Church and University
create new post for student care
The Diocese of Monmouth and the University of Wales,
Newport, have announced the appointment of Reverend
Mark Soady, BTh RMN SSC CF(V), as chaplain to the University.
The post, which is combined with part-time duties at
All Saints Church in Newport, will see the Chaplain
giving pastoral care and support to both staff and students
at the University. Work has just begun on a £35
Million new City Centre Campus for the University, to
be opened in 2010.
Welcoming the appointment Lawrence Wilson, head of Student
Services at Newport's University, said: “We look
forward to the contribution Mark will make to the student
experience at Newport, the support he will be able to
offer staff, the further development of community relations
and the expertise and experience he will bring to bear
on the future success of the university.”
The Bishop of Monmouth, Rt Revd Dominic Walker OGS,
added: “Mark is a gifted priest with a warm pastoral
heart. Universities are involved in educating people
to develop mentally and spiritually, and Mark is ideally
suited for such a role.”
Commenting on his appointment, Fr Mark said: “I
am excited to have been given the chance to establish
this post at an interesting time in the life of the
University. It is right that the church meets people
where they are, in their work place, in university or
in the armed forces. Posts like this give us that opportunity.”
Fr Mark, who has spearheaded the fundraising appeal
for Newport's Cathedral, is to leave the cathedral staff
at the end of the summer. Before entering the ordained
ministry he was a psychiatric nurse and he also served
as personnel assistant to the late Lord (Roy) Jenkins
of Hillhead, and worked on democratisation programmes
in Africa, Central & Eastern Europe.
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