Love in Action · Week 3 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Mary MacKillop
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
A school in a stable
Mary MacKillop was born on January 15, blank 1, in Melbourne, Australia. She was the oldest of eight children. Her family was often poor, so at 14 she started working to help feed them.
In 1866, in a small town called blank 2, Mary met Father Julian Tenison Woods. Both wanted to help poor children who had no schools. They opened a free school in an old horse stable.
On March 19, 1866, Mary took the name Mary of the blank 3 and began a new group of sisters.
The Brown Joeys and a big test
People called the sisters “Brown Joeys” because of their brown habits. They lived in twos and threes in tiny blank 4 towns, wherever the poor were.
Not everyone agreed with Mary. In September blank 5, the Bishop of Adelaide excommunicated her, which means he put her out of the Church. Mary did not fight back or say mean things. Five months later the dying bishop said he had made a mistake and welcomed her back.
In 2010 Mary was blank 6, or officially named a saint.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Josephites | Write your answer |
| Governess | Write your answer |
| Outback | Write your answer |
| Habit | Write your answer |
| Excommunicate | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
Quick check
Why did Mary open her school in a stable in Penola? Circle one.
- A She wanted to teach children how to ride horses
- B Poor children there had no school to go to
- C The bishop told her to build a school there
- D Her family owned the stable and lived in it
True or not true?
Check one box for each.
| Item | True about Mary | Not true about Mary |
|---|---|---|
| She started working at age 14 | ||
| Her schools charged a lot of money | ||
| Her sisters lived in tiny Outback towns | ||
| She said mean things about the bishop | ||
| She is the first saint from Australia | ||
| Her sisters stayed in one big convent |
Quick check
What did Mary do when the bishop put her out of the Church? Circle one.
- A She waited calmly and did not fight back
- B She closed all of her schools for good
- C She wrote angry letters to newspapers
- D She left Australia and never came back
Think, pair, share
“Never see a need without doing something about it,” Mary said. She went to far-away towns to find children who were left out. Who can be left out in a group chat, an online game or at recess? What could you do about it?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “Someone might feel left out when ...”“One thing I could do is ...”“It is hard to notice needs on a screen because ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, you love every child.
Help us to see the needs around us and to do something about them.
St. Mary MacKillop, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
You learned how St. Mary MacKillop brought free schools to poor children across Australia and New Zealand.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: This week, notice one need at school, at home or online, and do something about it.