Good Samaritan Catholic College
is a community committed to holistic education.
Mission
Statement
Our name Good Samaritan Catholic College and our motto "Journeying with Compassion"
offer us a challenge and mandate to live the good news of the Gospel in the
context of our times.
We
acknowledge that each person is on a life-long journey which is a continuous
process that reaches beyond schooling. We are called to enrich and empower
each student to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will give us an
appreciation of the fullness of life.
We acknowledge the individuality
of all members of our community and value the gifts they bring with them to
our shared journey. All members of our community are encouraged to explore
their potential and to strive for personal excellence.
Compassion is an integral
part of our journey. The call to journey with
compassion is a Gospel imperative which demands each one of us a spirit of
service, a sense of justice and a search for truth. It acknowledges the
dignity of every member of our community and calls each one of us to act
with courage and integrity.
The Good Samaritan Catholic
College community is committed to quality education. Our challenge is to
make a positive contribution to the transformation of society by encouraging
independent and creative thinkers to search out new ways of dealing with our
rapidly changing world. As a community truly journeying with compassion, we
will come to better understand the Gospel message, to grow as individuals
and to help each other build the Kingdom of God.
Good Samaritan Catholic College
was established in 1999 as a co-educational college and began
with 99 Year 7 students. It has grown in size through the years and will
have an eventual enrolment in 7-12 of approximately 1050 students.
The College was officially
Blessed and Opened on Sunday, 12th September 1999 by Bishop David Cremin.
The picture on the right
shows Br Kelvin Canavan (Executive Dir. of Schools) and a group of
our first student cohort in 1999.
The College was designed to be
built in 5 stages. The building program was finalised on the 22nd September
2006. It comprises Administration/Staff Areas, General Learning Areas, a Science Block,
Library, a Performing Arts Complex, Basketball/Tennis Courts and Technology & Applied Studies facilities.
Students come from the
surrounding Parishes of Hoxton Park/Hinchinbrook, Austral, Lurnea and Sadlier/Miller. Feeder schools include St Therese Sadlier/Miller, St Francis
Xavier, Lurnea, Good Shepherd Hoxton Park and St Catherine of Siena Prestons.
The college population is made up of many different backgrounds, 75% of the
population being from language backgrounds other than English.
Journeying with Compassion...
The College motto
'Journeying with Compassion' challenges the community to join
together and journey in Catholic Education. A strong emphasis on pastoral
care is a feature of the College, as is challenging each individual to
achieve their personal best in all aspects of College life.
In "Journeying with Compassion", we live the Gospel message of
Good Samaritan Catholic College. Our context in this journey is threefold:
We live in the Land of the
Southern Cross. Therefore, we are able to journey with our
neighbours who come from so many backgrounds; the Australian Aboriginal
peoples as well as peoples from every country in the world. Within a context
of such diversity we rightly pray, 'let us be one' (John 17:21)
Our second context is The
Journey of the Cross. Our baptism calls us to walk in the footsteps
of Jesus in all the circumstances of our daily living and learning. As a
faith community, we believe not only in the power of the Cross, but also in
the victory of the resurrection which awaits us all.
The hands reaching out provide
our third context. They call to mind the Parable of the Good Samaritan
(Luke 10:29-37) in which the good samaritan who chose to be "moved
with compassion", acted as a real neighbour to the traveller who was
left for dead. We always journey with others, and often with people who need
a helping hand. Our situation at Good Samaritan Catholic College as a faith
community, places us in a position to reach out to all, especially those
within our community.
