MacKillop sainthood 'an honour for Australia'

19 Feb 2010, 4:58 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Born in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 1842, Mother Mary dedicated her life to helping the poor and needy. (Getty Images)

Born in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 1842, Mother Mary dedicated her life to helping the poor and needy. (Getty Images)

The canonisation of Mary MacKillop will be a tribute to the Catholic Church and an honour for Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

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The canonisation of Mary MacKillop will be a tribute to the Catholic Church and an honour for Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

Australia's long wait for its first saint is likely to end within hours, with a decision on the canonisation expected from the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI will meet with cardinals and bishops in Rome on Friday, with an announcement expected at about 2.30pm local time (0030 AEDT on Saturday).

Mr Rudd said Mother Mary's hard work in education and the Catholic church had now finally been rewarded. "This is a great, great tribute to the Catholic church and a great, great tribute to her hard work in education," he said on Friday. "This is a great honour for Australia.

"I offer a heartfelt expression of appreciation to the wider Catholic community."

Born in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 1842, Mother Mary 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.

Her life thereafter was spent opening orphanages and refuges.

She maintained her faith and dedication to helping people throughout her life, despite a backlash from Catholic church leaders and suffering ill health for many years, until her death in Sydney in 1909.

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Your Comments

Saints alive

oncewas - from bribie island, 2 years ago

Why will the decreeing of Mary Mac by the RC church be an honour for Australia?On what authority does the Pope declare a saint. My reading of scripture tells me that Paul wrote to the saints in the churches long before this system was devised. Surely the church [ all those who belong to Christ ]are the saints of god. And you know what, I cannot find one reference to praying to god thru the saints, only thru Christ. What has happened?

What a load of crap

Colin - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

As a species, I can't believe we still believe in this idiotic nonsense.

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