Nun whose order fought abuse becomes saint

[cal04]

Source: CNN

Australia got its first Catholic saint Sunday, a feisty 19th-century nun who was briefly excommunicated when her colleagues exposed an abusive priest.

Mary MacKillop co-founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1867, and gained a reputation as the first Australian nun to leave the cities and minister to the rural poor.

Nuns in her order got evidence that a priest was engaged in "scandalous behavior," according to the Rev. Paul Gardiner, who has spent decades researching MacKillop's life.

(snip)
Some 4,000 people attended an outdoor mass Sunday to celebrate the canonization in Penola, where she started her ministry in a disused stable.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/17/vatican.australia.saint/?hpt=T2

[hlthe2b]

1. 19th century nun exposes and of course the men excommunicate

her and the abuse continues. Where does this pattern seem familiar? Women ordained as priests may not be THE answer, but it is part of the answer. They need to be part of the power structure. And the Catholic church needs to clean house of its antiquated, abusive men in power.

[Catshrink]

2. I have a dear friend in that order

She taught me how to swear with alacrity instead of under my breath.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. What a coinkydink that the decision to make her a saint right now is such

interesting PR for the pedophilia scandals going on ...

[AngryOldDem]

6. +1

[nyc 4 Biden]

4. k&r

[meow2u3]

5. History has shown the world..

..that when men refuse to use their power for good and instead become cowards and either commit or allow atrocities, women come to the forefront to expose male cowardice and tyranny and thus become the real heroes. These real women who have had the ovarian fortitude to stand up to evil have been, at first, regarded either as "heretics", "lunatics", or even worse--sluts, whores, etc., and have been persecuted for the malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasances of the males in power.

Look at a few examples from history:
St. Joan of Arc...Dorothy Day...Susan B. Anthony...St. Teresa of Avila...now St. Mary MacKillop.

You go, girl. I hope to join you soon.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. +1