Communio Calling
Communio Calling
Prophetic Voices in 2026
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Now in its fifth year, Prophetic Voices continues to invite GSE students to speak into the issues that matter most to them — and to discover what it means to exercise a prophetic voice of their own. Rooted in communio, the program draws our GSE schools together, sending students back into their communities carrying new ideas and hope for the road ahead.
In this episode, host Gabrielle Sinclair sits down with four students from this year's cohort to reflect on their journey through the program and unpack the statements they've written. This year, discernment led them to two topics:
- Ethical Digital Citizenship
- Women's Rights: Attention, Prevention, Advocacy
Their thinking was shaped by topic experts Matt Esterman and Michelle Monteiro of Next Word, and Sr Sarah Puls of ACRATH.
Read more on Prophetic Voices and the full student statements at: https://goodsameducation.org.au/prophetic-voices/
Welcome back to Communio Calling. Today we are stepping into the most powerful, profound, youth-led initiative that we have at Good Samaritan Education, Prophetic Voices. At the heart of Prophetic Voices is a platform for dialogue and discernment, a safe place for students to articulate their passions for causes and topics that matter to them, and to be alert and engaged citizens who respond with compassion to the issues facing their world. It draws on our Good Samaritan Benedictine values and the Good Samaritan education imperative of social justice and welcoming all. A great quote from Joan Tidister frames what we mean. Prophets are those who take life as it is and expand it. They refuse to shrink to a vision of tomorrow, to the boundaries of yesterday. Our program has now gained quite a reputation. One of our regular guests has called it the most profound student programme running across Australia. And once you start to hear from our students and what they have produced, it's not hard to see why. In this episode, I'm joined by four of our students who lived the journey for this cohort, and we'll hear their reflections on the program and what inspired them to become advocates for change. And of course, we'll listen back to the two statements they created in full. So let's go. Welcome to Cominio Calling. Today we have wonderful guests with us for students from a couple of our schools. So we have Adelaide Matthews from St. Scholastica's College in Glebe. We have Neve Potter from Marta Christie College in Belgrave, Adelina Jones from St. Mary's College in Wollongong, and Matilda Moyle from Santa Maria in Northcote. So welcome. It's wonderful to have you here. It's wonderful to share your experience of prophetic voices this year. But I want each of you to share the lands from which you're coming from us today. So I might let you go first, Edwina.
SPEAKER_08Hello, I'm Anina Jones. I'm from St. Mary's College in Wollongong, and our traditional lands that we stand on today are the Darwell people.
SPEAKER_01Hi, I'm Adelaide and I'm at St. Segolas's College in Glebe and we're joining from the Gadigal land of the Eora people in Sydney.
SPEAKER_04Hello, I'm Naeve from Marta Christi College Belgrave and we're on Wurundry Land.
SPEAKER_07Hi, I'm Matilda from Santa Maria College in Northgate, and um we're also on Wurundry Country.
SPEAKER_09And today also I'm on the Gadigal land of the Eyora Nation here in Sydney. So each of you are going to have the chance to tell us about your experience, but we want to really go back to the whole programme. We have these wonderful statements which we'll come to, but I want you to think back where it all started for you. So this program started for you guys in November last year, and each of our schools approached the program slightly differently. What was your particular experience? I might ask Neve to go first.
SPEAKER_04So we had previous prophetic voices come and give us a little speech, like advertising the trip, and then we had a application process. So it was a few questions why you wanted to be in it, what do you think you could get out of it? How could you contribute to it? And then from there, teacher that has recently left along with Miss Kut chose the five of us.
SPEAKER_07What about you, Matilla? We had like a pretty lengthy like form kind of process. We just had to answer a lot of questions on like a Google form about like what we've done at the school in the past, too, and why we're interested. And then I think there are about 10 of us who got selected to be like in the program altogether. And then we would meet a few times a term and then obviously do the online like seminars. And then the people with like the best attendance to all of those meetings were the four that the teachers chose to come to Sydney. How about you, Duana?
