St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was born on the 15 January 1842 in Melbourne, Australia. She is known as Australia’s first saint who with Fr Tension Woods founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Their mission was to educate the poor children in remote areas of Australia. Mary also set up orphanages and homes for the destitute as well as establishing homes for ex-inmates of prisons and giving aid to prostitutes. St Mary of the Cross died on the 8 August 1909 and was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. She is the patron saint of Brisbane and the Knights of the Southern Cross.
