8. Very Reverend William Uren SJ AO

Very Reverend William Uren SJ AO

(Australian Jesuit Province Archives)

Father Bill Uren is a Jesuit Priest and is currently Scholar-in- Residence at Newman College, a residential college affiliated to the University of Melbourne.  Born in Melbourne and educated at Xavier College, Bill Uren joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1954 and was ordained in 1968.  In addition to his studies with the Jesuits, he has studied at the University of Melbourne, the Melbourne College of Divinity, the University of Sydney and the University of Oxford.  He has a long and distinguished career in education as a moral philosopher and bioethicist, as a commentator on contemporary issues in Australian society, and as a scholar and mentor.

He has lectured in Moral Philosophy and Bioethics and similar topics at several universities, including the University of Melbourne, the University of Queensland and Murdoch University.

He has published widely on issues such as the law and abortion, moral and ethical aspects of assisted reproduction, euthanasia, stem cell research, treatment of the human embryo, gene therapy, ethical dilemmas in rationing the health dollar and informed consent for research.

He was founding Director of the LJ Goody Centre for Bioethics, St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, WA (1985-1986), a member of the Australian Health Ethics Committee (2001-2006), a member of the Working Committee reviewing the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans for the National Health and Medical Research Council (2007), Hospital Ethicist at the Mater Misericordiae Health Services, Brisbane (2000-2003) and has served on over twenty clinical and research ethics committees in universities, hospitals and research institutes.

Bill has been Rector of Newman College, University of Melbourne (1987-1990 and 2006-2019).  He also served as Rector, St Leo’s College, University of Queensland (1998-2000), Rector, St Thomas More College, University of Western Australia (1977-1980).  He was the Rector of The Jesuit Theological College of the Society of Jesus within the United Faculty of Theology, Melbourne College of Divinity, from 2003-2005.