SPEAKER_08So Miss McDonald talked to our year coordinators and some of our teachers and just asked what girls they think would be the best fit for it. And then Miss McDonald just got us all together and then told us that we were successful and explained what the prophetic voices was, and everyone was really excited. What about you, Adelaide? How did the schools put the team together?
SPEAKER_01I feel like it was kind of a mix of both Niamh and Matilda. So we had some former students come in and talk to us about you know what happened, the process of it, and how I think one of our girls' statements was chosen in 2025. And then we had a form sent out, quite a lengthy process. You had to say why you wanted to do it, what you'd bring to it, what kind of values that you held. And then we had a formal interview process with our head of social justice and our head of mission. And then from there you got chosen, you got to do all the interviews and the online meetings.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, lovely. So then what were the answers that you guys gave about why did you want to be in one? What was inspiring you to be part of this and learning how to be advocates for change?
SPEAKER_01I feel like I've always been really interested in advocacy, and I think it's a really great forum for students, especially to have a voice, because there often can be a lot of setbacks when you are young and you've got a lot going on, and it's harder to be an advocate for change. And I think the actual process of this was such a fantastic way. And I've got so many, like, you know, issues that you want to talk about, and it's always been something that's interested me.
SPEAKER_04For me, I think a lot of it was all the really daunting issues that are happening around us, but I guess it motivated me to hope and actually want to put some action into making change and help out the people because I guess as I got older, you know, you get more exposed to all the big issues happening around the world.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, sure.
SPEAKER_08Thanks, Dave. Just like going off both Adelaide and Eve, I feel like being able to help out and like make a change is a really big thing, especially in our society today. So by having the opportunity to be a part of this program has really helped open my eyes, I guess, to see what change we can actually make in our society today and the impact that we can have on others.
SPEAKER_07I would say like very similar to Atelena, and as well, like I was really interested to just learn more about these issues as well, because I think obviously like education is power and information is power, and I think knowing about them and having that knowledge can actually really help with like the advocacy side. And I think that's kind of what I was lacking. Like I had the motivation to want to advocate, but I wasn't sure about all the information or how to. Yeah.
SPEAKER_09I guess that's a part of Prophetic Voices' journey is you know, we have these wonderful massive ideas and these massive topics that we want to get a handle on. But then finding out how in our own sphere, like where we are at in our lives now, how do we make a difference? So from that initial gathering in November last year, when you were introduced to the idea of this program, for our listeners it's important for them to know that each of the cohorts are unique and instrumental in creating this path and the journey of the program because each chooses different topics. So, following that initial program or the initial formation, students are asked in their school groups to submit ideas and topics that they would like to be considered, and then we vote on them across the whole cohort of 10 schools and then come up with our final topics. So, do you guys remember some of the topics that got played around with before you submitted at your schools? Like some of the big ideas that maybe didn't get across the line this year but that you played with? What do you remember?
SPEAKER_08For St. Mary's, we had like the idea of the impact that sport can have on youth mental health and how like important it is for like individuals our age to be involved in sport. And then the other one that we had was also like supporting the disadvantaged and the elderly. For example, the homeless and the elderly by going and being involved at local homeless hubs and like volunteering your time at aged care homes around Wollongong.
SPEAKER_07We had a big focus on education, I think, and especially women's education in developing countries. That was a big focus for us, and that was probably our main topic that we were brainstorming.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's really funny. Ours is similar to Edwina's. We talked about like mental health in sport and going further along the lines of giving people access to sport because it can be a big help when you know, if you've got if you're struggling mentally or if you're struggling in other aspects, we talked about that. Then we also brought up refugee advocacy because I know that was deeply personal to some of the girls in our group, and it was a great way to discuss that and talk about that.
unknownThanks.
SPEAKER_04One of ours was actually genital mutilation and women's rights, upholding that. And also, I believe the other one was around racial prejudice, and I also like Adelaide think it was around refugees as well.
