Every year, on the last Wednesday of January (January 29 this year), the MSVU community celebrates Caritas Day through charitable acts – from random acts of kindness, to giving gifts of time, talent and other resources.
The history behind the day dates back to a devastating fire that destroyed the entire MSVU campus (just one building at the time!) in January 1951. Without hesitation, the people of Halifax opened their hearts and doors to support students displaced by the fire. Caritas Day was established by the university’s founders (the Sisters of Charity Halifax) as a day to pay that kindness forward (no classes are held). Caritas is Latin for “charity.”
Caritas Day 2025 highlights
Business & Tourism Department volunteering in the community
There’s perhaps no department at MSVU with a more committed history of giving back on Caritas Day than the Department of Business and Tourism. Each year, members of that department spend the day volunteering in the community.
Today, you can find students, faculty and staff from Business & Tourism at the Prescott Group, Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank, MSVU Food Bank and Captain Crow’s Café, as well as volunteering alongside members of the Sisters of Charity Halifax at Hand in Hand, Caritas Residence, Adsum House and the Chebucto Family Centre.
Teaching and Learning Centre connecting with colleagues
Giving back on Caritas Day can include offering support to others within the MSVU community. Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) staff are marking Caritas Day by dedicating some time today to reach out to part-time faculty to remind them of the help they can provide. “No one has to teach alone!” says Dr. Emily Ballantyne of the TLC.
Student athletes giving back
The MSVU Mystics’ Varsity Council has organized volunteer activities for student athletes this Caritas Day. They’re volunteering at two locations: the food bank on campus and with the Sisters of Charity Halifax at Caritas Residence where they’ll be making sandwiches for local soup kitchens.
Accessibility Services hosting Books Beyond Bars book drive
The team in Accessibility Services at MSVU is marking Caritas Day by hosting a donation drive for Books Beyond Bars. BBB is a books-to-prisoner initiative which visits the women’s section of the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Burnside biweekly to improve access to books, writing, and literature for incarcerated women. Accessibility Services is accepting donations of gently used books that are on BBB’s request list (titles and genres). From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Caritas Day, you can drop by the McCain Atrium with your book donations, or to buy a Books Beyond Bars t-shirt or keychain, buy used books, grab a snack, or just learn more about BBB.
Advancement hosting donor-student luncheon
The Advancement team is marking Caritas Day with a special luncheon bringing together hardworking donor funded scholarship, bursary, and award recipients with the generous donors who make these supports possible. The event will thank and celebrate our donors as well as celebrate student success, providing a wonderful opportunity for donors to learn more about just how impactful their gifts are.
It’s not too late to participate in Caritas Day! The possibilities are endless:
- Send an email of appreciation to a classmate or colleague.
- Call a friend or family member just to tell them you’re thinking of them.
- Help a neighbour.
- Leave a treat on someone’s door step.
- Buy a coffee for a stranger.
- Give some time to your favourite charity or make a donation if you’re able.