Mary MacKillop for Sainthood

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AUSTRALIA has its first saint, following an announcement of the canonisation of Mother Mary MacKillop by Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City tonight.

The nun, best remembered for her devotion to educating impoverished children, was confirmed a saint during a meeting chaired by the Pope with cardinals and bishops in Rome to consider six candidates for canonisation.

Tim Fischer, Australia’s ambassador to the Holy See, said the sainthood decision was great news for all Australians, whether they were believers or not.

“This is a terrific salute to an outstanding Australian, a giant leader in education and many other fields,” Mr Fischer said.

“It will help boost knowledge of her work and boost Australia in this busy competitive hub of Rome and way beyond.”

MacKillop’s second miracle, helping an Australian woman recover from an inoperable cancer, was acknowledged recently. She passed the first stage to sainthood when she was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 with her first miracle of curing a woman with terminal leukaemia.

Sainthood has been sought for Mary MacKillop for several decades, with the campaign beginning in 1926, 17 years after her death, and the first official application for beatification made in 1961.

Mr Fischer said it would be good to see as many Australian supporters of Mary MacKillop as possible make it to Rome to celebrate the canonisation ceremony.

Sister Sheila McCreanor, with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, spoke to aifThe Weekend Australianaif just before last night’s announcement and said she was “very excited” to hear the Pope’s decision.

“About four of us are huddled here in the lounge room drinking tea and waiting up to get the confirmation from Rome,” said Sister McCreanor, who has been a nun for 40 years.

“It’s the end of a long journey and the culmination of a lot of hard work.”

Born in Fitzroy, in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, in 1842, MacKillop dedicated her life to helping the poor and needy.

In 1866 she founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph having previously opened a school in a disused stable in Penola, South Australia.

Kevin Rudd said MacKillop’s hard work in education and the Catholic Church had finally been rewarded.

“This is a great, great tribute to the Catholic Church and a great, great tribute to her hard work in education,” the Prime Minister said.

“This is a great honour for Australia.”

The official cannonisation ceremony will take place on October 17.