As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12 - 14
In writing of the habit in the original rule for the Sisters of St Joseph, Julian Tenison Woods quite boldly, if not prophetically, recorded:
"All
these things must be of poor material, even though a more expensive material
would wear better and last longer, for the poor must endure the consequences of
poverty and the Sisters try to correct the inconvenience of this by extra care.
The Sisters must be contented with the poorest houses, fare and habits.
They can keep neither money nor property beyond the second habit and breviary.
They must not be ashamed to wear one that is patched and darned." (Chapter
IX)
As seven year old child in 1961 - at
St Joseph's, Grey Lynn (Auckland) - I remember, quite clearly, the patched
elbows of Sister Gabriel. There was nothing fearsome about her. To me, in my
small world her habit indeed clothed her, but she evoked and expressed in her
words and actions compassion, kindness and humility. It was her name that I chose to be known as in
religious life.
In a few short verses of Colossians, Paul captures the essence of discipleship. The disciple is one who learns from their master/teacher/rabbi but who seeks to imitate them and become like them.
Each of us is called by name to discipleship and each one of us chooses to accept that invitation or not. And it's not as if by accepting that invitation I am immediately overcome with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. It's in the growing and nurturing of faith through prayer, action and ultimately by God's grace. For the disciple, each day is another opportunity, another challenge.
When the young lass, Mary MacKillop first began working as a governess for her cousins, she had accepted that invitation by serving - whenever and however possible - the poor on her uncle and aunt's estate. Her chance meeting with the young Father Julian Tenison Woods would lead her to - not only great joy in God's service - but also to the depths of pain and hurt as she struggled with the biases, jealousies and power of others. But she would live a life of discipleship with extraordinary faith, humour, humility and kindness that belied her enormous strength and courage in her mission to establish the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart against the odds.
Mary was joined by thousands of
women who sought to be disciples of Jesus as Josephites and who would, in
turn, "be contented with the poorest houses, fare
and habits" but who would, equally unashamedly clothe themselves with
love.
Peter Douglas
COVID 19:
Maintaining the legacy of Mary MacKillop
We want to acknowledge that we all find
ourselves in an unparalleled, fearful and rapidly developing situation. We know
you are concerned about your loved one’s well-being and we hope you are able to
meet the challenges ahead and remain healthy and safe.
And in these complex, difficult
times, we want to reassure you, that we here at Mary MacKillop Today
continue to stand in solidarity with the most neglected and the most vulnerable
in our communities, who will be hardest hit. We’d like to share with you what
we are doing in response to COVID-19 to continue to serve those most in need;
to maintain our efforts to fully realise Mary MacKillop’s vision that “So great
is the strength we possess in our unity.”
Mary MacKillop Today is
aware that the COVID-19 outbreak could have significant impacts on the families
and communities of the First Nations scholarship students who we support, many
of whom live in remote areas. Tertiary institutions across Australia are
implementing various precautionary measures, including switching teaching modes
to online, which will have varying degrees of impact on our students. MMT is
continuing to provide vital financial support to Scholarship Recipients during
this difficult time, and work with individual students to manage any possible
impacts the current situation could have on their ability to complete their
study.
Our Community Grant
recipients as far as possible are continuing their wonderful work supporting
vulnerable members of our community at this time and our Equine Assisted
Learning Program in Broome is continuing with heightened risk management
processes in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of participants. Our
Financial Inclusion Program throughout Central-West NSW, is more important than
ever as we recognise that the current situation could lead to even greater
financial exclusion among our clients. MMT is working with the Good Shepherd
Microfinance Network to process loans applications and holding financial
conversations with clients over the phone and online, so we can continue to
serve the most vulnerable at their greatest time of need.
Mary MacKillop Today in
Timor-Leste is a key partner in the national public health campaign on
COVID-19, engaged in a Working Group with the Ministry of Health (MoH),
Ministry of Education (MoE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). MMT is
incorporating basic health and hygiene education into all teacher training
workshops that we deliver in the community. In addition, MMT has been allocated
to be a key focal point for the COVID-19 socialisation program in Manufahe
Municipality, recognising our important role in delivering health education in
this community over the past 3 years. At the request of the MoH, MMT has been
delivering health kits including liquid hand soap, brooms, and toilet
sanitation products to schools, as well as running socialization programs on
COVID-19 to teachers and students.
Please note that we are
working alongside our local staff and partners to ensure we are acting in-line
with the advice of the Australian Government, National Governments in our
countries of operation and the World Health Organisation. Our priority is the
safety and well-being of our staff, partners and the vulnerable communities we
work alongside, and are therefore undertaking regular risk assessments of all
of our projects and adapting or postponing activities if required.
We are, as always,
committed to our mission. Now is a time to ensure we reach out to each other,
to be kind, to be patient and to do what we can for those who will be hit
hardest and ask ourselves the question, how might I make a difference… in even
one person’s life? We are heartened by the acts of kindness and the way so many
are stepping up in such wonderful ways, taking to heart the words of our Saint
Mary MacKillop:
“Never see a need without
doing something about it.”
This is what we will continue to do here at Mary MacKillop Today and hope you stand with us and all our brothers and sisters in helping us carry on our vital ministry.
https://www.marymackilloptoday.org.au/covid-19-maintaining-the-legacy-of-mary-mackillop/
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