For what it's worth: Danny Russell on Mary

mX  News Friday, 15 october 2010 [page 8]

'I  have had a vested interest in Mary MacKillop. twice I have prayed to her for miracles; twice she has let me down.

The first was for my wife, Kerrie, who had terminal cancer.

It was almost five years ago, and I didn't pray alone.

My aunty, who knows about these things, organised a novena. Friends, family members and anyone we could muster would stop what they were doing at the same time every night for nine days and utter a devotional prayer to Mary MacKillop and ask her to cure Kerrie's cancer. Even my atheist brother took part.

It was a good deal both ways - Mary MacKillop, who had been beatified about 10 years earlier, could deliver a second miracle to ensure she became a saint, and Kerrie got to live.

Even though I wasn't a regular churchgoer or a man of unwavering faith, it didn't strike me as odd, or misguided, or even hypocritical to turn to such an intangible source for help.

When someone you love is slipping through your hands, what else can you do?

Kerrie, as was her way, felt a bit uncomfortable but mainly humbled that people cared enough about her to go to all this fuss.

She shouldn't have. It made people feel good.

Sadly, the prayers went unanswered.

The second time, I prayed alone.

The idea came to me after a day in Penola, visiting the Mary MacKillop Museum because we needed a rest from the beach while holiday in Robe. I figured I had a hotline [to] above.

During his prayer, I asked Kerrie that if she happened to run into Mary that it would be greatly appreciated if they could ask God to bless my second wife with a child.

We needed a miracle. Because of age, time was running out. Her body clock was nearing 12, and the window of opportunity was all but closed. We had even tried the miracle of science, IVF.

This prayer, too, went unanswered.

But I'm not bitter on Mary MacKillop. What would be the point?

Nor do I begrudge the Australians who claim they were granted miracles by the former Australian nun. I'm glad of their good fortune. How could you not be?

But I am sceptical it was Mary MacKillop who intervened.

Medical experts said they were bamboozled by these cases of miracle survival. But these are the same doctors who are at loss to explain exactly how it is we get cancer int he first place.

Attributing miracles to Mary MacKillop allows people to overlook her real work - for which she deserves to be a saint.

She was a woman, when alive, who could get things done.

She provided an education for children, who otherwise would have gone without.

She taught these underprivileged kids in a remote area of Australia during the 1800s how to read and write. In a barn.

From there she founded schools, developed a curriculum and established an order of nuns to help spread this 'education revolution'. All without financial gain.

So come Sunday, I won't be buying a souvenir mug, or keeping the reams of papers and posters dedicated to our new saint. I'll just be glad she is being recognised for what she did - on earth.

How could you not be?'

Danny Russell is an mX staffer who believes if he is struck by lightning tonight, it will probably just be a coincidence.