Chaplaincy

What is Chaplaincy about?

The chaplaincy team offers a caring presence to all staff and students at UWS; encouraging spirituality, offering hospitality and creating community. We do this by embracing our diversity, encouraging conversation and respecting our similarities and differences. Our role is to encourage a spiritual life within the University. Our key aim is to help you get the most out of your time at UWS. Our chaplains come from a variety of spiritual traditions, offering:

  • a safe place and an open ear
  • opportunities to nurture, express and explore your spirituality
  • links to religious groups and faith communities
  • connection of life and faith through critical thinking, exploration of ethical issues and action for social justice
  • care and support in times of uncertainty, crisis and loss
  • thoughtful acts of service with, and for, others
  • a free and confidential service 

Multifaith events

Multifaith events are being held each session on campus. Watch this space for future events!

Multifaith facilities

Multifaith Facilities are available for students and staff on all UWS campuses.

Muslim Prayer
Rooms

Prayer & Meditation
Facilities
Bankstown

Building 10.G.19 (Female)
Building 10.G.20 (Male)

 Building 10.G.13
Campbelltown Building 2.2.02 Building 2.2.07
Hawkesbury Building P22 Building P23
Parramatta Building ESa, Room 1 Building EF, Room 4
Penrith Building H Building H

These Multifaith facilities are founded on the spiritual places of the Darug People, the traditional caretakers of this region.  They are available for all who hold to a faith tradition as well as those who do not. They offer a safe place to meet, pray, reflect, meditate or simply take some time for yourself.  There are multifaith libraries to browse, chaplains to chat with, groups to connect with and religious festivals to celebrate. Multifaith facilities are places where your inner life is respected and honoured.

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Campus contacts


Campus Phone Contact Email
Bankstown (02) 9772 6526 Richard Blight r.blight@uws.edu.au
Campbelltown (02) 9685 9324 Valerie Powidzki v.powidzki@uws.edu.au
Hawkesbury (02) 4570 1614 Rosanne Sinclair r.sinclair@uws.edu.au
Parramatta (02) 9685 9324 Valerie Powidzki v.powidzki@uws.edu.au
Penrith (02) 4736 0803 Christine Gapes c.gapes@uws.edu.au

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Denomination contacts


UWS is served by chaplains from a broad range of denominations/faith traditions:

Faith Tradition Phone Contact Email
Anglican

(02) 4736 0803 0417 201 463

 Rob Elder rob.elder@optusnet.com.au
Anglican

(02) 9772 6526 0422 282 893

 Richard Blight r.blight@uws.edu.au
Buddhist (Advisor) (02) 9966 8893 Anita Lau office@buddhistcouncil.org
Catholic

(02) 9685 9324 0414 638 884

 Valerie Powidzki v.powidzky@uws.edu.au
Catholic

(02) 4570 1614 0424 250 633

 Rosanne Sinclair r.sinclair@uws.edu.au
Coptic Orthodox 0418 283 114 Fr Matthew Attia fr.matthew2@bigpond.com
Islam (External advisor) 0422 908 323 Hanan Dover h.dover@missionofhope.org.au
Islam (02) 4736 0145 Ataur Rahman a.rahman@uws.edu.au
Jewish (External advisor) (02) 9381 4281 Shailee Mendelevich

 shailee@hillel.co.au
Presbyterian (02) 9774 5740 Rev Peter Barnes pebarnes@ezylink.net.au
Presbyterian

(02) 9685 9307 0433 800 973

 Kamal Weerakoon kamal.weerakoon@gmail.com
Latter-day Saints

(02) 9841 5318 0405 103 302

 David Lakisa

david.lakisa@ldschurch.org
Latter-day Saints

(02) 9841 5479 0405 103 320

 Daniel Kuhn daniel.kuhn@ldschurch.org
Uniting Church

(02) 4736 0803 0422 498 371

 Christine Gapes c.gapes@uws.edu.au or cgapes@bigpond.net.au
 

UWS is also visited by other denominations/faith traditions.  For more information please contact Sister Valerie Powidzki on (02) 9685 9324 or 0414 638 884 or alternatively via email v.powidzki@uws.edu.au

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Faith information brochures

»  Buddhism (opens in a new window) [PDF, 122.05 KB]
»  Christianity [PDF, 101Kb] (opens in a new window)
»  Hinduism [PDF, 195Kb] (opens in a new window)
»  Islam [PDF, 135Kb] (opens in a new window)
»  Judaism [PDF, 178Kb] (opens in a new window)