Doves in Flight. That’s not just a pretty image, it’s Mater Christi College’s logo. It represents growth and community. Mater Christi College is more than just a school. It’s a story passed down through generations. A story that began with a need in the Belgrave community.
Sixty years ago, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan built a school for girls here on this very hill. It started small but grew beyond what anyone imagined. Mater Christi attracts students from all over the Dandenong Ranges. The Good Samaritan heritage is a theme here. It empowers a learning community that evolves with the times. The college is committed to educating girls to become informed, compassionate, and creative.
Mater Christi College stands on a rich history. It goes back 166 years to Archbishop John Bede Polding and Mother Scholastica Gibbons. They established the Good Samaritan Sisters. Even further back, it stands on the 1500-year-old Rule of Benedict. And of course, the parable of the Good Samaritan guides the college.
The college officially opened on this site in 1964. Before that, in 1963, students attended classes at St Thomas More and St John the Baptist primary schools.
In 2023, Mater Christi celebrated its 60th anniversary. Celebrations began with a whole College Mass. The first Mater Christi College Captain, Loretta Gamley, attended. Her daughter and granddaughters were with her. That’s how deep the Mater Christi connection runs.
Loretta remembers a strong sense of community in the early years. She said Mater Christi offered everything a girl needed. They were cared for. They had good examples of the importance of education. And the nuns had a great sense of fun.
Mater Christi prides itself on its pastoral care culture. Leaders and teachers are committed to the welfare of all students. They’re supported by college psychologists, the chaplain, and nurses.
The college has been sharing stories of alumnae to celebrate life beyond Mater. They come from journalism, geology, floristry, zoology, and more. There’s a video series called Spirit & Progress. It shares memories and reflections of past and present students. It tells the story of the college’s evolution. It also shows the values and community that remain strong.
Mater Christi College belongs to the Good Samaritan Education community. It is one of 10 schools across Australia.
Mater Christi College is an independent Catholic school. It operates under the College Board’s direction. Good Samaritan Education owns it. The college was established here in Belgrave in 1963. It attracts students from Melbourne’s outer eastern and south-eastern suburbs.
The college respects the traditions of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. It strives to be innovative to meet the challenges of a changing society. Mater Christi aims to develop informed and compassionate women of faith. Women who will participate freely and creatively in society.
Mater Christi encourages excellence in all things. It aims to develop informed, compassionate, and creative students. The college acknowledges the potential of all students. It sees them as dynamic learners who are seeking, achieving, and celebrating. They’re also citizens of the future who are challenging, risking, supporting, and promising.
The college is committed to an authentic relationship with others and the earth. Mater Christi has an established International Student Program. Students of all religions and cultural backgrounds are welcomed. They are supported through the experience of studying overseas.
Mater Christi College respectfully acknowledges that our place of learning sits upon the lands of the Wurundjeri people.
Here at Mater Christi College, girls learn to become their best selves. They become global thinkers who are competent, confident, happy, and ready to live life fully.