Pope, at general audience, pays tribute to St. Mary MacKillop
June 28, 2023
Continuing his series of Wednesday catecheses on the theme of “the passion for evangelization: the apostolic zeal of the believer,” Pope Francis devoted his June 28 general audience to St. Mary MacKillop (1842-1909).
“In our catechesis on apostolic zeal, we have been reflecting on the example of those men and women of every time and place who devoted their lives to the spread of the Gospel,” Pope Francis said, in the words of the Vatican summary of his remarks. “Today we turn to the distant continent of Oceania and the witness of Saint Mary MacKillop, a great educator and the foundress of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart.”
The summary continued:
The daughter of Scottish immigrants, Mary discerned the great need for schooling among the children of the poverty-stricken rural communities of Australia. Together with the Sisters of her Congregation, she founded numerous schools throughout the country to care for spiritual and human formation of the young.
Mary’s great trust in God’s providence and the power of the cross sustained her amid the inevitable trials she faced in her growing apostolate. As we give thanks for the enduring fruitfulness of her zeal for the Gospel, let us pray that her creative response to the needs of the Church of her time will inspire the efforts of today’s parents, catechists and educators, as they strive to introduce young people to the beauty of friendship with Jesus and prepare them to be a leaven of the Gospel in today’s rapidly changing society.
The Pope’s June 28 audience was the first general audience since June 7, when the Pope entered the hospital for abdominal surgery. As is customary, there will be no Wednesday audiences in July.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
