Issue 8.5 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia

The First
Aussie Saint
Mary MacKillop
The recognition of Mary MacKillop as a Saint fills
Australia with pride and joy. This is the first time they
have an Aussie one. However, what does it mean?
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church a
Saint is a disciple who has lived a life of exemplary
fidelity to the Lord. Just as Mary did and demonstrated
it. Her example of life captivates the admiration of
Australians and everybody who know her.
Mary was born on 15 January 1842 in Melbourne.
Her parents were Alexander MacKillop and Flora
MacDonald, both were Scottish immigrants. She
was the eldest of eight children. Due to
unsuccessful ability for business of her father she
assumed the responsibility of her family
sustentation. Her parents provided their sons with
good home education and faith. She started
working when she was 14 years old as clerk in a
stationery company she remained there for four
years. Then she worked as governess in Penola and
later as a teacher.
She met Fr Julia Woods while she was working as a
governess. He became her spiritual director. Both
saw the need of education for the children of the
region. They started running a transformed stable
into a school in Penola in 1866.
On the feast of St Joseph, 19th March 1866 Mary
appeared in a black dress and since that was
known as Sister Mary of the Cross. On 15 august
1867 Mary MacKillop officially took vows.
Her name honoured her, because she had to face up
different kind of crosses. The management of the
congregation was one of the main ones. As it was
recommended that each convent would be under
2 | Bhavan Australia | Nov 2010
the authority of the local priest; which was contrary
with Mary’s ideal. Due to her concerns about it, she
was excommunicated for five months. The proposal
of the congregation becoming part of a Diocesan
one instead of having a central authority remained a
challenging confrontation. The importance of formal
approval led Mary to travel to Rome, where she
stayed 21 months until the constitution was
approved. This meant the institution would be
governed by the Superior General and her council.
After the fist General Chapter in 1875, Mary was
elected the First Superior General, even though, this
lasted for a while. Trials and difficulties came up
during the congregation’s life. Mary accepted them
with humility, faith and an extreme confidence in
God. She kept working in new foundations, schools
and giving new Sisters spiritual training. In 1898 she
was elected again Superior General. Even her health
was deteriorating, she was re-elected in 1905. The
Lord called her to his side in 8th August 1909.
“Never see a
need without doing
something about it”
Mary MacKillop, 1871
She is a pioneer in Catholic education in the
country. She started with a humble stable which
was the seed of all the fruits nowadays. Thousands
of children, specially the working class and the
poor ones, have received high quality education by
Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Her legacy