Search site

Give Now

A MacKillop Bursary can change a family’s future

Photo: Provide a Catholic education for disadvantaged Children

“The Weight of the World Was Lifted”

Naomi’s hands were shaking as she sat down to write her application.

In the space of a few years, her life had unravelled in ways she never imagined. A serious workplace accident had left her with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a debilitating neurological condition. Her marriage had broken down. She was raising three teenagers on her own, unable to work, and fighting for a disability pension.

Before the separation, the family had been part of a local Catholic primary school community. Now, watching her children struggle to find their footing in a new State school environment, she could see their confidence slipping, their sense of belonging fading, and their sense of self quietly eroding.

There had been a plan. Their father had agreed to pay the fees at the Catholic high school her eldest son hoped to attend — a path toward stability and a fresh start.

Then he changed his mind.

With nowhere else to turn, Naomi wrote to the Mary MacKillop Brisbane Catholic School Access Fund. She had run out of options, and she refused to give up on her son.

“I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make sure Ben had every opportunity available to him to succeed in life.”

When we called to tell Naomi that Ben had been awarded a bursary, she wept.

“To me it felt as if the weight of the world had been removed.”

That call was possible because of a community of supporters who believe no child should be turned away from a Catholic education because of hardship.

Ben arrived in Year 7 carrying something his application had already hinted at: real potential.

With the support of a Catholic school community around him, he began to thrive. His principal wrote of a young man growing in maturity, confidence, and ownership of his studies.

By the time Ben reached Year 12, his achievements told their own story:

  • Academic Excellence Awards in both semesters
  • Recognition for his contribution to college life
  • Three seasons of inter-school soccer
  • A Certificate in Electrotechnology
  • His provisional driver’s licence

Six years of school fees paid. Six years of uniforms provided. Six years where a young person was not defined by hardship, but by possibility. As Naomi puts it:

“I do not believe he would be in this position without the help of the MacKillop Fund.”

Right now, 121 young people are attending their local Catholic school because this community decided they belonged there. Behind each child is a parent, grandparent or carer who simply refused to give up, despite illness, separation, financial hardship, and broken promises.

And every year, more families come forward. New applications arrive from families in genuine, sometimes shocking, circumstances. And each year we face a heartbreaking reality: demand always outweighs the funds available. Mary MacKillop devoted her life to ensuring no child was turned away from an education because of poverty. That spirit lives on through this fund and through the people who choose to support it.

As the end of the financial year approaches, your generosity can ensure that more children are not turned away. Your gift today will help sustain the 121 students already in the program and bring us closer to the day when every worthy application receives a “yes.”

Ben’s mother says she shares her family’s story in the hope it shows the difference generosity makes: “Their generosity is a source of hope, reminding us that there is a community that cares.”

How You Can Help

Every gift is tax deductible and helps us say “yes” to more families who need our care and compassion.