In Religious Education, Year Five have been learning about the early church in Australia. As part of their learning, the students have researched important figures including Mary MacKillop. Year Five have been lucky enough to watch a play about Mary MacKillop’s early life and visit Mary MacKillop Museum. St Felix has a very special history with Mary MacKillop as she and the Josephite Sisters took control of St Felix in 1887. Blessed Mary MacKillop purchased the land where St Felix school presently stands. The sisters continued to teach at St Felix and helped the school to grow until 1983.
At St Felix, our school community is based on our Catholic faith which is nurtured in the tradition of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, where learning opportunities inspire and empower all to be people of hope who can make a difference in the world. Mary MacKillop was an amazing person and we should all aspire to be like her and pray to her in times of need.
What have you learnt about Mary MacKillop and the early church?
What need can you see at home and at St Felix and what can you do about it?
Year Five 2014 
Dear Year Five,
I’ve learnt that Mary’s full birth name is Maria Ellen MacKillop.
A need I can think of that occurs at both school & home, is when someone is in need for help. If someone is stuck, help them out and give them a hand ❤
Kind Regards,
JC 🙂 😀
Dear year 5,
I learnt alot about Mary MacKilop and her family, like she was the eldest out of 8 and one died.
Sincerely
M.J.V
Dear Five,
One the needs I see at home are helping my mother with the dishes or maybe even leaving a few good tips to my brother about how to choose the right job when he grows up. At school there needs like people getting bullied or falling over or getting injuries. Mary Mackillop helped all those in need just like she said ” Never see a need without doing something about it”.
Kind regards,
BC
Dear year 5,
I learned that Mary Mackillop was the oldest of 8 children and one died at 11 months old.
Kind regards
BYH
Dear Year Five,
A need that occurs at school is to listen to the teacher. The teacher comes to teach, the students come to learn. Listening to the teacher is a need ticked off because the teacher would be glad and happy that we are not distracting and we are paying attention. It would also be a need ticked off for us too because we are learning and doing the right thing.
Regards,
JC
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop not only was born in poverty and devoted her life to the poor but also helped her needy family. Mary Mackillop opened up a school.
Yours Sincerely,
VVN
Dear year five,
I learnt that the sign Mary Mackillop had on her habit was an A and an M meaning Avea Maria and the three j meant Jesus, John the Baptist and Joseph.
Sincerely,
JH
Dear Year Five,
What I have learnt about Mary Mackillop and the Early Church is that, Mary Mackillop and the Catholic Church had a very close connection because Fr. John Terry and Mary Mackillop were very good friends.
Yours Truly,
FML
Great blog post, fantastic slide and very creative and descriptive
Dear year five,
That play was so good and I loved it.
What I learnt about the early church was that it was very tough and no-one had any money to pay for their children’s clothes,school or food the only food they ate was……….mutton and faeces which was disgusting.
Regards,
SL
Dear Year Five,
I learned that Mary Mackillop was the eldest of her 7 siblings and to help with the upkeep of her large family she went to Penola and worked as a governess. It was there she met Fr Julian Tension Woods and she was inspired to help people.
Sincerely
JL
Dear Year Five,
I have learnt that Mary’s full name is Mary Helen Mackillop,she was a nun of the Josephite sisters.Caroline Chisholm helped may people who had just arrived in Early australia that were convicts.
Kind Regards,
E.C
Dear year five
I had fun being on the excursion because I saw the Real stuff that Mary Mackillop use in her days of life and how she done stuff for the people in Australia.
Kind regards
MKH
Dear year five
I learn’t in the excursion that Mary Mackillop had done a lot of things that she done like helping people who live in streets and make schools for poor children to learn and educate them selfs.
Kind regards
MKH
Dear year five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop bought and owned the land where St Felix is right now!!!
Kind regards,
BBF
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary MacKillop was a person who wanted to help the poorest much as possible. She had gave her life to the poor and to her family. Mary MacKillop had open lots of schools across Australia.
I wonder what you learnt?
Yours Sincerely,
STE
Dear Year Five,
What I learnt in St Mary’s place that she had three friends, she was the oldest in the family, she died in 1909, she helped the poor and she provided the poor with a school. She had hard times like she has been excommunicated from the churches by a pope.
Kind Regards,
KCB
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop died in Alma cottage and started her own free boarding school and everyone was welcome wheather you were rich or poor. I can see a need at St Felix. I think we should donate more because not everyone donates. If everyone brings in $2 and if everyone brings in at least 1 can of food we would be donating a lot more. 🙂 What need can you see?
