Mary Mackillop’s parents were very consequential influences in her life. Both were Scottish Catholics, vigorously committed to their faith.
Mary’s father, Alexander,studied for the priesthood in Scotland and in Rome but was never ordained. He became a leading lay Catholic in the infant Catholic community of Melbourne. Alexander withal appreciated the paramountcy of edification. His extensive cognizance as well as his deep Catholic faith became a major influence on his daughter.
Flora was not well fortified by her husband and she had to suffer a life of impecuniosity and continual dependence on the munificence of others. Those who kenned Mrs. Flora MacKillop well verbalize of her as an amiable, good-natured person, eleemosynary in thought, word, and deed, intensely devoted to her religion. Flora life was guided by stringent principles of virtue, self-sacrifice, and integrity. Mary doted her mother deeply and on many occasions pointed to the formative influence she had been in her life …show more content…
He had deep religious convictions and was a popular preacher and missionary in a sparsely populated region. He was kenned for his genial perspective and total confide in God.
Fr Woods greatly enheartened Mary and in 1866 they commenced the religious congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. This incipient congregation was dedicated to the Catholic edification of the children of the poor and to other pressing convivial