Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Culture Book of the Week

Difficulties in life of Mary MacKillop

byGuest Contributor
19 March 2006
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

THE BLACK DRESS: MARY MacKILLOP’S EARLY YEARS

By Pamela Freeman, Black Dog Books, $17.95

Reviewed by Delroy Oberg

THIS excellent book is quite hard to place.

Pamela Freeman writes children’s books, and it would sit well in lower secondary bookshelves.

Nevertheless the style is simple enough for younger readers, and the less than subtle references to problem parents will edify, challenge and possibly shame adult readers.

In addition, I felt a ready background of knowledge about all of Mother Mary’s life was certainly essential for me as I filled in gaps from her references to many of the specific problems she encountered in her adult life.

The book is definitely about more than the early years.

It is set on Mary MacKillop’s death bed (she died on August 8, 1909, aged 67).

As weeping, prayerful and awestruck sisters and novices come in and out to pay their respects, she reflects on her life.

Related Stories

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

It was a hard life from the start – mainly because of an egotistical and bombastic father, who regularly ran the family into bankruptcy, and, as Mary herself reflects, gave her an excellent grounding for the work she would later embrace as the founder of a poor order where begging was at times a necessity, and the need to identify with the “real” poor was essential to the vocation.

Both Mary’s parents emerge badly.

Her mother strongly opposed her vocation, dreading being left without the family’s sole financial support.

Ironically, it was her father, a failed candidate for the priesthood, who encouraged her; but then, he was never bothered by practicalities.

In fact, Mary did not have much luck with any of the men in her life.

Fr Julian Tenison Woods, co-founder of the Josephites, made many bad decisions and also needed to be watched with money.

Her bishop excommunicated her, other priests told lies about her. At one stage she was unfairly labelled an alcoholic.

We know that ultimately she was vindicated on all charges and that the order flourished, yet Freeman portrays Mary on her deathbed querying whether her work is really done.

What is missing? What is still present?

In effect, she was still carrying the psychological and emotional scars of her childhood and adolescent years.

In other words, she had not forgiven her family, especially her father.

The realisation of the need to forgive finally becomes the reality of forgiveness.

It is only then that, finally, Mother Mary MacKillop can die, and rest in peace.

Buy this book for your children, but read it yourself first!

ShareTweet
Previous Post

DERAILED

Next Post

Prayers after cyclone

Guest Contributor

Related Posts

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

18 May 2022
Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting
World

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting

17 May 2022
Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday
QLD

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

17 May 2022
Next Post

Prayers after cyclone

Supporter of family, faith, safety

Anti-abortion fight goes on

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

by CNS
18 May 2022
0

IN the United States, Asians are a distinct minority. Those who are Catholic make them a minority...

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting

Bishops call out racism, gun violence after U.S. shooting

17 May 2022
Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

17 May 2022
Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

17 May 2022
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

17 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping