Catholic Identity and Mission 

The Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop

Tuesday the 8th August was the feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop.  St Mary is an important Saint at St Gabriel's School because she is Australia's first Saint and we have one of our school houses named after St Mary.  Children in the green house ( team) are members of MacKillop House.

Saint Mary is an example for everyone in seeing a need and trying to do something about that need.

In Mary's time she saw a need to educate children and also care for women in vulnerable situations. So Mary opened a school and visited and cared for women all over the state.

Through Mary's leadership, other women were inspired to follow in Mary's footsteps and care for the needy in their communities.  

Through this devotion and care, Mary established an order of religious sisters, with the guidance of Fr Julian Tennison Woods, called the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.  They earned the nickname of the Joeys or Brown Bombers due to the brown habits worn by the sisters.

Mary's example of care and education inspired other women to answer a call to service and joined the order.  

We give thanks to the tireless efforts made by St Mary and her congregation for the generous service made to many South Australian communities.

O God, source of all goodness, who have shown us in Saint Mary a woman of faith living by the power of the Cross, teach us, we pray, by her example to live the gospel in changing times and to respect and defend the human dignity of all in our land.

Karla Sparapani

APRIM