GOOD SAMARITAN ETHOS   

           

The Catholic Order of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan was founded in Sydney in 1857 following a decision of Australia’s first Catholic Archbishop, John Bede Polding, to establish a new congregation of religious women.

 

From the very beginning, a commitment to women and the education of young people – girls in particular – has been at the heart of the congregation’s mission.

 

The charism of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan is at the heart of our College and underpins all that we do. The Parable of the Good Samaritan ends with Jesus saying, "go and do likewise!" This is our guiding principle. Doing likewise involves recognising our neighbour as anyone in need and responding to those needs with generosity and compassion. This ethos encourages us to embrace the principles of Catholic social teaching in our curriculum and to pursue peace and justice through social action.

 

Liturgy is central to our communal expression of faith and meaning.

 

In keeping with the Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition, our liturgies are based on scripture and seek to:

• engage girls in meaningful experiences;

• develop empathy for others; and

• bring hope to students in a world in need of understanding.

 

Students are encouraged to be actively involved in liturgical celebrations including formal school occasions like Opening Mass, and ongoing celebrations such as the Assembly prayer, Pastoral Group prayer and Eucharist.

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2023 - THE YEAR OF NEIGHBOUR through the lens of Conversatio and Humility

"The whole of life of a follower of St Benedict is a life of simple and realistic love for God and for our neighbour.  The mainspring of everything in St Benedict is the love of Christ - in himself, in the poor, in community and in the individual person." (Thomas Merton OCSO)

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In 2023, the Year of Neighbour continues the three-year Mission cycle in Good Samaritan Education following on from the Year of Lectio. 

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Our Year of Neighbour brings into sharp focus Jesus' redefining of the concept of neighbour beyond proximity or familial relationship to all we encounter, even those we are tempted to shun.  Living as neighbour challenges us to see 'the other' and to live with 'unboundaried' hearts that welcome the stranger and shatter all barriers.  It is the call of God to enter into an even deeper immersion in the present needs of the world.

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Through the lens of Conversatio and Humility we are challenged to open and grow in relationship and awareness to explore what it looks like to be in right relationship with God and with all, including the Earth, as we respond to the call to be neighbour.

 

A Good Samaritan Benedictine community is built around a fundamental discipline of prayer, work and relationship that seeks to free people to take delight in God’s immediate presence within the self, the community and the world. 

Lectio Divina is the practice at the heart of our tradition that keeps our eyes open and attentive to the transforming moments of life enabling us to hear the call of God in scripture and to discern the voice of God in all of life. 

‘Discipline’ enables us to focus energy and attention on what matters most and ‘Obedience’ challenges us to put into practice what is learned by listening ‘with the ear of the heart.’ 
 

As we dialogue deeply with God’s Word, we become a community that puts on the mind of Christ with a vision of life that inclines us towards the other and the needs of our world. 

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BENEDICTINE VALUES

Good Samaritan Education has a rich Benedictine heritage that draws on ancient wisdom for a modern world. The essential values of Good Samaritan Benedictine Education* are:

Love of Christ and Neighbour - Benedictine life, like that of all Christians, is first and foremost a response to God’s astonishing love for humankind, a love expressed in the free gift of God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Love tops St Benedict’s list of tools for good works (RB, 5:10, 7:67-69, 4.1-2).

Prayer -  Benedictine schools cultivate a fundamental attentiveness to the ways by which God is present in the human mind and heart and, indeed, in all creation. St Benedict directed that nothing is to be preferred to prayer (RB, 43.3). Lectio divina is the slow meditative reading of Scriptures and other sacred texts with the intention of discerning how God is at work right now in the world and calling within the individual’s own heart.

Stability -  Stability shapes a Benedictine way of life. All commit themselves to seeking God. They resolve to pursue this, their heart’s deepest desire, together, day in and day out, in good times and in bad, throughout the span of their lives.

Conversatio - The Benedictine word “conversatio” means the process of letting go of self-centred preoccupations and false securities so that the divine life at the core of one’s being becomes manifest in a trustworthy pattern of living.

Obedience -  Benedict begins the Rule with the exhortation “Listen,” emphasising the stance required of all who seek wisdom. Obedience is putting into practice what is learned by listening to the other “with the ear of the heart” (RB, Prologue 1).

Discipline - Benedictine life is built around a fundamental discipline of prayer, work, and relationships, seeking to free people to take delight in God’s presence within the self, the community, and the world.

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Humility - The Benedictine way of life seeks an accurate knowledge of self, a pervasive awareness of God’s presence and dependence on others and creation itself. Benedictines recognise their limitations without losing hope and accept their gifts without becoming arrogant because the measure of their lives is not found in themselves alone.

Stewardship - At its core the Rule seeks to foster a fundamental reverence towards the creation that God has made. St Benedict exhorts his followers to regard all the tools and goods of the monastery as the sacred vessels of the altar (RB, 31.10).

Hospitality - St Benedict accords special attention to Christ’s unexpected arrival in the person of the guest, whom he describes alternately as poor and as a stranger. A blessing accompanies both the offering and the receiving of hospitality.

Community - The Benedictine community is rooted in a particular place in which mutual service, especially in mundane everyday life, is demanded of all with no expectation of individual reward. It is a challenge to contribute to a living, flesh-and-blood community on such terms.

Justice and Peace - The aim of Benedictine life is to find peace. We must pursue it and work for it. It is an active ordering of life so that peace is the outcome. Peace is a feature of just communities – for peace to reign, justice is fundamental.

*Adapted from Association of Benedictine Colleges & Universities Statement (The Ten Hallmarks of Benedictine Education): Education within the Benedictine Wisdom Tradition Revised August 27, 2007. Source: www.abcu.info

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

As a Catholic School, the study of Religious Education is compulsory in all years.  St Scholastica's College is a school founded on the tradition of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.  Our spirituality has its foundation in the teachings of Christ and St Benedict and forms the basis of education at the College.  The College’s Religious Education Department attempts to impart both Benedictine spirituality and Catholic teaching and tradition in every aspect of a student’s spiritual and academic development.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE

The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict was formed to care for disadvantaged and abused women. The Sisters continue to be known for their Christ-like attitude of compassion and care for those they serve.
 
Today, in keeping with its heritage and the Good Samaritan Education Framework, St Scholastica's College connects to its community through service. Students are involved in service activities including volunteering at:   

• Matthew Talbot Hostel for Homeless Men

• Night Patrol

• St Vincent de Paul 

 

In addition, the College community is active in its support for collections for Caritas, The Marion Centre and the Good Sam Foundation.

 

Service of others and working for justice are firmly rooted in the Gospels and in the Benedictine Good Samaritan traditions and are a necessary part of our educational experience. With the Parable of the Good Samaritan as the benchmark, it is our responsibility to challenge our girls to think beyond their own circumstances, develop empathy and compassion, and to reach out to others.

 

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IMMERSION PROGRAMS

The Good Samaritan Immersion Program is a great opportunity for students to join with staff and students from other Good Samaritan Colleges to witness first-hand the diverse ministries, on both a local and international level, of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. The program offers insight into the lives of others who are not as privileged as we are.

 

Programs include:

• Immersion experiences in the Philippines, Kiribati and Japan, working with the Good Samaritan Sisters.

• The Santa Teresa Mission, an indigenous community near Alice Springs

• The Philippines, Manila and Bacolod City. Girls participate in the work of the Sisters at the Good Samaritan Kinder School & Community Centre

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They are three very different experiences for those who participate, connecting our community to the work of the Sisters and their response to the call, ‘go and do likewise’.

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