Meet our Team
uOttawa Chaplains
Sr. Barbara Lois Helms – Muslim
Volunteers as a University of Ottawa chaplain through collaboration with Muslim Family Services of Ottawa. She is a Primary Reserve military chaplain with the Canadian Armed Forces and a full-time civilian chaplain with Canadian Forces Support Group of Ottawa-Gatineau. Sr. Barbara also provides chaplaincy and spiritual care services for the Ottawa Muslim Association and the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. Her educational background includes a BA Honours in Religious Studies, MA in Islamic Studies (both from McGill), and a Master’s in Counselling Psychology (Athabasca). She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree (Muslim Chaplaincy) at University of Toronto (Toronto School of Theology/Emmanuel College).
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact: [email protected]
Farhan Iqbal – Muslim - Ahmadiyya
Farhan Iqbal is a Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He received his degree in Islamic Theology and Comparative Religions in July 2010 from the Ahmadiyya Institute of Islamic studies, located in Maple, ON, Canada. He has served as a Missionary in Ghana, United States, and Canada. He served at Baitul Islam Mosque, Vaughan, for 5 years, and moved to Ottawa in 2017, currently serving the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the east end of Ottawa. He has represented the community in various interfaith events, attended radio programs discussing various matters of faith, and is on the podcast, The Conviction Project. He has also hosted several live and recorded programs on MTA (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya). He has co-authored 3 books, namely, "With Love to Muhammad (sa), the Seal of the Prophets”, “Understanding Islam: Dispelling myths about Jihad, Oppression and Violence in Islam”, and “The Quest of a Curious Muslim”.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact: [email protected]
Robert Pinkston – Christian – Baptist
Robert Pinkston has been a campus minister for 30 years. The last 21 years he has served as a campus minister for the Canadian National Baptist Convention. He has been a chaplain at UOttawa since August 2021, having previously served the campuses of McGill, Bishop’s University, University of Sherbrooke and Laval University. He is married to Sharon and they have six children. His pastimes are running, playing soccer and fitness.
Robert enjoys helping students navigate the stresses of the university years from a Biblical perspective. He helps them integrate faith and life, reminding them that God has a purpose for their life. Robert is bilingual and is available to talk with and mentor students in both French and English.
Office Hours: Tuesdays from 11:00am-3:00pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks) or by appointment.
Contact: [email protected]
Rev. Justin K.W. Kim – Christian, Presbyterian
Justin is a minister of Presbyterian Church in Canada. He was a staff member of Power to Change in Korea for over 10 years and engaged in Campus ministry. He is passionate for meeting and helping international students. He is also a representative minister of the Presbytery of Ottawa and support students by providing spiritual counselling in Presbyterian Tradition.
Justin holds a Masters of Divinity from Vancouver School of Theology and a Master of Arts in Christian Studies at Western Trinity Seminary in Langley, BC. He also completed a whole unit of Clinical Pastoral Care Training at the Ottawa Hospital and is a associated member of the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care(CASC). He served at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Woodstock, NB before he moved to Ottawa in 2016. He currently is serving the Ottawa Korean Presbyterian Church.
Justin is on campus on Thursday between 10am to 1pm and is also available for meeting outside office hours by appointment. He performs Enneagram tests to guide you into a direction for your spiritual journey following your personal type.
Office Hours: Wednesdays from 11:00am-3:00pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks) or by appointment.
Contacts: 613-314-4113 – [email protected]
Srishti Hukku – Secular Humanist
Srishti is a Kashmiri-Canadian who loves exploring ethical, existential, emotional, and equity issues. As a Humanist Chaplain, Srishti serves the community at the University of Ottawa and is keen to hear from you! Srishti is a lifetime member of Humanist Canada, and a supporter of the American Humanist Association, Humanists UK, Humanists Australia and Humanists International. Srishti is also a Humanist officiant providing a range of ceremonies from child/adult namings to weddings to celebration of life services.
Srishti is passionate about creating spaces that maximize human potential by leveraging a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, healing centered lens. Srishti is especially moved by sound public policy and 2SLGBTQ+ issues including sexual, romantic and reproductive rights. As the first racialized accredited Humanist Chaplain in Canada, Srishti is also passionate about immigration/integration challenges, diversity including disability and neurodiversity, and social determinants of health. Srishti holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Queen's University and is completing a cotutelle PhD in Population Health and Medical Anthropology from Macquarie University and the University of Ottawa.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact: [email protected]
Jason Byers – Christian – Baptist
Jason Byers moved to Ottawa in 2006 from the USA to work with university students and help start new, growing churches. He has served in ministries on three continents and works with church planters who speak four different languages. He pastors Celebration! Church Ottawa. Jason enjoys an active lifestyle that carries him all over the city, often chasing his six children or fellow church planters. Jason enjoys exploring the ways that faith functions in "real life", believing that every moment is holy, and there are good answers to hard questions. He also loves making time for people, so feel free to ask.
Office Hours: Fridays from 11:00am-1:30pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks) or by appointment.
Contacts: 613-220-3136 - [email protected]
Majed Jarrar - Muslim
Majed Jarrar is an imam, professor, classically trained scholar, and community leader who has been extensively involved with the diverse Muslim community in Ottawa and beyond for the past decade. He has served as Imam and Director of Community Engagement at the Ottawa Mosque, Head of Dawah Programs at the Mosque of Mercy (a.k.a Dar Assunnah), Khateeb at Assalam Mosque, Managing Director at MAC Youth Centre, Executive Director at Ottawa Uyghur Centre, and Founding Director of Siraj Institute.
