In his weekly catechesis on evangelization, Pope Francis reflected on a leading figure for Catholic education in Australia: St. Mary MacKillop.
This saint dedicated her life to founding Catholic schools and doing charitable works to help those in need.
SUMMARY OF POPE FRANCIS' CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters:
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. 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 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.
