Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

8 August 2019
Our Diocesan Patron, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Photo: Used with permission of the Trustees of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

 

8 August is the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Diocesan Patron

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was proclaimed the Patron of the Diocese of Parramatta during the Diocese’s Silver Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta on Thursday 19 May 2011.

The proclamation of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s patronage was read during the Mass by His Excellency Giuseppe Lazzarotto, the then Apostolic Nuncio to Australia. “The faithful people of the Diocese of Parramatta remember and continue to honour St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Virgin,” Archbishop Lazzarotto said in the proclamation.

In his homilies, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv has spoken about the life and contribution of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop.

“St Mary MacKillop had a saying: ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’.

“Today, we honour in a special way St Mary MacKillop who embodied characteristics that typify the best of the Australian spirit. There is that sense of “going in to bat” for the battlers of life, to give a helping hand to the needy irrespective of colour, culture or creed; it is that sense of a ‘fair go for everyone’.

“It was the genius of Mary that in seeing Christ in every person, she was deeply appreciative of the dignity and worth of every person made in God’s image and likeness. She saw the image of Christ in every person and saw that each had an eternal inheritance. We realise more and more the need for people to stand up for the lives and dignity of the needy and defenceless, the vulnerable and dependent and how the charism of Mary MacKillop stands as a blazing light of hope in our fractured and fractious world.

“Mary MacKillop met the great challenges of her time with vision, passion and creativity. She challenged the status quo and envisioned new ways of living and sharing the Good News. May she intercede for us to do the same as we face the challenges of our time. May we also follow her example of making the missionary journey to our brothers and sisters in need and by our active discipleship, witness and engagement be the leaven for the Kingdom.”

Statue of Saint Mary MacKillop inside St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta.

The official Cause for the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop was begun in 1925.

In January 1995, Pope John Paul II beatified Mary during a Mass at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney. This followed official recognition of a woman being miraculously cured of cancer after praying for Mary’s intercession.

The recognition in December 2009 of a second miracle, also a woman being cured of cancer, ensured Mary’s path to Canonisation.

St Mary MacKillop was canonised on October 17, 2010 at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome by Pope Benedict XVI.

St Mary MacKillop is also the Patroness of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, the Diocese of Port Pirie and the Diocese of Wagga Wagga.

 

Mary MacKillop Prayer (courtesy of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart)

Ever generous God,

You inspired Saint Mary MacKillop

To live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

and constant in bringing hope and encouragement

to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy.

With confidence in your generous providence

and through the intercession of Saint Mary MacKillop

We ask that you grant our request……………….

We ask that our faith and hope be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit

so that we too, like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage, trust and openness.

Ever generous God, hear our prayer.

We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Read more about St Mary of the Cross MacKillop here.

 

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