Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Central Coast

29/10/2026

Happy World Teachers' Day to all the teachers who give so much of themselves every day.

Education was at the heart of the Josephite story. When Mary MacKillop opened her first school in a converted stable in Penola in 1866, she believed that every child, no matter where they lived or how little their family had, deserved the chance to learn. The Sisters of St Joseph went on to teach in schools across Australia and beyond, often in the most remote places.

Today, teachers carry that same spirit of care and commitment into classrooms everywhere. Thank you for your patience, your kindness and the difference you make in so many young lives.

28/10/2026

Advent is more than a countdown to Christmas.

Women of Advent is a six-day silent retreat at Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Kilmolee, Safety Bay - an invitation to slow down and enter this sacred season differently.

Through the stories of Mary, Elizabeth and Anna, three women closest to the birth of Jesus, find space to listen, reflect and discover what Advent is truly holding for you.

Facilitated by Sr Ann Morrison RSJ, Sister of Saint Joseph and spiritual director.

📅 29 November – 6 December 2026
📍 Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Kilmolee, Safety Bay
💲 $1,650 incl. GST (accommodation and all meals included)

Book your place: https://ap1.hubs.ly/H01tlK60

27/10/2026

On 28 October 1985, the Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth in Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand, were approved by Rome as a Congregation of Pontifical Right.

Their story began in April 1880, when four Sisters of St Joseph travelled from Perthville in New South Wales to Whanganui. They taught in local schools, visited the sick and the poor in their homes, and even journeyed up the Whanganui River to serve the community at Hiruhārama.

The approval came exactly 100 years after the Sisters were first recognised as a diocesan congregation, a moment of great joy after many years of patience and hope. In 2013, the Whanganui Sisters rejoined the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, bringing two branches of the Josephite family back together.

Today, we celebrate the faith and perseverance of our Josephite sisters across the Tasman, and the shared spirit that still connects us.

27/10/2026

24/10/2026

Happy Grandparents Day to all the grandparents in our community.

Grandparents hold a special place in our lives. They share their stories, their time and their wisdom, and often pass on the faith and traditions that shape who we become.

Today, we give thanks for the love and care of grandparents, and remember those who are no longer with us but whose influence we still carry.

23/10/2026

Today marks the start of Children's Week, a national celebration of children and their rights, running until 1 November.

This year's theme reminds us that every child has the right to use their own language, celebrate their culture and practise their faith.

Caring for children was at the heart of Mary MacKillop's mission. She and the Sisters of St Joseph opened schools in some of the most remote corners of the country, so that children who might otherwise miss out could learn, grow and feel they belonged.

This week, we give thanks for the children in our lives and for everyone who helps them feel safe, valued and free to be who they are.

19/10/2026

On 20 October 1887, four Sisters of St Joseph arrived in Perth to begin the first Josephite foundation in Western Australia.

They came at the invitation of Bishop Matthew Gibney, whose diocese stretched across a vast and sparsely populated region. The Sisters soon travelled on to Northampton, a small copper mining town around 500 kilometres north of Perth, where they began teaching and were warmly welcomed by the local community.

It was the start of a story that would see the Josephites serve families from the Goldfields to the Kimberley in the decades that followed.

Today, that legacy continues at Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Safety Bay, where we welcome people from across WA to rest, reflect and reconnect.

19/10/2026

Christmas is coming to the Central Coast! 🎄

Join us at Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Kincumber South, for a festive evening of food, gift stalls, music, a petting zoo, Santa and more.

Friday 27 November from 5:30pm
8 Humphreys Road, Kincumber South 2251

Interested in booking a stall? Stalls are $50 and bookings close 14 November. Email [email protected] to secure yours!

17/10/2026

Four Values Behind Mary MacKillop’s Canonisation

Today (17 October) we celebrate the 16th anniversary of Mary MacKillop's canonisation.

"Mary’s deep faith and love for her God, and the values she held, helped her to live an extraordinary life in the face of great obstacles," shares Sr Diane Philips.

"We are beneficiaries of her loving service to God and to God’s people in her lifetime. We praise and thank our good God for our Australian saint."

View four values of Mary that highlight aspects of her life and contributed to the cause for her canonisation here: www.sosj.org.au/four-values-mmk-canonisation



📸 Hanging of banner of Mary MacKillop on 16 October for her canonisation on 17 October 2010 at St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

15/10/2026

Loads and loads of fresh food for another amazing function with us 😍

07/10/2026

Today we pause to remember Father Julian Tenison Woods on the anniversary of his death, 7 October 1889. A man of extraordinary vision whose legacy continues to inspire the Josephite mission to this day.

01/10/2026

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Most blokes don't get a day to stop. Career pressure, family demands, mortgage, kids, ageing parents – and underneath it, a restlessness or a loneliness you don't really talk about. It piles up fast, and it's easy to let your faith get buried under all of it.

Men's Retreat is a new one-day retreat at our Baulkham Hills centre, led by Nehme Khattar – Head of Mission at Catholic Healthcare, father, sports lover and straight talker. Straight-talking input, honest reflection and small group conversation, with no pressure to share. Practical spirituality and prayer you can actually use on Monday.

For men 25–50 who've been asking why life feels harder than it used to, how to carry it all without losing yourself, and where God fits into any of it.

📅 Saturday 17 October 2026

🕘 9:30am – 3:30pm

📍 Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Baulkham Hills

💛 $198 incl. GST – morning tea and lunch provided

Book now: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ieLmOLXNdk-FaUfTgqP7W-aArKEERZZIqW8HbkXqj0FUNFlFRk5CVk00U05SVkRCRzlBQk5ZTUZPRi4u

24/09/2026

Ever caught yourself asking any of these questions?

Why does life feel harder than I expected?
Why can't I figure things out on my own?
How do I keep my past from hurting my future?
Where is God in all of this?

Release, Restore, Reclaim is a weekend for exactly that. Guided by Anne Slingo, you'll work through a structured 12-step process to:
- Release the weight you've been carrying,
- Restore your understanding of who God is, and
- Reclaim a life shaped by healing rather than your past.

You'll come away with your pressures named and brought into the light, a repeatable process for letting go, practical centring prayer, 1–2 concrete decisions to carry home, and new connections with people finding their own way back to God.

Learn more: https://ap1.hubs.ly/H01p22k0

09/09/2026

Filling fast - 4 spaces left!
Slow down, listen inward and rediscover your gifts.
Poetry, gentle movement, meditation, music, and space to simply be.
Facilitated by Vicki Hancock.

📅 25–27 September | 📍 Central Coast | 💛 $550, includes all meals and accommodation.

Learn more and register to secure your spot: https://ap1.hubs.ly/H01mlSY0

This will be a time for growth and transformation through developing understandings of and engaging in experiences for self-discovery. There …

18/08/2026

Perfect time of year for a 2 day retreat

31/07/2026

23/07/2026

Looking at having your conferencing/ workplace event somewhere amazing that has all your requirements covered, great service as well as……..delicious food? Look no further.

22/07/2026

14/07/2026

Looking for a little winter break? Escape from the world and relax with us.
Single, twin, double or family options
Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Central Coast