Eight women from across Australia and the Philippines have embraced the opportunity to take part in this year’s Good Samaritan Study, Accompaniment and Mentoring (SAM) Program, which will see them receiving scholarships to complete studies in theology, along with mentoring and spiritual direction.
By Debra Vermeer
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan Spirituality and Mission Animation Leader, Dr Monica Dutton, said that this year’s program was characterised by most of the scholars being mid-career in the education sector and holding leadership positions in the areas of Mission and Religious Education.
“As always, there was a very strong field of applicants from across Australia and the Philippines and, once again the selection panel did a wonderful job. We are very grateful for their experience and insight,” Monica said.
“We also acknowledge with gratitude the ongoing commitment of the Sisters to the program, both through financial support and offering spiritual direction for the scholars. We know from past cohorts that this is one of the distinguishing features of this program for so many of the participants.”
Monica said the SAM scholars were studying a range of courses which were primarily focused on Theology, Religious Education, Leadership and Spiritual Direction.
Bronwyn Ilott. Image supplied.
Bronwyn Ilott from Melbourne is a secondary school teacher who has just commenced at Loreto Mandeville Hall, Toorak, as Head of Religious Education, Prep-Year 12.
She will be studying a Master of Religious Education at Australian Catholic University and said she first came across the SAM Program last year when she read The Good Oil story about it, which was carried in the national CathNews e-publication.
“I was so impressed and excited to read about a program that supported the ongoing education of women in the Catholic Church, an area of great interest for me,” Bronwyn said.
“I had been investigating further study options for the future and was attracted to the idea of a program that would support me not only financially, but perhaps more significantly, provide me with female mentors in faith leadership and in my journey of faith, through the spiritual accompaniment component of the program.
“In the work I have done as a leader of faith formation in schools, I have been acutely mindful of the need for my own personal spiritual nourishment and fulfilment. While this currently comes to me in many forms through various readings and listening to podcasts, the notion of working with a spiritual director is especially exciting for me.
“I am incredibly grateful to the Good Samaritan Sisters for creating an opportunity to support women in such a range of endeavours.”
Bronwyn said she was also looking forward to the opportunity to increase her network within the broader Catholic Church.
“I look forward to working with a diverse group of women from a range of settings, who are united in their faith and successful in leading in their respective areas of responsibility, as women of faith. I believe I have much to learn from these people.”
While adding higher study to an already full slate could present challenges, Bronwyn said she was looking forward to the academic component.
“As busy as life is right now, I am also looking forward to the discipline of further study. I am looking forward to being intellectually challenged and stimulated by the courses in the Master of Religious Education program,” she said.
“I know that the course will be of immediate benefit to my work as an educator, and I am looking forward to being able to make links between my study and my profession.”
Emma Bakker. Image supplied.
Emma Bakker works for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne as Discipleship Coordinator and is studying a Master of Theological Studies at Australian Catholic University.
“In my current role I have the privilege of helping to cultivate a culture of discipleship across parishes and communities,” she said.
“My studies have already significantly enriched both my personal faith and professional practice, providing theological grounding that strengthens the clarity and purpose of my ministry.
“Pursuing a Master of Theology will further equip me to lead others with wisdom, humility, and a spirit of service as I help form leaders and build structures that support ongoing evangelisation and renewal.”
Emma said she was particularly drawn to the SAM Program’s holistic approach, integrating financial assistance, academic study and spiritual accompaniment.
“The opportunity for regular mentoring and reflection with experienced women leaders resonates deeply with my own desire for ongoing discernment and personal growth,” she said.
“I see this as not only a gift to my development but also a way to remain grounded in the values and charism that shape authentic Christian leadership, especially in the spirit of the Good Samaritan – compassionate, courageous and Christ-centred.”
Michelle Carrick. Image supplied.
From across the nation, in Perth, Western Australia, Michelle Carrick is currently serving as the Director of Mission at Santa Maria College, a Catholic day and boarding school for girls in Years 5-12, grounded in the Mercy tradition.
She is studying a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Theology through BBI–TAITE with the aim of enriching her understanding of contemporary Catholic mission leadership.
“I applied for the program because I thought it would be a transformative opportunity to deepen my vocation as a faith leader in Catholic education,” Michelle said.
“I was new to the role of Director of Mission in 2025 and wanted to deepen my understanding of theology and leadership as it relates to the mission, ministry and identity portfolio in Catholic schools and beyond.”
Michelle said the program was a formative opportunity to deepen her capacity as a mission leader.
“I hope this academic formation will enhance my theological literacy, foster critical reflection and broaden my perspective on mission leadership in the Catholic context,” she said.
“Complementing this, I believe the program’s emphasis on mentoring and spiritual accompaniment offers a unique space for relational and reflective growth for Catholic leadership. I will value the opportunity to engage with others in a community of shared faith and discernment.”
Siobhan Kelly. Image supplied.
Also participating in this year’s program is Siobhan Kelly who works at Catherine McAuley Catholic College in Medowie, a Years 7-12 school in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, and is completing a Master of Religious Education through BBI–TAITE.
She said she was particularly attracted to the SAM Program because of its mentorship and accompaniment components.
“I was drawn to the SAM Program because it intentionally creates space for leaders to learn with and from one another,” she said. “At this stage in my life and ministry, I would greatly value the mentorship and accompaniment in leadership that the program offers.
“Faith leaders and educators today work within increasingly religiously pluralistic contexts, where there is a constant challenge to both meet the diverse learning needs of all students and to make faith accessible, meaningful and inclusive. The opportunity to learn alongside others and to seek mentorship in this space would be invaluable.
“I see the program as an invitation into a wider faith community that honours learning, story, reflection and faith as central to authentic leadership.”
Siobhan said she hoped the SAM Program would support her development in building and sustaining a positive faith culture within an increasingly secularised context.
“I am seeking the opportunity to step back from the demands of daily ministry in order to re-centre on the purpose and intent of my work,” she said.
“I also hope to gain insights that will enhance the impact of our work on the faith life of students, while also intentionally deepening my own spiritual formation.”
Although the SAM scholars are geographically widespread, they have already caught up together on an online induction session. As in previous years, a highlight of the program will be an in-person gathering at the Good Samaritan Centre in Glebe over two days in April.
In next month’s edition of The Good Oil, we will meet fellow SAM Program participants Eve Amores, Nicole Harkness, Priscilla O’Brien and Liz Sullivan.
This article was published in the February 2026 edition of The Good Oil.
