St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
| St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was a courageous woman of faith and action. |
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Born in Australia in 1842, she showed compassion and love for all people in need, regardless of race, colour, or faith. Mary believed deeply in the power of education for all. In response to poverty and isolation, she established schools across Australia and New Zealand so that those disadvantaged.
Together with Fr Julian Tenison Woods, Mary founded the religious order known as the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites). Her life of service, courage, and trust in God led to her becoming the first Australian recognised as a saint by the Catholic Church.
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Our school is named after St Matthew. In the Catholic tradition, St Matthew is known as one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Once a tax collector, he experienced a profound change of heart and chose to follow Jesus.
St Matthew is also traditionally recognised as the author of one of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament. The founders of our school were especially drawn to this identity of St Matthew the Evangelist, recognising the evangelising mission at the heart of Catholic education.
Church documents remind us:
“Catholic schools are both educating and evangelising communities. They are evangelising communities to the extent that they give an authentic voice to the religious dimension of life through the lens of a community of faith.”
As our understanding grows through biblical scholarship, we now know that the Gospel of Matthew was co-created by a community of writers and storytellers, faithful followers of Christ who shared a deep desire to proclaim the Good News.
How fitting, then, that in the 21st century we continue this tradition. At St Matthew’s, we understand ourselves as a community of faith, co-creating our story together and living out our mission to evangelise through learning, service, and relationship. Together, we write the ongoing story of our school, and we warmly invite you to be part of it.
We welcome students and families from all cultural and faith backgrounds, valuing the richness of learning and perspective that comes through respectful dialogue and shared community life. All members of our school community are invited to actively live and grow in our Catholic Identity, grounded in faith, compassion, and hope.