Have you wondered why you see them around St Joseph’s?
The lady beetle holds a very important place in our school community. It is a symbol
that embodies the Josephite charism of welcome and hospitality. It is a tangible way
the children make connections with Mary MacKillop. The lady beetle tradition came to
Beenleigh through a staff pilgrimage experience in 2010, the year when Mary
MacKillop was canonised as Australia’s first Saint.
Mary MacKillop loved fauna and flora and would bring all sorts of small creatures of
which the lady beetle was one, to show and talk about with her. When visiting Mary
MacKillop’s first schools, our staff members saw lady beetles scattered everywhere
around the school and the children could talk to our teachers about the person of Mary
MacKillop – her story, words and actions. With permission, this idea travelled back to
Beenleigh and every year lady beetles are produced in the Art Room with Mrs McBride
to be given to new members entering our community or visitors, with the saying ’May
the blessings of Mary MacKillop be with you'.
© Brisbane Catholic Education, St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School, 2023