College Chaplain
Friends,
We have seen some cherry blossoms and we know the Spring is coming closer. However, the pandemic is not going easy soon. Let us keep praying for our country and the world to be healed from the COVID-19. In August the Church celebrates two beautiful Feast Days. These days are related to all Australians and our College as well.
COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AND CELEBRATE WITH GOD’S PEOPLE.
On Sunday 8th of August we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, the First Australian Saint and the Second Patron Saint of Australia.
SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS (MACKILLOP), PRAY FOR US.
Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne. On 8 August 1909, she died, having suffered a disabling stroke in 1902. Inspired by a meeting with Fr. Julian Tenison-Woods, Mary MacKillop took her vows at the age of twenty five, and the religious name, “Mary of the Cross”. In doing so, she founded the congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. Soon after taking her religious vows, Mary MacKillop founded several schools. Within five years of taking her vows and founding the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mary had established over thirty schools in South Australia. By that time, more than one hundred women had joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Mary MacKillop was very conscious of the plight of the poor and needy. She worked with families that lived in isolated areas of Australia. As a result, Mary MacKillop pioneered a new form of religious life in Australia, and commenced a “system” of “Josephite” schools that would provide education, especially for the children of the poor. In 1873, Pope Pius IX gave Papal approval for the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Even today, many Australians can say that they too have felt the impact of the enormous work started by St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop), having been educated or cared for, by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. She was noted for her trust in the providence of God and miracles of healing have been attributed to her. She was declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI on the 17th October 2010. In January 2013, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) was declared by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to be the Second Patron Saint of Australia. This means that Australia now has two Patron Saints: Mary Help of Christians and St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop).
On Sunday 15th August we celebrate the Solemnity of the ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. This is one of the four Marian Dogmas.
Dogmas are those doctrines of the Church which have been defined by the Pope and the teaching authority of the Church. Dogmas are teaching, or doctrines, of the Church that have been bolded, underlined, and italicized, so to speak. They are proposed for our belief and faithful Catholics are not free to dissent from them.
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Mary is truly the Mother of God, since she gave birth to the Second Person of the Trinity who became man for our sake.
PERPETUAL VIRGINITY
The Church traditionally presents Mary as “virgin before, during and after giving birth”, affirming, by indicating these three moments, that she never ceased to be a virgin.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
“…that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”
ASSUMPTION
The Virgin Mary, “having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”
We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, PRAY FOR US.
Fr Paul Lu
Marian College Chaplain