Unveiling of Memorial Cross

Unveiling of Memorial Cross from Grave of Mary MacKillop

Seventy people attended the unveiling ceremony at Mary MacKillop Penola Centre on Sunday, 27 October 2013 at 3.30 pm. 

Margaret Muller, writer and researcher, spoke about the history of the Memorial  Cross.  It was funded by Mary MacKillop’s great friend, Joanna Barr-Smith of Adelaide.

Bob Legoe spoke about the friendship between the two women and unveiled the Cross. He is the great, great, grandson of Joanna Barr-Smith.

It is a very important artefact and memorial to the  friendship between Mary and Anglican  Joanna Barr-Smith .

Eleven year old Maggi Carter, great grand daughter of one of the early volunteers at the Centre, placed a spring of rosemary on the cross to symbolise remembrance and lit the candles for the Blessing ceremony performed by Father Paul Gardiner SJ.

Claire Larkin, Chairperson of the Centre’s management Committee, said that it was a truly special occasion  to have the Cross on loan and see it unveiled by Bob Legoe.

She thanked Jim Elder and his family for loan of the Cross and for caring for it over many years.

It is expected that many people will visit the Centre in the next month to view the cross.