Blessed Mary MacKillop

Australia's First Saint

Mary MacKillop was born in the year 1842 on January 15th. Both her parents were from Scotland, and she was the eldest of what would be a large family of 8 siblings.

Mary was fortunate in that her father was literate and taught his children the fundamentals of their Faith, in that he had once studied for the Priesthood before marrying his wife, Flora. Alexander MacKillop though well taught in matters of Faith and other learned topics, was not as well learnt when it came to business enterprises, which was to bring great discomfort and trouble upon his growing family.

His wife Flora was also rather temperamental in the way she handled adversity, which was to bring their marriage under strain, though both Mary's parents loved each other deeply. But through many failed business enterprises Alexander was to land his family in some financial difficulties, and so both he and Flora were dependent upon the other members of the families and friends to help them out. This was to cause a deep embarrassment to Mary and her other brothers and sisters, in that they were dependent upon others for their livelihood and a roof over their heads.

So, it was at the age of 16 years, that Mary took it upon herself to help her parents and family by becoming employed as a governess, then a clerk as well as schooling the young boys and girls around her. This brought in much needed income to her floundering family.

Mary was born with an exceptional degree of common sense, in that neither parent possessed this much needed virtue!

It was while she was employed as a governess that she first met the charismatic priest, Father Julian Tennison Woods, whose vision of providing schools for the poor and destitute, was the driving force of his life. Mary too was to embrace and share this vision of providing an education to the poor youth who could then rise above their poverty and become self supportive.

But Australia was a very large and inhospitable land with few roads and even less modern transport, but neither Fr. Woods nor Mary would allow this to inhibit what they envisioned for the young people of their area. Both were filled with much hope and zeal for their mission!

But Mary was to be torn in two for a while, in that her Fathers inability to provide for their family left Mary in the position of having to provide financial support for both parents and her siblings. But Mary was resolute in heart, and so in 1866 she opened her first school naming it after St. Joseph, in the small town of Penola, when a disused stable became available. This was to be the start of something so big that neither Fr. Wood nor Mary could have imagined!

Young women soon came to hear of what Fr. Woods and Mary had started and began to join their mission, which led to the founding of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, for Mary had a deep devotion to this Great Saint.

But Mary’s life was to be peppered with extreme joy and also anguish, in that many misunderstood her strong and abiding belief in her Order and to provide the best possible education for the poor. In 1867, Mary started a school in Adelaide upon the request of the local Bishop. This work filled Mary's heart with great joy and she worked hard as did her fellow sisters in not only providing an education for the poor but in helping the destitute families in her area, including prostitutes and those released from prison.

This was to bring much heartache to Mary as some were opposed to her good works whilst others became jealous. Her once strong supporter Fr. Tennison Woods was to turn against Mary as he became increasingly unstable and tended to follow after those who pertained to having 'visions', rather than support her continued and valuable work amongst the poor.

This was to bring Mother Mary great distress and also upset her fellow sisters, when through misunderstanding, Mother Mary, by order of the Archbishop was excommunicated. This was repealed at a later date but through it all, Mary never once complained, nor did she become embittered though she suffered much!

Mary's inherent humility came to the fore. Therefore she was able to accept rejection, slander and calumny, whilst waiting upon the Good God to set things right, in humble submission to the Church authorities of that time. Mother Mary was to be completely exonerated at a later date from all adverse comments made against her.

But in 1872 Mother Mary MacKillop left the shores of Australia for Rome to have her Order of St Joseph officially approved by the Pope. Mary upon gaining the needed approval for her Order of Religious after the Pope made a few alterations, returned to Australia in 1875. Her trip was a great success and along with Mary came several women from Ireland who also embraced the ideal of providing an education for the poor youth in Australia as well as several priests!

Mother Mary even though she was Mother General of her Order still suffered persecutions and ridicule from those in power, most especially from several priests and bishops. But though she was disappointed, Mother Mary never allowed this to disturb her peace of heart, nor her vision for the Order.

Mary MacKillop truly lived the Spirit of St. Joseph in her humble submission to those in authority even if they are wrong. Mary never once criticized them nor did she lose her hope in God. Indeed the adversity which she faced merely strengthened her Faith and dependence upon God and her obedience to Holy Mother Church!

Despite several attempts by some Bishops to destroy her Order they never succeeded and there are still many Schools of St Joseph, which provide a good education for all of Australia to this day!

Mother Mary MacKillop died on 8 August 1909.

Mary was beatified by Pope John Paul on 19 January 1995.

Peace of Christ to you ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Saint Catherine of Siena

Doctor of the Church and Mystic

Catherine is one of the Churches greatest Saints and is also a Doctor of the Church, an amazing feet for someone who was nearly illiterate, let us take a closer look at Catherine’s life.

