Feast of St John Vianney- Sunday 4 August

John Vianney (born Jean-Marie Vianney and later Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, born 8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859) was a French Catholic priest often referred to as the Curé d'Ars ("the parish priest of Ars"). He is known for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars,France , resulting in the radical spiritual transformation of the community and its surroundings.

Catholics note his saintly life, mortification, persevering ministry in the sacrament of confession, and ardentdevotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was canonized in 1925 and his feast day is August 4. He is the patron saint of parish priests.

Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop

August 8 is the feast day of Mary Mackillop, the first Australian to be declared a saint by the Catholic Church, as Saint Mary of the Cross. During her life, she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites), a congregation of religious sisters that established a number of schools and welfare institutions, emphasising education for the rural poor.

Mary Mackillop was born on 15 January 1842 in Fitzroy, Victoria, and was the eldest of eight children born to Scottish migrants Alexander and Flora Mackillop. Alexander had strived to enter the priesthood but left his studies at 29, just before he was due to be ordained.

One of her brothers became a Jesuit priest while one of her sisters became a member of the Good Shepherd Sisters in Melbourne.

Mackillop started working at 16 as a clerk in a stationary store before taking a job as a governess in Penola, South Australia a few years later in 1860. Already set on helping the poor whenever possible, she included the other farm children on the estate as well.

Two years later, she accepted a job teaching in Portland, Victoria and opened her own boarding school. In 1866, Father Julian Tenison-Woods, who she had met in her role as a governess, invited her and her sisters to open a new Catholic school in Penola.

WE PRAY:

May we renew our trust in your Providence to lead us to hope as we bring our prayer before you. May we grow in the fullness of your love and the depth of your mystery. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Way, our Truth and our Life. Amen.