CATH NEWS REPORT: The official biography of St Mary MacKillop, which draws on historical records and the saint's own letters, has proved so popular it has been republished, the Josephite Sisters said in a media release.
Fr Gardiner was, for many years, the postulator of the Cause of Mary MacKillop, a role which gave him access to letters and other archival material essential to his research.An Extraordinary Australian - Mary MacKillop, written by Jesuit Father Paul Gardiner and first published in 1993, is based on the 'position paper' which was written to tell Mary MacKillop's life history as part of her canonisation process.
Fr Gardiner's book gives a no-nonsense account of the life of Mary MacKillop, from her birth in 1842 in impoverished circumstances in Fitzroy, Melbourne, to her death in 1909 at the place that now bears her name in North Sydney.
Paul Gardiner's book deals with controversial issues from Mary MacKillop's life that are still talked about today, including the circumstances around her temporary excommunication from the Catholic Church.
The book also details the breakthroughs made by Mary MacKillop and her Sisters in educating children and helping the poor in cites and remote settlements in both Australia and New Zealand.
Fr Gardiner says it is important that a book like this portrays Mary MacKillop as she really was.
"This woman was the quintessential 'Aussie battler'; a very human person with great courage.
"Spiritually speaking, Mary MacKillop was a woman whose holiness was apparent to everyone who met her but she was very much one of the people. I am delighted that her story continues to be told," he says.
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