Our Josephite College motto "In Omnibus Caritas" (In All Things Love) reminds us of this guiding principle in all that we do. In the words of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, we "Never see a need without doing something about it".
At the centre of the College badge is a lily. This lily symbolises that, just as St Joseph was especially chosen by God, so are we all.
When Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods established an order of nuns in Penola in 1866 they chose to call them the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. The Josephite Charism, initially articulated by Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods, has been expressed in the vowed life of the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph since that time, and for this reason Mary MacKillop College is referred to as a Josephite school.
The gold colour represents the divine and human love referred to in the motto. Blue is symbolic of Mary, the Mother of God. The brown colour symbolises St Joseph, her spouse.
“Joseph” means “growth” so the lily stands both for the integrity of his life and character, and for the growth to wholeness which is nourished in the students of Mary MacKillop.
In 2000, two Year 12 Music students, Meredith Dowd and Leah Goyak, composed the College Anthem. The walls of the College gymnasium continue to hear this Anthem at every major event.
Mary’s Vision
We look to Mary MacKillop to guide us through our years
To give us hope and courage and rid us of our fears
We are MacKillop College and we are proud to be
Living in your image for all the world to see
She was determined to make things just and make things right
She showed compassion to the unnoticed ones in life
Oh gentle Mary, you are a part of every day
We walk beside you, your faith has guided us the way
We look to Mary MacKillop to guide us through our years
To give us hope and courage and rid us of our fears
We are MacKillop College and we are proud to be
Living in your image for all the world to see
So may your spirit live on in each and every one
Give us the strength to carry on the work that you have done
We are MacKillop College and we are proud to be
Living in your image for all the world to see
We look to Mary MacKillop to guide us through our years
To give us hope and courage and rid us of our fears
We are MacKillop College and we are proud to be
Living in your image for all the world to see
(Leah Goyak/Meredith Dowd 2000) Copyright Mary MacKillop College.
