ST Mary’s Church, South Brisbane, overflowed with people and memories last Sunday as the 140th anniversary of the start of Blessed Mary MacKillop’s education mission in Queensland near there was celebrated.
The Josephite order’s first school in the state was located in what is now St Mary’s car park at the corner of Peel and Merivale Streets.
Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane concelebrated the 9am Mass with parish administrator and dean of St Stephen’s Cathedral Fr Ken Howell.
The archbishop paid tribute to the more than 50 Josephites gathered for the celebration, including provincial Sr Moya Campbell, for following the example of Blessed Mary MacKillop.
Within the liturgy, the archbishop also blessed the parish’s own image of Blessed Mary who has also been made the archdiocesan patron. The original portrait was painted by the artist Christopher McVinnish.
There was also the reception and blessing of a newly crafted sterling silver chalice donated by members of the George family in honour of their parents.
Archbishop Bathersby spoke of the importance of Mary the Mother of God in the life of the Church on the day which also marked the Feast of the Assumption.
About 40 students from Gladstone’s Star of the Sea School, in Brisbane for performances at the Queensland Catholic Festival of Music, were present.
In 1870, the Josephites took over the running of St Mary’s School from the Mercy Sisters.
Also that year, the order moved into a former hotel in Montague Road, South Brisbane, which became St Joseph’s Convent for a time.
These events followed the arrival of Blessed Mary MacKillop and a small group of sisters in Brisbane in December the previous year.
