Sisters of Charity
Mary Aikenhead Born in Cork, Ireland, the first child of a Protestant physician and a Catholic merchant’s daughter, Mary developed into a deeply spiritual and compassionate woman, who was moved by the plight of the sick in Dublin and convinced that God was calling her to assist and serve the poor. Consistently and often, she encouraged her sisters to do their best and place ‘……a wonderful reliance on Divine Providence.’ Mary’s spirit and ideals were communicated to her sisters who were motivated and inspired by the motto ‘Caritas Christi Urget Nos’ – Sisters of Charity in Australia Very early in the history of the Congregation, Mary and her sisters were confronted with the urgent needs of the times. In 1834, Dr Bede Polding requested a foundation of Sisters of Charity in Sydney. Though the Congregation was rather new and there was much to be done in Ireland, Mary Aikenhead was moved by the plight of the convict women in the penal colony. Being an innovative and spiritual leader, Mary’s generous response was to extend the Congregation, by establishing a foundation in Sydney. She called for volunteers for ministry within the Australian Mission. Subsequently, five Sisters set sail aboard the ‘Francis Spaight’ on 18th August 1838, and arrived in Sydney on 31st December 1838. In 1842, Dr Bede Polding, the Vicar Apostolic for Australia and Tasmania, visited Rome. During that visit, the establishment of an Australian hierarchy was approved by Pope Gregory XVI and Dr Polding was appointed Archbishop of Sydney. Also, ‘…..during that visit, Dr Polding obtained from the Holy Father, the Rescript establishing the Sisters of Charity in Australia as a Congregation distinct from Ireland.’ Today, the Sisters of Charity continue to re-define Service of the Poor in the Spirit of Mary Aikenhead and renew their commitment to the ministry of the poor. ‘Impelled by the love of Christ and in the spirit of Mary Aikenhead we commit ourselves to respond creatively to the current, emerging needs of the poor.’ The Sisters of Charity and their lay colleagues share responsibility for this mission which has been entrusted to them by the Church and the Congregation. While Mission is expressed through ministry in a variety of ways, all involved in the education ministry within the College must preserve and embody the heritage and traditions of the Catholic Church and the Charism of Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity. [From: Sisters of Charity of Australia Education Ministry, Governance manual, pp 30-32] Sisters of Charity Educational Philosophy (i) Through the apostolic works in education of the Sisters of Charity, the Congregation shares in the Church’s mission of continuing the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ. (ii) The Sisters of Charity carry on their apostolate in education through Secondary Colleges conducted in accordance with the beliefs, traditions and practices of the Catholic Church. (iii) As apostolic works of the Congregation, established within the Archdiocese, our Colleges recognise the Archbishop as the Teacher in the Faith Community. Religious instruction, evangelisation and catechesis within each College shall be carried out in accordance with the norms laid down by the Archbishop. (iv) The Congregation is committed to ensuring that its Colleges assist and complement the exercise of the educational rights and duties of the family. (v) The Sisters of Charity are committed to the service of their students as unique and gifted individuals irrespective of academic, socio-economic or ethnic background. (vi) In keeping with the spirit of their Foundress, Mary Aikenhead, the Sisters of Charity are committed to the Service of the Poor. For the Congregation the word ‘poor’ refers to those persons who are materially, socially, spiritually, physically, intellectually or emotionally in need. (viii) As a Catholic School forms part of the evangelising Mission of the Church, the Sisters of Charity strive to ensure that in their Colleges the students are provided with a synthesis of culture and faith, and of faith and life. (ix) The Sisters of Charity strive to ensure that all members of the College community are integrated fully into one educational community and that each one is treated as a fully equal member of that community. The Congregation recognises that the cooperation required among all members of the College community is a duty in conscience for all members. (x) In each College the Sisters of Charity strive to ensure the recognition and protection of the rights of the various members of the College community, especially students, parents and staff. These rights must be safeguarded with strict justice. (xi) The Sisters of Charity recognise that each of their Colleges is to make its own contribution to the formation of a more just society and that it puts demands of justice into practice in the daily life of the College. (xii) In its Colleges the Congregation encourages the closest cooperation between teachers, who recognise the primary and inalienable right of parents to educate their children, and parents who recognise the professional expertise of the teachers. (xiii) In their Colleges the Sisters of Charity strive to provide appropriate models of female leadership and educate the students to be independent, articulate leaders in the Church and society of tomorrow – women of faith, confident of their own worth as women and vitally involved in the promotion and practice of justice. (xiv) The Congregation is committed to ensure each College, with a vision for the future, anticipates and provides for the changing needs of the students and other members of the College community whilst valuing and building on the traditional strengths of the College. (xv) As not all students of our Colleges are members of the Catholic Church or Christians, the Sisters of Charity ensure that the religious freedom and the personal conscience of individual students and their families must be respected. (xvi) In the apostolic works in education of the Sisters of Charity the Congregation strives not only for professional competence and leadership, but also to create a Christian environment wherein all who share in the apostolate of education can collaborate together in a spirit of unity and service. (xvii) The Congregation is committed to ensure those who are associated with the Sisters of Charity and their Colleges are given the opportunity to further their education and other programs. (xviii) The Congregation is committed to ensuring all those who share at whatever level, with the Sisters of Charity in the mission of the Congregation in education, are suitably formed for their participation in that mission. (xix) The Congregation requires that all who are involved in any capacity in the Sisters of Charity educational apostolate are informed of and agree to abide by the Education Philosophy of the Sisters of Charity. Ignatian Spirituality Mary Aikenhead, the Foundress of the Sisters of Charity, was deeply aware of the spiritual training needed for the practice of religious life. In order to set her Congregation on a sound foundation she gained permission to prepare herself for this great ministry by completing a novitiate within a recognized, well established Congregation, the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Bar Convent, York. This Institute had adopted the Jesuit Constitutions and so Mary was trained in and influenced by the Ignatian spirituality. To live by the Ignatian way of proceeding is to ground one’s whole life in a Trinitarian perspective. This means that all those who wish to follow Christ are actively contemplatives in action, companions of Jesus and one another, daily attentive to the presence of God at work in minds and hearts through inner movement of the Spirit. Phrases such as seeking and finding God in all things and concepts like the Ignatian method of discernment are really part of ordinary conversation and thus inform all activities. Enriched by this tradition, she ensured that her Sisters’ formation was Ignatian. The Australian Sisters of Charity undertake the same formation of seeking and finding God in all things. Students at St Vincent’s are encouraged to find God through experience, reflection and action. Mary Aikenhead understood that this process would enable people to be impelled by the love of Christ for the service of others. The College motto, ‘Scientia cum Religione’ reflects this spirituality by calling us to integrate faith and knowledge into our everyday life. [From: Sisters of Charity of Australia Education Ministry, Governance manual, pp 44-45]
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