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Mary Mackillop was born on the 15th of January 1842 in Melbourne to Scottish immigrants. Where she became the oldest of 8 children.
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She later took a job as a governess on her uncle's farm in the small country town of Penola in South Australia. Where she now lived at the time of the job.
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In 1866 Mary met the man that would change her life forever. This man was Fr Tenison Woods a charming and eccentric priest her shared Marys dream of educating the poor, he became her mentor and spiritual guide.
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Mary and Fr Tenison Woods formed a new religious order of nuns called the sisters of st Joseph-devoted to teaching the poor.
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Within 4 years of the order being started there were over 130 sisters of st Joseph.
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Mary believed that there was a priest sexually abusing people so Mary stood up for what is right and later got excommunicated from church by Bishop Sheil. 5 months later asked for her to be re entered into the church as he was on his deathbed and new that what he did was wrong.
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At the young age of 16 Mary dropped out of school to work just to support her family.
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Mary suffered a stroke and was put in a wheelchair and was disabled for 7 years until her long awaited death.
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Mary Mackillop died on the 8th of august after suffering a stroke and becoming invalid 7 years earlier.
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Now known as St Mary Of The Cross Mackillop was Canonised on 17th of October 2010 during a public ceremony in St Peter's Square at the Vatican.