Mother Teresa Sainthood
Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the champion of poor and needy was beatified on 19th October 2003 by Pope John Paul II, after she died in 1997. After her death, Mother Teresa came to be regarded as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and her beatification was the first step on her path to sainthood. The ceremony of the beatification of this Macedonian nun who dedicated her life to humanity, took place in Rome leading to an immense increase in her popularity and people’s belief in her vocation.
Hundreds and thousands of people gathered at St. Peter's Square to celebrate her beatification by Pope John Paul II for her advocacy of poor. However, after her beatification, another miracle is needed to complete the process of her sainthood.
Pope John Paul II addressed the crowd and said “Brothers and sisters, even in our days God inspires new models of sainthood, some impose themselves for their radicalness, like that offered by Mother Teresa, whom today we add to the ranks of the blessed.” The 83-year old pontiff further added in a slow and shaky voice, “In her, we perceive the urgency to put oneself in a state of service, especially for the poorest and most forgotten, the last of the last.”
During the ceremony, a smiling portrait of Mother Teresa was unveiled. The nun is now known as the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, only one step away from sainthood. If we pick up the pages of history, we will notice that the process of beatification or canonization for sainthood has now been shortened. It was in early 1999, less than 2 years after Mother Teresa’s death that Pope John Paul II dispensed with the normal 5 year waiting period for awarding sainthood and instead allowed instant beatification for canonization.
Due to a miracle reported by a woman, the Holy Father recognized Mother Teresa’s gift to heal and thus gave his approval for one of the shortest beatifications in modern history paving the way for canonization. According to the fact, a non-Christian Indian woman reported the healing of her huge abdominal tumor on the first death anniversary of Mother Teresa. She reported that she woke up to find the tumor gone. In her case, members of the Missionaries of Charity had prayed for their founder’s intervention to help the sick women and took it as a miracle when she recovered.
According to the members of the Missionaries of Charity after the announcement of her beatification, "Her (Mother Teresa’s) life of loving service to the poor has inspired many to follow the same path. Her witness and message are cherished by those of every religion as a sign that 'God still loves the world today."
They believe that since Mother Teresa’s death, "people have sought her help and have experienced God's love for them through her prayers. Every day, pilgrims from India and around the world come to pray at her tomb, and many more follow her example of humble service of love to the most needy, beginning in their own families."
Finally on the day of Feast of the Assumption of Mary in 2001, the diocesan inquiry into Mother Teresa's sanctity was brought to an end by the officials. They collected enough evidences and testimonials from people who knew Mother Teresa closely to take the first step in the long process of canonization. A year earlier on August 26, 2000, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim admirers came together in Calcutta to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa and to pray for her speedy canonization even then.
However, Mother Teresa commonly known as the ‘Saint of the Gutters’, is already recognized as a modern-say saint by Christians around the world. Even Archbishop Henry D'Souza of Calcutta was reported by Catholic News Service as saying that Mother Teresa’s tomb "remains a shrine where people are praying and from which many are receiving grace and strength." Also a long time friend of Mother Teresa, Archbishop D'Souza beliefs that God will provide miracle to prove her cause as it was her single mindedness, devotion to humanity as well as consistency her in efforts that made the world recognize her hard work.
