Saint Mary of the Cross by William Modystack: book review

Saint Mary of the Cross: Mary MacKillop – a woman before her time (1982, new edition 2011) is a comprehensive history of Australia’s first saint.

Mary MacKillop’s Scottish parents met in Melbourne, Australia, and Mary was their first child in 1842, followed by another seven. Her first job was as governess in Penola, a small country town in South Australia. It was her meeting with Catholic priest Father Julian Tenison Woods that led to her vocation as a nun in 1866 at the age of 24, and her lifelong dedication to the poor, and her establishment of schools across the country.

At the same time, she co-founded the Order called the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart – the Josephites. This act began the first of the controversies that followed her career, for there were many who believed that there was no need to establish a new Order when she could have joined the Dominicans. In 1866 there were only 2 Josephite Sisters – Mary and Rose – but a year later there were 11.

Before any Catholic schools were established, Father Woods asked Mary to formulate the standards for managing education. This was to become the Rule of the Institute of St Joseph. When Bishop Sheil arrived in Adelaide, the growing capital of South Australia (the colony was only 35 years old), he wanted the Rule – the Josephite’s constitution – altered. For her adherence to the original constitution, Mary was excommunicated in 1871 for financial incompetence (with debts of 10,000 pounds) and insubordination. On the Bishop’s deathbed a year later, he lifted the excommunication. It was also the year her mother died.

Mary MacKillop was criticized from within the Catholic Church and by outsiders. In 1873, Mary travelled to Rome to see Pope Pius IX to implore his sanction for her “holy Rule.” Part of the Rule was that Mary did not want to accept financial aid, but preferred to honour her dedication to her vow of poverty by operating the schools on charity. Nor did she want to “submit to Diocesan authority; Central Government was essential.” In Rome, the Pope’s officials modified the original Rule, and Mary accepted. By 1875 government schools were well established with free and compulsory education, and the Institute of St Joseph had 43 Catholic schools with 125 Sisters.

Despite Rome’s support for Mary’s Rule (she was now Mother General of the Institute) a Commission of Enquiry investigated the finances and administration of the Rule in 1883 when the Pope died. In a letter, Mary wrote that everyone was sworn to secrecy during the Commission, “therefore I may not say what was I asked or not …” She added that “I do not hold myself blameless in some things. I should have been more vigilant and less trusting.”

She suffered a stroke in 1902 which paralyzed her right arm, and she couldn’t walk, but she continued her work. She died seven years later in 1909 and was interred in the Chapel of the Mount Street Convent in north Sydney in front of the Blessed Virgin.

In 1925 Mother Laurence began the process to have Mother Mary MacKillop declared a saint, but first it had to be shown that Mary’s actions led to at least two miracles. In 1992 the first miracle was attributed to Mary and officially recognized when Veronica Hopson recovered from cancer in 1961 after praying to MacKillop. In 1995 Pope John Paul II beatified Mary. In 2009 the second miracle was attributed to Mary when Kathleen Evans’ cancer recovery was recognized. In February 2010 her canonization was announced. On October 17, 2010, Mary MacKillop became Australia’s first saint, Saint Mary of the Cross.

A week later, I was in Georgia visiting the remote 14^th century Gergeti Trinity Church high on a hilltop under Mt Kazbegi – after a steep three hour climb up the mountain. I was the only person in the chapel, and the monastic hermitic priest asked, “Who is your saint?” I replied, “Mary,” confidently. “Which one?” the priest asked. I answered, “MacKillop.” He thought for a long time then asked “What century?” This was in a country where they have hundreds of saints, dating back centuries!

Modystack draws upon Mary MacKillop’s letters and newspaper excerpts as well as extensive research to present an interesting account of Mary as a person, but alsoas an administrator of Catholic education. It extensively covers Mary’s actions and beliefs, her motivations and reasonings, and her strict dedication to her vows of poverty. It’s an interesting read.