by GISELLE GOLOY
A 17-YEAR OLD Filipino-Aussie will be among Catholic delegates from Australia who will be going to the Vatican to witness the canonisation of Australia’s first saint – Blessed Mary MacKillop.
On October 17, the status of Blessed Mary will be formally elevated to the sainthood in solemn rites considered a milestone date for the Catholic Church in Australia.
Danica Mae Tagaza is all set to make the trip. A year 12 student school captain at St. Mary MacKillop College (previously called the MacKillop Catholic College) in Canberra, she will join fellow delegates from her school which include fellow School Captain, Oliver Oakman (18 years old), Campus Captains Isabelle Schimdt and Andre Wilks (both 14 years old).
“I was excited and happy, to say the least,” Danica said.
“The fact that I will be there, watching the canonisation of our school patron, representing the school and becoming part of history is mind-blowing. It is a real honour.”
Danica said they found out they were going to represent the school on the same day the Pope announced Blessed Mary’s elevation to sainthood.
The role of school captain is not to be taken lightly.
To be elected, Danica had to put in a detailed application and sit through an interview with the school’s executive committee when she was in Year 11.
Apart from the student council, Danica has participated in school musicals and dance festivals and has also participated in charity events such as relay for life and the Terry Connolly ORGANised walk.
She is active at her local church, the Corpus Christi Parish, and the Youth for Christ (YFC).
When asked how she believes Mary Mackillop’s teachings remain relevant to the students at St. Mary’s College, Danica replies, “Mary Mackillop lived a life filled with faith and courage, which is our school motto, and I believe that the students aim to be like her in the way they carry about their daily lives – with faith and courage.”
Mary Mackillop was born to Scottish immigrants in 1842. Her life centered around providing education to poor children, looking after the sick, the under-privileged, and the elderly.
The road to her saint hood has been a long and difficult one – nearly 65 years – and required the perseverance of a lot of people. She was first beatified in 1995.
Danica says that St. Mary Mackillop College is a welcoming institution just as their school patron who attended to the poor and did not discriminate against anyone.
In this day and age, one might question the relevance and importance of saints to modern Australian society and young Australians.
Whilst Catholicism remains a big denomination in Australia, there has been a perceived decline in the numbers. But there is no doubt that Mary MacKillop is revered by Australians as a national figure – Catholic or not.
“I think that her being canonised in the 21st century is important in itself,” Danica says. “It means that we can look beyond all the issues of todayand believe that good can be done, despite everything going on around us. She is a reminder that there are others who need more help than ourselves. It is our duty to attend to them, and give them support,” she adds.
For Danica, Mary Mackillop’s greatest achievement was to make a difference in people’s lives despite limited resources and her own circumstances. “She didn’t overlook people and worked with them to improve their lives.”
Danica’s favourite Mary Mackillop quote – and something she strives to live by – is “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
