Mother Mary MacKillop is unlikely to be named Australia's first saint named during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Sydney in July. Vatican officials say there are no plans to elevate the Catholic nun to sainthood during World Youth Day (WYD08), despite the Pope's scheduled visit to her tomb in North Sydney during the event.
Born in Victoria in 1842, Mary MacKillop co-founded the Sisters Of Joseph religious order.
She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in January 1995, but remains one documented miracle away from becoming Australia's first saint.
Beatification means someone is blessed and has performed a miracle, but a candidate must perform two miracles in order to be canonised and become a fully-fledged saint.
Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Guiseppe Lazzarotto, said it was unlikely a second miracle would be recognised in time for Mother Mary to be canonised in July.
"There is a canonical process and that must be completed," Archbishop Lazzarotto told reporters on Tuesday at Mary MacKillop Place, a museum which houses the nun's tomb.
"Until the process is completed, it is difficult to image anything new, but we are all hoping of course that the completion of the process may be finalised as soon as possible."
WYD08 coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher said more evidence of Mother Mary's sanctity was being gathered, but there was no news about an announcement of her sainthood.
"What the Pope says, what the Pope does, is up to the Pope when he is here," Bishop Fisher said.
"I'd love to have an announcement, but we have been given no reason to think that's going to happen. I think we know in our hearts that she is a saint-to-be."
Mother Mary is said to have cured a woman of leukaemia, but it has been difficult to satisfy Roman authorities she has performed a second miracle.
Miracles are officially declared when unexplained healing as a result of prayer is attributed to a person. The incidents must be approved by the medical profession.
Archbishop Lazzarotto also praised the efforts of WYD08 organisers, who he dubbed "the peaceful army".
"I was very impressed with what I heard and what I saw. They are working with a lot of enthusiasm, a beautiful spirit of dedication and so far everything proceeds in the best of ways," he said.
Sydney is expecting 500,000 Catholic pilgrims to attend the 23rd World Youth Day to run from July 15-20.
The event will include a mass with Pope Benedict XVI during his first visit to Australia.
Pope Benedict will spend eight days in Australia, including three days of rest at secret location prior to his official arrival on Sydney Harbour on 17 July.
Australia will become only the third nation after Turkey and the United States to have been visited by each of the three "travelling Popes" - Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and now Pope Benedict XVI.
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