Mass

As restrictions have been lifted, the celebration of Mass resumed last weekend.

Mass times in Tumut:

Saturday Vigil Mass: 6pm and

Please be aware that there is no singing during Mass, face masks must be worn and that social distancing is required.

Eileen O'Connor: Role Model for Mercy Value Compassion

Each term McAuley focuses on a role model to highlight a Mercy value. During Term 3 our Role Model has been Eileen O’Connor, known as ‘Little Mother’.  She was an Australian Catholic and the co-founder of the Society of Our Lady's Nurses for the Poor (1913) – also known as the Brown Nurses – committed to providing free nursing services to the poor-visiting the sick in their homes and nursing the frail and the elderly.

'The cause of a person’s poverty is not yours to question. The fact a person is poor is the reason you help.’

Eileen became a Servant of God in August 2018, which is the first of four steps towards sainthood. 

On 17 August 2018, the Archdiocese of Sydney announced: 

“Australia is one step closer to getting its next saint with the Vatican advancing the cause for Sydney woman Eileen O’Connor to the title Servant of God. 

“The significant announcement comes just months after Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev. Anthony Fisher OP, began the formal process for the beatification of Eileen when he appointed Rome-based priest, Father Anthony Robbie, in March as postulator – the person who guides the cause for beatification or canonisation through the Church’s rigorous processes for recognising a person as a saint. 

“Eileen’s was a life of immense suffering and judged by today’s standards many would have viewed it as lacking in dignity, value or hope,” said Archbishop Fisher. 

“That she is on her way to possibly being our next saint shows even a short life, marked by incredible suffering, can be an inspiration to all and reminds us of the dignity of every human life.” 

Eileen died on 10 January 1921, aged just 28 years her legacy – the mission of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor over the past 100 years – ranks among the great and enduring social works of Caroline Chisholm and Saint Mary MacKillop. 

Prayer:  

In 2017, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, approved the following prayer for the beatification of Eileen O’Connor: 

Great and Merciful God, 

through the maternal love of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 

you inspired your servant Eileen O’Connor, 

to care for the sick and dying poor and to serve your Church through spiritual and corporal works of mercy. 

Listen graciously to our prayers and grant that Eileen may be raised to the glory of your altar. 

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. 

Each month of the liturgical year is devoted to a particular Catholic tradition, usually focused on a Feast during that month. The Church dedicates the month of September to Our Lady of Sorrows.

The Seven Sorrows devotion involves praying seven Hail Marys a day, each one while meditating on one of Our Lady’s seven sorrows, which are:

 Our Lady of Sorrows commemorates the seven great sorrows which Mary lived in relation to Her Son, as they are recorded in the Gospels or through Tradition. 

1. At the prophecy of Simeon: “You yourself shall be pierced with a sword – so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.” (Luke 2:35).
   2. At the flight into Egypt; “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.” (Mt 2:13).
   3. Having lost the Holy Child at Jerusalem; “You see that your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow.” (Luke 2:48).
   4. Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary;
   5. Standing at the foot of the Cross; “Near the cross of Jesus there stood His mother.” (John 19:25).
   6. Jesus being taken from the Cross;
   7. At the burial of Christ.

The Seven Sorrows devotion involves praying seven Hail Marys daily, each one while meditating on one of Our Lady’s seven sorrows.