TOWARDS CANONISATION

Personal story of Kathleen Evans whose cure has been accepted as a Miracle by Rome

December 2009 Pope brings canonisation closer with second miracle Decrees of Vatican's Saint Congregation Sr Anne Derwin - Congregational Leader, Srs of St Joseph Photos - Sr Anne Derwin being interviewed at Mary MacKillop Place Photos - crowds flock to Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel A statement on Mary MacKillop from Archbishop Philip Wilson Victoria Celebrates the News of Mary MacKillop

PATH TO CANONISATION

On August 4, 1909 Cardinal Moran visited Mary MacKillop as she was preparing for death.  He gave her his blessing and words of encouragement.  As he left he said, “I consider I have this day assisted at the deathbed of a saint”.  Mary, known as Mary of the Cross, died a few days later on August 8, 1909.  Her funeral Mass was celebrated on August 11 and it is said that people vied with each other to touch her body with rosaries and other pious objects, a practice very unusual in Australia. Even more unusual was the souveniring of samples of earth from her grave when she was laid to rest at Gore Hill.  In fact, people recognised that she was a holy person.  From that time the faithful have never ceased to regard her as a saint.  Her remains are now in the Mary MacKillop Memorial chapel at North Sydney. More

THE PROGRESS OF MARY MACKILLOP TOWARDS CANONISATION

In April 2008, the documents pertaining to a remarkable cure of a woman with inoperable cancer were delivered under seal to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.  These were officially opened and then examined to establish if they were validly prepared according to the juridical requirements of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.  The process is slow and painstaking so that there is no room for mistakes. More