Mary MacKillop Penola Centre

The Mary MacKillop Penola centre is an interpretative centre with numerous exhibitions about Mary MacKillop.

Mary MacKillop was canonised in Rome on the 17th of October 2010. Subsequently, she became Saint Mary of MacKillop Cross and the first saint of Australia’s Catholic Church.

Mary MacKillop’s life depicts a simple yet inspiring story that leads her on a spiritual path to help mankind. In 1860, Mary MacKillop met a priest named Julian Tenison Woods in the city of Penola. From this meeting, Mary MacKillop’s life changed when she and Tenison founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. MacKillop and others successfully established a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australia. The emphasis of these institutions was to promote education whilst assisting the poor.

Later, Mary MacKillop started teaching children in a schoolhouse, which is now a heritage-listed building known as the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre.

At the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre, visitors can view the exhibitions illustrating the life and history of Saint Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods, the priest and scientist who helped her to follow her dreams.

The school also has an exhibition explaining the early education methods followed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Penola. The Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church is also located at the site of the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre.

The popular MacKillop Exhibition at the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre depicts the fascinating story of St. Mary MacKillop, her strong character and deep spiritual faith. The exhibition also includes her story which starts with her birth in Melbourne right through to her death in Sydney.

The Woods Exhibition is also quite popular, which depicts the stories of Julian Woods and his distinguished life and achievements.