Mary Mackillop’s Feast Day is 8th August and she is our Bruchhauser House Patron Saint. Mary Mackillop of the Cross was the first and only official saint who was born and  lived in Australia.

Mary MacKillop was born on January 15, 1842, in Melbourne. She was the eldest of eight children born to Scottish immigrants. In 1867, Mary MacKillop co-founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart with Father Julian Tennison Woods. The order's mission was to provide education to children, particularly those in remote areas, and to care for the poor and needy. Mary MacKillop's life was marked by her deep devotion to God and her commitment to serving the poor and marginalized. She emphasized the importance of practical charity and caring for those in need. One of her famous sayings is: “Never see a need without doing something about it”.

Looking at the significance of Mary Mackillop, we see a strong and determined woman who was able to battle through suffering and persecution in order to achieve better outcomes for the poor and the needy across Australia and New Zealand. She valued education and realised that education was important in setting up young people for success in life. Just like Mary Magdalene, Mary Mackillop was generous, courageous, devoted to God and committed to serving others in the name of Jesus. Hopefully we can learn from Mary Mackillop and Mary Magdalene and begin to devote ourselves more strongly to following Jesus and the Gospel values. 

Prayer:

God of all blessings, you revealed in Mary MacKillop a sensitivity to the rights and dignity of every person, regardless of race or creed. May we learn from her to overcome the obstacles of prejudice and fear. Help us to value the goodness of each person and all the blessings of unity in diversity.

We ask this through the depth and unity of you, our bountiful God, who hold all things in being. Amen