Australia’s next sainthood cause sent to the Vatican

The cause for the canonization of Eileen O’Connor has been sent to Rome for an initial assessment, which could lead to her being declared "venerable."

According to The Catholic Weekly, Archbishop Anthony Fisher “officially signed off on the final decree for the acts of the cause at Cathedral House, alongside members of the Eileen O’Connor tribunal and the historical commission, who hope the Servant of God will become Australia’s second saint.“

So far, Australia has one canonized saint, Mary MacKillop.

The Vatican will now review the life of Eileen O’Connor to determine if she lived a life of “heroic virtue.”

If the Vatican affirms that she did live heroically, she would be declared “venerable.”

Who was Eileen O’Connor?

Eileen Rosaline O’Connor was born in Richmond, Australia, on February 19, 1892. By the time she was 10, her family would move near Sydney and she would be as active as she could in her school and local parish.

Eileen suffered from spinal tuberculosis, meaning she had severe curvature of the spine and only grew to 3ft 9in, but for much of her life, she could not stand.

Despite being in constant pain, O’Connor was known for her joyful disposition. Later on she related a possible vision of the Virgin Mary who encouraged her to offer her pain for the salvation of others.

She eventually was introduced to a young Missionaries of the Sacred Heart priest, Father Edward McGrath. O’Connor and McGrath shared a similar spiritual love of the Virgin Mary and became close friends.

O’Connor would relate to McGrath her private revelations from the Virgin Mary and McGrath explained to her his desire to establish a religious order of sisters who would help the poor and sick.

While O’Connor could do little to help McGrath establish the order, she quickly assumed responsibilities when he founded Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, affectionately known as the “Brown Nurses” for their brown habit honoring St. Joseph.

Her condition only worsened over time, and she died on January 10, 1921, shortly before her 29th birthday.

Many believed she was a saint, and in 1936 her body was found to be incorrupt.

Two miracles will need to be verified before she could be canonized a saint.