Chaplaincy
What is a chaplain?
In the university context, chaplains are people who are appointed by and responsible to their particular faith group to provide spiritual/religious support and teaching, as well as practical help, to members of the university community - students, staff and their families.
Chaplains:
- Provide a focus for the campus community's spiritual life
- Help nurture the faith of those who are believers
- Are available to those seeking meaning and purpose in their lives
- Provide support to students and staff and their families in times of personal crisis
- Provide opportunities for worship and prayer
- Lead study groups in scripture, prayer and meditation
- Are active in relation to immediate issues of justice and peace
...although different chaplains will place different emphasis on each of these things.
Three Christian churches fund chaplaincy at UNE - the Anglican, (Roman) Catholic and Uniting churches. The Muslim community has appointed an imam on a part time basis. Other denominations and religious groups also welcome students and staff into the life of their communities.
All the Christian chaplains have offices in the Lodge, the brick building that is attached to the International Precinct. The Anglican Church also operates out of St Mark's Chapel on Trevenna Road, adjacent to the Faculty of Economics, Business and Law and Catholic mass is said at the chapel at St Albert's College on Sunday mornings.
There is a mosque on campus opposite The Lodge and a variety of other support for Muslim Students.
Chaplain! Why would I visit a chaplain?
Because:
- you're feeling lonely
- something good just happened and you wanted to tell someone
- you're feeling homesick (check out the surviving homesickness information as well)
- you're new on campus and in Armidale and not sure where to go to find things out
- you're feeling sad
- someone you care about has died
- you want a good cup of coffee (or tea) and a chat
- you're feeling depressed
- you've been actively involved in a faith community elsewhere and want to know how to get involved now you're here
- you just want someone to talk things over with or listen while you think out loud
- you're asking questions like "who am I?", "why am I here?", "what am I going to do with my life?"
- you want to explore the spiritual side of yourself
- you want to find out why people actually believe this God stuff anyway
- you're having problems with your studies
- your relationships aren't going well and/or you're wondering about your sexuality
- you need an advocate in the university system who knows it but isn't actually employed by it
OK, but will a chaplain want to talk to me?
Yes!! Although chaplains are appointed by particular faith communities and most of the chaplains at UNE are Christian, you do not need to be a member of their particular faith group, or even a religious person in order to talk to the chaplain. Although part of a chaplain's role is to support people who belong to their own particular faith or denomination, they're also there for all members of the university community - students, staff and their families.
Sometimes, a chaplain may feel that there are other people on campus or in the local community who have more expertise in the particular area in which you require help and they may suggest that you consult them. They are able to 'walk with' you during this process, if you wish.