Our Own Saint!
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OUR OWN SAINT! ITHOUT DOUBT, the biggest onization there was much controversy, puzzle- event in 2010 for the Church in ment and worse about the Catholic belief in WAustralia was the canonization of miracles. Miracles, to some, seemed quite un- Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop. We are fair—how nice for those few who received still discovering the fuller significance of hav- cures and other blessings, while the rest of the ing our first Australian canonized saint, and human race is left to suffer. If God could do still discovering what a characteristically Aus- that for some at the request of Mary tralian saintly person she was. Even though MacKillop, what sort of God is it that leaves she lived more than a century ago she still in- the rest of us to our fate? spires us and gives us heart as we encounter The liturgies of Advent give a reply. John in present-day Australia very similar chal- the Baptist seems to have expected a more lenges to those she encountered. spectacular Messiah to erupt into human his- This issue of Compass can be read as a re- tory than Jesus turned out to be: Jesus was flection on Saint Mary and her way of living by healing a few people, but he was a little low- faith and our contemporary efforts to do like- key in John’s estimation. And so John sent his wise. Cardinal Pell’s homily during the thanks- disciples to ask Jesus if he really was the one giving Mass will suggest links with later articles. who was to come or should they wait for an- Mary’s well-documented concern for peo- other. Jesus’ reply was simply, ‘Go and tell ple who were missing out or suffering depri- John what you see’. In other words, he in- vation and neglect of any kind provides a link structed them, and through them John, to look with the theme of justice and peace: ‘There for the signs—what he was doing showed that can be no peace without justice’. the time of the Messiah had begun. Cardinal Pell recalls her capacity to for- And so in Advent the message is: with the give and even to love her enemies as we are birth of the Messiah we celebrate a massive instructed to do in Mth 5.44. Thus she can pro- leap forward in the realization of God’s plan vide an inspiration for us as, with the encour- to establish his kingdom on earth. The king- agement of the Australian Bishops’ statements dom of God is in our midst, and faith enables in recent times, we grapple with the reality of us to see the signs. But the kingdom grows violence in Australian society and the chal- like a mustard seed; it needs time to grow to lenge to cultivate a culture of peace. be a big tree. As yet it is largely in the future, But peace, as we are discovering, is a very something promised, and we are asked to be- big theme: peace is intimately personal yet glo- lieve in that promise: ‘Blessed is that person bal as well, encompassing peace with the en- who does not lose faith in me’. vironment, with the whole of creation. The miracles that are attributed to the in- The reason why we call Mary of the Cross tercession of Saint Mary of the Cross are to a saint rather than a philanthropist, as Cardinal be understood in that way. They are signs, the Pell reminds us, is the fact that her life was cen- beginnings of the realisation of God’s ultimate tred on God, and her work for others was her will for humankind. Saint Mary MacKillop is way of responding to God’s will. Her efforts in the action of promoting the kingdom. The for people were contemplation in action. Thus fact that only a few miracles occurred is what the articles in this issue that explore the con- we might expect, given that even Jesus him- templative tradition in Catholicism, marriage self cured only a few people, comparatively included, are able to find a niche in this issue. speaking. The kingdom of God is ‘now’ but is As I write we are in the season of Advent, also ‘not-yet’. and I am reminded that at the time of the can- —Barry Brundell MSC, Editor. 1 Compass #4 2010 text.indd 1 22/12/2010 2:52:17 PM COMPASS BOOKS ON SAINT MARY The beatification of Mary MacKillop in 1995 saw the release of many new and reissued publications, and this has also been the case with her 2010 canonisation. Following is a guide to MacKillop-related books. BIOGRAPHIES CORRESPONDENCE Mary MacKillop: An extraordinary Aus- Mary MacKillop and Flora: Correspond- tralian: The authorised biography. Paul ence between Mary MacKillop and her Gardiner SJ; Sisters of St Joseph of the Sa- mother, Flora McDonald MacKillop. Sheila cred Heart; PB $29.95 [ISBN McCreanor RSJ (editor); Sisters of St Joseph 9780957900264]; 505pp; 2007. Author was of the Sacred Heart; PB $24.95 the ‘postulator’ of the cause of MacKillop; [9780957997622]; 205pp; 2004. book is adapted from the official positio for Mary MacKillop in Challenging Times: her beatification. First published 1993. 