New Zealand Buddhist Chaplains

Updated: 6th June, 2024

For over 2,500 years Buddhists have contemplated sickness, old age and death to understand suffering and find an end to it. Buddhist practitioners therefore value sickness, old age, death and other transitions as opportunities for spiritual insight and growth. Buddhist chaplains are trained to accompany people through such difficult times, working in hospitals, hospices, universities, prisons and other facilities.

By supporting a person suffering in a difficult situation with skillful inquiry, guided meditation and/or prayers, the total pain (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) a person experiences is skillfully and compassionately addressed. With the help of a spiritual friend the person is better able to find their own inner resources to handle what is happening, moment by moment.


NZBC and Amitabha Hospice have confidence that these NZ Buddhist Hospice / Healthcare Chaplains can be engaged to facilitate a person’s mental comfort by helping the person use their own beliefs to investigate their concerns and gain strength and resilience in the midst of a health crisis.

If you do not hear back promptly or have an inquiry about Buddhist Chaplaincy please use the contact form to reach us.

Qualified NZ Buddhist Hospice / Healthcare Chaplains

AucklandChristchurchHelensville, AucklandHamiltonMahurangi West, AucklandNelsonTaupoWellingtonWhangāreiThames
Amala Wrightson, Roshi click to reveal address
Ecie Hursthouse click to reveal address
Marion Feasey click to reveal address
Rukman Wagachchi click to reveal address
Hanya Gallagher click to reveal address
Jane Ross click to reveal address
Julie Downard click to reveal address
Wilhelmina Flick click to reveal address
Heather Kempton click to reveal address
Sandra Shanmugam Harcourt click to reveal address
Annie McMullen click to reveal address
Diane Johnston click to reveal address
Lea Godfrey click to reveal address
Deirdre Savage click to reveal address
Jiko McIntosh click to reveal address
Satyadevi Barrett click to reveal address
Graeme Stuart Cleaver click to reveal address
Maitrikirti (Kate Ewing) click to reveal address
Apprentice Buddhist Chaplains

In 2013 the New Zealand Buddhist Council and Amitabha Hospice started training well-vetted applicants to become Buddhist Hospice / Healthcare Chaplains with a Level 1 course. The people on the list below have completed the Level 1 course and been accepted as Apprentice Buddhist Chaplains (ABCs).

If they want to pursue Tertiary or Prison Chaplaincy, they are required to complete a number of hours of supervised spiritual support in a hospice or medical setting and two written assignments before they are qualified to do Level 2, which teaches Tertiary and Prison Chaplaincy.

The ABCs who have completed the Level 1 course and the requirements of
supervised experience and the written documentation are qualified to work as NZ Buddhist Hospice / Healthcare Chaplains in hospices, hospitals or nursing homes.

NZ Apprentice Buddhist Chaplains may be contacted by hospitals, hospices, nursing homes or privately. They will endeavour to address an individual’s own spiritual needs while fostering a peaceful environment and maintaining strict confidentiality.

The following are Apprentice Buddhist Chaplains

AucklandCoromandel Peninsula & Hauraki DistrictHamiltonChristchurchDunedinInvercargillLevinNelsonNapierNew PlymouthRotoroaThamesPapamoa, TaurangaWellingtonWhanganuiColombia (South America)Oxford (UK)
Anjalee Pieries click to reveal address
Conny Krebs click to reveal address
Hean Tan click to reveal address
Karunajoti Grace click to reveal address
Steph Madenholt-Titley click to reveal address
Venerable Sumanasiri click to reveal address
Dr. Tony Fernando (MD, PhD) click to reveal address
Katrina Robertson click to reveal address
Prasanthi Amerasinghe click to reveal address
Mark Harcourt click to reveal address
Erin Lummis click to reveal address
Pimmy Takdhada click to reveal address
Alex Brennan click to reveal address
Angela Dempster-Passang click to reveal address
Drolma Simpson click to reveal address
Phramaha Sudchai Lekkratok click to reveal address
Deb Moran click to reveal address
Ramona Clark click to reveal address
Wayne Frecklington click to reveal address
Clare Woodham click to reveal address
Gail Wright click to reveal address
Jan Crawford click to reveal address
Teresa Goodin click to reveal address
Geoff Gensei Moore click to reveal address
Diane Prajnalila Quin click to reveal address
Lassara Hall click to reveal address
Terry Hounsome click to reveal address
Derek LeDayn click to reveal address
Janice Hill click to reveal address
Bhante Jinalankara click to reveal address
Laura Cheung click to reveal address
Tejomani Earl click to reveal address
Corina Nino click to reveal address
Jude Bennett click to reveal address