Shrine marks Remuera's special link to new saint

A banner hanging at St Michael's honours Mary MacKillop. Photo / Richard Robinson

The Catholic parish of Remuera plans a special ceremony to honour a former parishioner who will be created a saint tomorrow at the Vatican.

Mother Mary MacKillop is credited with helping to establish the spiritual foundation of the St Michael's community during the time she lived in Remuera convalescing from illness.

The parish has built a shrine to the nun, who founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1866.

The order, known to generations of schoolkids as the "Brown Joeys" - after the brown habits the nuns used to wear - established schools throughout NZ, including St Michael's in Remuera, St Joseph's in Grey Lynn and St Benedict's in Grafton.

Mary MacKillop, born in Australia in 1842, believed that education should be available to all of God's children.

As part of her commitment to helping needy children in rural areas, she travelled throughout Australia and New Zealand.

On one trip to Rotorua, in 1902, she had a stroke and went to stay with her Sisters of St Joseph in Remuera.

She lived there for six months and forged a strong link with the locals.

A spokeswoman for the Auckland diocese, Lindsay Freer, said St Michael's had decided to celebrate the life of Mary MacKillop because she had been such an integral part of the ethos of the school and the parish.

"It's also St Michael's way of thanking her for her help in starting what we are lucky to have today."

The parish commissioned artist, sculptor and iconographer Michael Pervan to create an appropriate memorial for Mary MacKillop.

Mrs Freer said it had been important to create a shrine that would be in keeping with the structural, architectural and spiritual themes of St Michael's Church, which is built in a Romanesque style and has a class-A heritage rating.

The parish eventually settled on a plinth on the side of the church with a sculpture of Mary MacKillop in her nun's habit at the centre.

The shrine will be unveiled at a ceremony at 11am tomorrow.

The principal of St Michael's School, Carolynn Phillips, said pupils were excited about the unveiling.

"The kids learn about the values of Mother Mary MacKillop. It's who we are and what we focus on.

"It's quite incredible that in their lifetime they will see someone they are taught about recognised for her efforts."

* Television coverage of the canonisation at the Vatican, Sky News NZ, Channel 90, from 6pm tomorrow