Mary MacKillop For Kids

Ideas for Primary School Aged Kids

Mary MacKillop’s story is a heartwarming tale that is especially precious for children.

Mary was an ordinary Victorian farm girl who devoted her life to the service of God and did great things for Australian and New Zealand families.

The Mary MacKillop's Feast Day is celebrated on the 8th of August. This is also the date of her death in 1909.

Mary MacKillop Facts for Kids

Mary MacKillop was born in Victoria in 1842. She was the eldest child in her family and had 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

Her father had an excellent religious education and most of Mary's education was at home.

Mary’s first job was as a clerk when she was 14, she then worked as a governess looking after her cousins and teaching them (and other farm children) their lessons.

She loved children and later became a school teacher.

In South Australia she met a priest named Father Julian Tenison Woods who also wanted to help poor children attend school.

Together Mary MacKillop and Father Tenison Woods started the ‘Stable School’ in 1866.

All of the children had lessons in reading, writing, math and singing. The girls also enjoyed learning to sew whilst the boys enjoyed woodwork. Mary and her sisters also taught the children about God and taught them to trust in Jesus.

In 1866 Mary MacKillop and Father Tenison Woods started the religious order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites) and in 1867 Mary MacKillop became a nun - Sister Mary of the Cross.

Mary and the Josephite nuns set up schools in Australia and New Zealand.

They also set up houses for elderly women, young girls and women without jobs. They gave their life to people in need often giving comfort to the sick and dying and even visiting people in jail to give them whatever help they could.

At times in her life Mary MacKillop met people who made it hard for her to perform her good works but she never gave up and today the Sisters of St Joseph are still doing the work that Mary MacKillop started all those years ago.

Mary MacKillop died on the 8th of August 1909 in North Sydney where her tomb can be visited today. She was a wonderful woman who gave her life to God and to people in need and was declared Australia’s first Saint on the 17th of October 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Mary MacKillop Activities For Children

The Mary MacKillop Lapbook is a hands-on activity that can be used to teach primary school aged children in a fun and interesting way about Mary MacKillop. Mary Mack Activities for children