The Australian government has placed a ban on businesses using the name of the country's first saint in an attempt to prevent them cashing in on the late Catholic nun's growing celebrity. The move, which will dismay scores of small businesses that had been hoping to capitalise on an influx of Catholic pilgrims, comes as Mary Mackillop-mania takes hold across Australia in the lead up to her canonisation by the Pope this weekend.
Julia Gillard, the prime minister, announced on Monday that companies would be banned from using names associated with Mackillop unless they had sought special government approval.
Mackillop is only the second Australian, after the cricketer Donald Bradman, to be afforded such protection by the state.
Under the provision, using the words "Mary MacKillop", "Saint MacKillop" or even "Our Mary" without prior approval could attract prosecution.
A government spokesman said that the move would not affect T-shirts, stickers and pendants sold by the Sister's of St Joseph, the order created by Mackillop, because their trademark was registered before the law came into place.
However the regulation will affect small businesses that planned to sell merchandise to pilgrims during the celebrations.
Scott Driscoll, president of the United Retail Foundation, said that small businesses across Australia had been "banking on" being able to take advantage of the event.
"There has to be some balance, of course we must respect what Mary Mackillop represents to our nation, but her story must be told to the public, and one of the ways of doing that is through commercial ventures."
Diane Williams, who owns Di's Gifts and Flowers in the rural South Australian township of Penola, where Mackillop spent a large part of her life, said that she had bought in merchandise from an accredited company, but that there was some confusion in the town over what would and would not be allowed following Ms Gillard's announcement.
"I bought some Mary souvenirs from a company in Western Australia, they just arrived today.
"I have a piece of paper from the company confirming that they have the right to sell the products, so I hope they are OK."
An estimated 5,000 pilgrims are expected to make the journey to Penola, an hour's flight north of Adelaide, where a parade and open-air mass will be held on Sunday.
Mackillop was born in Melbourne in 1842 but her journey to sainthood began in Penola, where she taught poor children and later established the Sisters of St Joseph.
Since her death, she had been credited with two miracles – curing two terminally ill women in 1961 and 1993 who prayed to the late nun – and several other remarkable events, including the recovery of an Irish backpacker who fell into an eight-month coma after being beaten up outside a pub.
Under the provision, using the words "Mary MacKillop", "Saint MacKillop" or even "Our Mary" without prior approval could attract prosecution.
A government spokesman said that the move would not affect T-shirts, stickers and pendants sold by the Sister's of St Joseph, the order created by Mackillop, because their trademark was registered before the law came into place.
However the regulation will affect small businesses that planned to sell merchandise to pilgrims during the celebrations.
Scott Driscoll, president of the United Retail Foundation, said that small businesses across Australia had been "banking on" being able to take advantage of the event.
"There has to be some balance, of course we must respect what Mary Mackillop represents to our nation, but her story must be told to the public, and one of the ways of doing that is through commercial ventures."
Diane Williams, who owns Di's Gifts and Flowers in the rural South Australian township of Penola, where Mackillop spent a large part of her life, said that she had bought in merchandise from an accredited company, but that there was some confusion in the town over what would and would not be allowed following Ms Gillard's announcement.
"I bought some Mary souvenirs from a company in Western Australia, they just arrived today.
"I have a piece of paper from the company confirming that they have the right to sell the products, so I hope they are OK."
An estimated 5,000 pilgrims are expected to make the journey to Penola, an hour's flight north of Adelaide, where a parade and open-air mass will be held on Sunday.
Mackillop was born in Melbourne in 1842 but her journey to sainthood began in Penola, where she taught poor children and later established the Sisters of St Joseph.
Since her death, she had been credited with two miracles – curing two terminally ill women in 1961 and 1993 who prayed to the late nun – and several other remarkable events, including the recovery of an Irish backpacker who fell into an eight-month coma after being beaten up outside a pub.
SIC: TC/UK