Good Samaritan Catholic College blessed and officially opened

Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli

Special guests unveiled a plaque in honour of the blessing and official opening of Good Samaritan Catholic College

​GOOD Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli has been officially opened following a blessing by Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane.

The Prep to Year 12 college, located on 11.56 hectares in Parklakes 2, off Thomas Road and Yandina - Bli  Bli  Road, welcomed its first students at the start of the year.

Eventually catering to more than 1500 students from Bli  Bli, Coolum Beach, Marcoola, Mudjimba, Maroochydore, Kuluin,  Diddillibah, Rosemount, Eumundi, and the eastern fringe of Nambour, the college opened with Prep to Year 3 and Year 7 students. 

The first Year 7 students will graduate from Year 12 in 2024 and the first original Prep students in 2031.   

Following an acknowledgement of country, Archbishop Coleridge and Nambour Parish Priest Fr Graham Gatehouse led special guests, including BCE Executive Director Pam Betts; Caloundra Parish Priest Fr Peter Brannelly; Maroochydore Parish Priest Fr Joe Duffy; Good Samaritan Sisters Veronica McCluskie and Ann-Maree Nichols; Ursuline Sister Helen Dyson; State Member for Ninderry Dan Purdie, Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien and foundation staff, students and parent community in special prayers.

Archbishop Coleridge told those gathered that the college would teach the young students many things to equip them for life.

But he urged staff to instil a sense of action in students when it came to compassion for others just like the Good Samaritan did in the Bible parable.

“This is a school that is geared to action,” he said.

“By taking the name Good Samaritan, the college commits itself to teaching the young what it requires to change a bad system,” he said.

“Attend to the need of the man in the ditch of course, that is what compassion requires; but it also requires the capacity to identify a system when it is bad  and begin to act, not just see, but to act to change the bad system so we have a better system.

“A system where good people don’t ignore those in need but actually do something like in the story of the Good Samaritan.

BCE Executive Director Pam Betts said she was honoured and privileged to be with the new college community on their special day.  

She thanked the archbishop for leading prayers and acknowledge the many people who planned and participated so joyfully in the blessing liturgy.

She said she brought the prayers and good wishes from BCE’s other 140 schools.

“As a system of schools, we rely on support from the government for our capital and recurring resourcing.

“The opening of this school would not have been possible without State Government funding of more than $14 million and the school community contribution of a further $1.06 million.  

She said she was interested to discover Bli Bli meant ‘many swamp oak trees’ and compared the young students to the young oak tree, “which we will nurture and grow into a strong, resilient and flourishing adult”.   

“As educators, we have great hopes for each of our students and we pray that you will all grow to live, work and prosper in a peaceful world.  

“I hope that you will also carry the lesson of the Good Samaritan with you while you learn.

“Like the Good Samaritan show love for your neighbour and compassion for those in need. 

“Because success in life is not only measured in how well we do for ourselves, but also by how well we treat and care for others,” she said.  

She thanked the Good Samaritan Sisters, who have been in Nambour for many, many years, for lending their name to the new college. 

Foundation Principal Greg Myers said he was excited about the future.

He said the college would be a place where the motto “Journey with Compassion” was put into action every day.  

Following the liturgy Archbishop Coleridge joined State Member for Bancroft Chris Whiting, representing Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace, to unveil a plaque before joining guests for a morning tea.​

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