1883-1899: A collection of letters. Sheila Mary MacKillop Unveiled: Australia’s first McCreanor RSJ (editor); Sisters of St Joseph saint. Lesley O’Brien; John Garratt Publish- of the Sacred Heart, dist. by St Pauls; PB ing; PB $29.95 [9781920721626]; 279pp; $24.95 [9780957997691]; 419pp; 2006. 2008. Updated edition of a work commis- Mary MacKillop on Mission: To her last sioned by the Sisters of St Joseph as a popu- breath. Sheila McCreanor RSJ (editor); Sis- lar biography for a general readership. ters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, dist. by Mary MacKillop Unveiled: Australia’s first St Pauls; PB $32.95 [9780646522890]; saint. Lesley O’Brien; Jenny Seedsman 421pp; 2009. (reader); Bolinda Publishing; Audio CDs SPIRITUALITY $39.95 [9781742673912]; 2010. Unabridged The Little Brown Book: Mary MacKillop’s audiobook edition. spirituality in our everyday lives. Sue Kane Mary MacKillop: The ground of her lov- & Leo Kane; Helen Barnes RSJ (illustrator); ing. Margaret Paton; Darton, Longman and St Pauls; HB $17.95 [9781921472268]; Todd, UK, dist. by Rainbow Book Agencies; 176pp; 2009. PB $29.95 [9780232527995]; 164pp; 2010. Mary MacKillop: A spiritual model for all. Mary MacKillop. Osmund Thorpe CP; E. J. Cuskelly MSC; St Pauls Publications; PB Generalate of the Sisters of St Joseph; PB $4.95 [9781921472626]; 48pp; 2010. Essay $14.00 [9780959231694]; 251pp; 1994. Third first published as the final chapter in the au- edition; first published 1957. thor’s Walking the Way of Jesus (1999). Mary MacKillop: Touching our lives. Judith God Will Take Care of Us All: A spiritual- M. Steer RSJ; Dorothy Woodward RSJ (illus- ity of Mary MacKillop. Pauline Wicks RSJ; trator); St Pauls; PB $14.95 [9781921472046]; St Pauls; PB $24.95 [9781921472367]; 80pp; 2008. Updated edition; first published 142pp; 2009. 1997. Mary MacKillop: Made in Australia. Dan- Julian Tenison Woods: A life. Mother Mary iel Lyne CP; St Pauls; PB $14.95 of the Cross MacKillop; Margaret Press RSJ [9781921472596]; 96pp; 2010. First pub- (editor); St Pauls; PB $29.95 lished 1994. [9781921472442]; 262pp; 220x150mm; 2010. Mary MacKillop: Spirituality and charisms. MacKillop’s biography of Fr Woods (1832- Daniel Lyne CP; St Joseph’s Generalate; PB 89), co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph. $15.00 [9780959231601]; 240pp; 1983. Kevin Mark manages the Australasian information in the Global Books in Print database and is former religious publisher for HarperCollins Publishers. 2 Compass #4 2010 text.indd 2 22/12/2010 2:52:17 PM SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS Homily During the Thanksgiving Mass for the Canonization of St. Mary of the Cross, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, 18 Oct. 2010. CARDINAL GEORGE PELL, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY ROTHERS AND SISTERS in Christ. dom uneasy. Although Macquarie laid the Fellow citizens of Australia. foundation stone for the first St. Mary’s Church BYesterday Mary MacKillop was can- in Sydney in 1821, for most of the colony’s onized at St. Peter’s Basilica here in Rome by first thirty years the public celebration of Mass Pope Benedict XVI as Saint Mary of the Cross, was forbidden. Indeed on becoming governor the first Australian-born saint in the two thou- Macquarie was obliged to swear on oath that sand year history of the Catholic Church. We he did not believe in the Catholic dogma of are delighted and grateful. transubstantiation! It was only in 1829 that The Australia of today which welcomes the Irish statesman Daniel O’Connell achieved this canonization is very different from the Catholic emancipation through the British par- separate British colonies where Mary spent liament after a long campaign of peaceful mass most of her life before the Commonwealth of protests. Australia was established in 1901. In most Macquarie was the first public champion ways Australia is now a better society, due to to the outside world of what he called Aus- the wisdom and hard work of our predeces- tralia, not New Holland or even New South sors, women and men like Sister Mary. The Wales. He was determined to change a con- Australia which was and is Protestant or irre- vict colony into a free society, the beginnings ligious has made room for Catholics and we of a nation and he built fine buildings, founded are grateful for this too. new towns, crossed the Blue Mountains, en- My second greeting this morning ‘Fellow couraged education for Europeans and for the citizens of Australia’ (and I apologize to those aborigines also.