POSTED: 12 JULY 2010

Coonawarra wineries chip in for MacKillop bash

The Coonawarra Vignerons Association will be shipping more than 100 cases of Coonawarra wine to The Vatican for events surrounding Mother Mary MacKillop’s canonisation on 17 October 17.

Tim Fischer, Australia’s Ambassador to the Holy See, asked the Coonawarra Vignerons Association and the region’s wine community if it would consider donating wines for the charity events surrounding the canonisation of Australia’s first Saint.

Members of the Coonawarra Vignerons Association happily took up the offer and will be shipping the wine in later this month.

“There has been an overwhelming response by our members and the community to Mr Fischer’s request,” said Coonawarra Vignerons President, Michelle Stehbens.

“We are ecstatic that Penola and Coonawarra will have a presence during these unique celebrations.”

Through her vocation as a Sister of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Mary made a real difference to the lives of countless Australians. She, along with Father Tenison Woods, provided a free education for many children in the then isolated bush settlement of Penola.

The schoolhouse where she initially taught still stands on Penola’s Portland Street.

*Based on media release issued by the Coonawarra Vignerons Association.

The Penola schoolhouse where Mary MacKillop first taught.