Spirituality

The Lady Goodfellow Chapel is located across from UniRec on our Hamilton campus. The chapel complex has a number of uses, including the Chaplains' offices. The Chapel is a good quiet space for students to come think, pray or study.

Several student groups also use the chapel for meetings.

Find out more about the Lady Goodfellow Chapel.

Need someone to talk with about what’s going on in your life? Looking to connect with others of your faith, or even across faiths? Need a quiet space to think, pray, or meditate? Want to explore your spiritual journey with someone? Or just desperate for a coffee? 

Our two chaplains, Brother Andrew (Ecumenical) and Father JP (Juan Pedro) (Catholic) are available for pastoral support regardless of your background or beliefs. 

We also have Assistant Chaplains volunteering alongside us: Nick Goodwin on the Hamilton Campus and the Rev’d Enosa Auva’a on the Tauranga Campus.

We seek to nurture the spirituality of students and staff, encouraging you to work out your faith within your academic disciplines and vocations. The chaplaincy team provides a listening ear, reflection and feedback. Just drop in at the Lady Goodfellow Chapel on the Hamilton Campus or make an appointment to see Brother Andrew when he visits Tauranga.

Support

Brother Andrew McKean TSSF
Ecumenical Chaplain
Email: chaplain@waikato.ac.nz
DDI: (07) 858 5654
Mob: 022 066 9783 (Monday to Thursday daytime only)

Brother Andrew is the Ecumenical Chaplain, a pastor or minister available for the pastoral support of staff and students irrespective of their background or beliefs. Ordained (trained and licensed) as an Anglican minister, he has a Bachelor of Theology, a PGCert in Chaplaincy and a DipGrad in Religious Studies. A straight ally, he belongs to the Waikato Interfaith Council and is particularly interested in issues around the Church and Postmodern Culture, and in Interfaith Work generally. Brother Andrew oversees all bookings for the Lady Goodfellow Chapel in Hamilton. He celebrates Holy Communion in the chapel on Thursdays at noon and visits Tauranga most Tuesdays in teaching weeks - please email or message him to make an appointment for his next visit.

Father JP (Juan Pedro) Maldonado
Roman Catholic Chaplain
Email: juan.maldonado@waikato.ac.nz
Ph:   (07) 838 4466 ext 8575
Mob: 021 090 00125

Father JP (Juan Pedro) is the Roman Catholic Chaplain and is also available to all staff and students. Besides his training in the Ecclesiastical Sciences (holding a PhD in Christian Philosophy), he has exercised his pastoral activity in Spain, Italy, Kenya and Australia, mainly among young people. All are welcome to a friendly chat to share your joys, sorrows and hopes. You can arrange a meeting by email (Juan.Maldonado@waikato.ac.nz) or knock on his door at the Lady Goodfellow Chapel. He is normally on campus Monday to Friday.

Nick Goodwin
Assistant Chaplain
Email: ngoodwin@waikato.ac.nz
Mob: 027 417 8205

Nick is an Assistant Chaplain and is usually available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. You’ll most likely find him around The Pā – feel free to introduce yourself if you see him. He has a doctorate in science (from the University of Waikato), and other qualifications in health policy (University of Birmingham, UK) and theology (Otago). After starting adult life as a scientist, he worked for 13 years as a public servant in the British and New Zealand health sectors, before taking up his current role as Associate Pastor with Raleigh Street Christian Centre in Cambridge. Given his scientific background, Nick has a special interest in talking with anyone exploring the relationship of faith and spirituality to STEM subjects, though he’s keen for conversation with anyone looking for spiritual support or pastoral care from a Christian perspective.

