CatholicTV To Air Canonization Mass of First Australian and Canadian-Born Saints & Four Others

On October 17th, CatholicTV will air the canonization Mass of six new saints, including Blessed Mary MacKillop from Australia and Brother André Bessette from Canada. Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the Mass, which will take place in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

The Mass will air at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV cable outlets at noon (Eastern) and again at 8PM.

In addition, CatholicTV will air a documentary on Blessed Mary MacKillop, “Mary MacKillop: Australia's First Saint”, at 11AM and again immediately following the second broadcast of the Mass at 8PM. As part of its commitment to vocations, CatholicTV features a program on the founder of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Blessed Father Basil Moreau, in which Blessed André is prominently featured.

More information on those being canonized on Oct 17th:

Blessed Stanislaw Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, professed priest of the Canons Regular of the Lateran, born Sept. 27, 1433 in Kazimierz (Poland) and died in the same place May 3, 1489;

Blessed André Bessette (born Alfred), religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross; born in Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville, Canada, Aug. 9, 1845, and died in Montreal, Canada, Jan. 6, 1937;

Blessed Candida Maria of Jesus, baptized Juana Josefa Cipitria y Barriola, founder of the Congregation of Daughters of Jesus, born in the hamlet of Berrospe, Andoain (Guipuzcoa), Spain, on May 31, 1845 and died on August 9, 1912.

Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop (baptized Mary Helen), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart; born on January 15, 1842 in Fitzroy, Australia, and died on August 8, 1909 in Sydney, Australia;

Blessed Giulia Salzano, founder of the Congregation of the Catechetical Sisters of the Sacred Heart; born Oct. 13, 1846, in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy, and died May 17, 1929, in Casoria, Italy;

Blessed Camilla Battista da Varano, sister of the Poor Clares and founder of the monastery of St. Clare in Camerino; born April 9, 1458, in Camerino, Italy, and died in the same city May 31, 1524.