Australia prepares for Canonisation of first saint

Sep 30th, 2010

Blessed Mary MacKillop

Thousands of Australian Catholics are preparing to make a pilgrimage to Rome to attend the Canonisation of Blessed Mary MacKillop, on 17 October. Up to 50,000 pilgrims are expected to gather in St Peter's Square for the ceremony.

Events to mark the day are also being planned across Australia. These include a major public celebration in her birthplace, Melbourne. A morning Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral, will be followed by a parade from her Brunswick St, Fitzroy, to the Royal Exhibition Building where there will be a festival of music and entertainment in the gardens, a prayer service and live broadcast of the ceremony from St Peter's Basilica at 7pm Melbourne time.

Sister Josephine Dubiel, Victorian Province Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, the order founded by Mary MacKillop, said: "Excitement is certainly starting to grow. It will be the most spectacular event around Australia on the day."

For more information see the official Mary MacKillop site: www.marymackillop.org.au/

and ICN report: Australian Catholics jubilant over news of first saint www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=15681

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