Rev Enosa Auva’a
Senior Minister: St Peters in the City, Tauranga
Email:  enosa@stpeters.org.nz
DDI: (07) 975 0203
Mob: 0274 869 213

Rev Enosa Auva’a is an ordained (trained and licensed) Minister of the Presbyterian Church at St Peters in the City. He trained at Knox Theological College in Dunedin, and has a Diploma in Ministry and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Theology. A former Primary School Principal of 26 Years he holds a Master of Educational Leadership and Management. From Samoa with Matai titles Unasa, Tupuola and Auva’a, Enosa welcomes conversation about church, hope, faith and culture. St Peters in the City is  situated in Tauranga  city just across from the university in Spring St. Feel free to contact by telephone or email above. I will be at Campus on Thursday and Friday (12-1pm)

Rose Stokes
Assistant Chaplain
Email:  rose.stokes@waikato.ac.nz
Mob: 027 737 8347

Rose enjoys coming alongside students and helping them problem-solve as challenges arise. She can often be found assisting with everyday transitions—whether navigating supermarket shopping, connecting into community groups, or drawing on her design background to curate art installations that communicate the Christian message in contemporary and sometimes unexpected ways. Familiar with the university having three children study here and as a local high school teacher, she is practical in her approach encouraging students to access services and develop effective study habits.
Creating a welcoming space where students can care for their mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing is central to her work. She recognises the importance of this stage of university life in shaping strong foundations for the future.
Rose and her husband are actively connected to the church community in Hillcrest and enjoy supporting students as they explore and engage with church life.
She has lived cross-culturally, including time in the Middle East, and enjoys exploring out of the way places in Aotearoa New Zealand, including walking the Te Araroa trail.
A lifelong learner, Rose has recently undertaken study in chaplaincy training, Christian studies, and 21st-century digital and collaborative learning, and is currently completing studies in counselling.

Lin Chu
Assistant Chaplain
Email:  lin.chu@waikato.ac.nz
Mob: 021 655 822

Come meet Lin at The Pā on Tuesdays – she’s the little lady with pepper and salt hair, and try a piece of the green cake she brings. Apart from offering cake, she offers, too, a listening heart to anyone looking for a welcoming presence.
Lin is a supervisor and spiritual director (one who journeys with you on your spiritual quest), trained by Spiritual Growth Ministries (SGM), and a member of the Association of Christian Spiritual Directors NZ. In her previous life, she was an accountant and  later, an orchardist.
Lin and her family of six came to Hamilton almost 28 years ago. Having grown up in multi-cultural Singapore, she is familiar with the cultures of many countries. She speaks English, Chinese, Cantonese and Fukien, plus a sprinkling of Malay. She knows what it is like to come to a different country and culture and so is keen to help international students to adjust to this lovely country.
She worships at Hillcrest Baptist Church near Entry 1. She has been facilitating retreats (time out, pausing for silent prayer with God) for a number of years, and will be looking at joining forces with Rose Stokes to start a regular short retreat in the university chapel in the second half of the year. 

We have Muslim Prayer rooms available in L Block and SUB. To access these spaces, you will need swipe access entered on your student ID card from the Security Office on the ground floor of the Student Union Building (SUB).

Hamilton

Student groups meet regularly at the Lady Goodfellow Chapel. Meetings generally occur during teaching periods of A and B trimesters.

Student groups associated with the Lady Goodfellow Chapel, Hamilton, include:

• Student Life – contact them through their Facebook page
• TSCF (Tertiary Students’ Christian Fellowship) – usually meet in the Chapel on Wednesdays in teaching weeks between 12 noon and 2pm.
• ISM (International Student Ministries) – meet in the Chapel on Friday evenings between 6:30 and 9pm. Contact sione@ism.org.nz or see the poster in the chapel.
• WaiCath (Waikato Catholic Students’ Group) – they meet on Wednesdays from 1pm in the Chapel Library (the small lounge within the Chapel complex) and after Mass on Sunday evenings. 

Tauranga

Tertiary Students’ Christian Fellowship (TSCF) meet on campus.

Contact tscfwaibop@gmail.com for more details or check out their instagram page at tscf.tauranga

Note: these groups generally meet only during A and B Trimester teaching weeks.

Contact Brother Andrew for more information.