University of Western Australia
Spirituality and faith
A multi-faith university
UWA recognises the diversity of backgrounds of its community.
As a university, we support and encourage:
- efforts which promote understanding and cooperative action between many different beliefs and/or religious traditions
- intellectual engagement with questions of meaning, belief and faith
- the right to freedom of belief and religion
- dialogue aimed at developing shared understanding
- freedom to believe as one chooses and to change one’s beliefs
We keep an Interfaith Calendar, so everyone can know festival times for some of the larger religious bodies. Religious obligations of any belief systems are recognised as potential grounds for an application for deferral of one’s exams.
UWA's Student Guild also represents a number of religious and spiritual clubs and societies. View the list.
Belief and practice during COVID-19
Religious gatherings can be held at UWA, so long as they comply with current physical and social distancing requirements. Many religious resources and meetings are also available via the internet. Prayer groups are rapidly forming using platforms such as Zoom and Facebook. Search Google and Facebook for your usual place of worship, religious affiliation and location.
Additionally, personal spiritual practices can be maintained as a source of strength and comfort. We encourage setting aside daily time for personal reflection, prayer or meditation.
You may wish to contact people from your religious community or like-minded friends for conversation and mutual encouragement. Reach out to contact your local religious leader to find out how your religious community is responding to the challenges of the moment and ask them for personal support if you need it.
If you’d like to connect with a spiritual leader, email michael.wood@uwa.edu.au or yahyaibrahim@almaghrib.org. You can also email the Student Wellbeing team at studentwelfare-studserv@uwa.edu.au.
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Chaplaincy
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What is a chaplain?
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Spiritual life
We’re committed to supporting you with a diversity of cultural, religious and non-religious backgrounds and aim to promote interfaith conversation and collaboration wherever possible. We have staff from Anglican, Catholic and Islamic backgrounds who can offer pastoral support to students and staff.
Pastoral support does not assume a religious background. A conversation might be quite informal. Many people find that through the process of pastoral support, they gain clarity on problems and discern new possibilities. Pastoral support might include conversations about grief and loss, life direction, relationships or choice of studies.
A chaplain can provide you with compassion, care and listening. Our services are available for all students, regardless of your religious or non-religious affiliation.
Support you can receive includes:
- pastoral care
- help making life direction/vocational decisions
- help with issues of interpretation of sacred texts, such as the Bible
- fostering a lifelong exploration in spirituality
- contributing to community building, equity, justice and peace-making on the UWA campuses and colleges
- having a neutral person in the reconciliation of conflict (restorative justice)
- encouraging interfaith relationships to combat ignorance, build shared understanding and build peace
UWA chaplains also assist in their church communities and the wider community off-campus. In addition to our chaplains, we have many other supportive and spiritually respectful groups, including Guild clubs and societies.
Our chaplains can also help you work through spiritual questions and we can make referrals to relevant religious communities, on-campus faith groups and prayer services. Your spiritual life includes finding what it takes to make a difference, to be part of a community, to be the change you want to see, and even to be able to see it in the first place.
It also includes big-picture philosophical and theological concerns, such as:
- your values
- the vision for life that you are prepared to live for
- whom you trust and how you know
- your measures of integrity and identity
- what motivates you and brings you meaning and purpose
- where joy comes from
Meditation
There are many forms of mindfulness and spiritual meditation but the basic core of them all is very similar – to focus the mind. You can meditate anywhere and anytime. One beauty of meditation is its simplicity.
UWA Chaplain Michael Wood practices and teaches a meditation informed by the ancient Christian meditation tradition. Anyone, of any faith tradition (or none), can meditate in this way.
Life coaching
Coaching is a structured process through which you can gain greater clarity, purpose and effectiveness in your life. You will be encouraged, challenged and supported to figure out your own strategies for achieving your desired outcomes.
You can try new approaches and then reflect on what’s working for you. Many people report that coaching is enabling and empowering.
Our Anglican Chaplain has 30 years’ experience in leadership, coaching and facilitation, and is an ICF Professional Certified Coach.
Restorative conferencing
UWA offers restorative conferencing with our Anglican Chaplain being a trained restorative conference facilitator who can assist with resolving conflicts in relationships.
Contact
The Chapel is located first floor, Guild Village (next to UniPrint)
Rev Michael Wood,
Anglican Chaplain
First floor, Student Central (East Wing)
(Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Sheik Yahya Ibrahim,
Islamic Chaplain
Off campus (on call)
Langford Islamic College
Father Peter Tran,
Catholic Chaplain
Tuesday: Second floor, Student Central
Other days: St Thomas More College