John Bede Polding was born in Liverpool, England on November 18, 1794. His mother came from the ‘Brewer’ family who were recusants since the sixteenth century and his father was of Dutch descent. His parents died and at 8 he was placed in the care of his uncle, Father Bede Brewer, who was president-general of the English Benedictine Congregation. At the age of nine, he was sent to school at the Benedictine Monastery of St. Gregory. He was educated in Benedictine schools and in 1810, at the age of 15, he associated himself with the habit of the Benedictine order, adopting the name Bede in honour of the English saint and historian and also after his uncle.

Ordained a priest in 1819, Polding acted as both an administrator and a teacher. According to many, it was also his enthusiasm, drive and charisma that led to him being offered the position of Vicariate Apostolic of Mauritius by the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide (Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith) in Rome in 1829. However, he turned the offer down. He was later offered the Vicariate Apostolic of Madras and again refused.

But Rome wanted to see people such as Polding spreading the word. At the time Catholicism in Australia was suffering from a lack of priests and religious formal structure. There had been no Catholic priests on the First Fleet and it was not until 1800 that the first arrived. 

A Vicariate of New Holland was approved by Rome in 1834 and Bramston recommended Polding for the job. Polding accepted and was ordained a Bishop and arrived in Sydney in 1835. When Bishop Polding arrived, there were six priests for 20,000 parishioners. 

While the Catholic community in Australia were very happy at the honour, the highest-ranking Anglican priest Bishop William Broughton had criticised that the title/s had been assumed without the approval of the government. Broughton’s objections were ignored and Polding won over Catholics and Anglicans. Although his determination to impose a Benedictine model on Catholicism in Australia faded over the years, he remained popular.

The original St Mary’s burned to the ground in 1865, but Polding rallied the community and in 1868 the foundation stone for a new, more impressive cathedral was laid.

In 1873 Roger Bede Vaughan arrived as Polding’s coadjutor. When Polding died in 1877, Vaughan took over, breathing new vigour into the administration of Catholicism in Australia.

John Bede Polding’s values and profound humility, originating from his life as a monk and follower of Benedict, his focus on healing the wounds of the injured and his way of relating to others and to God influenced positively how people saw him at the time. These qualities, together with the energy with which he pursued his call as bishop of Australia, are the legacy he gave Australia.

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus tells the story so, therefore, it occurs in his time c. 4 BC – c. AD 30 / 33. 
Jesus may have told the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach a lesson. Jesus is telling us to follow the Samaritan’s example in our conduct; i.e., we are to show compassion and love for those we encounter in our everyday activities. We are to love others regardless of their race or religion. If they need and we have the supply, then we are to give generously and freely, without expectation of return. This is an impossible obligation for the lawyer and us. 

More than a lesson in social responsibility, Jesus was teaching us about the conditions of our hearts.
The main characters of the story are the man who was travelling and beaten to near death, the Priest, the Levite and the Samaritan.
The Samaritan was the one least likely to have shown compassion for the man. Samaritans were considered a low class of people by the Jews. It was not known whether the injured man was a Jew or Gentile, but it made no difference to the Samaritan; he did not consider the man’s race or religion. The “Good Samaritan” saw only someone who required assistance. The Samaritan saw his neighbour as anyone who was in need.
Both the Levite and the Priest showed no compassion, love nor mercy towards the injured man so as not to get involved.
Because the good man was a Samaritan, Jesus is drawing a strong contrast between those who knew the law and those who followed the law in their lifestyle and conduct. 
If someone needs help and we have the supply, then we are to assist generously without expecting anything in return.

This road was infamous in ancient times for being a refuge for thieves and thugs as there were many places for bandits to hide undetected.
At the time that Jesus was telling this parable, the land of Samaria was situated between the regions of Galilee in the north and Judea in the south. Jews travelling between Galilee and Judea would take the longer, six-day journey along the Jordan River valley rather than taking a shorter, more direct route through Samaria. The Jews avoided the Samaritans because of their history.

The Samaritans had developed their own compromised version of Judaism. The Samaritans still believed in the God of Israel, but they worshipped at Mount Gerizim (instead of Jerusalem) with their own, adapted worship practices. To this day, the Samaritans do not accept the poetic and prophetic books of the Hebrew scriptures. 

In around 400 BCE the Samaritans built a temple on Mount Gerizim. This caused a lot of tension and hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jews ultimately destroyed the Samaritan temple in 128/9 BCE. Nevertheless, the Samaritan religious community still survives today.

Most Jews regarded the Samaritans as ignorant and superstitious, and outside of God’s favour and mercy. The Samaritans, however, were still very much part of God’s plans as shown in the fourth chapter of John’s gospel where Jesus brings the good news to Sychar, a Samaritan village.
The background behind this parable and story told my Jesus assists in creating a better image and idea of the time and location that it took place. This can help with making better and more informative meanings behind the parable. For example, a metaphor could be created such as: “In this interpretation, the injured man is all men in their fallen condition of sin. The robbers are Satan attacking man with the intent of destroying their relationship with God. The lawyer is mankind without the true understanding of God and His Word. The priest is religion in an apostate condition. The Levite is legalism that instils prejudice into the hearts of believers. The Samaritan is Jesus who provides the way to spiritual health. - What is the meaning of the Parable of the Good Samaritan? (2019). Retrieved from https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-Good-Samarita n.html. 

Retrieved from http://worldtrip.berenddeboer.net/content/jerusalem-jericho.

The poem titled John Bede Polding, by Henry Kendall, was written to honour Polding and to highlight the many gifts that he had personally in which he could provide to his followers. The following verse identifies how Holy he lived his life as an example for others before choosing to follow in the footsteps of God.

"Here in a land of many sects, where God
    As shaped by man in countless forms appears,
Few comprehend how carefully you trod
    Without a slip for two and forty years."


The poem also acknowledges the knowledge he held of his people, their struggles and all his followers and how they shaped his teachings.

"A lord of scholarship whose knowledge ran
    Through every groove of human history, you
Were this and more - a Christian gentleman;
    A fount of learning with a heart like dew."


This type of writing about John Bede Polding was written for those who revered him and would have had an impact by allowing these people to fully understand all that he brought to the teachings of the Church.

As a leader of the Church, John Bede Polding would have been inspired to look for ways to assist the poor and educate people on fair living conditions through his teachings in the Church. He took his message to prisons and internationally to spread this message.

All the above schools were established by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, of which Polding founded.

Since 1857, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan have responded to the call of the needy, especially disadvantaged women and children, offering refuge, education and hope. Inspired by the Parable of the Good Samaritan, they ensure this work continues.

He wrote that “the name indicates the scope since the Religious are called to imitate the charity of the kind Samaritan who as moved to pity the poor wounded man and, having poured oil and wine into his wounds to heal him, afterwards conveyed him to a place of security”.

The call of the first women who became Good Samaritan Sisters was to the homeless women on the streets of Sydney in the 1850s.

To provide shelter, security and nourishment remain important for these women who live out the gospel mandate to “be a neighbour”.