In this month of November, we traditionally remember the dead and depending upon our theology, we pray for the dead, to the dead or with the dead. A friend of mine has a strong belief and practice of praying to someone who has just died for a special situation. In current theology on the Communion of Saints, we are more likely to pray with the dead and our revised Litany of Mary MacKillop invites us to do just that.
Given all that, Mary MacKillop was more likely to pray for the dead, and she had plenty of opportunities to do so since seven members of her family died during Mary’s lifetime.
The first was little Alick who died in 1847 on 7 October at 11 months. Mary would have been five at the time. This was probably her first experience of death. I suppose the family would have prayed for dear little Alick.
Twenty years later, on 16 December 1867, Mary’s brother John was thrown off a horse in New Zealand, developed tetanus and died at age 22. Apart from the loss of a dear brother, this was a blow to Mary and the family since he was the main bread winner. Mary and the Sisters would have prayed for John with some gratitude for his help in converting the stable in the school in Penola.
The following year 1868, again in December, Alexander MacKillop, Mary’s father, died in Hamilton. His tomb stone reads:
ALEXANDER MACKILLOP, DIED 19TH DECEMBER 1868, AGED 56 YEARS WHILE AT THE VICTORIA HOTEL HAMILTON. PIONEER CATHOLIC OF MELBOURNE. BELOVED HUSBAND OF FLORA, FATHER OF EIGHT CHILDREN INCLUDING SAINT MARY MACKILLOP WHO COFOUNDED THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH. RIP.
Those of us who have lost a father will appreciate this grief, especially when he died so young and when she owed so much of her education to him.
Four years later in 1872, again in December, this time the 13th, her younger sister Maggie died at the age of only 29. Maggie had experienced poor health for much of her young life. If you have lost a sibling younger than you, you will have some idea of the pain of the loss of Maggie, especially when it was only five years to the month after the loss of John, their brother.
Six years later, Mary was to lose another brother, Peter, at 21 on 23 July 1878 shortly before he was due to be married. Peter had a weak heart but died unexpectedly.
In another four years in 1882, and again in December, this time the 30th, (Mary must have begun to dread Decembers) her younger sister Lexie died at the age of 32. Lexie had worked for a short time with Mary in Penola and then joined the Good Shepherd Sisters, where she was later appointed to the role of Novice Mistress, a very important role for one so young.
Finally, another four years later, Flora, her dear mother died in the shipwreck of the Lyee Moon off the coast of Eden on 31 May 1886. Flora was on her way from Melbourne to Sydney to help in a fete organised as a fundraiser for the Sisters and their ministries. A small consolation was the discovery of Flora’s body (the only body recovered from the shipwreck) with a scapular around her neck. One can imagine the distress of Mary at that sudden and terrible loss.
As we pray with Mary MacKillop in this month of November we can appreciate her strength in enduring all these losses when everything else was happening around her and within the Congregation.
Frances Maguire rsj