Mary Mackillop
The only Australian saint!
Mary Mackillop's early life
Mary Helen Mackillop was born on the 15th of Janurary 1842 in a suburb of Melbourne called Fitzroy in the state of Victoria. Her parents were named Alexander Mackillop and Flora Macdonald. Her parents baptised her when she was six weeks old and on her birth certificate it is written down that her name was Maria Ellen, but was always known as Mary. Her parents lived in Roybridge Scotland before moving to Australia. Mary visited Roybridge in the 1870s and also visited the local church, St Margrets. St Margrets now has a shrine to Mary.
Mary Mackillops parents
Alexander Mackillop was born in Perthshire, he was educated at Scots college in Rome and at Blairs College in Kincardineshire. At Blairs college he studied to be a priest but at the age of 29 he left and was about to be ordained, and instead decided to migrate to Australia. He managed to arrive in Sydney in 1838.
Mary and her parents
Alexander Mackillop
This is Marys dad
Mary
Flora Macdonald
This is Marys mum
Mary Mackillops qualities
Marys Qualities
Marys qualities are courage, commitment, faithfulness, respect and intellegence. She also started the order of nuns called St Joseph of the sacred heart.
Mary Mackillops miracles
To become a Saint you need to have performed at least three miracles. The first miracle performed by Mary was back in 1961 after a woman from NSW had been diagnosed with leukeamia. Veronica Hopson was only 21 years old and she was told by doctors that there was nothing else they could do for her and to go home and prepare to die. Mrs Hopson along went home and along with her fight to live started praying along with the Catholic sisters to Mary MacKillop. After her complete recovery at home and feeling much stronger after 6 months, Mrs Hopson began to work from home and later went on to start a family. Mrs Hopson had six children in total and is still alive today.