Beatification Mass 1995
BeatificationThe Catholic Church bestows the title BLESSED on a person whose life has been proved to be extraordinarily holy. This permits the people to publicly honour the person BEATIFIED and to use a special Eucharistic liturgy and liturgical prayer. The public veneration is usually limited to a diocese, region or nation. In the case of Mary MacKillop it means that all Australians may publicly honour her. Beatification is not an infallible statement but it does assure a moral certainty that the person has lived a life of heroic virtue. After the enquiries and studies have been completed the Beatification Ceremony is held. His Holiness Pope John Paul ll beatified Mary MacKillop on 19 January, 1995 at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The photos below were taken during the Beatification Mass. Beatification Mass 1995
Earlier in the morning of Beatification Day (19 January, 1995) His Holiness Pope John Paul ll came to St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney where hundreds of Sisters of St Joseph, Josephite Associates and friends had gathered for Morning Prayer. Outside, many school children waited excitedly to greet the Pope on his way into the Cathedral.
After the ceremony, the Pope met a few other Sisters before his motorcade travelled through the streets of Sydney and across the Harbour Bridge to the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel in North Sydney. Here he was met by some Sisters and a representative group of school students, and was led to the shrine of Mary MacKillop’s tomb where he prayed at length.
Reflection on Mary MacKillop : 10 Years after the Beatification |
