The Portal - Australia edition January 2014 | Page 9

THE P RTAL

January 2014

AU Page 2

Mary Mckillop - the
Saintly Port Phillip Pioneer
Adrian Lanagan

O

ur Mary,

many Australians are calling Saint Mary McKillop - but the Port Phillip Pioneer
members have two reasons to honestly call her “Our Mary”, as indeed she was a true Port Phillip
Pioneer, by her birth in the Port Phillip District. More about Mary shortly, but for now, we move back to her
parents, also Port Phillip Pioneers.
Mary’s parents lived in Scotland in the Lochaber area
of Fort William in the Highlands. Alexander McKillop,
who was born on 21 January 1812, had been studying
for the priesthood, firstly in Scotland and then Rome.
As fate would have it, his health forced him to return
home and surrender his vocation.
To avoid the embarrassment, disappointment and
possible disgrace following such a decision Alexander
decided to travel to Australia for a fresh start in life.
It has been stated that, “His parents left the Catholic
Highlands in 1835 and took Alexander with them to
find a new life in Australia, arriving on the “Brilliant”
in 1838.”
However a quick look at the shipping records has an
Archibald McKillop, correctly aged 26, an unmarried
schoolteacher and travelling with him was a Donald
McKillop, aged 30, a farm servant. There is no mention
of Alexander’s parents.

Melbourne’s first Catholic chapel
The “Brilliant” arrived in Sydney on 24 January 1838.
Another two McKillops to arrive about the same time
were Donald McKillop, aged 34, aboard the “Boyne”
on 2 January 1839 and John Mckillop, aged 56, on the
vessel “British King” which arrived on 28 February
1839.
Alexander, or should that be “Archibald,” maintained
his spirituality by attending prayer services in
Melbourne’s first Catholic chapel in Peter Bodecin’s
home, which was situated in Collins Street West, while
the Catholic community awaited their first Catholic
priest in the new town.

married in1840

Flora and Alexander quickly caught up with each
other after her arrival in Melbourne Town as they
were married on the 14th July 1840, barely three
months after her arrival. The wedding, conducted at St
Francis Church in Lonsdale Street, was in the original
temporary structure as the foundation stone of St
Mary’s mother, Flora Hannah McDonald, was born Francis church was laid on 4 October 1841.
at Glen Roy in Scotland on 11 June 1816 and arrived
It was celebrated by Father Patrick Bonaventure
in the Port Phillip District on the “Glen Huntly” on
17 April 1840. There were three other McDonalds Geoghegan O.F.M., the first Catholic priest to arrive in
travelling with Flora. Although they were named as the Port Phillip District*(see note below), who was an
Alexander, Catherine and Donald McDonald, we have orphan at the age of 8 years. A Franciscan priest placed
him in an orphanage and Patrick finally was ordained
to ask ‘were they related?’