Kind Regards,
CA
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop always wanted to help the poor people and she always wanted to help her family. She dreamed of becoming a nun and she did. She and Fr Julian Tenison Woods started the revolution of the Joseophite Sisters. She built schools for any children that needed education. At St Felix there is a need to pick up rubbish in the playgrounds and I could pick it up and put it in the bin. At home there is a need to do your chores and I could stop playing my electronics and do my chores and help mum with the dishes and washing.
Yours Sincerely,
VVN
Dear Year Five,
My Mary Mackillop project is going really well. I have learnt so much about Mary Mackillop from the research, excursions to St Mary’s Cathedral and Mary Mackillop museum and the Mary Mackillop production. I learnt that Mary started working not just as a nun and helped that poor but at a young age she dedicated her life to teach the poor children. What did you learn? How is your project going?
Kind Regards,
TTN
Dear Year 5,
Mary Mackillop is the co-founder of the Josephite sisters..
She was born at 15th of January 1842 and died in the years between 1900-1910.
Am I right ?
Sincerely,
MP
Dear Year 5,
Mary MacKillop is undoubtedly one of the best Saints we could have. She is Australia’s Patron Saint. Unfortunately she passed away but that doesn’t mean we can celebrate and think of the wonderful things she did around the world. She has had many tough times but she kept going, her motto is never see a need without doing something about it.
Sincerely,
MP
Dear year five,
I learnt that Mary MacKillop had 4 brothers and 4 sisters including her. At home I can see a need to help with the dishes. At St. Felix I can see a need to pick up rubbish I see.
Sincerely,
JH
Dear Year Five,
Rubbish on the playground at school is a need and what you can do about it is pick it up and put it in the bin. How hard could that be?
Sincerely,
KHN2
Dear Year Five,
Some of the things I learnt about Mary Mackillop is:
-She was the first sister to be in the order of nuns
-She was the eldest of her family and had 7 siblings
-She was the first saint in Australia
-At the age of 14, she worked as a clerk for Sands and Kenny Stationers
-At the age of 18, she moved to Penola and took role of governess for her Aunt Margaret and Uncle Alexander Cameron’s children
Sincerely,
Khn2
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop a school for poor children in a barn that she owned and tried her best to be with her friend Sister Anne when she died.
Sincerely,
KHN1
Dear year five,
I have learnt that Mary delt with problems like they don’t have much money, her dad went away, her dad have no job and she faced many difficulties in her life.
Sincerely,
SHZ
Dear year five,
I can do something about a need by helping the poor and if you are at home you can ask your parents if they need any help.
Sincerely,
SHZ
Dear Year Five,
I learnt from the play of Mary’s early life was about her and how she started the congregation of the Josephite Sisters and helped all those in need and show compassion to everyone even if they did not agree with her.
Kind regards,
BC
Dear year 5,
The play about Mary Mackillop was very entertaining and informing and I learn’t a lot about her young years.
Sincerely,
Leila
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop was so inspiring That they named a school after her. It is called Mary Mackillop Catholic School.
Kind Regards,
MJM
Dear year five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop begged food for the poor people from rich people and even started a school for free.
Kind ragards,
AN
Dear Year 5,
I learned that Mary Mackillop was excommunicated by Bishop Sheil but she didn’t give up but instead kept working.
Sincerely
JL
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that if you are at home sitting down there is a need to go and help your parents. Mary Mackillop helped the poor allot so we should help the poor like Mary Mackillop did.
Kind Regards,
LRH
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that if you are at home watching TV and your mum is doing the laundry you can help her.
Kind regards,
NEL 🙂
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that St Mary Mackillop helped the poor and got excommunicated from the church by a pope by a mistake. She had three friends, before the pope died just in time he admitted that he had made a mistake. I could help my mum and my dad by doing chores, helping them make dinner and lunc and breakfast and I could set the tables before we eat and most of all I respect them and be kind to them.
Kind Regards,
KCB
Dear Year Five,
I have learnt that Mary Mackillop’s parents were migrants from Scotland. I also learnt that Mary Mackillop began working at the age of 16 as a governess.
Sincerely,
KHN1
Dear Year five,
What I learnt that Mary Mackillop got excommunicated by Bishop Sheil and was the oldest of the siblings.
From,
JNN
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop was the eldest out of her brothers and sisters.
Sincerely,
KHN1
I learnt that Mary Mackillop acts like God in every way.
Kind Regards
JHL
Dear year five
I learnt that if someone is being mean or you don’t like them but when they do need help you still help them no matter what and I also found out that her birth name was Maria Ellen Mackillop . What did you learn about Mary Mackillop.
Kind regards
HAP
Dear Year Five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop was excommunicated from the catholic church.
Kind Regards,
NEL 🙂
Dear year five,
I learnt that Mary Mackillop was the first child to be born
Kind regards
JHL