THE fact Brisbane archdiocese’s 175-strong Mary MacKillop canonisation pilgrimage group is the largest from Australia in Rome today to witness the event reflects Queensland’s affection for Australia’s first saint.
One of the chaplains to the group and archdiocesan Moderator Fr Peter Meneely said the pilgrims had been drawn “from Childers to Coolangatta”.
“It seems fitting that our group will be the largest, given Mary is now the patron of the archdiocese,” Fr Meneely said.
“The large numbers also reflect how close to Queenslanders’ hearts Mary MacKillop and her sisters have grown over the many years they spent educating the children of this state.
“So to be in Rome to see the canonisation of a woman who walked our streets will be a marvellous personal and collective faith moment for the pilgrims, the archdiocese and the Church in Australia.”
Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane and Fathers Ray Kearney, Clem Hodge and Bernie Gallagher are also accompanying the group which left from Brisbane to fly to Venice last weekend.
Fr Meneely said the pilgrims, once they reached Venice, were to travel in four buses to Mass at St Mark’s Basilica on October 10.
Following a day touring Venice, the group were then to travel via Padua to Assisi.
“In Padua, we will attend Mass at the Basilica of St Anthony,” Fr Meneely said.
“The archbishop and all priests on the tour will celebrate Mass with the local priests in the basilica.
“In a way it’s repaying a visit the apostolic nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto made earlier this year.
“Padua is his home diocese and he visited Brisbane with several priests from this diocese.”
Other highlights in the lead-up to today’s canonisation ceremony in Rome included visits to the Basilicas of St Francis and St Mary of the Angels in Assisi and tours through various Vatican museums.
Fr Meneely told The Catholic Leader, before his departure with the archdiocesan group, that a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop through Rome was also bound to be a tour highlight.
“This will be an opportunity to see Rome through the eyes of the young Mary in 1873 when she lived in the city for about a year and a half while waiting for her order’s approval by the Holy See,” he said.
“Landmarks, sites and churches that played such an imperative role in her quest will be visited.
“These include the Anglo Americano Hotel where Mary spent her first nights in Rome and where staff were bemused that her entire luggage was contained in one small box.”
On the Saturday vigil leading to the canonisation a concert celebrating Mary MacKillop’s life was also to be attended by the group, he said.
Archbishop Bathersby will be one of the bishop concelebrants at today’s canonisation Mass.
Fr Meneely, who will distribute Communion at the Mass, said he regarded it as a “great honour” to be among the priests nominated by the Sisters of St Joseph to take part in the canonisation Mass.
The Thanksgiving Mass at St Paul Outside-the-Walls tomorrow (October 18), which concludes Brisbane archdiocese’s pilgrimage, would in some ways be even more special, he said.
“At the canonisation Mass, Mary MacKillop will be one of six saints to be canonised.
“However, the Thanksgiving Mass will specifically give thanks for Mary’s life so will be attended mainly by Australians.
“The Mass will bring to a fitting conclusion one of those unique moments in the history of the Australian Catholic Church and Australia itself.”
