THE Goulburn Sisters of St Joseph are detecting excitement in the air this week as they prepare for their co-founder’s canonisation.
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Each morning some 60 people are turning up at 6.45 Novena in their chapel in the lead up to Mother Mary MacKillop’s recognition as a Saint on Sunday. In addition, the Sisters’ congregational leader, Sr Noelene Quinane has been chosen to receive communion from Pope Benedict XVI at the event.
Sr Noelene is also president of the Federation of Josephite Sisters. She has travelled to Europe as part of a four-member delegation, which was due to arrive in Rome today. Her colleague back in Goulburn, Sr Karen Muir, is following their progress with interest, but also planning for local celebrations.
On Sunday night the Sisters, along with some 200 locals will watch the event on the big screen at the Goulburn Workers Club.
“It’s an exciting time,” Sr Karen said on Monday.
“We think it’s more than a Sisters of St Joseph celebration. It’s a celebration for Australia but we wanted to do something in Goulburn because Mother Mary MacKillop has been significant for us for 128 years. We wanted to share this with the community.”
Bishop of Canberra/Goulburn Pat Power will be attending and the night will include power point presentations, along with refreshments and a cake. Sr Karen said Mother MacKillop was an inspirational leader who held firmly to her often-quoted saying: “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
This had stuck in people’s mind and encapsulated the way Mary reached out to people.
“Mary symbolised a strong woman, who had a mind of her own,” Sr Karen said.
“For us, she is someone who cut across all classes of people and reached out to anyone in need. I think she saw her role as raising others to the fullness of their dignity. Everybody mattered to her.
“She believed in her own ability to make a difference and was not put off by obstacles. She was certainly ahead of her time.”
The Sisters of St Joseph were founded by Mother MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods in Penola, South Australia in 1866.
For the full story, and a related story on Mary MacKillop’s links to Goulburn, please see Wednesday’s Goulburn Post, available from our front office in Auburn St, or at all leading newsagencies across the Goulburn area.
