Father Julian Tenison Woods Reflection
A reflection in the key of F on Fr Julian Tenison Woods [1832-1889]: Saint Mary MacKillop’s “Father Founder” “Fairly faithfully and fallibly following a fairly famous and fallible Founder”.
Recognising Father Julian Tenison Woods at MacKillop Catholic College
MacKillop Catholic College in Mornington, Tasmania was founded in 1994. At that time the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office approached the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Saint Joseph to administer the College. In its inaugural year, the College was led by Br Tony Smith as principal, and Sr Louise Cotton. The Sisters of Saint Joseph […]
Earth Hour – 25 March 2023
This year marks the 15th year of Earth Hour. What began in the Sydney CBD has spread across the nation and the globe. It is estimated that one in three people will participate in the symbolic action of turning off lights in their homes and some places of work for one hour. Earth Hour is […]
JJAMM (Joseph, Julian and Mary MacKillop) 2023
And that’s a wrap on JJAMM 2023! What a fun, empowering, and faith-filled ride it was. Our Josephite student leaders journeyed across Australia and New Zealand to join forces in their collective pursuit for justice in the name of the Josephite tradition. It was a privilege to watch these gifted and insightful young leaders reinvigorate […]
Reporting on the Vagaries of Life
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 […]
Julian Tenison Woods’ Baptism
Julian Edmund Tenison Woods was born on 15 November 1832 at Southwark in London, England. His parents, James and Henrietta were of Irish origin, James being a Catholic with marginal commitment to the church and Henrietta coming from the Saint-Eloy Tenison family with strong connections to the Anglican church. Julian’s birth was announced on 16 […]
The Gift of Father Julian Tenison Woods
Fr Julian Tenison Woods, a gifted and complex character, was a many-sided man: pioneer priest, dedicated and successful missionary, educator (the first director of Catholic Education in Australia), scholar of some repute and respected scientist. In his formative years, Julian encountered and was influenced by a variety of holy people and their spiritualities. Consequently, his […]
New Julian Tenison Woods Exhibition at MMHC
The Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre (MMHC) in Melbourne is proud to present a new exhibition on Fr Julian Tenison Woods. The temporary exhibition focuses on the 10 years Julian Tenison Woods lived and worked as a priest in Penola and the surrounding South Australian countryside, exploring Julian’s work as a missionary priest, his scientific endeavours […]
A Birthday Memory of a Visionary
The significant connection between England and Australia was not fully recognised on 15 November 1832, the birth of Julian Tenison Woods. Julian’s early life amidst frequent changes of residence, provided the space for developing and pursuing his lifetime interest in reading, discovering, and recording nature through sketching and sharing. The following years were dotted with […]
Anniversary of Father Founder Julian Tenison Woods
This death anniversary (7 October) of Father Founder, Julian Tenison Woods, comes at a time of worldwide concern for our environment and all people, especially the most impoverished. ln this crisis we look to Father Woods, a natural scientist ahead of his time in recognising the interconnection of all creatures. His scientific peers wrote after […]
The Foundations of the Josephite Charism across NSW
Our First Three Seedbeds The story of the presence of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in New South Wales (NSW) grew from three distinct seedbeds – with the planting of the Josephite charism by our pioneering Sisters. These small seedbeds were planted with love, grew out of the soil of trust in God’s Providence and […]
Father Founder – A Tasmanian Connection
In education these days, there is a practice where a teacher may use a ‘provocation’. This is an object or artefact, a photo or a poem that is a stimulus for thought and discussion. A launching pad for learning. In writing this reflection, and thinking about Father’s Day (4 September), and the role of Julian […]