FAITH MATTERS

As I write this today, I am on an AJASS Year 10 Pilgrimage to Penola with two students from our college. We started yesterday at Penola Catholic College, Broadmeadows. This school was formed in 1995 as a result of an amalgamation of three Catholic secondary schools - Therry College, Geoghegan College and Sancta Sophia College. In 1901 Mary MacKillop visited the property and bought it from a dairy farmer, John Kerr. Until the early 60s the property was a babies home run by the Sisters of St Joseph. The senior campus still has a number of buildings that were used during the time of the babies home; including the chapel and Kerrsland (the mansion). 

From here we travelled into the CBD stopping at St Francis’ Church. It was here Mary MacKillop was baptised in 1842, and made her first communion in 1850. Our group then walked to Little Lon (Madame Brussels Lane). In the early days, this area was the ‘seedy’ part of Melbourne. It was a maze of lanes offering cheap rent or sleeping rough. It was home to penniless families, children, the homeless, unemployed and street gangs.

Melbourne’s Archbishop at the time, Thomas Carr, like Mary, had a heart for the poor, but did not want Mary and her sisters to live in the Lon. As we know, Mary always went where the real work lies, and so she and Sister Gertrude moved into two small adjacent houses and began work there. One house was named “Providence”, a name the Josephites used when they had no idea where the money would come from - God would provide.

A short walk from here to St Patrick’s Cathedral - a place where Mary MacKillop spent in prayer many times. A shrine to Mary MacKillop adorns the St Joseph’s Chapel, reflecting her great devotion to St Joseph. There is another statue of St Mary MacKillop in the grounds of the Cathedral depicting Sr Mary stepping out with the Word of God in her hand, as she commences her ministry as a Sister of St Joseph. Another short walk to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre to be greeted by the vibrant and enthusiastic Sr Rita Malavisi! We listened and learned new things about Sister Mary from things in the Providence Bag!

Day 2 of the pilgrimage started at MacKillop College in Werribee. We were greeted by their principal, Mr Chris Caldow, who I started my teaching career with and who many still know from when he was part of our community a number of years ago. We toured the school learning about their part of the MacKillop story. From here we continued our pilgrimage along the coast first stopping at the 12 Apostles, then the Bay of Islands.

Bayview Cottage was the first stop in Portland. This place is important in the story of Mary MacKillop as it is where Mary lived and taught from 1863 to 1866. She brought her family to live with her here. All Saints Parish in Portland is the third oldest parish in Victoria. Mary spent time in this parish while she was here. 

Day 3 began traveling from Mt Gambier to Penola. For me, this day was truly spent walking in the footsteps of Mary! We listened, learned and walked around all the parts of both Mary and Julian Tenison Woods’ Penola story - St Joseph’s Church, Petticoat Lane, Sharam Cottage, Gammon Cottage, Cameron’s Cottage, Adam Lindsay Gordon sculpture and the Mary MacKillop Stable Park. The interpretive centre also has an amazing exhibition covering both Mary and Julian. Further north from Penola we visited the Tenison Woods Tree - a place where it is believed Julian stopped on his many journeys to write homilies and celebrate mass for those nearby. 

Our final day included a visit to the grave of Alexander MacKillop in Hamilton. A pilgrimage is a very personal experience journeying with others. It can be transforming if you allow yourself to seek, listen, reflect and see the hand of God at work in your own life. We have been given this opportunity to lead us to a deeper understanding of Mary through her footsteps.

Prayer for the pilgrim

Lord, who guided our people through the desert,

Be for us a companion on our journey

The guide on our route

The strength during fatigue

The resource for our journey

The shade in the heat of the day

The light in our darkness

The consolation in our dejection

The power of our intention

So that under your guidance, safely and unhurt

We may reach the end of our journey

And strengthened with gratitude and power

Secure and with happiness 

Amen.

Jesus light of the world, guide us

St Joseph, journey with us

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us

Blessings,

Alison Wright

Director of Faith and Mission