Companionship Program
Genazzano FCJ College is inspired by a passion for life, a love of learning and the courage and confidence to lead and serve others. One of the ways we live out the Mission Statement is involvement in the Companionship Program which provides our students with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the Foundress of the Sisters FCJ, Marie Madeleine d’Houët, through providing companionship to those in need.
It’s no accident that Marie Madeleine d’Houët named her Society of Sisters as ‘The Faithful Companions of Jesus’. Inspired by the spirit of Ignatius Loyola, Marie Madeleine wished her Sisters to walk in closest companionship in being faithful to the person and message of Jesus. Marie Madeleine’s profound sense of what companionship involved also flowed from an intense spiritual experience she had gazing upon the crucifix. Whilst in prayer she heard the words of Jesus from the cross: this “I thirst” of Jesus, Marie Madeleine interpreted as being Jesus’ thirst that the world be won over to the Kingdom of God. From the earliest foundation of the Sisters Faithful Companions of Jesus, Companionship also meant being there for those on the borders of society; the orphan, the destitute, the ones not seen as ‘important’ – just as Jesus was.
Our FCJ heritage encourages and inspires our students to offer not only companionship to each other, but beyond to the wider community. Our Companionship Program in Years 6, 9, 10 and 11 invites our students to go beyond their comfort zone to spend time with members of the community who need support in one way or another.
Genazzano students attend placements where they can contribute to the lives of others in a spirit of community service. The girls are encouraged to seek an understanding of how they can companion others through sharing their individual talents and learning to appreciate the difficulties many people face in their daily lives. This endeavour assists the girls to fulfil the ideals of an FCJ education, and is also in keeping with our Ignatian tradition of finding God in all things.