As a Catholic school in the Dominican tradition, our College draws on a rich heritage of 800 years of fidelity to the Church and service to the community. Our motto, ‘VERITAS’ leads us ultimately to the person of Jesus Christ who is Truth Himself (John 14:6). Our quest for Truth places our students and staff in dialogue with all world views, bringing to that dialogue the message of incarnation, salvation and redemption.

Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare, ‘To Praise, to Bless, to Preach’ is our call to action, to ‘praise our Lord with our saints’, ‘lift our voice in song’ and witness ‘Your Word to the world’, as missioned by Dominic.

THE FOUR PILLARS

Our Dominican tradition is framed around the four pillars of Dominican life:

Contemplation: Dominicans create time and space for personal and communal prayer. The traditional call for Dominicans is to “contemplate and share the fruits of our contemplation.” Thus, at Siena College, our community pauses each day to spend time in quiet, reflective meditation. We pray together daily and celebrate our seasons and feasts at the Eucharistic table. Our students have days of reflection and our Year 12 students attend a three day retreat. Weekly Mass is celebrated in the College Chapel.

Study: Dominicans have always valued study. Study enables us to search out and discern the truth of our times. St Dominic, in founding the Order, sent both men and women of the order to the universities of his day. Dominicans have been thinkers and leaders across many disciplines throughout the ages. That emphasis on study continues today as Siena students engage in the study of theology, Scripture, philosophy and associated disciplines that empower them to take their place in the world. Our students are encouraged to value the gifts of intellect, inquiry, excellence and imagination.

Community: Being united as one Siena community is essential to our discipleship and educational mission. We support and challenge one another; share our gifts and extend hospitality and service to others, both locally and globally. While striving for unity in Christ, we also respect and celebrate individual differences.

Service: Preaching is essential to Dominican life. We preach in both word and action. St Dominic founded the Order of Preachers in the 13th Century to preach the Gospel and to combat the heresies of his day. Today, we preach the Word of God through our service to others, our care of creation, as well as advocacy for those who are marginalised. We preach God’s love, compassion, and mercy through participation in interfaith and intercultural dialogue, as well as through education for justice, unity and the intrinsic dignity of all humanity.