Australia’s next saint may be a Sydney woman who died of spinal tuberculosis in 1920 at the age of 28. On Tuesday, Eileen O’Connor was officially awarded the title of ‘Servant of God’ by the Vatican. This is the first of the steps to be taken before a person can be declared a saint. The Read more
Cardinal Edward Clancy, who has been described as one of the great archbishops of Sydney, has died aged 90 on August 2. Known as a workaholic, a moderating force and a conservative, without being reactionary, that didn’t stop Cardinal Clancy having his share of disagreements with Rome. In fact, he once told a young priest Read more
The case for elevating Suzanne Aubert, the founder of the Sisters of Compassion, to sainthood, is being backed by an Australian who helped push for that country’s first saint. Sister Maria Casey, former postulator for Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop, is visiting to push along Sister Aubert’s claim for sainthood, a long and complicated process. “So Read more
An important link to St Mary MacKillop lies in the Barbadoes St cemetery in Christchurch New Zealand. Buried there is Mary’s brother, John, who transformed stables at Penola in South Australia to create the Sisters of St Josephs’ first school, which opened in 1866. The place of burial was recently given a special blessing by Bishop Barry Read more