Little did we know…
On St. Joseph’s Day 1866 Mary MacKillop stood with Fr. Julian Tenison –Woods in the playground at the first St. Joseph’s School. The children were having a special play to mark the occasion. Mary marvelled at the fact that neither Fr.Julian nor herself really knew how their original vision would look in reality. She used the words, ”Little did we know…”
From an early age Mary had experienced hardship. Her Father had suffered financial difficulties which meant the family had to move many times to stay with relatives. As the family grew to eight children Mary’s responsibilities also grew. Then baby Alick died. By the time she was 16 Mary was providing financial support for the family.
Later the early years of the Order were fraught with difficulties. Mary remained faithful to the vision of meeting people’s needs whenever and wherever the sisters could do so. This meant standing firm on the matter of Central Government and keeping the schools open to all children, rich and poor alike. Mary’s title Mary of the Cross became a reality.
Little did she know that years later her vision would be such a reality and that so many Australian families would be blessed and supported by Mary’s sisters.
Mary’s faithfulness to the Cross was so because of her love for her God. She knew the Jesus who suffered and died and she had experienced the love and support of wonderful friends and devoted sisters who carried the dream to resurrection.
Mary died in 1909 but years later I personally saw Mary’s sisters teaching the migrants in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne. A sister of St. Joseph stood in front of every Catholic Classroom and we competed with each other in sport watched by a whole grandstand of brown-clad women cheering their pupils to victory. The Sisters of St.Joseph have been blessed with kind friends and loving support. The Risen Jesus is evident in the new life emerging now. The present sisters are aging but the life and energy shines through. We have many rich blessings to pass on to a future generation. Little did we know the changes and challenges we would have to face when we made our commitment to the Josephites. Now each of us find and experience the Risen Jesus in our own lives and the lives of those we meet.
Little did we know…
