RESOURCES
for
Celebrating the...
Mary MacKillop
Centenary Feast Day
The 100th Anniversary of the Death of Mary MacKillop
8 August 2009
Catholic Life and Religious Education Team
Catholic Education Office
Diocese of Wollongong
CEO, RELS, Catholic Life and Religious Education Team- JC- 03072009
Table of Contents
Liturgy suggestions...... 3-12
Music suggestions ...... 12
Texts For The Mass And
The Liturgy Of The Hours ...... 13-18
Websites ...... 19
Bellambi Resource Centre-resources...... See PDF emailed with this
document.
Mary MacKillop
Centenary Feast Day Celebration
8 August 2009
Liturgy Resources
GATHERING (Suggested Prayer Space)
Cross
Australian Wildflowers, Eucalypt leaves.
Image of Mary MacKillop
Large Candle
6 Smaller candles- to be lit from the large candle by representatives from across the school during the Introduction and Welcome.
Brown or earthy fabrics.
Plaque- for those schools with a Josephite heritage.
(Taken from the Feast Day Mass and Liturgy of the Hours)
Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne (Australia) in 1842 and died in Sydney on 8 August 1909. She
took the religious name Mary of the Cross. Responding to the isolation of colonial families, she pioneered a
new form of religious life to provide education for their children. She and her sisters shared the life of the
poor and the itinerant, offering special care to destitute women and children. She is remembered for her
eagerness to discover God's will in all things, for her charity in the face of calumny, and for her abiding trust
in God's providence.
Or...
(Adaptation from the Feast Day Mass and Liturgy of the Hours)
Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne in 1842 and died in Sydney on 8 August 1909. She
took the religious name Mary of the Cross. Mary saw the needs of poor children living in remote areas of Australia and founded the Sisters of St Joseph in 1866 to provide education for these children. She and the sisters shared the life of the poor, offering special care to women and children in great need. She is remembered for her eagerness to discover God's will in all things, for her charity, care and compassion for others, and for her trust in God.
OPENING CALL TO PRAYER
L Loving God, you are with us each day
R We praise you, we bless you, we give you thanks
L You give us Mary MacKillop to show us how to live as followers of Jesus
R We praise you, we bless you, we give you thanks
L We come together to sing your praise
R We praise you, we bless you, we give you thanks
We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
INTRODUCTION & WELCOME
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE- 1st small candle is lit from the large candle.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
Some options: FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF LAND
· As we gather/meet today we acknowledge the Traditional owners and custodians who have walked and cared for this land for thousands of years and their descendants who maintain these spiritual connections and traditions.
· Let us pause to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today. Let us pay our respects to them and their ancestors who maintain their spiritual connections to this land.
· We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians whose ancestral lands we gather upon here today. We acknowledge the deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation.
· As we gather today we acknowledge and respect the spiritual relationship the Aboriginal people have with this country. We also acknowledge the local custodians and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still important today.
MARY MACKILLOP- 2nd small candle is lit from the large candle.
Reader: We place a candle to remember that Mary MacKillop brought the light of Christ into the lives of the poor and needy – “Ah Sister, these are the children that I love” (These quotes from Mary MacKillop could be placed on a large banner or within a Powerpoint presentation)
SCHOOL FOUNDER/S 3rd small candle is lit from the large candle. (This may need adapting for schools not founded by the Sisters of St Joseph)
Reader: We remember n….., who was the founder of this school community and all the other Sister of St. Joseph who have gone before us and shown us the way. We invite a sister of St Joseph to place a candle here in this space so then, the story continues – (Quote from Mary MacKillop) “Be a gift of love and compassion to one another”
THIS COMMUNITY 4th candle is lit from the large candle.
Reader: We remember past students, teachers, staff and parents as we invite n…. from our school community to light a candle. “Let God guide you in all your life”
MULTICULTURAL 5th candle is lit from the large candle
Reader: We remember with thanks to God all who have come here from other lands, their
spiritualities and culture. “Never see a need without doing something about it”
PRESENT DAY STUDENTS 5th candle is lit from the large candle
We gather today as the students in the community of n... to remember Mary MacKillop and what she has to say to us, as we try to live the Gospel in the world today. (Background music) – “May God bless you and keep you in love”
OPENING PRAYER (ADAPTED from liturgy of the feast)
Let us pray,
Holy God, source of all goodness,
you show us in Mary MacKillop a woman of faith
who lived by the power of the cross.
Teach us to embrace what she pioneered:
new ways of living the gospel
that respect and defend
the human dignity of all in our land.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
BRINGING IN PLACARDS OF QUOTES or QUALITIES of MARY MACKILLOP
Suggestions...
