From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   May 25th - St. Mary MacKillop, Foundress (RM)   
      
   Born in Australia in 1842; died there on May 25, 1909; canonized by Pope   
   John Paul II in 1995.   
      
   Although Mary MacKillop's heritage was Scottish, she is Australia's first   
   native-born saint. Her father was a seminarian educated at the Scots College   
   in Rome, but left before his ordination. Instead he emigrated to Australia   
   where he met his future bride. Though it was an unhappy marriage, perhaps   
   because he was often away from home travelling to Europe, it produced good   
   fruit that was nurtured by the father.   
      
   In 1860, Mary became a governess in Penola, south Australia, where she met   
   Father Julian Tenison Woods. He became her spiritual director. Several years   
   later they founded a new congregation of Josephites, whose mission was to   
   found schools and orphanages to provide much needed educational outlets. The   
   first rule was drawn up in 1867 and received episcopal approval the   
   following year. In 1869, Mary professed her final vows.   
      
   The next few years were difficult, during the absence of the Australian   
   bishops at the First Vatican Council. Mary established a foundation in   
   Brisbane. At the same time, Fr. Woods undermined her work by encouraging   
   some visionary nuns, insisting on excessive poverty, and refusing all state   
   funding. Upon the return of the bishops, Father Woods was removed from the   
   direction of the sisters, who then numbered over 100 in 34 schools.   
      
   The bishop of Adelaide, an alcoholic who listened to gossip, attempted to   
   control the congregation. He excommunicated its foundress on the charge of   
   disobedience, then dispensed 47 nuns from their vows. In 1872, on his   
   deathbed, he apologized for his actions and absolved Mary from   
   excommunication. The Holy See sent a delegation to investigate. Their   
   findings led the Vatican to support MacKillop and her nuns against some of   
   the local bishops.   
      
   In 1873, Mary travelled to Europe, where she was well-received in Rome. The   
   Holy Father permitted the congregation to have a superior-general, who could   
   move the sisters from house to house within the congregation but across   
   diocesan borders. The rule of poverty was also modified to permit the   
   sisters to own, rather than simply rent, property. During her time in   
   Europe, Mary MacKillop also visited England, Ireland, and Scotland to obtain   
   new recruits for the enterprise and funding to support it. MacKillop was   
   elected to the office of superior-general in 1875.   
      
   MacKillop's exemplary attitude towards the bishops who opposed her was   
   complemented by the outstanding work of the congregation. Protestants, as   
   well as Catholics, loudly praised their charity to the poor, their personal   
   poverty, and their abstinence from active proselytizing. They found many   
   supporters who contributed to their mission.   
      
   Beginning in 1885, the congregation was again under attack by the bishops,   
   but found support from Rome. The Holy See, however, believed that MacKillop   
   had remained in charge too long, so another superior-general was elected and   
   served from 1888 until 1998. During that time, Mary served as visitor to the   
   houses of New Zealand. At the death of her successor, Mary again took up the   
   reigns and remained as superior-general until her own death. The   
   congregation flourished even in the face of internal dissensions. The   
   foundress suffered from rheumatism for many years, but finally died of a   
   stroke.   
      
   Photographs of Mary MacKillop reveal a beautiful woman with a firm jaw and   
   chin. About 1,000 of her letters survive. They show that she was a woman of   
   patient persistence in adversity and a respect for authority. Some see Mary   
   as a feminist pioneer; others as one who cared for Aborigines in difficult   
   times; still others connect her with conservation of the eucalyptus, which   
   is her emblem in art.   
      
   The congregation has spread to Peru. In Australia, they are the primary   
   providers of Catholic education to girls. In 1981, the congregation numbered   
   about 1,800 (Farmer).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "O Lord my God, let me joy in nothing but what leads to Thee, nor grieve for   
   anything but what leads away from Thee."   
   --St. Thomas Aquinas (Doctor, 1225-74) - "Prayer of St Thomas Aquinas for   
   grace to lead a holy life"   
      
   Bible Quotes:   
   "Delight in the Lord: and he will give thee  the requests of thy heart"  (Ps   
   36:3)   
      
   "And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do   
   evil? To save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace. And looking   
   round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their   
   hearts"  (Mark 3:4-5)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   We beseech You, O Lord,   
   visit this home,   
   and drive far from it all the snares of the enemy;   
   let Your holy angels dwell therein   
   so as to preserve us in peace;   
   and let Your blessing be always upon us.   
   Through Christ our Lord.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)