All About St. Mary MacKillop

 All About St Mary MacKillop 

By Zean & Dwight

In 1842 Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne Australia. Her parents were Flora and Alexander. Mary was the eldest amongst eight children. Flora and Alexander were born in Scotland. When Mary was eighteen she moved to a small town called Penola in South Australia. She then became a governess for her aunt and uncle’s children. From there she met Father Tenison Woods. Mary and Father Tenison Woods both had a dream to open a school and an orphanage for the poor children and orphans.

Mary joined the church. Later Bishop Sheil thought Mary was disobedient. So Bishop Sheil excommunicated Mary and expelled forty-seven sisters. Five months later Mary and the sisters lived happily because they moved to Adelaide. Bishop Sheil realized within the 5 months it was a mistake to excommunicate Mary MacKillop and the other forty-seven nuns. The excommunication was lifted. Mary was often ill. This sickness was caused by rheumatism and a stroke. In 1902, she was paralysed on her right-hand side. Mary died in a convent at Mount Street, North Sydney on August 8th 1909.

Mary’s legacy was to be the first saint in Australia. When Mary was still around, there was barely any food or money for anyone in Australia. People in her church and all the Australians had their happiness exponentially raised and received a better life.