SPEAKER_09So we end up having 20 or so topics that we choose from, and I'm considering doing two rounds of voting next time to whittle it down to a smaller group, but time is precious and it's hard to do that at the end of the year. So 20 topics then got condensed in the voting, and I know that there was stiff competition up for top three. I think refugees nearly got it over the line, and it's one that I've really been considered fixing it occasionally, but no, you guys, it's definitely your votes that get the topics over the line. So eventually we came down to the two topics. Both of them are quite conglomerate topics, is what we ended up with. So the first one was social media, ethical tech, digital citizenship, the need for time out and the impact of young people's safety and well-being, and how we can respond. And then the second one was women's rights in the developing world, health and exploitation of women through child marriage, genital mutilation and sterilization. And so when we had these massive topics as organizers, it was really, really tricky to find who are the experts that we can get to help you learn about these topics and how you can, as I mentioned before, what's right for your circle of influence, what are the ways that you can advocate for this in your time? We did settle on some experts. We had Matt Emerson and Michelle from X Word, and then we had Sarah Pauls from Akrath. So I'm interested to hear about your thoughts about these initial topics. Went through a process and we landed somewhere differently, but when you got these topics, what was your initial thoughts?
SPEAKER_04For me, I guess I can't really think of a better word other than loaded. But yeah, I was actually quite intrigued to hear more about them, especially because I think they were particularly relevant to the issues today. Yeah, and I was very excited to hear more information from the professionals.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, just going off what Neve was saying, I definitely think it was a really eye-opening, like looking at how prevalent those issues are in our society today. And I thought that it like might be confronting to actually hear what's actually happening in society today. But it would be really interesting to see how we can work together to solve those issues, I guess.
SPEAKER_09Yeah. Of course, the people that we could get in weren't going to be experts in all of those aspects that were contained in the topic too. So that kind of constrained us a little bit, but also helped us create a pathway forward.
SPEAKER_07I think with the ethical digital citizenship one, I remember looking at it being like, interesting, because I think because we're such a digital generation, I suppose, I was interested to know like what more could there be that we could actually learn. Like I feel like I knew it all, which is definitely not true. So I think like after hearing all the information, it was actually it was really good. And I think it made me a lot more present and aware in just like my daily life. And then with the women's rights topic, I was really excited for.
SPEAKER_09Great. Well, we're going to listen to the statements that you guys wrote that changed the course a little bit after we got a sense of what you learnt about it from the topics and then what really you wanted to say, abloatly driven by you guys. So, first up, we have ethical digital citizenship.
Ethical Digital Citizenship Statement
SPEAKER_02Ethical digital citizenship. Imagine a world where your only friends are machines. Social media and the use of AI is having increasingly detrimental consequences on our youth today. We are constantly connected, yet feel more alone than ever before.
SPEAKER_04Forty-eight percent of teens now say social media has a negative impact. We've witnessed firsthand the loss of independent thought, human connection, and the addiction we have to a false reality. We encourage you to challenge the current societal norms and implore the youth of Australia to act as ethical digital citizens who are critical, informed, and aware of their online presence and use of technology.
SPEAKER_06We aim to embody the benedicting values of conversatio and communion and are struck by the pressing need to address the catastrophic impacts of social media and AI on our community. By exercising our prophetic voices, we strive to create a future in which social media and AI don't define our generation, but instead our use as a tool to work with.
SPEAKER_00Technology is not going to disappear. So go look at your screen time, reflect on your choices and be the voice that calls others to promote real life experiences. As Pope Leo proclaims, in an era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human.
SPEAKER_09So hearing them back again, what really stands out for you now? Everybody was involved in hearing all of the information about both topics, but then people had to choose which writing group they wanted to be a part of. Just particularly to those that ended up in that writing group, what are you most proud of for that statement?
SPEAKER_01I feel like for me especially, like there's a start of it. Being proud that we didn't just kind of talk about, you know, like doom scrolling and like that addictive nature of social media and like the digital world. I think I was quite proud that we took it from the angle of like a more grand scale, talking about things like AI and the detrimental impact that it can have on the youth and just how we were able to work that in. And obviously quoting the encyclical of Pope Leo, I think that was like I was really proud of how we worked together and did that.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, that came together really well.
