Parish History
The funeral of Mother Mary MacKillop took place at St Mary's North Sydney on Tuesday 10th August 1909.
A resume of the Funeral Service (St Mary's Archives 1896 - 1937) reads as follows:
"On Tuesday the obsequies took place. At 9.30, preceded by Cross-bearer, altar boys, and priest, the school children in white, followed by the Children of Mary, wearing blue mantles and white veils, marched from the Convent, Mount-street. These were followed by the Sisters, 28 Novices in white veils, then over 100 Sisters in brown veils in front of the hearse. Two mourning coaches, with Sisters for whom the walk up the hill to Ridge-street would have been too much, came next. Then the mourning coaches with relatives and friends.
At the church, all left the vehicles and joined the procession into St Mary's, which was densely crowded. Nuns and Brothers from various communities, and a large number of friends, were already in the church, but seats were reserved for the Sisters of Joseph behind the priests who chanted the Office.
The remains, in a white coffin with no name, as is customary for the Sisters - a monogram of blue braid with three letters J being used instead - were placed on the catafalque in front of the altar.
H.E. the Cardinal presided, and was assisted at the throne by the Right Rev. Monsignori Carroll, V.G., and O'Brien. Seventy priests chanted the Office. Then Rev. J. O'Brien, S.J., celebrated Mass, Rev. A McDonald being deacon, and Rev. M. Smith, M.S.H., subdeacon."
