Mary MacKillop Feast Day - Thursday 8th August

Next Tuesday is a very special day at our school. We celebrate the Feast day of our Patron Saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne on January 15th, 1842. Her parents, Alexander MacKillop and Flora MacDonald had emigrated from Scotland and were married in St. Francis’ Catholic Church in Melbourne. Mary’s childhood was one of hardship as the family were poor and relied on the help of relatives and friends.

Her passion for helping people and genuinely upholding the human dignity of all led to her motto to “never see a need without doing something about it”. Her love for her God impelled her to devote her life to her faith and she began the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Penola as a teaching order of religious Sisters.

Mary died in Sydney on 8 August 1909, aged sixty-seven. Her life of exceptional holiness

was formally recognised on 19 January 1995 when Pope John Paul II beatified her in Sydney.

On 17 October 2010 she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome and became Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop; Australia’s first saint and throughout the universal Catholic church is now to be ‘honoured devoutly among all the saints’.

Mary MacKillop is a wonderful example of someone who trusted God. She faced many challenges in her life. Mary continued to trust God. God encourages us to trust in this way.

God of all of us,

Thank you for giving us, St Mary MacKillop. Help us to be the best that we can be, so that we can share Jesus’ love to everyone we meet. Through St Mary MacKillop’s example, may we love God more, through our kindness and actions.

We ask You this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Feast Day Celebrations:

On Thursday, we will spend the day celebrating Mary MacKillop. We will be coming together as a whole school at 9:30am to participate in a Liturgy. We invite families to come and join us at this celebration in our Sacred Space. Please note, there will be minimal seating/standing area.

Mary MacKillop Documentary

Shalom World, a Catholic family entertainment television network is premiering the life story of Australia's beloved saint, St. Mary MacKillop, on August 8th at 7:00 PM aligning with the saint's feast day. The film not only showcases St. Mary MacKillop's remarkable achievements and contributions but also features interviews with historians, educators, and individuals inspired by her legacy. Viewers will experience the challenges she overcame and the steadfast faith that drove her mission. This compelling film, produced over six months, combines dramatic e-enactments with expert interviews to delve into her extraordinary life.

Parish Mass

Our Year Six students invite family and friends to join us tomorrow for the celebration of Mass at 12pm in our SMCM Sacred Space.

Next Friday 9th August, we will not be having a Parish Mass, as we celebrate our Feast day on Thursday 8th August.

Mini Vinnie's Winter Appeal

We have 1 more week collecting toiletry donations for our winter appeal. Thank you to all our generous families who have continued to support our students, school and wider community!

Sarah

Education in Faith Leader

Sarah.Spiteri@smcmeppingnth.catholic.edu.au

Parish News

Parish Newssheet