Ways of Belonging

PERMANENT membershiP

1.  How do I become a Sister of the Good Samaritan?
 

Are You Catholic?

Seeking God?

Desiring to live a communal life?

Eager to serve others, your community and the church?

Willing to grow spiritually?

Flexible?

A joyful person?

Have you considered: Strengthening your faith commitment?

Praying as an essential part of your life?

Committing your life to God in the service of others?

If YES then you may wish to discuss your desire with a Sister of the Good Samaritan contact…….

2.  How do I know if I am called to be a Sister of the Good Samaritan?

Let them prefer nothing to the love of Christ (RB 72:11)

Early in your discernment, you will consider whether you are drawn to living a communal life searching for God, with the Gospel as your guide.

Each woman perceives a personal call from God to follow Jesus, according to the way of life of a Sister of the Good Samaritan. Her desire is to ‘ go and do likewise’ according to the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

3.  What are the steps to becoming a Sister of the Good Samaritan?

The candidate enters upon a period of intense formation in our way of life listening carefully to the voice of the Lord.

  1. Contact a Sister of the Good Samaritan………………………………….. email……………………………….
    telephone………………………………
  2. Read and reflect on the material she sends to you.
  3. Continue discussions with Sister…………………………………. and spend some time observing the life of the sisters.
  4. Write a letter to the Superior of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, PO Box 876, Five Dock NSW 2046 seeking an application form to become an Inquirer.
    As an Inquirer, usually a six month period, you will discern your calling with a member of the Formation Team and decide whether you will apply to become a Pre-Novice and to live for a period of time with a community.
  5. Prior to your time as a Pre-novice various assessments will take place to determine your suitability for religious life. As a Pre-novice, you will discern with the community and an accompanying sister whether you are called to proceed to Novitiate.
  6. Novitiate will extend over two years, during which time you will discern more deeply the call to live as a Sister of the Good Samaritan.
  7. First profession of the vows of Stability, Conversion of Life and Obedience takes place at the end of Novitiate.
  8. As a member of the Congregation a sister renews her vows for a set number of years, until she makes her Perpetual Profession of vows. During this period from first profession until perpetual profession the sister engages in ministry and further professional studies.

 

4.  What is Religious Profession for a Sister of the Good Samaritan?

Let her then be received into the community. RB 58:14

The life of a Sister of the Good Samaritan is focussed on the Benedictine vows of Obedience, Stability and Conversion of Life.

At the end of Novitiate, a novice makes her first profession for four years. She renews her vows until it is discerned by her and the community that she make perpetual profession.

Vows:

 

Obedience the following of Christ in obedience to God’s will as this is expressed to us through our life of mutual respect in the congregation, lived under a rule and a superior.

Stability perseverance in following Christ in the religious life as this is practised in our Congregation and the continuing effort to give ourselves to this way of life in all its changing circumstances.

Conversion of life the progressive conforming of our manner of life to that of Christ through our commitment to the specific way of life of our congregation and our readiness to be formed by this.

5.  Whom do I contact for information:

Good Samaritan Offices - Click Here

6.  Community life

Our pastoral effectiveness within the church derives from our commitment to a community which is formed by the Gospel of Christ and from our participation in its common life. (Const 3:1)

According to the spirit of St Benedict, we seek to have all the details of daily living subordinated to gospel priorities and integrated in a community pattern of life ordered to the seeking of God and the service of our neighbour. (Const 3:3)

By practising mutual obedience and service, holding all things in common, bearing one another’s burdens and supporting and encouraging one another, we experience and express in community the love of Christ. (Const 3:4)

7. Prayer

The Word of God, listened to in the scriptures and in our life, celebrated in liturgy, accepted and obeyed in faith, and responded to in the signs of the times, gives unity and vitality to our community life. (Const 3:2)

8.  Ministry
John Bede Polding founded the sisters of the Good Samaritan to be at the service of the Church and society. (Const 2:1)

In call us to be an integral part of the church as it developed in early Australian society, Polding left in our history a sign that would continue to call us to be part of the local church, in whatever historical and cultural situation we might find ourselves. (Const 2:2)

There are a number of wide ranging activities in education, hospitality and care of the sick, homeless and people with disabilities, in which the sisters minister with gentleness and compassion.

Associates of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan
of the Order of St Benedict

belonging
What is more delightful, dear friends, than the voice of God calling us?
Let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide.
(Rule of Benedict, 5th Century)


Good Samaritan Associates are ordinary men and women who

  • live and work in their own families and communities.
  • desire to live in deeper communion with God.
  • choose to live a spiritual life based on the Rule of Benedict and the Gospel Good Samaritan.
  • participate in the mission of the Church in the spirit of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.

Associates feel a deep yearning to live their day to day lives prayerfully and in harmony with the Gospel by grounding their spirituality in the Good Samaritan Benedictine values of community, individual and communal prayer, peace, compassion, social justice, ecological awareness

Associates strive to apply and follow the teachings of Christ while living in a world driven by an entirely different set of values.
As friends of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, Associates:

  • reflect regularly on the Scriptures.
    set aside regular times for prayer and /or meditation.
  • Experience a sense of community, faith and life by attending meetings, retreats and social gatherings with Oblates and Good Samaritan Sisters
  • are nourished by Benedictine/Good Samaritan spirituality
  • participate in ministry in the spirit of the Gospel Good Samaritan

Currently groups of Associates meet in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
For further information about Associates click on the following link

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Oblates of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict


Good Samaritan Oblates are women and men who seek a deeper experience of God and community through a formal relationship with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict.

The Oblate tradition goes back 1500 years to the Rule of Benedict. The word oblate is a derivative of the word oblation, which means a gift offering. People asked to be associated with a monastery without leaving their homes and occupations. These people were received by the community, made their offering to God and were called Oblates.

Oblates are ordinary men and women who

  • seek God
  • commit to ongoing formation in Good Samaritan Benedictine spirituality and way of life
  • integrate Lectio Divina, personal prayer and Prayer of the Church into daily life
  • live the Gospel and the Good Samaritan parable in their personal lives
    develop a knowledge and understanding of the Rule of Benedict and how it applies to daily life
  • connect where possible with a local Good Samaritan Community or Area
  • join in Congregational events as appropriate
  • participate in ministry in the spirit of the Gospel Good Samaritan

Those seeking to be Oblates engage in a formal formation process, of at least twelve months, under the direction of the Oblate . At the end of this process the person is invited to make a formal commitment and becomes and Oblate.

In so far as their circumstances permit, Oblates

  • daily seek God through prayer, Lectio, study and conversion of life
  • pray the Liturgy of the Hours and share hospitality in Good Samaritan communities
  • study the Rule of Benedict and how it applies to daily life
  • seek opportunities for retreats, conferences and social gatherings with other Oblates, Associates and Good Samaritan Sisters
  • participate in ministry in the spirit of the Gospel Good Samaritan
  • promote reverence for life, peace and justice and ecumenism giving expression to Gospel values and bringing about the reign of God
  • annually renew their Oblate commitment.

“As I continue to study the Rule of St Benedict, I am coming to understand how I can live more fully as the person God created me to be. I need a community that lives according to the Rule of St Benedict, one which will show me how to be grounded in Stability, Conversatio and Obedience, within myself, in order to live this out within the wider community.” Trish SGS Oblate.

Oblates are part of the world wide Benedictine Oblate movement.
For further information click here