Our Chaplains

The Reverend Irene Brodie

I was born in Northumberland in the north east of England and my family emigrated to NZ in 1957 when I was 15. I worked for the post office until I had my family and then did voluntary work for the local kindergarten, school and social services.

I was ordained deacon in 1988 and a priest in 1989. I worked in team ministry at St.Luke’s Anglican Parish, Manurewa. I was Chaplain at Selwyn Oaks in 1991 for a year and before becoming full time Anglican chaplain at Auckland hospital in 1992, where I worked in the areas of cancer, leukemia and neurology plus intensive care. Between 1993 – 2008, I was Ecumenical chaplain at Middlemore hospital where I covered gerontology, intensive care, special care baby unit, coronary care, maternity, gerontology and everything in between. In 2009 I became part time chaplain again at Selwyn Oaks. I love working here.

I trained in counselling, spiritual direction, supervision, grief counselling; psychodrama and art therapy. I provided supervision to colleagues and acted as bishops representative in interviewing people who felt called into the ordination process.

I have four adult children, three are teachers (one is a principal) and one who works as a carer in a home for adults with mental disabilities. I have seven grandchildren aged from 9 – 23 years old. I have been very blessed in being led into this life and as I enjoy people and pastoral work, it’s a good fit for me.

"The important thing to you is not how many years in your life, but how much life in your years!"

The Reverend Diane Hopping

I became chaplain here in Hamilton in January 2016. I'd just completed two years as a mature student at St John’s Theological College in Auckland. I was ordained as a deacon in November 2015 and Priested in April 2016. I spent many years teaching in primary schools in the Otorohanga area, while also holding a lay license as a preacher, liturgist and educator at St Bride’s church there. I'm still an assistant priest at St Bride’s in Otorohanga. I am married to Laurie, a vocational deacon in Otorohanga and we live in a converted woolshed in KioKio, just north of the town. I have three children and six grandchildren. Over the years I've gained many life skills to assist me in my position as chaplain. I'm finding similarities between my teaching years, journeying with young people as they learn new skills and now, journeying with an older generation who are losing those same skills. 

I find this passage from Jeremiah pulls me back from the edge when needed. This passage fell out of a book when I was packing to move to Auckland, needless to say, it provided just what I needed to hear from God at that time. He is there when you need him.

"I will show my concern for you and keep my promise to bring you home. I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me, and you will seek me with all your heart. Yes, I say, you will find me, and I will restore you to your land."

Jeremiah 29:10b

The Reverend Marianne Hornburg

I’ve worked for the Selwyn Foundation since 2000 as a chaplain and spiritual care coordinator. This has involved me in strategic planning, having oversight of the chaplaincy team, and providing spiritual and pastoral care for residents at Selwyn Village and Selwyn Heights.

I was ordained in 1978 and I worked as an Anglican parish priest in Auckland and a hospital chaplain in Auckland and Waikato.

I have a B.A. (psychology) from Chapman University in California, a LTh. from St. John’s College, Auckland and I completed the gerontological pastoral care institute training at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

I have a passion for ministry amongst older adults because of the richness of their life experience.

“We meet no ordinary people in our lives”

C.S.Lewis

The Reverend Lucy Nguyen 

I was ordained as an Anglican priest in the Auckland Diocese in 2003 after completing my theological training through the College of St Johns the Evangelist and Auckland University.

I was born on the east coast of America and went to the University of Connecticut where I earned a degree in sociology. After that, I moved to Singapore and worked for the American Refugee Programme, helping people in refugee camps in Singapore and Indonesia. I got married and moved to NZ with my husband Hung to live with his family in Auckland. We have two adult children.

Before priesting I worked in several parishes as parish secretary and in the admin field of mental health. I’ve been assistant priest at St Aidan’s Remuera, vicar at St Peter’s Pakuranga and chaplain at Middlemore hospital.

As a chaplain, I really appreciate the community life offered in the Selwyn villages. I value the fact that my role weaves together times of being with people in the midst of daily life, worship and spiritual journeying. I am currently based full time at Selwyn Heights (Sundays through to Thursdays) and rostered with the Village Chaplains for Urgent After-Hours Chaplaincy On-Call and Auckland City Hospital Visiting. When I’m not working, I’m puttering around the house or out walking.

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey."

“This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24

The Reverend Susanne Green

I’m currently chaplain at Selwyn Park, Whangarei. Before that, I’d been a health care chaplain in Taumaranui, for Green Lane/National Women's and for Northland District Health Board. I managed community houses in Glendowie and Ranui and was vicar of Waiuku and Northern Wairoa.

I live in Sutton Close with Max, a corgi and Badger, a cavadoole. We all enjoy the garden, which has a carpet rose hedge and walks around the grounds of Selwyn Park.

"May our Selwyn Way of Caring, Kindness and Compassion, be experienced in Love, Hope and Respect  that the Deaf hear, Blind see, Confused understand and the Lonely feel."