A Determined Woman Becomes Australia's First Saint

On the 17th of October Mary Mackillop, an Australian nun, will become the first Australian to be canonised. While this may seem rather unusual to those particularly outside of the catholic faith, Mary's life's work helped aid in the furthering of faith and education through the earlier years of Australia. Though it has been over a hundred years since her death, it was her dedication to education, the poor and God that make her an inspiration for women today to continue to persevere and fight for your beliefs and caring for others.

Growing Up

Mary Mackillop was born on 15th January 1842 to Flora and Alexander Mackillop in Melbourne; she was the eldest of eight children. Alexander had immigrated to Australia form Scotland with the hopes of finding fortune and prosperity, but it was this hope that often lead to the failings of several poor business decisions. Alexander's business endeavours often lead him away from the home and left Flora with little money to provide for the children. This helplessness of the family was enough initiative for a 14 year old Mary to become the main income source for the family, by taking on a job as a clerk for Sands and Kenny Stationers in Melbourne. Though she had never had any proper education, Alexander had instilled in all of his children a higher level of faith and education.

At the age of 18, Mary used her faith and educational background to go to Penola in 1860 and teach her uncles' children. While teaching in Penola, Mary became aware of necessity of education among the other towns children living in poverty. Mary then began teaching several other children from Penola which attracted the attention of Friar Julian Woods who shared the dream of providing educational opportunity for all the children in South Australia.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart

Friar Woods became a spiritual director to Mary and she confided in him her ambitions to help the impoverished create better lives for themselves through education. Realising that they had similar dreams, Friar Woods and Mary came together to create the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart in January of 1866.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart was initially a school that was set in a disused stable that Mary's brother, John, had structurally strengthened. Mary had also enlisted the aid of her sisters Annie and Alexandrina to come and teach for the opening of the school. It was later in 1867 that Mary took her official vows on the 15th of August, at the age of 25, becoming Mary of the Cross. Mary's view of the cross as a blessing received through pain, lead to her chosen name. She stated that, "The Cross is my portion- it is also my sweet rest and support."

The beginnings of the school were very modest but it was the initiative of Mary and her fellow Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart that, or Josephites as they were regarded as, that lead to other schools being built in both the metropolitan and rural areas of Australia.

By the end of 1869 there were collectively 70 Sisters that were educating children at 21 different schools in Adelaide and throughout the country. Beyond their work at the schools, the sisters were also part of the care of children in orphanages, the terminally ill, females in danger, the elderly and where they saw need.

Human Dignity

The Josephites became a strong force against the mistreatment of human life, and even pushed through barriers by taking stands against the current bishops. In 1870 Mary and the Josephites furthered their reputation as protectors of the people as they revealed to the Vicar General about a priest who had been sexually abusing children in the churches' care, thus causing his removal from Australia.

This initiative formed anger against Mary and the Josephites, by those who had supported the removed priest and further made their endeavours difficult. This resentment later lead to the excommunication of Mary by Bishop Shiel who did not agree with the begging actions associated with her vow of poverty and disapproved some of her educational methods. Mary was later reinstated to her position in the church five months later by Shiel who admitted his mistake of her excommunication on his death bed.

Educational Success

The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart continued their educational endeavours and by 1877 there were more than forty schools throughout Australia. Mary helped progress the schools and their mission outside of the Australian borders by establishing a school and nunnery in the southern island of New Zealand. Her dedication to the schools later attributed to her positions of mother Superior-General once again in 1899.

Mary remained the Mother Superior-General until her death in 1909, even though she had rheumatism and had been paralysed on her right side from a stroke. Her ambition and intelligence to protect the children through their school years and further education made her the most qualified candidate through her physical inabilities.

Creating Positive Change

Perhaps it was her meager beginnings and realisation of the benefits of education that drove Mary's dreams, but it is certainly a drive that was greatly instilled in future generations of Josephites. While this may seem like a bit of a history lesson, it is this type of women's initiative that created the furthering of education and care among early Australians. Current generations have even benefited from Mary's initiative through contemporary sectors of Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart that have furthered their view beyond Australian borders and are offering education, care and love in Peru, Brazil, Scotland, Ireland, East Timor and New Zealand. Ultimately Mary Mackillop found that some things were worth fighting for, even if it meant enduring the storm.