Articles by: Debra Vermeer

Good Samaritan Sister Meg Kahler elected to key Benedictine role

Good Samaritan Sister Meg Kahler said her election as President of the Benedictine Union of East Asia and Oceania offers opportunities to build connections and mutual support among Benedictine communities.

Posted on: November 19, 2025

Good Sams Foundation launches Philippines Emergency Appeal

The Sisters of the Good Samaritan Foundation has launched an appeal following the destruction caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which has battered communities on the island of Negros in the Philippines.

Posted on: November 19, 2025

Pilgrims of Hope: Transformed through Sacrament and Song

The National Liturgy and Music Conference featured an active Good Samaritan presence, with Sisters and an Oblate hosting workshops in which they shared their love and knowledge of the liturgy.

Posted on: November 16, 2025

Becoming a Good Samaritan Oblate ‘feels like coming home’

Two women from opposite sides of Australia became Good Samaritan Oblates recently, with both saying they felt as though they “had come home” when they joined their local Oblate groups.

Posted on: October 15, 2025

NASA cybersecurity expert urges students to reach for the stars

NASA cybersecurity expert Dr Kymie Tan returned to her old school, Mater Christi College, recently, sharing with students how the Good Samaritan values she received there have guided her career.

Posted on: October 10, 2025

Good Samaritan Sisters’ Blue Mountains ministry comes to an end

The Good Samaritan Sisters have been lovingly farewelled from the Blue Mountains, NSW, with people turning out in numbers to thank them for their decades of presence, faith and service.

Posted on: September 17, 2025

Former convent to provide a place of healing and recovery

A redeveloped former convent will soon throw open its doors to women and children who are transitioning from crisis support to longer-term support to help them heal from family violence.

Posted on: September 17, 2025

Bacolod community takes practical steps towards ecological sustainability

Good Samaritan Sisters in the Philippines are partnering with local and Australian groups on a raft of practical initiatives aimed at supporting ecological advances in their neighbourhood of squatter settlements.

Posted on: September 17, 2025

Sister Tokarerei Matiera SGS makes her First Profession of Vows

The Sisters of the Good Samaritan celebrated recently when Tokarerei Matiera made her First Profession of Vows in a joy-filled liturgy in her home country of Kiribati, writes Debra Vermeer.

Posted on: August 20, 2025

An unexpected turn in a spiritual journey

For Suzanna Kingsland, becoming a Good Samaritan Oblate was an unexpected turning point in a spiritual journey that has touched on a variety of traditions and practices, writes Debra Vermeer.

Posted on: August 17, 2025

Refugee Week shines a light on areas of humanitarian need

The Good Samaritan Sisters marked Refugee Week 2025 by hosting events that shone a light on people living in Gaza and highlighted the precarious situation of refugees and asylum seekers.

Posted on: July 16, 2025

Mission conference ‘nourishing, challenging and reflective’

About 15 members of the Good Samaritan community attended the Mission: One Heart Many Voices conference in Sydney recently, which explored the theme ‘Choosing Hope. Trust yourself to its leading’.

Posted on: July 16, 2025