Our Lady Help of Christians Patron Saint of Australia

On Monday we celebrated the feast day of Our Lady Help of Christians. As a whole school we stopped to prepare ourselves for our first whole school gathering. It looked a little different as we were all in our own classrooms, with Carmel Maguire welcoming us to pray over the PA. There was a quiet and calmness as we all learned about Our Lady Help of Christians. After the liturgy, classes made a paper chain Rosary to display and use in their classrooms.

Did you know…?

That this feast day has been celebrated in Australia since 1844. The early Church in Australia had a very special reason for turning to Mary. It was a time of great challenge for establishment of the Catholic faith in Australia. Priests were often not allowed to say mass or perform sacraments, and these were often done underground, away from the eyes of the law. It was largely the Rosary that helped to keep the faith alive during this time. Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary, and was the first nation to choose her, under the title of Help of Christians.

St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney was dedicated in her honour by the Irish Pioneer Priest, Fr John Therry.