Headshots of Wolfsons honorary Chaplains

Chaplaincy Team

Wolfson has a team of honorary chaplains who are on hand to provide a listening ear and support to College members on request.

Headshots of Wolfsons honorary Chaplains

Mariam Badat (Muslim)

Mariam has been a chaplain at Addenbrooke’s Hospital since May 2022. She spent five years pursuing Islamic studies in a traditional setting and then two years in Hungary where she was able to offer pastoral and religious support to Muslim overseas students. On returning to the UK, she completed a diploma at the Cambridge Muslim College. In the last few years, alongside working, she has completed an MA in Islamic studies from SOAS, University of London. She continues to work closely with her local mosque and community in Ely to offer pastoral and religious care. Mariam is honoured to accept the position of honorary Muslim chaplain and connecting with all members of the college community.

Email: muslim-chaplain@wolfson.cam.ac.uk 

Rabbi Ben Baruch (Jewish)

Rabbi Ben Baruch and his wife, Atira, are the University Jewish Chaplains for Cambridge and East Anglia. Ben was born and raised in Palmers Green, where he lived until he graduated Immanuel College. For his Gap Year he went to Yeshivat Hakotel in the Old City of Jerusalem, planning to return to London to study Physics at Imperial. He ended up staying in Yeshiva for another 9 years, receiving Smicha from World Mizrachi and teaching at Hakotel and Amudim.  In parallel with his Yeshiva studies, Ben graduated with a BsC in Electro-Optical Engineering from JCT and is pursuing an MA in Jewish History. He looks forward to helping students feel empowered to build the Jewish communities that they want, to engage with the Judaism that’s relevant to them and to feel at home and comfortable with their Judaism.

Email:  Ben@mychaplaincy.co.uk

The Revd Jonathan Collis (Anglican)

The Revd Jonathan Collis is a graduate of Selwyn College, where he read Classics and followed by Theology. He served as Chaplain of Jesus College for seven years, then was a vicar in Southend on Sea for 12 years. Now Revd Collis is the Rector of St Botolph’s church and also honorary assistant chaplain at Selwyn. He lives with his wife Judith, who is an academic at Cambridge, and they have two children of university age. Revd Collis is the trustee of a number of charities involved with work to further understanding between Christians of different traditions and people of different faiths. Among his other distinctions, he is also a former captain of the University’s Croquet Club. He is delighted to be an honorary chaplain at Wolfson and to play a part in such an inclusive and diverse community. As well as taking a role in the termly college services, he is around for conversation with any college member, of any faith or none.

Email: jonathan.collis@cantab.net

The Revd Dr Geoffrey Cook (Roman Catholic)

The Revd Dr Geoffrey Cook is honorary Roman Catholic chaplain to Wolfson. Life Fellow and former Vice-Master of St Edmund's College, he was ordained deacon in 1978 for service of the Catholic Diocese of East Anglia. He chairs the Diocesan Commission for Dialogue & Unity and is Chairman of Shared Churches (Ely) Limited, the ecumenical body responsible for building and ownership of Church centres in the new townships in the county. He is delighted to join with the Anglican Chaplain in organizing the termly service of Christian worship and to meet members of the College at the reception after the service.

Email: gmc1000@cam.ac.uk

Sara Lytle (Buddhist)

Sara Lytle is a chaplain at Addenbrooke's hospital and has a background in Buddhist studies, comparative religion, and psychotherapy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religion from Harvard University and completed a dual degree master’s program in Social Work and Religious Studies at the University of Chicago. Originally from Northern California, she relocated to Cambridge in 2022 with her husband and cat. As a chaplain, she is particularly interested in meditation and contemplative practices; grief, loss, and end of life care; nature and embodiment and their connection with spirituality; and supporting others in accessing their own wisdom. She is delighted to be an honorary Buddhist chaplain at Wolfson and being a part of the Wolfson community.

Email: buddhist-chaplain@wolfson.cam.ac.uk

Termly Christian worship

The Anglican and Roman Catholic Chaplains organise a Christian service of worship in College once a term (at which the Choir sings), and an Advent carol service at St Mark's Church.

For further details, see the College events calendar.

Faith in Cambridge

Most major faith communities maintain chaplaincies to students in Cambridge, and many have active faith or belief societies in the University.   For a comprehensive list of the University Chaplains and faith-based organisations, see the University's Directory of Faith and Belief Communities in Cambridge.

Wolfson is multicultural. Members respect this and often celebrate the traditions of others. Many faith traditions hold their own meetings in College.