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Chaplaincy

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The Chaplaincy Team offers a caring presence to all staff and students at UWS, encouraging spirituality, offering hospitality and creating community. We do this embracing our diversity, encouraging conversation, respecting our similarities and differences. Our role is to specifically 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 listening 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 issues
  • Care and support in times of uncertainty, crisis and loss
  • Thoughtful acts of service with, and for others
  • A free and confidential service

Multifaith Facilities

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

Muslim Prayer Rooms

Bankstown Portable demountables next to Building 10
Campbelltown Behind Building 4
Hawkesbury Building P22
Parramatta Building ESa, Room 1
Penrith (Kingswood) Building H



Prayer & Meditation Facilities

Bankstown Building 23
Campbelltown Building 7, Room 8
Hawkesbury Building P23
Parramatta Building EF, Room 4
Penrith (Kingswood) Building H


These spiritual places are grounded on the spiritual place of the Durug People, the traditional caretakers of this region.  They are available for people of all faith traditions and none.  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, religious festivals to celebrate together or space to do what you need.

Multifaith Facilities are places where your inner life is respected and honoured.

Campus Contacts

Chaplains are located at all UWS campuses. Please see the table below for contact details.

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 Christine Gapes c.gapes@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


Denomination Contacts

UWS is served by Chaplains from a broad range of denominations/faith traditions. Please see the table below for contact details.

Faith Tradition Phone Contact Email
Anglican (02) 4736 0803 Rob Elder r.elder@uws.edu.au
Catholic (02) 9685 9324 Sr Valerie Powidzki v.powidzki@uws.edu.au
Coptic Orthodox 0418 283 114 Fr Matthew Attia fr.matthew@bigpond.com
Islam 0422 908 323 Hanan Dover h.dover@uws.edu.au
Islam (02) 4736 0145 Ataur Rahman a.rahman@uws.edu.au
Jewish (02) 9931 9698 Sarah Myerowitz sarah@hillel.com.au
Presbyterian (02) 9774 5740 Rev Peter Barnes pebarnes@ezylink.net.au
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (02) 9841 5318 Michael Carthew carthewmj@ldschurch.org
Uniting Church 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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