Prayer Resources
Prayer The Sisters’ daily prayer is grounded in the Scriptures, in the liturgical season and in the places and experience of where Sisters live and are engaged in ministry. Along with the Scriptures they have a number of resources for prayer, namely, the Prayer of the Church, Josephite Prayer book and the book of prayers, […]
Year of St Joseph
Celebrating the Year of St Joseph (8 December 2020 – 8 December 2021) Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde, called the Church to set aside 2021 as a year to focus our attention on St Joseph as patron of the Universal Church. Saint Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods, the co-founders of […]
Reflection on Mary MacKillop
In his Apostolic Letter With a Father’s Heart (Patris Corde) Pope Francis has proclaimed this year as the Year of St Joseph. In writing, Francis describes St Joseph “as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in […]
Wonthaggi Parish farewells the Sisters of Saint Joseph
In 1912, Sisters Irene, Julian, Gerard, Everilda and Carmen arrived in Wonthaggi to staff the new parish school built by Fr O’Sullivan and volunteers. As the convent had not yet been built, Fr O’Sullivan slept in the sacristy of the Church while the sisters were accommodated in his presbytery. Thus began a 108 year relationship […]
Friend and Wise Counsel
Father Joseph Tappeiner sj Joseph Tappeiner, Jesuit priest, was born in Austria on 18 December 1820 and died in South Australia on 10 February 1882. St Mary MacKillop writing to the Sisters about this man who was such a wonderful support during the period of excommunication said: […]
Educational Resources
A variety of educational resources and activities are available to access via the following websites. We hope these will help to promote a better understanding and knowledge of the legacy of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods: Mary MacKillop Place Mary MacKillop Precinct Mary MacKillop Today Please note resources will be added as they […]
Rural Ministry
The Constitutions of the Sisters of Saint Joseph reminds us that Mary and Julian in founding the Congregation were responding to needs they perceived in the ‘misery and wretchedness’ of the ‘bush children’ and ‘the afflicted poor’. In the book, Ten Years in the Bush, 1866 we read that Julian “thought it (Penola) was a very […]
First Foundation in Callan, Ireland
Josephite Sisters Among 2000 Young Women Missionaries from Callan, County Kilkenny. In 1884 St Brigid’s Missionary School was established by the Sisters of Mercy in Callan and existed until 1959. The aim of the secondary boarding school was to provide an opportunity for young girls to test their desire for religious life and prepare for […]
Josephite Associates become Josephite Companions
A New Chapter for Josephite Associates. On this tenth anniversary of the canonisation of Saint Mary MacKillop, we also celebrate a milestone in the life of those women and men who are drawn to give expression to living the Gospel with a Josephite heart. Formerly known as Josephite Associates, the Josephite Companions will launch their […]
Victoria 1890
The story of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Victoria is very much connected with Mary MacKillop. Victoria is the birthplace of Mary MacKillop, the first Sister of Saint Joseph. Mary was born in Marino Cottage, Brunswick Street, Newtown (now Fitzroy) in 1842. Today, a plaque honours Mary’s birthsite where people can pray. Across the […]
South Australia 1866
The Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart were founded in Penola, South Australia in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods. Mary had been working in Penola as a governess when she first met Father Woods. At the time he was trying desperately, but without success, to establish Catholic schools, in […]
Peru 1981
On 1 April 1981, a community of Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart touched down at Lima Airport to learn that they were illegal immigrants Thus, began the process of finding one’s way in a new culture going forward armed with a year’s preparation at the Columban’s Pacific Mission Institute – but with […]