Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Calcutta (Agenzia Fides) - "This Christmas is very special. We are grateful and overjoyed at upcoming canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We are deeply grateful to God and to the Holy Father. Today there is an atmosphere of great enthusiasm in the Catholic community in Calcutta": the Archbishop of Calcutta His Exc. Mgr. Thomas D'Souza expressed his joy to Agenzia Fides and said that the Holy See recognized a miracle attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcutta and ordered to promulgate the decree of canonization.
"We have been waiting for this event for many years. Mother Teresa is a holy gift to Calcutta, for the Church and for the whole of India", he continues, saying: "This joy could not have happened in a better moment: in the Year of mercy: Mother Teresa was saint of mercy and compassion who fully lived every moment of her life. She lived compassion towards every man, especially towards the sick, the lepers, the abandoned. Today she teaches us to put mercy at the center of the Church's activity. We feel strongly inspired by her and her figure will accompany us throughout the Jubilee".
Mgr. D'Souza believes that Mother Teresa, appreciated and also loved by Hindus and members of other religions, may be "the figure that unites, helps dialogue in India, she helped the faithful of all religions and all men, without any discrimination".
This evening, December 18, the Archbishop will celebrate in the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta a thanksgiving Mass: "We thank God for the figure of Mother Teresa and for the gift that she made to our Church. We are grateful to Pope Francis, we will pray that the example of Mother Teresa will continue to guide our journey", he concludes
The remarkable miracle attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcutta dates back to December 9, 2008 and concerns a man with serious brain problems. She will be canonized probably on Sept. 4, 2016, on the anniversary of her death: the date will be made official in the next Consistory. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/12/2015)
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