As part of many school celebrations on 8 August each year, one school had a special guest to honour Blessed Mary MacKillop.

A special guest was among the Blessed Mary MacKillop feast day celebrations at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary, Randwick on 8 August.

Sr Giovanni Farquer rsj, who was Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites) from 1995-2001, was invited to the school to give a talk to students about the life of Mary MacKillop, the founder of her Institute and the first order of nuns established by an Australian in Australia in 1866.

In her reflection, Sr Giovanni said that Blessed Mary MacKillop had dedicated her life to doing God's work and helping others. She reminded the students of Mary MacKillop's ideals and how she was kind to all people, even if they didn't like her.

Teacher Joseph Payne said the reflection during the liturgy preceded a special student re-enactment of Mary's life, where 11 students lit candles and placed special symbols of their own interpretation of Mary's life in the school's sacred space, including gum leaves, school books, candles, pencils, a Bible and rosary beads. At the close of the liturgy, the Kindergarten students added a special touch to the music by performing a dance to the lyrics of the song 'I am Australian'.

Many Catholic schools across Sydney held celebrations to mark the feast day of Blessed Mary MacKillop, who died on 8 August in 1909. Her Beatification took place in Sydney in January 1995.