucknell campus from time to time.