Celebrating Canonisation
Mary MacKillop was Canonised on October 17 at St Peter's Basilica, Rome. Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed Mary's sainthood during the Canonisation Mass. Over 8000 pilgrims from Australia and New Zealand attended the ceremony.
The Church does not make a saint – it recognises a saint. Canonisation is the act by which the Holy Father declares in a definitive and solemn way that a Catholic Christian is actually in the glory of heaven, intercedes for us before the Lord and is to be publicly venerated by the whole Church.
Canonisation is a double statement – about the life of the person and also about the faith of the people who are alive at this moment. They are as much a part of the canonisation as the person who is being recognised.
Many beautiful and inspiring words were spoken by Church leaders during the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop and the surrounding events. You are invited to read and reflect on the texts below:
Sr Judy Sippel reading Words of Mary MacKillop Sr Anne Derwin giving the Vote of Thanks
The Canonisation E-News was published fortnightly between June and December 2010. Each HTML edition of the E-News is archived on this website.
The Canonisation Enews has been replaced with the Mary MacKillop Enews and you are invited to continue the journey with Mary MacKillop by subscribing to this new Enews.
Canonisation News Articles
Revisiting the Virtue of Humility with Mary MacKillop
08 May, 2013
In her letter to Father Woods, Mary distinguished between what she calls “true” and “false” humility
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Victorian Pilgrims Trek the Mary MacKillop Trail
28 April, 2013
A recent four-day Pilgrimage for people from across Victoria was the highlight for many of this Year of Grace.
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To hear stories and reports from the seven Bloggers in Rome, click on the links below. Post your comments and reflections in reply.
Mary MacKillop Blog
Months Mind
17 November, 2010
A month since the canonisation is there a difference?
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Pipes and celebrations aplenty
16 November, 2010
In Arrowtown, New Zealand, where Mary MacKillop had lived and ministered people gathered in celebration of her canonization.
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