As part of the Jubilee year celebrations for 2025, in which Mary MacKillop Place also celebrates 30 years since its opening, members of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mary MacKillop Place and the broader community came together on the evening of Thursday 24 July, to celebrate the opening of a new exhibition at Mary MacKillop Place Museum.
Titled Fanning the Flame of Hope, the exhibition invites each of us to reflect on what it means to carry hope forward in our world today. Drawing inspiration from the remarkable life of Saint Mary MacKillop, the exhibition weaves together the historical and spiritual into a compelling and immersive experience. It is also a joyous journey back in time which revisits some of the milestones, memories and moments which have shaped the story of Mary MacKillop Place over the last three decades.
Noticeable were the bright smiles and pleasant hum of gentle mingling amongst our guests as they entered the museum and greeted one another. Amongst those present in the room for this momentous occasion were the Sisters of Saint Joseph Congregational Leadership Team, supporters of Mary MacKillop Place, friends of the museum and members of the wider community.
Gathering closely, guests began to take their seats before they were formally welcomed to the venue by Carmel Yahl, General Manager of Mary MacKillop Place. In alignment with the late Pope Francis’ intention for the Jubilee Year, as Pilgrims of Hope, those present were not only invited on a physical journey, but a spiritual one.
Moments of personal reflection, stories, sacred objects and the careful curation of images come together to form this exhibition, which includes a video of the official opening of Mary MacKillop Place that shows a much younger looking Ernie Dingo and Anita Keating. There are the 2008 World Youth Day images and memorabilia as well as reflections from the beatification and canonisation of Mary MacKillop, all important events of the last 30 years that have fanned the flame of hope.
Rebecca McRae, Museum Collections Manager for the Sisters of Saint Joseph, expressed to those in attendance that the exhibition is ‘more than just a display’. Drawing on history, objects, storytelling and interpretation, her thoughtful insight offered a look into the years of work and community that have culminated in Fanning the Flame of Hope.
In addition to the tangible artefacts on display, a tribute is also paid to the work of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and affiliated ministries like Mary MacKillop Today whose ongoing efforts in Australia and beyond, continues the mission of hope in action. Reflecting on the importance of this work, Sr Mary Ellen O’Donoghue, from the Congregational Leadership Team, shared that by offering dignity, respect and compassion to those in need, the Sisters and Mary MacKillop Today fan together into ‘a flame of hope for the flourishment of life’.
The decision by the Sisters to open the doors of the Mary MacKillop Place Museum to the public has paved the way for thousands of people to encounter Mary MacKillop’s story (and perhaps witness something of their own in hers) over the last thirty years. As an official pilgrimage site of the Jubilee, Mary MacKillop Place has created a self-guided pilgrimage for both adults and children to encourage reflection and engagement with the theme of hope as you journey through the museum and across the site.
The team at Mary MacKillop Place Museum hopes that all those who visit will pause and take a moment to ask: What flame are you carrying forward? And who lit it for you?
The Fanning the Flame of Hope exhibition is open daily from 9:00am-4:00pm until 6 March 2025 at Mary MacKillop Place Museum: 7-11 Mount Street North Sydney NSW.
View photos of the exhibition launch below.