Saint Mary MacKillop

By hurleys

  • Mary Mackillop birth

    (No specific day) Mary MacKillop was born in this month, oldest of eight children, in the Melbourne suburb Fitzroy.

  • First Communion

    Mary MacKillop's First Communion at the age of nine

  • Met Father Julian Edmund Woods

    (No specific day, month) Met Father Julian Edmund Woods who was parish priest in South East since ordination. Father Woods was very concerned about lack of Catholic education in South Australia.

  • Began working

    (No date, month recorded) Started working as nursery governess to help provide for needy family. Taught and looked after her Aunt and Uncle's children, in Penola, South Australia

  • Opened boarding school

    (No exact day, month) Accepted job at Portland School and opened boarding school in her home.

  • Formed Josephites

    Mary MacKillop became the first sister and mother superior of the newly formed order of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart,

  • School opened in Yankatilla

    (No exact day recorded) Opened a school in Yankatilla in an attempt to provide education to all poor especially in country areas.

  • Mary and sisters established the Order Queensland

    (No exact day recorded) Mary and sisters travelled to Brisbane to establish Order Queensland.

  • Excommunicated by Bishop Sheil

    During this year (no exact month, day) Bishop Sheil excommunicated Mary on the grounds that "she incited sisters to disobedience and defience".

  • Order established in NZ

    (No exact day or month) The order was established in New Zealand where Mary stayed for 3 years.

  • Bishop Reynolds had Mary removed as Superior General

    (No exact day, month) After death of Bishop Vaughan, Bishop Reynolds aimed to destroy Mary and her sisters, or bring them under his complete control. He successfully had her removed as Superior General, but couldn't destroy them or control sisters

  • Travelled back to NZ

    (No exact day or month recorded) Went back to New Zealand to establish the Sisters and a school in South Island.

  • Sister takes charge of school in St Petersburg

    Sisters of Saint Joseph took charge of St Anacletus Catholic Day School in St Petersburg.

  • Suffered a stroke and health problems

    (No exact day or month) She suffered a stroke in 1902 paralysing her right side, after health problems and rheumatic arthritis.

  • Mary MacKillop's Death

    Mary MacKillop died on this day, laid to rest in Grove Hill Cemetery North Sydney.

  • Remains moved to Memorial chapel in Sydney

    Remains were exhumed and transferred to a vault before the altar of The Mother of God in the newly built Memorial Chapel in Sydney

  • Baptism

    (No day recorded) Mary MacKillop was baptised as Maria Ellen.

  • Beautification

    (No exact day recorded) Pope John Paul 2nd beautified Mary following 1st miracle

  • Canonisation

    Mary MacKillop was canonised a saint on this day by Pope Benedict XVI, known as Saint Mary of the Cross.