The 30th anniversary of LifeLink and 25th anniversary of the Archbishop’s LifeLink Day Initiative were reason to celebrate on the Feast of Mary MacKillop.
More than 150 people, including representatives from 23 Archdiocesan primary schools, gathered for the liturgical service at St Mary’s Cathedral led by LifeLink Chair and Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, assisted by Catholic Education Director of Religious Education, Deacon Mark Powell.
Representing the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart for the occasion was Sr Francis Maguire RSJ.
To mark the occasion, a light show on the exterior of the front of St Mary’s Cathedral featuring large colourful images celebrating the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross McKillop, LifeLink Day, the work of LifeLink agencies, and examples of the primary schools’ students creative “paper people” – messages of hope for our brothers and sisters in need in the community.
The light show was displayed for three consecutive nights from 8 to 10 August to celebrate and remember the example of St Mary of the Cross McKillop.
In his speech for the occasion, Bishop Sproxton explained that St Mary MacKillop had a keen awareness of disadvantage, not just because she was able to see the suffering around her in others, but because she had her own personal experience of being without.
“Mary teaches us in our own times. What she learned; she passes on to us. This is found in the new song to Mary MacKillop we used at the beginning of our liturgy,” Bishop Don explained.
“I feel joy when things go well, and an equal joy, when things go wrong. Because I see God’s will.”
“Mary learned to listen to the voice of God that she discovered in the small and large things in her life,” Bishop Don continued.
“It is the voice of God who loves each of us and we can trust,” he said.
“She would examine each day and bless God for the good things, even the things that went wrong, for with the Spirit of Jesus she trusted that she would continue to grow in faith and as an image of Christ to others.
Bishop Sproxton concluded his speech by noting the words of the Gospel of the liturgical service are a reminder of another thing that Mary passed on to her Sisters.
“She set her heart on the kingdom of God. Whatever she strove to do, it was for the glory of God. Many times, the projects would seem impossible, yet she believed that if they were in line with the plan of God, all would be provided for as God stirred the hearts of benefactors.
“LifeLink helps us to recognise the needs of others and to find a way of helping,” he concluded.
