8th August 2011 - Feast of St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) (and St Dominic!)

Today is the first feast day of an old friend of Sacred Space 102fm, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's first saint who was canonized in September 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. (Well technically in Ireland it is an optional memorial, but I think for today we will move to Australia and celebrate it as a feast :D).


Last year we had an interview with Sr Margaret O'Sullivan RSJ in advance of the canonisation which you can read about here and podcast here.


Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne Australia on 15th January 1842 and died in Sydney on 8th August 1909. The years in between saw one of Australia's most remarkable women demonstrate incredible strength, devotion, inspiration and absolute trust in God

Prayer through the intercession of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

God of Compassion,

You filled the heart of Saint Mary MacKillop with a deep trust in Your Providence and trust in Your Will.

Help me like her to renew my trust in Your loving plan for me. Deepen my faith, so that like her I may bear the Cross and follow her example of kindness.

Through her intercession I pray especially for ____________________.

I make this prayer through Jesus, my Way, my Truth, my Life.

Amen.

Various reflections and articles about St Mary:

• Mary MacKillop & Pain: The Woman Bent Double – Sr Marie Therese Foale rsj
• Blog posts from Sacred Space 102fm about St Mary MacKillop including various quotes and reflections.
• From Thinking Faith, two pieces written around the time of the canonisation reflecting on her relationship with her brother Donald who was a Jesuit priest - the Saint and her Sibling - and The Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart introduce us to their co-founder, a woman whose relationship with the Church was complex, but her faith in and service of God unceasing - Mary MacKillop: Australia's first saint.

 From Pope Benedict XVI's homily at the canonisation:


""Remember who your teachers were from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus". For many years countless young people throughout Australia have been blessed with teachers who were inspired by the courageous and saintly example of zeal, perseverance and prayer of Mother Mary MacKillop. She dedicated herself as a young woman to the education of the poor in the difficult and demanding terrain of rural Australia, inspiring other women to join her in the first women's community of religious sisters of that country. She attended to the needs of each young person entrusted to her, without regard for station or wealth, providing both intellectual and spiritual formation. Despite many challenges, her prayers to St Joseph and her unflagging devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom she dedicated her new congregation, gave this holy woman the graces needed to remain faithful to God and to the Church. Through her intercession, may her followers today continue to serve God and the Church with faith and humility!"

**********

Of course August 8th is also the feast day of St Dominic, founder of the Order of the Preachers more familiarly known as the Dominicans. To all our Dominican friends, happy feast day!

• Godzdogz has a reflection on St Dominic
• Insight Scoop reflects on St Dominic and the Order of Preachers