Faith and Mission 

As we meander into August it’s a good time to stop and contemplate two women in our Catholic Tradition who not only inspire us to be the best versions of ourselves but to celebrate them as they continue to inspire, nourish our faith and show us a better way to be and live.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

In August we celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – Australia’s first Saint – on 8 August.  Precisely a week later, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the first of the Disciples – on 15 August. The College Community will gather to pray on both occasions.  In our R.E. classrooms and homerooms we will pray in thanksgiving for the gift to the Church in Australia that Mary MacKillop is.  Then, at the obligatory celebration of the Eucharist, we will host Bishop Tony Ireland and celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Our Lady of the Assumption

 

Both women provide us with glimpses into the life of a disciple and how, we, their spiritual daughters and sons, ought to respond to their example in our daily lives.  Mary MacKillop says to us: “never see a need without doing something about it.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, was witness to the great works and words of her Son.  St. Luke, in his Gospel, tells us that, “Mary pondered these things in her heart.”

 (Lk. 2: 19).

Both women, therefore, provide us with the perfect Christian example:  do and pray. 

The former is a call to action – to be present in our world and leave it a better place by faithfully living the Gospel values of Love, Forgiveness, Compassion and Service.  

The latter is a reminder that the very strength we need to live the life of Christian action comes from a personal relationship with Jesus, the Son of God.  To not only consider what it is we are called to do but to pray deeply about how we do it. By adopting both approaches, we continue to develop a fuller appreciation of our Baptismal call to be ‘other Christs’ in the world.

We journey on.  And, especially in the month of August, focus on the example given to us by two inspiring women from our Tradition.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop:  Pray for us.

Our Lady of the Assumption:  Pray for us.

One of our teachers, Mr. O’Connell, is currently on the Emerging Leaders pilgrimage for World Youth Day in Lisbon next week.  He is travelling with several other teachers and health professionals on a two week study tour prior to their World Youth Day experience.  Please see the link below from Melbourne Catholic regarding the “surprise” audience the Emerging Leaders experienced with Pope Francis.  It was a very exciting time for these young leaders last Wednesday in Rome.