Peter MacKillop.

Born at Merri Creek, Victoria in 1857, the eighth and youngest of the MacKillop children was baptised Peter in his parish church of St Paul’s Coburg. His sister Lexie lived at home, while his oldest sibling Mary was establishing her new Congregation. Peter was loved by all his siblings.

Father Julian Tenison Woods arranged for Peter to be educated at the Jesuit College at Sevenhill in South Australia, supported by Fr Reynolds. He spent breaks with the MacLean family or the Kilsbys on the Murray. Peter, humorous and literate, hated his school life and wrote to Mary telling her so, saying he wanted to go to work. Peter wrote he suffered from fits – we would say epilepsy.

Peter stayed at Norwood in South Australia for a time, then moved to be with his loved Uncle Peter at Duck Ponds, near Lara in Victoria. His sister Annie MacKillop in her Memoirs writes of their uncle carrying Peter from room to room when he grew too weak to walk; of Fr Miltz S.J. who visited each week; and Fr Hegarty who was present at Peter’s death in 1878, together with Mrs MacKillop, his aunt and uncle, Annie and Mary. The dying Peter wrote a poem for his family.

Annie wrote later that Peter had been engaged to a Lucy Marshal, who died the following week after Peter, saying that Peter was calling her. They were both prayed for in the Norwood church.

On 23 July, the day Peter MacKillop died, we can recall that the life of a good person can bring out the best gifts in other people: generosity, love, unselfishness, loving-kindness.

In what way does your life inspire others?

Judith Geddes rsj