Nicole Winfield/Associated Press
VATICAN CITY (Oct. 17) -- Pope Benedict XVI gave Australia its first saint on Sunday, canonizing a 19th century nun who was briefly excommunicated and also declaring five other saints in a Mass attended by tens of thousands of people...Benedict solemnly read out the names of the six new saints, declaring each one worthy of veneration in all the Catholic Church. "Let us be drawn by these shining examples, let us be guided by their teachings," Benedict said in his homily..."
"As a young nun, MacKillop and 47 other nuns from her order were briefly dismissed from the Roman Catholic Church in a clash with high clergy in 1871. In addition to bitter rivalries among priests, one of the catalysts for the move was that her order had exposed a pedophile priest." "Five months later, the bishop revoked his ruling from his deathbed, restoring MacKillop to her order and paving the way for her decades of work educating the poor across Australia and New Zealand."
Bridget Mary' Reflection:
Brava for Pope Benedict's canonization of an excommunicated 19th century Australian nun , Mother Mary Mackillop. Mother Mary Mackillop challenged the hierarchy, exposed a pedophile priest, spoke truth to power and bore the stigma of excommunication for herself and her order! Mother Mary Mackillop was a woman of truth-telling and integrity.The hierarchy would do well to pray to her as we work toward a more just and transparent church. We can affirm St. Mary Mackillop as the patron saints for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, and for advocates of Church accountability and reform. We can affirm St. Mary Mackillop as a patron saint for all those whom the Catholic Church condemns for their prophetic stances for justice and equality for all people in our church including Roman Catholic Womenpriests.
Who knows one day, one of our Roman Catholic Womenpriests may be declared a saint by the Vatican. Can't you just see the millions around the world who will rejoice on that great day!
The good news is that , Pope Benedict by his canonization of Mother Mackillop has placed the "excommunicated" members of our church on what could be a new fast track to sainthood!
Excommunication is no longer a barrier to sainthool. The important thing to remember is that God has called us to live as radiant reflections of God's love, and sometimes that means disobeying the man-made laws of church that discriminate against others. We must always follow our conscience.
A Prayer to Saint Mother Mary Mackillop
Saint Mary Mackillop, pray for us and for all the courageous women and men who are working for justice and equality in our church Your courageous witness reminds us that no earthly power, including church authorities can separate us from Christ's love and that no bishop or pope can cancel our baptism. May we, like you, serve the people of God, especially those on the margins, who face discrimination and who are rejected by church and society. Like you, may our hearts be filled with Christ's passionate love for all as we do justice , work for a more inclusive church and walk humbly with our God. Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP, sofiabmm@aol.com, 703-505-0004
Pope canonises Australian nun
From the Irish Times -PĂDRAIG COLLINS in Sydney
"She was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1871 after exposing the activities a paedophile Irish priest. She discovered that children were being abused by Fr Patrick Keating in the Kapunda parish near Adelaide in south Australia.
She told Josephites director Fr Julian Tenison-Woods about the abuse. It was then reported to the vicar general and Fr Keating was sent back to Ireland, where he continued to serve as a priest.
Fr Charles Horan, a Galway man who was a colleague of Fr Keating, swore revenge on Sr MacKillop and her order. After only four years as a nun, she was excommunicated by Adelaide’s bishop Laurence Shiel, who was originally from Wexford.
She was turned out on the street with no money and nowhere to go. Five months later, on his deathbed, Bishop Shiel instructed that Sr MacKillop be absolved and restored.
After being reinstated by the Catholic Church, Sr MacKillop became known for her work with disadvantaged children, female ex-prisoners and prostitutes."
2 comments:
Dear Bridget Mary,
St Mary of the Cross (Mary Mackillop) would be horrified by the notion that you are using her to advocate for your cause for Women Priesthood.
She always saw obedience and humility to the church as her priority and bore her cross respecting the authorities. She saw the importance of getting the approval of Rome, had she been knocked back, she would have obeyed. Also, she her "excommunication" was not even a valid one, although she thought it so. Her "excommunication" was quickly revoked and she was in full communion at her death.
She didn't "defy" the clergy, she obeyed and was faithful to God. She achieved much not because she was a priest, but because she was a nun.
How about the energy you put into trying to achieve rights for women priests channeled into works for the poor, sick and homeless as she did?
I am from where St Mary of the Cross began her work and my education is in part due to her work.
Hi Bridget. Just wonderingas you are a comitted 'RCWP' does Jesus Christ any longer mean anything to you or are you so caught up in your own silly agenda that you have forgotten who Christ Is.
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