ST Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s passion for providing first-class education to poor Catholic children in Brisbane will live on in a fund to be established from the offertory collection at the saint’s feast day Mass in St Stephen’s Cathedral on Wednesday, August 8.
The MacKillop Brisbane Catholic School Access Fund will aim to ensure fair and equal access for all students to attend Catholic schools.
Money for the fund has already started to flow in.
Organisers report $150,000 has been received to date, including a single donation of $60,000.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, who will celebrate the 10am Mass, has sent an invitation to donors throughout the archdiocese to attend the event which will be followed by a morning tea.
In his invitation, the Archbishop said “St Mary gave her life to God through helping those in need, and in doing so she became an enduring gift of God to the Church in Australia and around the world”.
“The offertory collection for the Mass (the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross) will be set aside to help create the MacKillop Brisbane Catholic School Access Fund – a new fund that will be used to continue St Mary’s work by giving children of today who are in need, greater access to our Catholic schools,” he said.
Students from several schools will be involved in various parts of the Mass including the choir from St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane.
Other schools involved include Our Lady’s College, Annerley; St Mark’s School, Inala; St Eugene College, Burpengary; and St Ita’s, Dutton Park.
Queensland Josephite provincial leader Sr Moya Campbell will give the first reading.
A range of Church organisations including Rosies, Centacare, St Vincent de Paul Society and other organisations such as the Public Trustee will have information stalls set up in the cathedral precinct on the day.
Archdiocesan Resource Development gifts manager Mark Bennett said Catholic schools would be able to approach the fund to seek support for students.
“We will also be searching out students in need of support,” he said.
“This may take various forms to help the student become more completely immersed in school life.
“Support could range from the purchase of text books to sporting equipment.
“In some cases the support could last for the entire school life of a student although this would be assessed on an annual basis.”
Mr Bennett said the response to the appeal had already been encouraging with more than $150,000 donated.
Resource Development spokeswoman Colleen Keating said the Mass and morning tea were a “great way to thank all those who had financially supported the archdiocese over the years”.
“Last year was the first time donors had been thanked in this way,” she said.
“The cathedral was full for the Mass and we expect the same this year.
“We’ve already received more than 600 acceptances.”
