Anthony Barich
National Reporter
BLESSED Mary MacKillop’s canonisation next year will alert young people to the plight of the poor and will hopefully move them to act radically as the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart foundress did, the Order’s WA leader said.
Relieved that a long process has come to an end, Sr Pauline Morgan told The Record that for Blessed MacKillop, who set up her first school at age 24, to make significant change at such a young age in Australia at that time was “quite remarkable”.
It was particularly extraordinary, Sr Pauline said, as Blessed MacKillop had come from a poor family as the eldest of eight, whose father particularly ensured the family was well educated.
“She was a woman of courage, that’s the word I’d use; and a woman of action,” Sr Pauline said. “When she saw a need like the poor children not being educated, she worked to eventually set up schools so they would be, because if they didn’t get educated they wouldn’t be able to get on and get a start in life.
“Then when she saw the elderly weren’t cared for on the streets, she set up a house called The Providence so they could he cared for.
“Then she saw unmarried mothers weren’t being supported so she set up a house for them. “Whenever there was a need she tried to do something about it.
“So in that sense she was radical, for young women in Australia in that time to set up structures and places of refuge was quite remarkable.”
Sr Pauline said that Blessed MacKillop, also known as Mary of the Cross, was a role model to youth as she was a “self-starter”.
“She is a role model for young people and for those who want to make a difference but are not sure how to do it,” Sr Pauline said.
“People of good will can tap into the good works of so many organisations around today.”
The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart opened a homeless shelter at Fremantle where the women from the parks of Fremantle can have a night’s safe sleep.
“There’s a need with homelessness and many are trying to address it, including the Sisters,” Sr Pauline said.
Several Sisters work in the Kimberley region with Aboriginal people, “where there is a huge need for those people, and for children to have opportunities to change the cycle of poverty”.
While Sr Pauline said it would be “wonderful” if young people responded by joining the Order to work for the poor, she said the most important repercussion from the canonisation was alerting people to the poor and their needs in the world, “putting it before our eyes so more people will respond in some way”.
The Sisters also have many volunteers who work with them for up to two years, which Sr Pauline said is a calling in itself which builds character.
“We’re looking forward to when a date is set for canonisation in Rome and we will have very simple inclusive celebrations locally.
For Mary MacKillop, being a very ordinary person in an ordinary family with many hardships, having financial difficulties … is something that many people relate to. I like belonging to a group of like-minded people. Individuals can do some good, but together we can respond to more needs.”