Mary Mackillop Essay

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Good morning teacher and class, today my presentation is on Mary Helen MacKillop, the first Australian saint. I will talk about Mary MacKillop and how she was motivated to act because of her faith, prayer and the society in which she lived. Saint Mary MacKillop was a courageous woman of action. Born in 1842, she showed compassion for anyone in need regardless of race, colour or faith. Mary believed in the power of education for all and set up schools around Australia to make sure those disadvantaged by poverty and distance received an education. Mary MacKillop was the co-founder of the Josephites, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and under the guidance of the Order, she established schools for the poor and underprivileged in SA and later across Victoria and Sydney. Mary MacKillop was canonised on October 17, 2010 at St Peter's Basilica, Rome. …show more content…

Her parents, Flora and Alexander MacKillop, were Catholic immigrants from Scotland. Mary was the eldest of 8 children and was raised in a working-class Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. Even though they rarely received formal school-based education, the MacKillop children were well-educated by their father in their faith and school work. In 1850, she received her first Holy Communion. In 1861, Mary took a position as Governess at Penola Homestead and met Father Julian Tenison Woods. 2 years later, she was appointed a paid teaching position at Portland Catholic Denominational School. She started a Stable School in 1866 on St Joseph’s day. Mary wore a plain black dress to indicate her devotion to God’s work. One year later, she opened the first convent-cottage in Grote Street, Adelaide. In 1871, Mary was excommunicated, but a year later, the order was removed. Mary travelled to Rome to seek approval of rules for the Sisters written by Fr Woods in 1873. In 1891, Mary suffered the first of many bouts of serious illness, and died 18 years later, on the 8th of August

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