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Born on the 15th of January at Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
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Baptised at St Francis, Melbourne
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Mary recieves her First Holy Communion on the 15th of August
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Starts working at age 14 and soon after becomes the primary breadwinner for her family.
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Becomes governess to the children of her uncle, Alexander Cameron, at Penola in South Australia, where she meets Father Julian Tenison Woods, who becomes her spiritual guide.
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Appointed to Portland Catholic School for teaching.
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Relinquished Bay View House and left Portland.
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Started the first free school in Penola on the 19th of March, St Joseph’s day. Mary wears a plain black dress to signify her dedication to do God’s work.
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Joins with Father Woods to form a new religious order of nuns, the Sisters of St Joseph, devoted to teaching the poor, with Mary as mother superior; opens a convent-cottage and a school in Adelaide.
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Mary MacKillop takes her religious vows on August 15.
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Takes her final vows on December 8; and leaves for Queensland to open schools there.
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Opposition to the Sisters grows over the issue of central government and refusal to accept government grants for education; the sisters face trouble in Adelaide over 'visionaries'.
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Mary MacKillop is excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
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Excommunication order is removed.
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Sisters restored to their habits
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Mary MacKillop returns to Australia with 15 Irish postulants, following travels in Europe to visit schools.
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Mary is elected as the first superior general of the Sisters of St Joseph.
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Sisters obliged to leave Bathurst because of Bishop Matthew Quinn’s refusal to accept central government of the Institute.
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The sisters are obliged to leave Queensland because of the bishop's refusal to accept central government of the institute.
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Eight foundations of the Order made in Sydney Archdiocese two in the Armidale Diocese.
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Mary MacKillop re-elected as superior general.
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The sisters expand to New Zealand with the establishment of their first foundation at Temuka on the South Island.
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Bishop Reynolds dismisses Mary in Adelaide over accusations she was an alcoholic (Mary drank brandy to relieve very severe menstrual pain), and she moves to Sydney.
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Cardinal Moran informs Mary that Propaganda considers her reelection invalid so he appoints Mother Bernard Walsh as Superior General.
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Propaganda rejects the Sydney Synod decree asserting diocesan control over the Sisters of St Joseph. Sisters arrive in Northhampton, Western Australia.
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A decree from Rome declares the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart is an approved regular congregation, some alterations are made to habits and the sisters' rule.
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Mary suffers the first of many bouts of serious illness, as the order she founded has 300 sisters working in nine dioceses in Australia and New Zealand.
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Mary elected Superior General after death of Mother Bernard.
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Mary suffers a stroke and travels to Rotorua in New Zealand to visit her sister, Annie MacKillop.
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Mary dies 8 August at Mount St, North Sydney and is buried in Gore Hill Cemetery
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Construction of a memorial chapel in North Sydney.
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Newly elected superior general, Mother Laurence O'Brien, raises the question of whether Mary MacKillop could be a candidate for beatification.
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Process for Canonisation begins. Postponed in 1931 and re-opened in 1951
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Canonisation process begins; it was postponed in 1931 over claims she was an alcoholic and re-opened in 1951.
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A study of Mary’s life and writings resulted in the issue of the Nihil Obstat declaring that no reason existed why the Cause for Mary’s canonisation should not continue.
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Decree Super Scriptis was issued declaring Mary’s writings approved as being those of a person of holiness.
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Beginning of Roman Phase - Formal inquiry on Mary’s virtues. Process opened in Sydney to gain evidence from those still alive who knew Mary MacKillop. Continued in Adelaide and Brisbane. Report sent to Rome.
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Mary MacKillop officially declared ‘Servant of God’ by Pope Paul VI through the Papal Legate to Eucharistic Congress, Melbourne. Decree granting the introduction of the Cause was announced.
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Mary travels to Rome for a personal audience with Pope Pius IX, obtains papal approval for the sisterhood but the 'Rule of Life' Father Woods set down is discarded and another is drawn up, causing a breach between Mary and Father Woods.
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Positio commenced – intensely supervised historical and critical account of Mary MacKillop’s life and virtues.
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Positio, Mary MacKillops biography is completed and presented to the Holy See.
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Decree confirms Mary lived a life of heroic virtue.
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Decree confirms the miracle through her intercession. Now clear for the proclamation of Blessed Mary MacKillop.
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Beatification Ceremony in Sydney 19 January
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Canonisation in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI