Girls' Education Matters (GEM)

A Story of Solidarity

Since 2013, the Sisters of St. Scholastica have continued their long tradition of providing quality education by establishing a girls’ scholarship program with a Benedictine school, Colegio San Benito, in Esquipulas, Guatemala.  The G.E.M. (Girls’ Education Matters) program has been a teaching and learning experience, truly mutually enriching.

“I don't believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people.” ~Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan writer~

The focus of the scholarship program is the education of girls coming from material poverty.  Father Hugo Lopez, OSB, stated,

“Inspired by the Gospel and the Rule of  St. Benedict, students at San Benito can become the future actors of positive change for the country and undertake the struggle against poverty, marginalization and indifference.”

Our Motto:

SOMOS UNA FAMILIA EN CRISTO

WE ARE ONE FAMILY IN CHRIST

How’s this for Solidarity?

Each year, under the guidance of Deacon Roy Goetz, the Subiaco Boys Academy sponsors a Lenten collection for the G.E.M. Program.

We are grateful for solidarity of the faithful partners who have helped to build the “bridge” to Guatemala:

Subiaco Abbey and Academy, Trinity Catholic School, Christ the King, Immaculate Conception School, Sacred Heart Church, Charleston, St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, and St. Joseph Catholic School, Anderson, SC

For more information about the work of the Social Justice Committee, please contact the following:

Sr. Rosalie Ruesewald  Rosalie@stscho.org

Sr. Barbara Bock Barbara@stscho.org

Oblate Kathy Jarvis kathyj@stscho.org

Social Justice Committee

“Catholic Social Justice teaches us that all people are made in the image of God and so possess an equal and inalienable worth.” ~Network~

YES! NO EXCEPTIONS!  Believing this in 1970, Mother Columba Walters, Prioress at the time, established the Social Justice Committee at St. Scholastica Monastery.  Since that time, the committee has addressed a variety of issues: Peace, Hunger, Earth Care, the Death Penalty, Immigration Reform, Fracking, Human Trafficking, and the unknown Non-Violent Jesus.