Catherine was born into an incredibly large family of 25 siblings later another would be born into this family of wool dye merchants. They were considered for those times to be lower middle class and therefore prosperous though not wealthy, so Catherine’s Father, Giacomo Siena was able to provide a decent upbringing in the year of Catherine’s birth, 1347.

But it was during this very year 1347 that the whole of Europe would be struck down with the Black Plague, which attacked all the peoples irrespective of position or wealth, for disease is no respecter of Class distinction!

This dreaded disease destroyed an estimated third of Europe’s population, and was to change society structures both, Government and also Religion. Many people due to lack of education blamed the Church for failing to cure the peoples of this disease, the Black Plague, which left many feeling disgruntled at the Church Hierarchy. The Church was not helped in that many of the Priests, Monks and Nuns whilst trying to help those who had been struck down with this disease, ended up by being infected with it themselves, which led to a decline in the Priesthood and Religious life, as many died of it.

So Catherine’s birth was fortuitous and very timely during this period of great upheaval for the Catholic Church. And God touched Catherine’s heart and soul at a very young age, for she was to experience Mystical events from her youth right through to adulthood. This began for her at the tender age of 6 where she would see and converse with her Angels, who taught the young Catherine to love prayer and solitude.

Catherine’s Mother, Monna Lapa was not so overjoyed at these mystical experiences, and wished for her daughter to live a normal life, which included the prospect of marriage. For though Giacomo provided for his family it was Monna Lapa who ruled her family with an iron glove, and who provided the discipline needed to look after her family of 26 children.

In the end both parents united in trying to discourage Catherine from a religious life by insisting that she do most of the household chores and the responsibility of looking after her brothers and sisters, alongside her Mother. But their efforts were to be in vein, for Catherine was determined as she had already Consecrated her virginity to her beloved Jesus, so though her parents planned a marriage their obstinate daughter refused to accept this and after many wrangles the parents of Catherine were able to acquiesce to their daughters wish.

It was around this time that Catherine’s Father allowed her to join the Third Order Dominicans, and his daughter then spent approx 3 years in her room which she described as her 'desert', where she embraced a spirit of solitude, and began practicing austerities. It was during this time when Catherine removed herself from the company of her family that she experienced a vision of Jesus who then betrothed her to Himself in a Mystical Marriage.

Upon this event Catherine left her room of solitude and began visiting and nursing the poor in her area, and due to her loving and compassionate personality and also her great wisdom she attracted many friends of like mind, to join her in this service of the poor.

The years that Catherine spent in her room also prepared her to face much opposition from those in authority in the Church, and Catherine began having discourses with the Nobility and the Church Hierarchy about the factions which were tearing the Catholic Church apart. Even though Catherine was known for her passionate love of the Church she also exhibited a spirit of great Joy and compassion which gained her many followers and also just as many complaints and rumours.

But Catherine was undeterred and displayed a fearless and determined stand to unite the Schism which was threatening to destroy the Church. She was known to write very forthright letters too many Cardinals irrespective of their power which criticized their handling of Church affairs.

This was a tumultuous time in Church history and with the aid of her good friend Raymond of Capua, Catherine wrote to Pope Gregory Xl and convinced him with strong language to return the Papacy to Rome instead of remaining at Avignon. Being fearless herself, Catherine had no understanding of timidity and therefore she spoke plainly to the Pope, "Be not a timorous child, but manly . . .", even though Catherine was direct she was also respectful of the Holy Fathers Position and peppered her letters with endearments. It was also at this time that Catherine was encouraged to personally visit the Holy Father in Avignon and plead for his return to Papal authority. Pope Gregory Xl then departed Avignon to take his rightful place in the Seat of Peter as the legitimate Pontiff, in Rome!

But the troubles did not cease and Pope Gregory Xl was to die the same year as his return to Rome in 1378, which led to further upheavals within the Church and to the Papacy itself. Upon the death of Pope Gregory Xl the Cardinals decided to elect an Italian as Pope in the hope that the Papacy would be strengthened within Rome, therefore Pope Urban Vl became the Supreme Pontiff. But this new Pope was to prove to be problematic in that Pope Urban Vl was deeply suspicious of everyone and anything fearing conspiracies in every hidden corner. His temper and inconsistencies then led the very same Cardinals to try and oppose him by electing a new Pope which was Pope Clement Vll.

It was during these Church intrigues and upheavals that the firm and steadfast spirit of Catherine was greatly needed, for she was to support the claim of Pope Urban Vl as the rightful Pontiff and not Clement Vll. So upon a request from Pope Urban Vl to help him unite the troubled Church, Catherine spent days and nights pleading his cause to all Cardinals and those in positions of authority.

