The Society of the Sacred Advent
On 9 December 1892, Sister Caroline Amy arrived in Brisbane to begin the work of the Society of the Sacred Advent (SSA). She had come from Clewer, in England, from the Community of St John the Baptist, and had answered a plea for assistance from the Vicar of St John’s Pro-Cathedral in Brisbane, the Reverend Stone-Wigg. He had requested someone to come to Australia to establish a Religious Order for Women here in Brisbane. Sister Caroline Amy’s dedication and faithfulness saw the Community quickly grow and a strong ministry focussing on the needs of women and children establish itself and develop. In 1906, Mother Emma took over as the Superior, a position she served in until her death in 1939. Since its inception, the SSA has been responsible for the establishment and nurturing of several schools and children’s homes throughout Queensland. Today, we are fortunate enough to be able to have on-going contact with the Sisters – St Aidan’s and St Margaret’s.
The ethos and ministry of the SSA is firmly based on the ministry of St John the Baptist (their Patron Saint) – ‘to prepare a place for God in their own hearts and minds, and in the world in which they live’. We, at St Aidan’s, being firmly established with the same ethos, see our focus as ‘preparing a place for God in our own hearts and minds, within our school community, and in the world in which we live’. This undergirds all that we are and all that we do, including our pastoral care, our educational program, and our emphasis on community service.
St Aidan of Lindisfarne (600 – 651 CE) is our Patron saint and is viewed as a central role model for us as a school community. His spirituality pervades our culture and is reflected in our commitment to nurturing spiritual growth and support amongst the girls. A key fellowship group at St Aidan’s is Anam Cara, which is Celtic for ‘Soul Friend’.
St Aidan was a Celtic monk and bishop, who travelled from Iona to Northumbria to assist King Oswald in teaching the locals about the Christian faith. He was a widely respected and beloved man, fondly regarded by those who knew him, and remembered for his commitment to sharing his faith in a gentle and non-threatening way. A contemplative by nature, St Aidan believed that to do something well required time. He preferred to travel by foot, in order to converse with those he encountered along the way. His love for God’s creation was renowned and his care for people exemplary. He was committed to education and to studying God’s word and devoted much of his life to prayer and silence.