Mass at Lourdes Hill College.

Our Charism

Mount St Benedict College.

Seeking God together characterises the GSE charism. Charism is a pure gift of God, freely given to members of the Christian community to enable them to live the gospel of Jesus in a particular way that brings faith, life and culture into harmony.

Benedictine spirituality is such a gift, having grown from the charism and insight of the 6th century monk, St Benedict, into a rich and wise tradition which inspired the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and continues to enliven all members of Good Samaritan Education in their service of the Gospel.

Centred on Jesus Christ,
the charism of Good Samaritan Education is to seek God together.
We believe that it is through commitment to each other,
in communio,
that we go to God (Rule of Benedict, 72:12),
our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love
(RB Prologue 49). 

Enriched and inspired by
the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37)
the Rule of Benedict
and the Sisters of the Good Samaritan,
the mission of Good Samaritan Education 
is to sustain and nurture communities of learning
in the Catholic tradition. 

Good Samaritan Education draws inspiration and guidance from the Rule of St Benedict, a wisdom text from the 6th century which provides universal and fundamental insights into human life and community.  Adaptable and realistic in its understanding of who people are, and who they can become, Benedict’s Rule offers a timeless spirituality, illuminated by the face of Christ and grounded in the scriptures, particularly the Gospel.  

Benedictine spirituality serves as a guide for communal living of the Gospel in a socially responsible way and as a pathway for personal spiritual development. It is a source of transformation for a humanity that continues to question its purpose and identity in the midst of life’s struggle to live together with dignity and in peace and unity.  It calls for connectedness and emphasises an attitude of heart and mind required to meet the challenges that we face daily in responding to stewardship, relationships, authority, community, balance, work, simplicity, prayer, and the human condition. Essentially, it shows us a way of life that connects us with God, with others and with our inmost selves.

The intersection of the Benedictine tradition with the life, ministry and culture of Good Samaritan Education impels us to be a  community of welcome and compassion, a sign of hope in our hungry world in response to the Gospel question, “Who is my neighbour?” (Lk 10:29)

St Mary Star of the Sea College, Wollongong NSW.

GSE is guided by the Rule of Benedict, inspired by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and impelled by the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We draw our values from the ancient wisdom and living Benedictine tradition, and the Gospel inspiration at the heart of our mission given expression through the work of our community. Click on each value below to read more

The call to love and support others, impelled by the love of Christ above all things, is first and foremost a response to God’s astonishing love for humankind, a love revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Passion for God and compassion for others are nurtured through prayer and scripture and are central to our witness to the Gospel and at the heart of mission. RB 4 begins with Benedict echoing the Parable: “First of all love the Lord your God, with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength and love your neighbour as yourself.”

Communio constitutes the life of Good Samaritan Education, a mutuality of giving and receiving, shaping our collective identity and our communal seeking of God. Communio reflects and lives out the web of relationships that underpins the participation of all its members, whose shared sense of mission is illustrated through humility and trust. Critical to communio is embracing the common good, strengthened through hospitality where “all guests who present themselves are welcomed as Christ” (RB 53.1). 

Hospitality is the openness to the other as the person of Christ in our midst. It is about acceptance of others and creating a space that is welcoming of diversity and difference where each can be transformed by one another on a common journey. In the process of hospitality, we have a prototype for all our responsibilities toward others. A blessing accompanies both the offering and the receiving of hospitality. 

Benedictine stewardship is about mutual care and recognising God in all things. Stewardship holds all things – the earth and all its goods – as sacred and not to be neglected. It is a fundamental revering of all of creation in its beauty and proper use, recognising it as a gift from God to be used ethically and responsibly for the common good. Stewardship is about caring for people as well as resources, and it extends to everything and everyone. Hand in hand with mutual care is mutual obedience – listening deeply to one another as we listen to God, with the “ear of the heart”. 

At the heart of our Philosophy of Education is conversatio, a commitment to a pattern of living that faces the demands of human growth and change. It is a lifelong process that requires perseverance, trust and love and a letting go of self-centred preoccupations. For each in our community, conversatio involves listening and responding – to those in the community, our neighbour, and to the unexpected as we respond with love. 

Benedictine life aims to find peace. It is our legacy, our mandate and our mission and we must pursue it and work for it. There can be no peace in the world unless there is justice for everyone, especially the vulnerable and the marginalised. Our communities strive to inspire leaders for our society who will work for the common good, who will ask difficult questions about the nature of society, and who will advocate for those in need. 

To exemplify Holy Audacity is to be emboldened by the love and model of Christ. Responding to the Word and the signs of the times requires daring, bravery and courage. Holy Audacity calls forth fortitude and daring to be counter-cultural, by making bold decisions that inspire a commitment to the casting off of complacency and through exercising our prophetic voice to make a difference in the world. 

The formulation of the above GSE values was inspired by reflection on its mission and the Hallmarks of Benedictine Education*. 

*In 2007, international Benedictine educators collaborated and distilled from The Rule of St Benedict values of transformative importance that ought to animate Benedictine learning institutions, resulting in a collection of ten core values referred to as the Hallmarks of Benedictine Education, including love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline, humility, stewardship, hospitality, and community.

GSE Formation Theme 2024

“To have holy audacity is to embrace the prophetic call, to be a voice for justice and peace, and to challenge the powers that oppress and marginalise.”

Joan Chittister OSB

Holy Audacity, embedded in the Rule of Saint Benedict, embodies a courageous and bold approach to living out one’s faith, characterised by a profound sense of purpose and daring, fired with the desire to shape the hope “that we might all be one” (Jn 17:21) now. Expressed through the ancient Benedictine practice of “hospitium” it embodies genuine warmth and radical openness, where the stranger is received as Christ (RB 53.1), fostering connections that transcend divisions and cultivating peace through understanding and dialogue. Holy Audacity echoes the call of Benedict and the ministry of the Good Sams, responding to the signs of the times and being proactive in pursuing peace. (RB Prol 17).