INTERNATIONAL PRISON CHAPLAINS ASSOCIATION

Organisation in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council since 2014

New IPCA Worldwide President

On 12 June 2020, a videoconference meeting of the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA) Worldwide Steering Committee (WWSC) elected David Buick to replace Rod Moore as President. The election follows the resignation of serving President Rod Moore for health reasons.

The WWSC’s mandate runs from one Worldwide Conference to the next. Between Conferences, the WWSC may appoint new officers and members pending full elections at the next conference. During the current mandate, this procedure has already led to Gerry Bernabe being co-opted to replace Sylvia Montfort (Asia) and Julie Kelly being co-opted to replace Maku Potae (Oceania) following Sylvia and Maku’s respective resignations for health reasons, and the co-opting of Dorestela Medina (Latin America/Caribbean) to fill a vacant position.

David Buick was first elected to the WWSC as one of the two representatives of IPCA Europe at the Worldwide Conference in Sydney, held in September 2015. The next IPCA Worldwide Conference was due to be held in Bangkok in November 2020 but has been cancelled in February because of the global health crisis. The plan is for the Conference to be rescheduled as soon as circumstances permit.

“I very much regret not being able to complete my term of office at our Bangkok conference in November as I had hoped. It has been a privilege to serve IPCA as President for five years as we have nurtured links with chaplains in Asia and across the world”, said outgoing President Rod Moore. In a happy coincidence, Rod has just been awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his ministry and services to prison chaplaincy.[1]

“International organisations face major changes as they adjust during this time of global crisis”, said incoming President David Buick. “I look forward to taking up the challenge of leading IPCA Worldwide through this time of transformation as we seek to continue to support prison chaplains worldwide and advocate for prisoners’ rights through our work as an accredited UN NGO”.

[1] https://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/6782763/its-surreal-oam-for-prison-chaplain-chief-rev-rod-moore/?fbclid=IwAR2E1Rf3gw-Sok17H8Q72kL8IemEoeEUZM1VBSkvjsaEEla1Ph1yteAI4Yo