St Mary of the Cross Mural
The Story Behind this Mural
Our first mural St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was officially blessed on Saturday 5 September, 2015, by The Most Reverend, Mark Coleridge, Arch Bishop of Brisbane. The mural was painted by “The Silent Artist” Mr Patrick Phillips and was a collaboration of The Maryborough Mural Project and St Marys Parish.
In 1870 the Sisters of St. Joseph, a religious order founded by Mary MacKillop, established a school and residence on this site. So began the Catholic Church’s formal education and religious administration in Maryborough.
Known as Mother Mary, her mission was to teach disadvantaged children in many regional and rural areas of Australia. Mary MacKillop was canonised St Mary of the Cross on 17 October, 2010 at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.
The mural depicts the story of the Mother Mary’s Maryborough ministry and the arrival of the first parish priest – Father Paul Tissot, who built the first Catholic Church in this town.
You can see this mural at St Mary’s Parish in Adelaide Street.
About the Artist
Patrick Phillips, the artist, was born profoundly deaf. He grew up as a teenager in Maryborough and has a long association with Saint Mary’s Catholic Parish.
Being deaf he learnt to communicate through drawing and his art.
He is a successful artist who has exhibited nationally.
Patrick was assisted in the painting of this mural by Rodney McLeish who is also deaf.
Contributors to this Mural
The Maryborough Mural Project relies entirely on the generosity of volunteers and sponsors from our local community. We would like to thank the parishioners of Saint Mary’s Parish for their most generous support of this project. The Committee would like to thank Mr and Mrs Moshe Ahram, Mr Denis Brown, Mrs Tracey Christoffel, and Mr Rai Whitten for their time and expertise in coordinating this mural. We would also like to thank following businesses for their kind sponsorship of this mural:
Our featured sponsor is Earles Paint Place, Maryborough who have generously supported the Maryborough Mural Project since it’s inception and who have provided most of the paint and paint supplies needed to complete our murals. Without their generous and passionate support of the Project we would not have been able to achieve what we have to date. Earles continue to support and sponsor the project as a major contributor in helping to revitalise Maryborough through Art.