God at the centre of her life
Trust in God’s care
Forgiveness of those who hurt her
Generous/ Self-giving
Courage in the face of difficulties and suffering
Reverencing human dignity
And/ Or...
QUOTES- Many quotes, taken from the writings of Mary MacKillop, can be found in “The Little Brown Book,” along with reflections by Sue and Leo Kane. (A copy of this book has been ordered for each school and will be delivered early in Week 1 of Term 3.)
READINGS
It is suggested that the first reading could be taken from what is thought to be Mary MacKillop’s last letter or from the more extended letter shown below to Monsignor Kirby. Please note that in the context of a Mass the first reading should be a reading from scripture. Other scripture readings are suggested in the Text for the Mass provided at the end of this document.
A reading from the writings of Mary MacKillop: (Jan 1909)
Whatever troubles may be before you accept them cheerfully,
Remembering whom you are trying to follow.
Do not be afraid. Love one another, bear with one another,
And let charity guide you in all your life.
Or...
A reading from a letter of Mary MacKillop to Monsignor Kirby.
Oh, Father, I cannot tell you what a beautiful thing the will of God seems to me. For some years past, my Communions, my prayers, my intentions have all been for God's will to be done. I can never pray for a particular intention, a particular person, or anything particular about our own Institute, but in God's loved will, that is - whilst I desire with all my heart to pray for these, I cannot help at the same time desiring that He only use my prayers for the intention that His own will most desires at this time. Thus I feel a joy when things go well, for I see His will in this, and an equal joy when they seem to go wrong or against our natural desire, for there again I see His will, and am satisfied that He has accepted my prayers and those of many more for some other object at the time nearer to His adorable will.
To me, the will of God is a dear book which I am never tired of reading, which has always some new charm for me. Nothing is too little to be noticed there, but yet my littleness and nothingness has often dared to oppose it, and I am painfully conscious that in many ways I still in my tepidity offend against it without perceiving what I am doing. But such dear lessons as you gave me the other evening then come to my aid and encourage me, for the love of my sweet Jesus is too strong, too beautiful, and His merits too great, for me not to cling to Him.
PROCESSION OF THE WORD
(Use appropriate music or song- See suggested song list)
SCRIPTURE READING
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 6:25-34
Do not worry about your life.
I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat,
nor about your body and what you are to wear.
Surely life is more than food, and the body more than clothing!
Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they are?
Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single cubit to your span of life? And why worry about clothing?
Think of the flowers growing in the fields;
they never have to work or spin: yet I assure you that
not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of these.
Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field
which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow,
will he not much more look after you, you have so little faith?
So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat?
What are we to drink? What are we to wear?”
It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things.
Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.
Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God’s saving justice,
and all these other things will be given you as well.
So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
LITANY OR PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
It is usual to have either a Litany or Prayers of Intercession but not both.
The options below are a suggestion and may be adapted or shortened to suit the age and needs of your school community.
A.
Litany of Blessed Mary MacKillop
Words by Monica Barlow & Therese McGarry
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God Creator of all things, Have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us
Saint Joseph, pray for us
Saint John the Baptist pray for us
Blessed Mary of the Cross pray for us
Faithful to the will of God pray for us
Trusting in God’s loving care pray for us
Knowing God’s mercy pray for us
Responding to the Holy Spirit pray for us
Devoted to the Heart of Jesus pray for us
Accepting of the cross in life pray for us
Forgiving all who hurt you pray for us
Defending human dignity pray for us
Mary MacKillop intercede for us
On our life’s journey come to our aid
Blessed Mary of the Cross pray for us
Living in simplicity pray for us
Serving the neglected ones pray for us
Teaching God’s little ones pray for us
Standing with the vulnerable pray for us
Serving with compassion pray for us
Mary MacKillop give us your passion
May we respond to all those in need.
Blessed Mary of the Cross journey with us
Gift of God to us today journey with us
Witness of the gospel journey with us
Pilgrim on life’s way journey with us
Comfort of the sick and dying journey with us
Strength for all the weary journey with us
Leading by example journey with us
Open to God’s presence journey with us
Prayerful and courageous journey with us
Mary MacKillop remind us always
We are but travellers here in this world
Jesus, Son of the living God Lord hear our prayer
Christ hear us Christ hear us
Lord Jesus hear our prayer Lord Jesus hear our prayer.
© Trustees of the Sisters of St Joseph.
or...
B. Litany of Mary MacKillop
Reader: Create in us, O God, a new heart and renew a fresh spirit within us. Through the life and example of Blessed Mary MacKillop stir into flame the gifts you have given to each of us and the faith to use them without reserve.
Response: In all that we celebrate, God is with us.
Reader: As your followers, free us to move into the unknown and untried, as Mary MacKillop showed us, to see opportunities of the new day and to serve our present age with compassion, imagination and courage.