What an honour to be able to celebrate the Feast Day of an amazing woman such as Saint Mary MacKillop. A woman who devoted her entire life to the education of the poor and the support of those who were unable to do it themselves. It truly humbles me to think of how a woman in that era in outback Australia made such an amazing difference and had such courage to do so. 

God of compassion, God of all people, we praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop, who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed.
As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision.
Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the gospel in the way we serve them. Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care.

Amen