Archdiocesan Patron – St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s commitment to serving those in need inspires God’s work in the Archdiocese of Brisbane today with her legacy of hope, justice and compassion.
On May 6, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI approved Archbishop John Bathersby’s petition to name St Mary of the Cross MacKillop as the patron of the Brisbane Archdiocese. This honour celebrates the Archdiocese’s historic ties to St Mary, including the establishment of four of her order’s first schools in Queensland.
Born in Melbourne in 1842, Mary was driven by a deep commitment to serve God and alleviate the suffering of the poor. In December 1869, Mary MacKillop and five Sisters of St Joseph arrived in Brisbane and the following year, opened four schools for disadvantaged children in Brisbane and Maryborough. Mary and her companions regularly attended Mass and prayed at St Stephen’s Church in Elizabeth Street.
When St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was named Patron of the Archdiocese in 2009, Sr Moya Campbell, Provincial Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, expressed the order’s delight at the recognition during the Archdiocese’s 150th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of St Mary’s death. Sr Campbell highlighted Mary’s enduring contribution to Australia’s early life and her ability to inspire hope, a quality deeply needed in today’s world.
St Mary’s strong connection to Brisbane, through her time living here and founding local schools, is the foundation of her role as Archdiocesan Patron. Her dedication to ensuring poor and marginalised children had access to Catholic education resonates with the Archdiocese’s ongoing mission to serve people who live at the margins of our community.
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s Feast Day is formally celebrated with a Mass in the Cathedral of St Stephen each year on August 8.