God of all pilgrim people, you raise up women and men to meet the needs of every age. Teach us that, in the richness and strength of our diversity, lie our possibilities for becoming one. We pray that we will cherish particularly, the gifts of the indigenous peoples of our lands, and those new to our shores. Help us to uphold the importance of spiritual realities. We thank you for all those who, like Mary MacKillop, have helped us to see the possibilities for our country and its people.ДЄs we struggle to realise our dreams for a just, compassionate world, may we witness to our world the true meaning of fair play and care for the oppressed. God of the Dreaming, you show yourself to us in dreamers, seers, and prophets. Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care. Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the gospel in the way we serve them. God of compassion, God of all people, we praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop, who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed.ДЄs she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision. We ask this through the depth and unity of you, our bountiful God, who hold all things in being. Help us to value the goodness of each person and all the blessings of unity in diversity. May we learn from her to overcome the obstacles of prejudice and fear. God of all blessings, you revealed in Mary MacKillop a sensitivity to the rights and dignity of every person, regardless of race or creed. Spirit of wisdom, be with us as we face new horizons. Like Mary, may we learn to confront all that is oppressive and unjust, and empower others towards true freedom and integrity. We pray for the sensitivity and imagination to read the signs of our times, and to articulate new possibilities for our own day. In her we see one who was not afraid to speak fearlessly your gospel of love. God of the prophets you gifted Mary MacKillop with vision and courage. You will find here prayers in the spirit of Mary MacKillop:

Sister Helen Barnes rsj has prepared a modern reflection on the Cross and the stations in everyday life. The fourteen Stations of the Cross are a means of prayer and reflection particularly in Lent. Mary was born and lived under the Southern Cross, the symbol that captures for our indigenous peoples and all who live here that our land is a land of hope. Mary MacKillop took as her name in religion, Mary of the Cross, and her life witnesses to a way in which love for God and love for people can come together in the positive acceptance of the sufferings that are part of life. The point of it was to show that death is not the end. The Cross reminds us of JesusвЂ™ journey to Calvary his suffering and death. Suffering and failure featured often in the story of our founders and our history вЂ“ like it does in most peopleвЂ™s ordinary lives. Prayers to Mary include the Rosary and the Magnificat and have always been part of our tradition. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Mary models for us an abiding listening to GodвЂ™s Word, a loving relationship with her Son and an embrace of all peoples and their needs. Mary of Nazareth is the mother of GodвЂ™s Son, Jesus, who was born like us in human form and was both God and man. Joseph the Disciple: A poem by Mary Jo Wells rsj The feast of St Joseph on 19 March marks an annual day of celebration for Josephites. It was a humility that could withstand what others might say. Like him, the SistersвЂ™ presence and activity points to the Presence of Jesus within us and in all other people. We would say the Sacred Heart manifests to us the unconditional and compassionate love of God.ДЄs the cousin of Jesus and the one who prepared the way for His coming, John the Baptist is a patron of our congregation.

Sisters continue to co-operate with others to enable the community of believers to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word with Communion.ДЄll Josephites seek to live in a Eucharistic way aware of the gift of GodвЂ™s presence in our world and open to sharing life with all in need.Д«oth founders, Fr Julian Tenison Woods and Mother Mary MacKillop, prayed constantly to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As for all Catholics, the Mass is central to how we understand ourselves and our role in the Church.ДЇor some Sisters, the reality of living in isolated, rural areas dictates that they may find themselves living in parishes that do not have daily or even weekly Eucharist, as was the case in our early history.

We believe the Eucharist is our highest act of worship and a priority in our lives. The following are the range of devotions that have always been part of the Josephite way of life.

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