Maybe.

Things are looking up for the sainthood cause of a Sister of Saint Joseph from Australia:

The imminent sainthood of Mary MacKillop is expected to be an early Christmas present for Australia’s Catholics.

Nuns campaigning for her canonisation say they expect the Vatican will decree the second miracle of the former Sister of St Joseph next week, leading the way to sainthood.

Australia’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer, says the nun’s case is “looking good”.

The speculation over her imminent canonisation intensified after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited Mary MacKillop’s Chapel in Sydney yesterday before flying to Copenhagen.

It has been 100 years since her death and as the centenary celebrations draw to a close, nuns in the St Joseph order are quietly optimistic.

Blessed Mary is revered by Catholics for her work, especially with needy children, former female prisoners and prostitutes.

She has been beatified for one miracle but a second is required to secure sainthood.

There is speculation that Pope Benedict will soon agree with doctors and theologians’ findings, that Blessed Mary’s curing of a woman with cancer was indeed a miracle.

Sister Maria Casey, the nun at the centre of the campaign for Blessed Mary’s canonisation, says the gift of sainthood might just be realised before the year’s end.

“Cardinals and bishops examined all the material, all the statements and agreed that yes, the process could be presented to the Holy Father,” Sister Maria said.

“When that then is decided he will issue a decree saying that the cure is truly a miracle.

“We are hoping before Christmas. An early Christmas present indeed.”

[snip] 

Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne, worked throughout South Australia and died in North Sydney.

She co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1866, but was excommunicated from the Church at one stage for allegedly disobeying authorities.

However she spent her life caring for those less fortunate.

Read on for more.