Imam Jarrar is a community activist with a long track record working for various social justice and charitable causes. His speech at the black lives matter rally went viral, was translated to many languages and watched millions of times.
Sheikh Majed has been connected with uOttawa since 2012: first as a master's student, then PhD, and has been teaching since 2017. He regularly engages with the Muslim student association as a club advisor and speaker. He has trained dozens of students on campus to become future khateebs and community leaders at various Muslim organizations. Majed is a trained youth counselor, marriage counselor, and the only imam in Ottawa who serves as an arbitrator accepted by the Ontario Courts.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact: drop in questions & quick fatāwa at his uOttawa MS Teams @mjarrar, or email [email protected].
Rev. Ryan Farrell – Christian Reformed
Ryan Farrell is an ordained minister who works closely with the Presbyterian and Christian Reformed Churches. Ryan is available to talk about faith, Scripture, questions, doubts, and the day-to-day struggles of university life. He aims to create a space of openness and careful listening. Ryan has wrestled with his own spiritual and mental wellness at times and wants to journey with you. He also leads the ministry of Ottawa Campus Chaplaincy (OCC) which seeks to be a space of belonging and discipleship for uOttawa students. OCC runs various groups and activities throughout the academic year that may assist students in their spiritual growth and academic life.
Office Hours: Thursdays from 2:00-5:00pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks) or by appointment.
Contact : [email protected] or by phone613.483.1222
Book an appointment with Ryan: https://calendly.com/ryfarrell/chaplain
The Rev, Dr. Steven Griffin - Christian/Anglican
Born and raised in Mexico, Steven first came to Canada in 1985 to work as a volunteer with the Summer Camps run by Crosstalk Ministries in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. It was there that he met his future wife, Stella Sweetman. After he and Stella were married in 1987, he studied and taught Russian language and literature for a number of years, but then took up theology, first at St Paul University here in Ottawa, and later McGill, where he earned the Ph.D. in Reformation Theology. Since Stella is a career diplomat, Steven has had the opportunity to teach theology in various countries. Licensed (2018) and then ordained (2019) as a minister Anglican Province of Alexandria, he was pastor to the international congregation at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo before returning to Ottawa, where he now serves as minister-at-large. He and Stella have three grown children and five grandchildren.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact : [email protected] or by phone at 343-5723388
Rev. Michael Garner - Christian/Anglican
The Reverend Michael Garner (he/him) was ordained an Anglican Priest in the Diocese of Ottawa in 2019 after receiving his Master of Divinity degree from the University of Toronto (Wycliffe College). Before his appointment to St. Albans, Michael was the Associate Incumbent at St. Thomas the Apostle (Ottawa), and Priest-in-Charge at Church of the Resurrection (Ottawa).
Prior to entering the priesthood, Michael worked in public health and epidemiology. From 2006 to 2019, he worked as an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree from Queen’s University and a Master of Science (Epidemiology) degree from the University of Ottawa.
Rev. Michael loves nothing more than the discovery of divine beauty in the world. He finds this most often happens for him in the domain of music. Having owned his own coffee roasting company, he is always up for conversation over a cup. He also finds much joy in facilitating gatherings over meals in which he has had a hand in preparing.
Michael lives with his wife, Rochelle (she/her), and kids (Isaac and Elise) in the west side of Ottawa.
Office Hours: Mondays from 11:00am-1:00pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks) or by appointment.
Contact: [email protected] or by phone at 613-797-9802
Dana Ducette - Christian - The United Church of Canada
Dana (she/her) is the Minister, supporting Youth and Young Adults(YAYA) for 133 communities of faith in the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Region of the United Church of Canada. She is a candidate for ordained ministry within the United Church and is in the process of completing a Master of Divinity at St. Paul’s University and the United Theological College (Montreal). She is a Licensed Lay Worship Leader and in her role within the United Church is responsible for supporting people between the ages 13-35 in faith formation, spiritual development and mental health. All of which is often done over coffee.
She is also an Ethics Coach for the National Newcomer Navigator Network and certified in Pastoral Care through the Ottawa Pastoral Care Training Program. In her previous career Dana worked in Post Graduate Medical Education and the International Medical Graduate Program(Alberta Health) for the University Calgary and then in Continuing Medical Education for the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario(CHEO). This worked helped form her understanding and position that spiritual well-being is a vital element along with physical and mental health within the human experience.
Dana works through the United Church of Canada’s theology that affirms and celebrates all gender and non-binary expressions and works to engage the world through the lens that Creator is an open and loving source from which all life comes. Reconciliation, 2SLGBTQI+, Accessibility, Equity and Diversity is at the heart of the YAYA ministry and informs all aspects and interaction Dana has with Youth and Young Adults. She holds Indigenous status through her father and is learning what it means to respectfully stand within an Indigenous identity as someone who did not grown up with Algonquin teachings and community. Dana lives in Ottawa with her one husband, two cats and three kids and a whole bunch of art!
Office Hours: Thursdays from 10:00am-12:00pm at the Chaplaincy Office (regular semester weeks or by appointment.
Contact [email protected] or by phone at 613-608-8411
Vince Ward - Christian - Reformed Presbyterian
Vince Ward was born in Québec City and moved to Ottawa when he was a young boy. He became a Christian during his studies at the University of Ottawa (BSc, Physiothérapie). He served as a missionary with his family in Sudan/South Sudan for 10 years. He now trains missionaries and church planters overseas while serving in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Canada. He loves to talk to anyone with theological questions and is passionate about discipling. Vince speaks French.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Contact: [email protected]