Mary MacKillop 5

Wednesday 30th March 2022.

Mass:  St Mary's Catholic Church Hamilton.

Portland to Penola via Hamilton and Mt Gambier.

From Portland, we travelled north east to Hamilton, where we celebrated Mass at St Mary's church, where Mary MacKillop spent much time during the 1860s.  The parishioners of St Mary's were most generous in their hospitality, and gave us a smashing morning tea.

A stained glass window in St Mary's church, featuring Mary MacKillop on the right.

Mary MacKillop Chapel, Portland.

The chapel contains a relic of Mary MacKillop, a hair.

Hamilton cemetery.

Our guide Colleen and chaplain Michael at the Hamilton cemetery, where Mary's father, Alexander MacKillop, is buried.  The day was bleak and windy.

Alexander MacKillop's grave.

Alexander MacKillop's headstone.

Dartmoor chainsaw carvings.

In the little town of Dartmoor was this extraordinary collection of chainsaw carvings.  In 1918, an avenue of Atlantic Cedars was planted to commemorate the servicemen and women of the district.  In 1998, chainsaw-sculptor Kevin Gilders was commissioned to sculpt carvings from the branches which had been lopped from these trees. 

"Sad News". 

This sculpture was entitled "Sad News".  It depicts a woman holding a telegram which contains the news that her loved one will not be returning from the war.

Blue Lake, Mt Gambier.

Apparently, this lake is blue in the warmer months, then turns grey in the cooler months, from the end of March.  We were lucky to see it when it was still blue, and quite beautiful.

"The Word does not remove us from life, but plunges us into life, into everyday life, into listening to the sufferings of others and the cry of the poor, into the violence and injustice that wound society and our world.  It challenges us, as Christians, not to be indifferent, but active, creative Christians."  (Pope Francis).