But this was to take a heavy toll on Catherine’s health, and through her practice of austere disciplines including not eating food but subsisting on the Eucharist alone, Catherine’s health became very frail, it was also at this time that she dictated her 'dialogue' to her friend Raymond of Capua.

In the end Catherine’s health could not endure the extreme measures of her austere life, and she suffered what was the first stroke, she only partially recovered before she endured another stroke, which she never recovered from. During these fateful months Catherine suffered many agonies and also battled with demonic forces, until her strength was entirely spent.

Catherine died on April 29th, 1380; she was only 33 years of age.

St. Catherine she was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461.

St. Catherine of Siena was proclaimed a Doctor of The Church on the 4th October 1970.

Some Quotes:

"They do not sit in judgement on my servants or anyone else, but rejoice in every situation and every way of living they see. . . . Even when they see something that is clearly sinful, they do not pass judgement, but rather feel a holy and genuine compassion, praying for the sinner." – Saint Catherine of Siena.

"Whenever you think God has shown you other people's faults, take care: your own judgment may well be at fault. Say nothing. And if you do attribute any vice to another person, immediately and humbly look for it in yourself also. Should the other person really possess that vice, he will correct himself so much the better when he sees how gently you understand him, and he will say to himself whatever you would have told him." – Saint Catherine of Siena

St Mary Mazzarello

Mary Mazzarello, like many of those we have read, was born into a poor family of country peasants, she was the eldest child born to parents Joseph and Maddalena in the year 1837 on the 9th of May.

Mary lived with her family in the small village of of Mornese where her family lived on a small farm not far from Genoa, Italy. Like many families of that time Mary's family were devout Catholics who worked hard on the land in order to provide for their growing family.

So coming from such hardy stock Mary grew strong and resilient and would often walk long miles to attend Mass. It was then that Mary heard about and joined the sodality of Mary as she had a very great love for our Blessed Mother. Mary also tried to do charitable works when she had finished her daily duties at home. For like many poor families Mary's parents relied on her to help out on the farm, and to provide a good example for her other siblings, Mary did not disappoint them.

It was whilst she was administering to her charitable work that Mary caught the dreaded disease typhoid and nearly died. This was to have long term affects on her health and when she recovered from this dreaded illness she was no longer the robust Mary of old. This had consequences for her family in that she could no longer do the arduous work that farm life entailed, so Mary in an attempt to help her family financially and to also provide a private income for herself decided to take up dressmaking.

In order to prosper at this venture Mary went into partnership with a friend, and as the orders flowed they then decided to employ young girls of the region to work for them in their dress making business.

Mary was also aware of the works of the Priest Don Bosco and tired to emulate his charism by employing young girls of dubious background and tried to instil in these girls virtue through hard work and self respect.

Don Bosco himself encouraged Mary in this venture, and it was then that they both collaborated in forming 'The Daughters of Our Lady Help of Christians' in the year 1872. Don Bosco himself wrote out the rule for this new order and of course placed Mary as its first Superior, he also donated to them find their first home for girls.

This was to cause some disturbance in the nearby villages who were against such an idea, fearing that the young girls and boys would be unruly and would bring trouble to their village. The villagers at times showed great discourtesy to Mary and her Sisters, none of which stopped the Sisters from their vocation.

But Mary would not allow these petty annoyances to interfere in her and Don Bosco's vision of providing a better life for those young boys and girls who were born impoverished. Their ideal was to inculcate these young people with a love for God, Church and also of self respect and a respect for others, this took time and patience and a lot of hard work.

They were fortunate in that Mary was never afraid of hard work, in that she too was born into a peasant family, so she understood some of the problems the young girls who were in her care may have encountered. This is why Mary tried to teach her girls the virtues and also a sense of decorum in their lifestyles as well as providing them with an education with the assistance of her fellow Sisters and Don Bosco himself.

Mother Mary and Don Bosco succeeded in this venture beyond their imaginings during her own life time she was to see the opening of 13 more convents which provided help for the poor youth in the area and also became a training ground for her Sisters in their aspirations to join the Missions world wide.

But Mary who had become weakened and never fully recovered from her bout with typhoid many years earlier, became frail as time went on. It was while on a business trip that she fell seriously ill and a Priest was called to administer the Last Rites. As she lay dying Mother Mary was heard quietly singing hymns to her beloved Blessed Mother!

Mother Mary Mazzarelllo died in 1881 at only 44 years of age.

She was canonized in 1951 by Pope PiusXll.

Mother Mary Mazzerello and Don Bosco lived the true meaning of Charity of spirit and both are buried beside each other. Their Mission continues to this very day!

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.