Australia's highest ranking catholic Cardinal George Pell has urged the Pope to make Mary MacKillop the country's first saint. Cardinal Pell, the archbishop of Sydney, told a eucharist service on Saturday at St Mary's Church, North Sydney, celebrating the centenary of MacKillop's death that her sainthood was almost "completely certain".
But with the Vatican in summer recess, the thousands of worshippers who watched the service, either in the church or on a big screen at nearby Sydney Oval, will have to wait at least a few more weeks for confirmation of the title.
"Pope John Paul II declared her blessed in 1995 which is one stage short of her being proclaimed officially a saint," Cardinal Pell told the service.
"It's almost completely certain she will be become our first publicly recognised Australian saint and we hope Pope Benedict will make the declaration soon."
The service was one of a number being held across Australia on Saturday celebrating the life of Mary MacKillop.
Born in Melbourne in 1852, she co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph and is held in high regard across the globe for her work helping those in need.
She is particularly recognised for setting up schools in South Australia and her work with indigenous populations.
MacKillop carried out her work despite significant personal hardship, not least a brief excommunication by the church said to be caused by a misunderstanding over her beliefs.
She was also expelled for a short time from Adelaide by senior bishops within the church.
Cardinal Pell admitted the church at the time had treated her "disgracefully" but said she had not lapsed into "bitterness".
"This community needs its home-grown heroes and local models to encourage us in the right direction," Cardinal Pell told the service.
"We need blessed Mary as a guide. We know Australians are good but some can be very good."
MacKillop was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 meaning the Vatican verified her first miracle of healing a woman with terminal leukaemia.
A second miracle said to be carried out by MacKillop which would confirm sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican.
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