SPEAKER_04For me, when we were in the writing groups, we initially had split up, wrote ideas in little groups, and then came together and formulated the big main speech. And I think I am really proud of, you know, hearing everyone's ideas and you know, having taken little bits from each of the little groups and turning it into what I would say is a pretty powerful speech. Yeah, I think it worked really well.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, absolutely. How about those that weren't in the writing group? How did you find the speech that came out in the end?
SPEAKER_07Hearing it back now, especially, I'm like, oh wow, like obviously there's so much that we discuss, and it's it's a really perfect like summary and it really captures the whole aspect of everything we learned about and also a call to action. And I love how you quoted Pope Leo.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I thought it was really powerful, especially to hear back now after a couple of weeks. It's a really powerful message that you guys have created. And I think that what you guys have put together is exactly the vision that we had for this statement. So I think you guys did a really good job.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, so for our audience, the writing groups do their first draft and then present it to everybody. So everyone then gets a chance to give feedback because the statements are collective of everybody. So while we have like specific people working on different groups, everyone had the chance to feed into that final presentation. So what do you think now that you've gone through that experience, you've put that statement together that has been your takeaway? Like, have you found ways to be more accountable in your screen time and supporting your friends to be that as well?
SPEAKER_01I feel like, at least personally, hearing from the experts and then being able to talk to my peers has made me feel a lot more aware, I guess, in a way. I feel like it's really important to see what everyone else is thinking about it, not just you, and having that as a way of holding yourself accountable, saying we've recognized this as an issue, and as a large group, we've recognized that this is a common issue. This is something that I can start working on for myself and then either help others or advocate for others to help themselves, I guess.
SPEAKER_09Thanks, Adelaide.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I agree with Adelaide. I think building awareness was a really big part of it. And in particular, there was a lot of conversation about this one screen time app, Opal, I think. And within the group, Michelle, the speaker, was talking about it too. I think quite a few of us downloaded it, and it's one of those ones that motivates you to reduce your screen time by doing like maths games and that. I found that really cool.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, it gamifies it, doesn't it? Yeah. Edwina, you want to say something?
SPEAKER_08Yeah, so definitely become like more aware of how much time I'm spending on my phone. Like, especially when you get those like weekly little updates that say screen time you spent like three hours. I was like, oh, time to take it back a bit. So yeah, just like using the Opal app, I have another app that just like turns my phone completely off, especially when I study. So I think it's really good to help me actually like focus and get in the zone.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, right. Does anyone want to share something that they remember hearing from the professionals that they found the most profound or daunting in that whole topic?
SPEAKER_04There was one statistic that Michelle had said it was something like 50% of teens reported that they were constantly on their phones. That really scared me. Yeah, I just didn't imagine that it would have such profound impact and be so addicting.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, it's not just teens too. A lot of us adults have similar problems. The algorithm is made to be addictive, so we all are in that boat that we all need to learn from each other. Okay, let's take a listen again then to the second topic: the women's rights, attention, prevention, and advocacy.
Women's Rights: Attention, Prevention, Advocacy Statement
SPEAKER_05Women's rights, attention, prevention, advocacy. 41,000 people in Australia. 50 million worldwide. These aren't just statistics. They are daughters, sisters, classmates, and friends. Modern slavery is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, reaching far closer to home than many of us realize.
SPEAKER_08Women and girls are disproportionately targeted through deception, online exploitation, coercion and forced labour. And men are forced into sexual servitude and forced marriage. It could happen to someone who looks like us, lives near us, or sits beside us in a classroom.
SPEAKER_07Resources, awareness, and actual change are missing from the people who should be helping a problem so grand. Slavery has been a battle fought by millions for centuries.
SPEAKER_06What propelled these people into being able to defend the rights of the enslaved was support, ways for their voices to be heard.
SPEAKER_07Most people do not even know that slavery still exists.
SPEAKER_03Because weren't we promised slavery had been eradicated? As GSE students, we are shaped by the Benedictine values. Hospitality calls us to see every person as worthy of safety, dignity, and belonging, not exploitation. Conversatio challenges us to have the courage to change ourselves and our communities. Stewardship reminds us that we are responsible for protecting the vulnerable and using our voices for those who have been silenced.
