For a world that needs love: Mary MacKillop and the Sacred Heart
June 8, 2023
In a world where relationships so often fail, Mary MacKillop’s understanding that her consecration in Religious Life bound her to Christ as closely as marriage does can inspire. She used to call herself ‘Christ’s spouse’, and so wrote that, as such, she should “be equally interested in all that is dear to his Heart”. [1]
In the Footsteps of Mary MacKillop – Bookings for Pilgrimage Now Open
June 6, 2023
Bookings are now open for pilgrims to participate in the popular Australian National Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of Mary MacKillop run by Mary MacKillop Place and the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
The next pilgrimage will be running from 17 – 28 October 2023 and will visit many places associated with Mary MacKillop’s life and ministry in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.
Mary MacKillop With Us
April 27, 2023
We invite you to view a poem on Mary MacKillop by Covenant Josephite, Rosa Davila.
Mary MacKillop goes to Rome
March 27, 2023
To celebrate 150 years since Mary MacKillop embarked on her first overseas journey (March 1873 – December 1874), the Sisters of Saint Joseph share reflections and details from Mary’s travels to and from Europe – sourced from Mary’s letters and Congregational Archives as she visits Italy, Germany, Scotland and Ireland.
“I am going to Rome… and I go full of hope!” Thus, wrote Mary MacKillop to her sisters on 25 March 1873. It reads like a simple statement but hides a wealth of grief, anxiety, hope and a profound trust in the Providence of God, her good God whose “adorable will” she encourages her sisters to accept in “humble submission… and in all circumstances whether pleasing or not to your natural inclinations”.[1]
MacKa Moments for Lent
March 8, 2023
MacKa Moments (MacKa short for Mary MacKillop) are short, candid videos about moments in Mary MacKillop’s life by Sr Rita Malavisi.
For the season of Lent, Sr Rita will create and share MacKa Moments and release them weekly.
Reporting on the Vagaries of Life
February 22, 2023
Report cards have always been a source of consternation for teachers, parents, and students of all ages.
People familiar with Mary MacKillop’s Portland story would remember the furore that arose from the efforts of Mr Cusack to impress the school inspector with some clever behind the scenes prompting and a quick switch of the more able students from Mary’s and Mary’s sister Annie’s classes. All to no avail when his deceit was uncovered. Strangely enough when Mary’s father Alexander exposed his folly loudly and vociferously through the local paper, the consequences fell down on Mary’s shoulders.
Continual Good Light
February 8, 2023
Recently, my brain has lit up like a lightbulb through counselling study, and the latest New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) and National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS) documents. It has been fascinating to define sexuality, and it’s led me to reflect…
How does it link with Christianity and Saint Mary MacKillop?
Why is understanding sexuality important?
Alexander MacKillop – Father of Mary MacKillop
January 20, 2023
Mary MacKillop’s father Alexander MacKillop was born in the Lochaber district of Scotland in 1812. He died in Hamilton, Victoria (VIC) on 19 December 1868 and is buried there.
Alexander had studied for the priesthood in Rome and for a short time in his homeland in Scotland. However, as he said, “it was not God’s will that I be a priest”, and so in 1838 he migrated to Australia to start a new life.