‘Flame of faith’ in Bl Mary

The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
22 August 2004

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‘Flame of faith’ in Bl Mary

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‘Flame of faith’ in Bl Mary

FEAST DAY: Bishop David Cremin delivered the homily.

By Bishop David Cremin

You come here to honour this unique woman Mary MacKillop – Australia’s first Blessed – one day to be declared saint, please God.

She is the first Australian person to found a religious order or congregation. She has captured the imagination of people of all creeds and none in Australia. Why, because in my opinion, she had a great loving heart caring for the poor and destitute and uneducated.

Her parents came from Lochaber in the Highlands of Scotland from a people of Celtic ‘Bravehearts’. But today obviously Bl Mary appeals to all of you who come from many countries – Europe, South America, Asia.

The young Mary was a fluent speaker of the Gaelic, the language of her parents. Her grandfather and teacher called her Gnothach Miadhail – precious thing.

Having travelled so far around the world to establish a new life, Mary’s parents, Flora and Alexander were determined to hand on to their children not just material possessions, but something of that strong, vibrant faith, which they themselves possessed.

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