Mary MacKillop, excominicated 1871, a saint 2010

[The Magic Pudding]

Mary MacKillop is to become Australia's first saint.
If we have to have a saint I suppose we could do worse than Mary, a woman who was excommunicated for opposing paedophile priests.
It's odd how the church treats people who live the Christian ideal so poorly.
Once they're dead it's safe use their name though, they can't make an inconvenient fuss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_MacKillop

In early 1870, MacKillop and other members of the Josephites heard of allegations that Father Keating, of Kapunda parish to Adelaide's north, had been sexually abusing children.[12] MacKillop informed Father Woods, who in turn informed the vicar general Father John Smyth, who ultimately sent Keating back to Ireland.[12] The reason for Keating's dismissal was publicly thought to be alcohol abuse.[13] Keating's former Kapunda colleague Father Charles Horan was angered by Keating's removal, and sought retribution on the Josephites.[12]  Horan became acting vicar general after the death of Smyth in June 1870, and from this position sought to influence Bishop Sheil.[13]  Horan met with Sheil on 21 September 1871 and convinced him that the Josephites' rules should be changed; the following day, when MacKillop apparently did not accede to the request, Sheil excommunicated her, publicly citing insubordination as the reason.[14][12] Whilst the Josephites were not disbanded, most of their schools were closed in the wake of this action.[14]  Father Paul Gardiner, an authority on MacKillop's life who was cited by the media about the abuse situation, has claimed that he was misrepresented and that MacKillop had nothing to do with the abuse scandal because she was in Queensland at the time.[15]

Shortly before his death, Sheil instructed Fr Hughes, on 23 February 1872, to lift the censure on MacKillop. He met her on his way to Willunga and absolved her in the Morphett Vale church.[11][14] [16] Later, an Episcopal Commission completely exonerated her.

[navvelline]

I've heard about this story from another forum, it really isn't that surprising though. Especially in terms of excommunication, nuns were readily excommunicated within the Catholic Church then priest were. Well…unless [a priest] broke Vatican law [but a man would at least get thirty or more days notice before excommunication, that is if he did not rectify his “mistake”.

[The Magic Pudding]

I heard someone on the radio calling for her to be made patron saint of abuse victims.
I don't know if those proposing this truly expect success or are just highlighting the abuse issue.

[Tanker]

I heard someone on the radio calling for her to be made patron saint of abuse victims.
I don't know if those proposing this truly expect success or are just highlighting the abuse issue.

Catholic Saints get way more specific than that why not patron saint of children raped by priests? There are plenty of victims who could prey for her protection. At least they would have an ocassion or two to feel safe before thier prayers went unanswered.

[navvelline]

I heard someone on the radio calling for her to be made patron saint of abuse victims.
I don't know if those proposing this truly expect success or are just highlighting the abuse issue.

Catholic Saints get way more specific than that why not patron saint of children raped by priests? There are plenty of victims who could prey for her protection. At least they would have an ocassion or two to feel safe before thier prayers went unanswered.

That whole priest abusing kids thing makes me sick to my stomach. Even then they were covering up abuse from within its walls. I'm not sure how I feel about them having a patron saint for abuse victims, how would that solve issues of abuse from within the Catholic church? Not that they're trying to do anything...

[The Magic Pudding]

That whole priest abusing kids thing makes me sick to my stomach. Even then they were covering up abuse from within its walls. I'm not sure how I feel about them having a patron saint for abuse victims, how would that solve issues of abuse from within the Catholic church? Not that they're trying to do anything...

I don't think it would solve an issue, it does show it's impossible for Catholics to have a happy day without being reminded of their victims.
The pressure to take a harder line against abuse must be immense, but their god fantasy seems to strengthen resistance to change.