SPIRITUALITY 

Special Feast Days of the Congregation and their Liturgies

St. Joseph| Julian Tenison Woods| Mary MacKillop| Foundation Day| St. John the Baptist |Sacred Heart

The Feast of Blessed Mary MacKillop
8th August

Blessed Mary MacKillop (8 August), the first Australian to be beatified,
was cofounder, with Julian Tenison Woods, of the Sisters of St Joseph.


Mary MacKillop Liturgy

Reflection

Julian Tenison Woods and Mary MacKillop were inspired by the Holy Spirit to seek ways by which God’s saving love might be brought to the poor especially those in isolated rural areas. Their response was to serve the poor primarily through the ministry of Christian education and support for families. 
(Constitutions p6)


 

Prayers

O God, my life is vowed to you. 
May you be my only guide.
-1st part Julian Tenison Woods. Vota Vita Mea Crest on bookplate.
-2nd part adapted Julian Tenison Woods to Mary MacKillop, 27 December 1870

May God’s own Holy Spirit of wisdom, goodness and love, 
guide and reign over us.
-adapted from the prayer by Mary of the Cross(MacKillop) Letter to the Sisters 16 January 1875


Commitment

Today we live, pray, work and witness as Josephite women 
whose lives are ideally characterised by trust in providence, 
simplicity, poverty, humility, compassion, hospitality and joy. 
We undertake our ministries supported and energised 
by our life in community and our commitment to prayer.