SPEAKER_05Through prevention, attention, and advocacy, we can respond with action. By supporting organizations such as Accra, raising awareness, and embedding education about modern slavery into our school community, we can be a part of the change. Together, we can build a future where every person's dignity is never treated as a commodity.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, wow. Again, another very, very powerful statement that you guys put together. So, those in the writing group for this one, what are you most proud of as you look back on it now?
SPEAKER_08I think I'm most proud of like just hearing it back and hearing our like passion for what we're saying is really inspiring and it makes me want to keep advocating for change.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I'm just like really proud of it in general. I think that the way that we approached it and the way that we actually went about like the writing process was a really amazing experience. But I think hearing the statement when you know all the work that's gone into it and hearing it, it's really amazing. Yeah.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, there's lots and lots of layers behind both of these statements of hard work, lots of discernment, and lots of listening to each other. So I absolutely commend you on the process. It's a beautiful thing to watch from the outside to see you guys pull this all together. So, those that weren't in the writing group, when you're hearing it back, what are you hearing again now?
SPEAKER_01I was really impressed by how they were kind of able to put it into words. Like as young women, I think it is a very prevalent issue for us, both here and across the world, especially knowing that it can affect anyone. And I think the way that they said it and put it into words and advocated for it was really impressive and really powerful. I thought it was an excellent statement in the end.
SPEAKER_04I thought that starting with those statistics was a really good hook and put into context really well that you know slavery still exists and it's still really profound and it could be someone right next to you.
SPEAKER_09Absolutely. The week after we concluded there was a book corners on modern slavery, particularly about chocolate, the following days highly recommend going back and having a look at that if you haven't seen it. The statement that got shaped was largely impacted by the input of Sarah Pools from Accras and helped kind of tone it into and understand that modern slavery aspect of the very large statement that was initially proposed. What do you remember more specifically? What grabbed your attention from some of the things that Sarah was able to share with us?
SPEAKER_07I remember being really, really shocked when she shared that 41,000 people in Australia are victims of modern slavery. It's very easy to just assume, oh, you know, it doesn't happen here or it's not that common here. But when you think about it, that is such a massive number. And then also here that I think I can't remember the exact number, but I think she said there's only been 40 people ever charged.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, the prosecution rate's very, very low.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, in Australia because it's so hard to prove. But I think that really shocked me, and that really kind of kicked into action like a bit of a like a passion, but also a like, all right, like we gotta do something about this. To hear the ratio is just awful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think for me it was even just hearing about modern-day slavery in general because you hear about human trafficking a lot, you hear about child marriages, forced marriages, and that is something not as common in the media, but you do hear about it. Whereas modern-day slavery, it's kind of an abstract concept, especially to people our age. It's not really taught in schools or it's not talked about in the media. And I think even just learning about it from an expert on it was a really fantastic way to learn about something that is a really, really pressing issue.
SPEAKER_09And you can't unhear it, can you? Once you know it, it starts playing on all of the ways that you interact with the world. How am I unwittingly supporting all of those systems in what I do? So has it impacted the way you go about things? Where is my part in the system that supports some of this? Or is it just more about awareness at moment?
SPEAKER_04For me, there was one thing that really stuck with me that Sarah said about how the main topic, it also included genital mutilation, but because she didn't have any expertise, she refrained from saying anything about it. And I think that helped me become more aware of, you know, what I say and making sure that I'm educated behind things, like especially about these big issues, making sure I'm educated behind statements I make, especially because it's so easy to spread misinformation.
SPEAKER_09That's a great thing to have picked up, N. And being honest about, you know, I don't have that. And so it would be wrong for me to kind of enter into that with you because I don't want to share that information that's not wholesome. That's a great thing to have picked up. Anyone else want to share what they uh are taking forward from this one?
SPEAKER_08Yeah, coming off what Nee was saying, I definitely think by having that education from Sarah that it's made me like more aware in my environment, seeing that someone that I know could be in that situation because it's so prevalent. So I think it was really important to hear from Sarah's perspective to know how we can kind of support them in our everyday life, I guess.
