Chaplaincy and Wider Faith Provision News
News and Events
Bangor University Chaplaincy Team Lecture
Online Public Lecture (Teams)
3pm - Thursday, 20th February 2025
Renos K Papadopoulos, PhD., FBPsS
Trauma, Asylum and Refugees
Challenges in working with complex situations of multi-victimisation
Nowadays, we witness a remarkable increase in the frequency and intensity of various types of ‘severe forms of collective adversity’ in our world, which inevitably impact us in multiple ways. The media of mass communication and social media flood us with competing explanations and narratives, ranging from plausible to outlandish, mostly, presenting oversimplified and polarised accounts. By far the most dominant way of understanding the human response (both individual and collective) to these adversities has been that of ‘trauma’. Yet, the ‘trauma discourse’ has proven to be deficient in grasping the subtler nuances of these experiences.
This presentation aims to provide a framework that addresses these complexities, identifying new and significant facets of these phenomena, including the underlying struggle to comprehend human suffering; the nature and effects of multi-victimisation; the intricacies of ‘moral injury’; and a re-evaluation of staff burnout and self-care. Central to this framework is the ‘Adversity Grid’, which meaningfully conceptualises the range of consequences from such adversities, emphasising the avoidance of pathologising human suffering, identifying retained and new strengths, and enabling the appropriate managing of complexity.
Renos K Papadopoulos, PhD., FBPsS, is Professor and Director of the Centre for Trauma, Asylum and Refugees and of the MA/PhD Programmes in Refugee Care at the University of Essex, as well as Honorary Psychologist at the Tavistock Clinic. He is a Clinical Psychologist, Jungian Psychoanalyst, and Systemic Family.
Psychotherapist working as a clinical practitioner, trainer and supervisor. As a consultant to the United Nations and many other organisations, he has been working with refugees, tortured persons, trafficked people and other survivors of political violence and disasters in many countries. His writings have appeared in 18 languages. He was given awards by several international bodies for his unique approach to humanitarian work. His last two books are on Moral Injury, and Involuntary Dislocation; the latter has been hailed as inaugurating a new paradigm in the field.
The event is free, but registration is required. A link to the lecture will be sent following registration.
Lecture to be delivered through the medium of English.
Holocaust Memorial Day
Date: Monday, 27 January
Time: 10:30am – 11:30am
Venue: Powis Hall
Contact: Ingrid Pedersen
The theme of this years' service is ‘For a better future’ and will feature music and
readings from local schools, members of the local community and council, the Students
Union, the Chaplaincy Team, and University staff.
Holocaust Memorial Day has taken place in the UK since 2001, with over 7,700 local
activities taking place on or around 27 January each year.
The service is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Carol Service
Date: Thursday, 12 December
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Venue: Prichard Jones Hall, Main University Building
Contact: Ingrid Pedersen, Corporate Events Officer
The University Carol Service is an opportunity to come together to remember the reason for the Christmas celebrations and to give thanks; to hear some wonderful performances by the University's Chamber Choir, Concert and Brass Bands and to join in some of your favourite Carols.
Get into the festive spirit as we sing and celebrate the joy of the season together. Bring your friends and family along for a magical night filled with music and readings.
The event is free, but registration is required.
All welcome!
University Remembrance Day service
There will be a short Remembrance Day Service on Monday, 11 November outdoors at the Inner Quad, Main Arts Building or indoors in the Main Arts Lecture Theatre in the event of extreme weather.
The service will be led by Rev John Thompson, Minister at Penrallt Baptist Church. John is one of the volunteering Chaplains on the University Chaplaincy Team.
The service will start at about 10:50am and will last for around 10-15 minutes including the two-minute silence at 11:00am.
All are welcome.
Eastern Orthodox Church
