The Reverend Mia Smith (College Chaplain)
Mia joined Hertford as college chaplain in September 2016. She is responsible for the life of the chapel and has a role in pastoral care as part of the college’s welfare team.
I joined the Church of England as an undergraduate. I went along to a service with my housemates: Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer, and it was quite dull but for some reason I kept going back. It was a great place to meet people, with generous hospitality – lots of suppers. If someone had told me I would end up as a priest, I would have laughed – with good reason, as the legislation to admit women into the priesthood was still a couple of years off. Now I am chaplain at Hertford, which is an amazing job. My aim is to do all I can to ensure that everyone in our college community (students, staff, and fellows) has the opportunity to thrive as human beings. I thought Oxford colleges would be stuffy and intimidating but Hertford has been a very warm and caring community from the start. At my interview, I was particularly struck by the sight of Kenny, our SCR Butler, taking Simpkin IV for a walk on a lead to get him some fresh air during his final days. Having been brought up in the Salvation Army, I have a great admiration for Catherine and William Booth, its founders. Catherine was an amazing social reformer and preacher, and together they refused to accept that women were somehow less called by God than men to preach. I think Catherine would have chosen Hertford had she had the opportunity – our history of social inclusion and gender equality would have matched her own values.
If you were to ask me what my perfect day in Hertford would be like: it would start with prayer. Every day I say the Daily Offices on behalf of the college community, praying for our needs, for the sick, stressed, bereaved, for our working relationships and families we all represent. I then grab a coffee from the SCR – it’s good stuff. I love wandering around college chatting to people, you can learn so much from one another. Confessions of a priest: I also like to stand on the Bridge of Sighs and photobomb. My perfect day would end with Choral Evensong, which our wonderful choir sing at 5:45pm on Sundays. Sitting back in the beautiful surroundings of our chapel and letting their music wash over you injects some serenity into a busy week. We have some great guest speakers, and if I could invite anyone to preach, it would be the Holocaust survivor Eva Moses Kor. Her message of forgiveness is humbling and inspiring. I cried when I watched the news footage of her embracing Oskar Groning during his trial. And, of course, the finale would be formal hall. Our catering staff is amazing, and to call eating their delicious creations “work” is such a blessing.