SPEAKER_09Well, coming away from prophetic voices, how do you feel? What's this process helped you develop or helped you see differently in the world? How's prophetic voices now impacted the way you're going to interact in the world?
SPEAKER_01I've always been like a public speaker debater, so I've never had the issue of actually speaking up, but I think prophetic voices really help with that idea of active listening. So whether it was to the experts or just with my peers, being able to hear what they have to say and take it on within my own opinion and then developing ideas that I have or we have as a group, and that sense of collaboration to it as opposed to I'm saying something, then someone else is saying something, and we try to kind of mash it all together. It's developing things within your own mind that other people have collaborated on.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, that whole listening dialogue and discernment practice of prophetic voices is really stretching kind of activity for anyone that engages with it. You guys as teens, but also any adult that really takes the time to engage in that, it can't help but stretch your ideas and make you more aware. Has that helped you to grow in your idea of advocacy and change?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, 100%, because you actually have to listen to the victims of whatever is going on, whether it's you know social media or women's rights, before you can enact change because from an outside perspective, you can think, you know, this is what a person needs and not actually know from your own personal experience. So I think listening is the first and probably hardest step to advocacy.
SPEAKER_09What about others? Where have you seen your own growth in this process?
SPEAKER_07I think for me, a lot of it has actually been in communication. So a bit different to Adelaide. I think I've started to realize like, oh no, like my voice does matter, and the things that I have to say that I have heard, I gotta be great and I gotta step up and say them. And I think conversation and awareness is such a massive thing. And I think I've been able to start conversations and make links to things kind of in my head that we might be learning in the classroom in something like business management in relation to modern slavery. I'm lucky to have that knowledge and I need to like share that with people. And that's kind of my duty now that I have that knowledge as being a big step.
SPEAKER_04I'll be honest, I was pretty scared to go for three days, you know, collaborating with people that I barely knew. It was pretty daunting for me. But coming out of it, I'm so grateful for such an amazing experience and it's motivated me to want to collaborate with more people and not fear a challenge because group work is some of the best work. You can get so many ideas out of it. I think it's helped me, not fully, but it's helped me get over my fear of, you know, meeting new people and conversing with them and getting their opinions and perspectives.
SPEAKER_09Oh well, it was great to have you. And it's one of those wonderful things about Prophetic Voices and the way we design the program that we try and help break down those barriers pretty quickly, especially with the bush dance on the first night, so that everyone just mingles and breaks down those kind of everyone staying in their own little group. I think we do that pretty successfully. What do you think?
SPEAKER_08Definitely, just because lots of us I can see have made really good friendships from this. I know I definitely have, especially with like some of the girls who are in my group, like with the women's rights. And I think with these friendships, it's going to help us spread our ideas more freely, I guess, and we can make sure that we're advocating for the same thing and spreading the awareness of what we've learnt from prophetic voices to our school and different environments.
SPEAKER_09Yeah. Some of the big lessons from prophetic voices is knowing that your voice matters and informing that voice and listening to others is the journey to empowering that prophetic voice that only you can give to the world. So thank you for being a part of this programme. It's been an absolute delight to journey with you. And I can't wait to see what you do in the world. So thank you very much for being a part of our conversation today about the prophetic voices journey in general.
SPEAKER_07Thank you so much. It was an amazing experience. Thank you. It's been a really awesome experience and really like transformative and educational.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think it was a really powerful experience, especially to have in this stage of your life, and it was fantastic. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_09Well, that was Adelaide, Neve, Eduina, and Matilda, four students from our Prophetic Voices program, year-long programme of listening, dialogue and discernment, producing those two wonderful statements with real conviction behind them. What struck me today was hearing the girls talk about what it actually means to be a prophetic voice and their own growth through the program, of not having all of the answers, but having the courage to envisage that future that none of us yet can see and to speak about it out loud anyway. That's stewardship and that's conversatio. That's the willingness to make new mistakes and not be afraid to move forward. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed today's episode, think about sharing it with someone who'd really appreciate hearing from young people who think seriously about the world that they are inheriting. So as you continue on your day, may the table of hospitality be wide as you go and do likewise.
