St. Mary Mackillop was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1842. At a young age, Mary discovered her passion for serving the poor and at 24, opened a Catholic school. Shortly after, other women joined to help out at her school. The group of women named themselves the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. They began opening more schools dedicated to the education of poor children. Mary helped to formulate the “Rule of Life” that the community lived by, which included poverty, depending on divine will, and no personal belongings. In addition to educating the poor, the Josephites served at orphanages and in prisons. Due to conflict between clergy, the Josephites were criticized and Mary was excommunicated. A year later, Mary’s excommunication was lifted and the Josephites received full approval from the pope. The community then expanded and Mary was elected as superior general. After suffering a stroke, Mary became partly paralyzed and spent her last seven years in a wheelchair until she passed away in 1909. Her feast day is August 8. 

Questions for Reflection:

• God gave Mary a heart for children and the poor. What group of people has God given you a passion to serve? What need in this world is God inviting you to help fill? 
• Despite many obstacles, Mary never gave up and kept her faith in God. Where in your life have you encountered obstacles in achieving something you’ve hoped for? What steps can you take to surrender your plan to God’s perfect will?