St Mary MacKillop
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Mary MacKillop. St. Mary was born during the year 1842 in Melbourne, to parents who had emigrated from Scotland. While St. Mary grew up, her family had encountered constant financial struggles. When she was very young she felt a large attraction towards the religious life but she could not find an existing order of Sisters that met all of her desires. During the year 1860, she was able to meet Father Julian Woods, who was able to become her spiritual director. Together they were able to found a new community of women which was called the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Josephite Sisters. The Sisters were able to help with many schools especially for poor children, as well as help at orphanages, and do other works of charity.
As the congregation had started to grow, so did St. Mary MacKillop’s problems. To begin with her many problems, her priest-friend had proved to be unreliable in many different ways and his responsibilities for direction of the Sisters was eventually removed. Also, St. Mary would encounter many different issues such as struggles with church authorities, issues on whether the congregation could own land and many more issues.
Despite all of her struggles with Church authorities, St. Mary and her many Sisters were able to offer social services that very few, if any, government agencies in Australia could. They would serve many Protestants and Catholics alike. They worked among many aborigines, they also taught in schools, orphanages and served unmarried mothers.
By the time that St. Mary was approaching the end of her life, the congregation was doing really well. St. Mary had died during the year 1909 at the age of 67. St. John Paul II beatified her during the year 1995. During 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her, she became Australia’s first saint. St. Mary’s feast day is celebrated on August 8.
Prayer to St. Mary
St. Mary help us to serve all people alike regardless of their race, religion, gender or other beliefs. St. Mary help us to serve everyone in this world so that we may serve Christ.
Amen
St. Mary pray for us
St. Joseph pray for us
May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.
Works cited:
Information (read from, not taken):
Franciscan media. “Saint Mary MacKillop. ”Saint Mary MacKillop | Franciscan Media. Accessed July 19, 2021.
Images:
Saint Mary MacKillop. July 19, 2021. Saint Mary MacKillop - Google Search.