Live Webcast of Mary MacKillop's Canonisation

Katrina Lee, Director, Catholic Communications
24 Sep 2010

Live streaming of Mary MacKillop's canonisation ceremony in Rome will be seen on the social network www.xt3.com and the Archdiocese of Sydney website (www.sydneycatholic.org).

The webcast will be seen around Australia and internationally.

For the first time such a webcast will be interactive, allowing live chat, twitter feeds and a live questions and answer function.

The Xt3 portal will also be providing a feed to the Mary MacKillop website.

The webcast will begin on Sunday, 17 October at 5.00pm (ADST) with a special mass at St Mary's Cathedral which will be opened to the public.

Following the Sydney mass the webcast will cross live to Rome for the Papal Canonisation Mass. Those at St Mary's in Sydney will be able to watch events from Rome via our webcast to a large screen, which will be set up in the Cathedral forecourt.

The cross to Rome will be at 6.15pm (ADST) for an introduction prior to the beginning of official events at 6:30pm (ADST). Xt3 has arranged live commentary provided by Josephite Sister Giovanni Farquer and Sydney Archdiocesan priest Fr Mark Podesta, who will both be in Rome.

When news of the official canonisation was released by Pope Benedict XVI, Xt3.com and the Archdiocese of Sydney prepared and negotiated the extensive webcast, also offering it to the Sisters of St Joseph. Xt3 has worked extensively in the past with our service provider VIOCORP, including the live streaming of the handover of the World Youth Day Cross in Rome. It was this, and the successful World Youth Day experience, that encouraged Telstra to come on board as sponsor for this historic webcast.

Telstra CEO David Thodey said this week, "Telstra is delighted to be part of the Mary MacKillop canonisation, as it is a significant event right around the world. It means more than business, it's a delight for us to share in the experience".

Cardinal George Pell, who will be con-celebrating at the Papal Canonisation Mass, is also pleased the Archdiocese website and Xt3 can bring these historic events live via the internet to anyone in the world. Cardinal Pell said of the canonisation, "Saints are models who can inspire us, and encourage us to live faith-filled lives, based on love and hope. I am very much looking forward to the ceremony, but I am also extremely pleased those who can't be in Rome will still be able to watch the events via the webcast."