The website of the Josephite Order founded by Blessed Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop) describes their “Mary MacKillop Place Museum” in Sydney:

“Since opening in 1995 the museum has been engaging visitors with the story of Australia’s first Saint, Mary MacKillop, and the co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph. Follow Mary’s life story (1842 – 1909) and celebrate the legacy of this pioneering women (sic) today.

“A visit to the musuem (sic) includes an historical overview of key events in the history of the order and the current progress towards the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop in the Catholic Church.”

* * *

I am told that visitors are shown a short movie climaxing with an actor representing Bishop Sheil excommunicating Sister Mary (as she then was) shouting to everyone to get out or he will call the police.

Another room has dummies depicting Sister Mary’s excommunication.

In yet another area the visitor him/herself is surrounded by people dressed as priests, a judge and male officials, accusing him/her of drunkenness, blasphemy etc., ending with a loud verdict of “Guilty!”

* * *

The museum is modernistically set out. Unfortunately its creators were fanatical about the “excommunication” plus a desire to denigrate Bishop Sheil, Catholic priests, and men in general.

Nobody explains that the excommunication was improperly carried out and was never valid.

Or that Bishop Sheil himself reversed the “excommunication”, realising that he had been misled.

* * *

Blessed Mary of the Cross would be angry about this museum.

She would disown it — having a few unforgettable words to say to whoever devised it.

No matter how unjustly some priests judged her work, Blessed Mary told her Sisters always to think about priests the way she did:  “I would rather a dagger were thrust into my heart than hear a word said amongst us against priests – the anointed of God.”

* * *

Priests make mistakes. Priests commit sins. Priests need our prayers.

But we all need the Sacraments to give us forgiveness (Confession) and to give us God (the Eucharist).

No priests, no Sacraments. We would be spiritually so much the poorer.

Let us never belittle the priesthood.

May God forgive those who do.