Q: You actually touched on one of my next questions: the similarities between Mother Teresa and Pope Francis in terms of their style, their missionary style. You touched on this, but can you expand on the similarities between their approach to evangelization, being a missionary and the human person?
Jesus told us through the disciples, those who were close to him, he said as the last commandment, 'Go and tell everyone what I have told you.' That's the Gospel, no? Go and tell everyone the Gospel…Pope Francis in his very approach, in his sermons, in his interactions, in his very behavior itself, expresses the core of the Gospel, reveals who Jesus is…And the same love is brought to us by Jesus, and this is the core of the Gospel and Pope Francis is saying: Show it, exhibit it, transmit it. You religious, you diocesan priest, you bishops, you cardinals, you faithful, you people who have not yet found a space in your heart for the Church, come, let us try to exhibit who really Jesus is. Let us celebrate the core of the Gospel, the joy of the Gospel, through the family. And Mother Teresa did it even before Pope Francis as a Supreme Pontiff asked for. A total life dedicated to the poor, leaving aside all the secular life in the convent, born in Albania, traveled to India…And we need such gestures, such symbolic life still in the world…she took seriously the commandment of Jesus: go and preach the Gospel. And therefore there is a connectivity because what Mother Teresa did and what Pope Francis is asking us to do now again and again. There is a beautiful link, connectivity, closeness, because it is one and the same.
Q: So you would say their concept of mercy is very much in-tune?
The concept of mercy brings us together. Who doesn't need mercy except God? We all need mercy because mercy is the one virtue, or the grace, that consoles us, comforts us and strengthens us that we can continue our life with peace and serenity.
Q: Are there any celebrations or events in India to celebrate the canonization?
We will have a day of thanksgiving in Calcutta arranged by the Archdiocese of Calcutta, and also by our sisters in Calcutta. We all will be participating, and we're all there on October 2. And we'll have of course a thanksgiving Mass there. And on the very same day of the canonization day here, on September 4, our Apostolic Nuncio Salvatore Pennacchio, will celebrate a Mass at her tomb in Calcutta. And most probably on October 19, we'll have another thanksgiving celebration in the capital city of New Delhi to come together as a nation, again acknowledging the multi-faceted personality of Mother Teresa and her service. And as I mentioned, the need of being conscious of sensitivity to the poor. And we will have a day with the officials of the government of India and with the public of our citizens in Delhi. And certainly there will be celebrations in all the dioceses, 171 dioceses in India. On a day which is close to the thanksgiving day event, they will have a thanksgiving event in each diocese. On September 4, all our churches in India will have a special day of prayer and subsequent celebrations according to their convenience. The Church in India is very jubilant over this great occasion for this daughter of our homeland.
Q: How many have come from India to be here?
The government of India has been gracious enough to send a delegation of 15 people with the leadership of our Minister of Foreign Affairs including ministers, members of Parliament, also a few other important persons. And also the Chief Minister of West Bengal, that is the place where Mother Teresa worked, and the Chief Minister of Delhi, and two ministers from Kerala. They all are here and so many other delegations…And to my knowledge about 40-50 bishops from India are participating in the event, and for us 50 is a good number to come to Rome to celebrate. And also many people from different dioceses are coming to Rome to be part of this historic moment…
Thank you so much for the great opportunity to talk to our friends through EWTN, a channel which I always keep in my heart because of our beloved Mother Angelica and her incredible work of communication. God bless you all!
Elise Harris was senior Rome correspondent for CNA from 2012 to 2018.