Search the Internet          Tips

Missionaries of Charity rejoices over Pope's approval of miracle

Pope John Paul II's approval on Friday of the miracle attributed to Mother Teresa was received with joy at her Missionaries of Charity global headquarters in Kolkata.

Senior nuns at the Mother House, including Sister Christie, announced the papal decision, which is a step forward to Mother Teresa's sainthood.

"Oh, we are very happy. We have been waiting for this announcement since morning," said Sister Christie, holding charge in the absence of MoC Superior General Sister Nirmala, who is away at the Vatican.

"We will hold a special thanksgiving mass on Sunday morning to express our gratitude to the Vatican," Sister Christie said.

In a press release the Moc said the beatification would take place in Rome on Mission Sunday, 19 October 2003, the closest Sunday to the 25th anniversary of the Holy Father's Pontificate and the end of the Year of the Rosary.

The order set up by Mother Teresa said that after three and a half years of investigation and study, the Church had confirmed that Mother heroically lived the Christian life and that God had lifted her up both as a model of holiness and an intercessor for all.

Kolkata's Archbishop Emeritus Henry D'Souza, who had constituted a five-member tribunal within the Diocesan Inquiry Team, to examine the miraculous cure of an abdominal tumour of a North Bengal tribal woman Monica Besra, said he was very happy.

The Archbishop said Vatican's approval of Mother's beatification was a sense of fulfillment for him. "I am indeed very happy that the process which started in Kolkata in 1997, found its logical conclusion in Rome".

Asked about the controversy over the miracle attributed to the Mother, the Archbishop asserted that it was raised by people who were unaware of the facts.

"The fact is that the organic matter was there in the abdomen of Monica Besra when she first prayed to Mother on her first death anniversary. The next day, however, the organic matter was just not there," he said.

ALSO READ:
West Bengal rejects Mother Teresa's miracle
Doctor claims pressure to ratify Teresa's miracle
Vatican cardinals recognise Mother Teresa's miracle

Tell us what you think of this report