Mary MacKillop Feast Day

Illustration of Mary Mackillop by Aarvika Byreddy in Foundation. 

On August 8th, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint. Mary MacKillop lived a life marked by courage, compassion, and a strong faith in God. She recognised that many children, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas, lacked access to quality education.  

In response to this need, she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, dedicated to providing education and support to those often overlooked by society. Through her efforts, Mary inspired countless families across Australia, ensuring that every child had the opportunity to learn and grow. 

MacKillop Week celebrations

As a Josephite school founded by the Sisters of St Joseph, we are proud to embody Saint Mary MacKillop’s mission to bring hope and dignity to all. This year, we marked her Feast Day with a series of joyful and meaningful celebrations. On Tuesday, students and staff enjoyed a simple bowl of soup as part of our Souper Servings of Hope Day, reminding us of Mary’s compassion for those in need. On Wednesday, our Year 5/6 students rolled up their sleeves to bake delicious treats in preparation for our Feast of Hope, which we shared together on Thursday after a whole school liturgy led beautifully by our Year 5/6 class. The food was enjoyed by all, and the spirit of community was alive and well. 

We are deeply grateful to Woolworths, Bakers Delight, Oliver Holm and family, Morris Brown and family, Archer Courtney and family, and Laura and Hannah Geyer and family for generously donating ingredients to make our celebrations possible. We also thank all families for supporting our fundraising efforts. Together, our Mary MacKillop Week raised $1020, which will be split evenly between St Vincent de Paul’s Winter Appeal and Catholic Charities’ Socktober campaign. Your generosity has helped us continue to plant seeds of hope in our community, living out Mary MacKillop’s call to “never see a need without doing something about it.” 

Mary Mackillop Poetry 
The 5/6 students have cleverly written acrostic poems that capture Mary’s values, her dedication to education, and her mission to help those in need. These poems beautifully reflect the students’ understanding of Mary’s life and her call to serve.