CELEBRATING OUR FAITH
Living Out Friendship & Faith in the Footsteps of St Mary MacKillop
Yesterday our primary class gathered for a special Mass to celebrate a Memorial of Sister Magdalen, a beloved former teacher in our school community. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our students who were involved in preparing and leading parts of this Mass your reverence and participation brought so much warmth to the service.
Looking ahead, our school will soon be gathering for our World Friendship Day Prayer at assembly on Friday. Centred on our school team motto — "People have a better day because I am here as part of the school team". We will reflect on how simple acts of kindness, inclusion, and active listening can transform our school environment.
Looking Ahead: Saint Mary MacKillop
This spirit of friendship aligns beautifully with an important upcoming celebration in our Catholic calendar: The Feast Day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop on August 8th.
Saint Mary MacKillop is Australia’s first canonised saint, but to her community, she was primarily a friend, a teacher, and a woman of profound action. In 1866, alongside Fr Julian Tenison Woods, Mary founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (commonly known as the Josephites—the same order of sisters to which Sister Magdalen belonged).
The Josephites were unique because they travelled directly to rural areas, mining towns, and communities across Australia to ensure that every child, regardless of their background had access to education and love. Mary’s life was guided by a famous conviction:
"Never see a need without doing something about it."
When we live out our motto, "People have a better day because I am here," we carry on the very same legacy of service that Mary MacKillop and the Josephite Sisters built over 150 years ago.
Table Talk at Home 💬
Here are a few reflection prompts to share with your family over dinner or in the car this week:
- What makes a true friend? Share a moment when someone did something kind that turned a hard day into a better one.
"People have a better day because I am here as part of the school team."
What is one practical thing each of us can do tomorrow at school, work, or home to ensure someone else has a better day?
- In the spirit of Mary MacKillop: Is there someone in our broader community or classroom who might be feeling left out or in need of extra encouragement right now?
A Family Prayer 🙏
Dear God,
Thank You for the precious gift of friendship. Help us to follow the inspiring example of Saint Mary MacKillop, who opened her heart and hands to anyone in need.
Give us generous hearts, gentle words, and attentive eyes.
Guide us each day as a school team so that wherever we go, people have a better day because I am here as part of the school team.'
We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Pray for us.