Mary MacKillop

Canonised a saint by Pope Benedict in 2010, Mary MacKillop was born in Australia in 1842, of a modest family, and by her teenage years was intensely engaged in the religious education of children, a passion which consumed her life of Christian service. Her contribution to education in those formative years of modern Australia was profound: her love of Christ, children and the poor helped her overcome intense and misplaced opposition. In today's world she stands as a lasting example of courage and compassion for the needy. She died in 1909.