A Mass on Wednesday in the ancient church of Santa Maria alla Navicella marked the 15th anniversary of Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s death.
The solemn liturgy was presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, in a packed church, and enriched by the polyphonies of the imposing choir of the Diocese of Rome. A photo of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was situated in the sanctuary area.
“Mother Teresa has been dead for 15 years, but her memory is very alive because the saints leave a sign,” Cardinal Comastri told Zenit. “All false greatness is extinguished. Mother Teresa once said that history is the incinerator of all pride, but she was humble and that is why her memory is still alive and her example is still fascinating.”
Cardinal Comastri concluded by recalling that “Mother Teresa’s example is important in the Church especially today, after the Pope proclaimed a Year of Faith. All the crises in the Church are rooted in a crisis of faith: the Pope said it on so many occasions and Mother Teresa repeated it many times.”
At the end of the Mass two reliquaries were exposed with relics of Mother Teresa that the faithful were able to venerate; then two Sisters handed out a small card containing a little medal and a phrase of the Albanian Blessed who moved and worked in India.
Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, postulator of the cause of canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, explained to ZENIT:“We are awaiting a miracle, we receive many signs of grace, verified every year, almost always, in some important case and we are investigating them, although at present we await one sufficiently strong and solid to present it to the process. We are confident that it will arrive.”
“We must recall that to have a miracle that is useful for the process of canonization someone must pray to Mother Teresa and she must intercede. God must work the miracle, but it is also necessary that persons inform us about what has happened. After which, as postulator, I will see to it that it is studied and presented to the appropriate scientific committees,” continued the postulator.
“The communion of saints enables us today to be better connected with the Blessed Sister. In a certain sense it is easier now because before it was necessary to call her on the telephone or at Calcutta, or write a letter, even if, with so many arriving, the answer was delayed. Now we can communicate with her 24-7.”
Today the Missionaries of Charity number more than 50,000 and they have almost 700 Houses.