Celebrating Australia's First Saint

Mary MacKillop will become Australia’s first saint next Sunday, an event that has been more than a hundred years in the making.

The journey to her canonisation began when Cardinal Moran visited Mary on her deathbed and declared, ‘I consider myself today to have assisted at the deathbed of a saint’. On Sunday, it will finish in the same square in Rome that Mary walked alone as a young Josephite seeking papal approval for her order.

Australian Josephite Congregational Leader Sr Anne Derwin says Mary went to Rome alone, without return fare, and travelling as a widow due to the political unrest in Italy.

‘By the time she set out on that journey, Mary was totally committed to God’s mission of bringing to the poor the message of their human dignity and of Christ’s saving love’, she says. ‘It was for the sake of that Mission in the Australian context that she left our shores.’

On Sunday, thousands of Australians will gather in St Peter’s Square to see Mary’s banner hanging from the front of the basilica along with six other newly-canonised saints. Her former postulator, Father Paul Gardiner SJ, says the sight of the banner and the cheering crowds will bring Mary’s story full circle.

What I’m looking forward to is the emotional reaction to seeing it all, remembering Mary MacKillop as the young Australian girl visiting Rome on her own’, he says. ‘Socially speaking, she was a nobody. Yet here she will be, being proclaimed by the world.’

Patronage

There are already many suggestions as to what Australia’s first saint will be patron of. The former editor of Australian Catholics, Michael McGirr, had a number of suggestions in an article in The Age, including the patron of nappies (because of her many siblings), horses (her travels), difficult bosses (her difficulties with bishops) and the patron saint of reality.

‘Mary was never afraid of a complex world. She developed a simple faith to help her embrace it. She said, “Do all you can with the means at your disposal and leave all the rest to God”’, says McGirr.

Others are calling for Mary MacKillop to be the patron saint of abuse victims, in the light of the fact that the uncovering of an abusive priest by a Josephite sister was the beginning of the ill feeling towards the Josephites that indirectly lead to the excommunication of Mary MacKillop.

A Compass documentary highlighted how a Josephite sister had uncovered abuse by a Fr Keating and reported it to the bishop. The story is also told in Fr Paul Gardiner’s book, An Extraordinary Australian, although Mary was not present at the time, and it was one of a number of factors that led to the priests in the diocese, and in particular Fr Horan, turning against the Josephites.

US Jesuit James Martin said victims of abuse now have someone to pray to in their struggles for justice and reconciliation.

‘Now victims of sex abuse and their families, and all who desire reconciliation and healing in the Church, can pray to Mary MacKillop, who understands them perhaps better than any other saint’, said Fr Martin.

Canonisation

More than 8,000 Australians are travelling to Rome to attend the canonisation ceremonies. In addition, thousands of Australians will take part in diocesan events across the country, including celebrations in Jesuit parishes.

Sr Anne Derwin says the event will be a celebration of all Australian women and men who live saintly lives of peace, justice and forgiveness.

‘Let us hope that the canonisation of Mary MacKillop inspires each of us anew to roll up our sleeves for the sake of God’s mission, which saw Mary MacKillop seeking the poorest and most vulnerable among human beings and sharing with them the God of compassionate and provident love.’

From the Jesuits of Australia, Province Express