Pope greets MoC on Mother Teresa’s birth centenary

The message was read out by Archbishop of Kolkata Lucas Sirkar at the Mass offered this morning at the chapel of the MoC headquarters in Kolkata.

Greeting the MoC on the occasion,the Pope said Teresa exemplified the message of St John — “…If God loves us,we ought also to love one another. God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

“May this love continue to inspire you as Missionaries of Charity,to give yourselves generously to Jesus,whom you see and serve in the poor,the sick,the lonely and the abandoned,” the message read.

The Pope said he was spiritually joining the centenary celebrations. “I encourage you to draw constantly from the spirituality and example of Mother Teresa and in her footsteps,to take up Christ’s invitation: ‘Come be my light.”

Teresa’s birth centenary celebrations begin in Kolkata

A solemn Mass at the Missionaries of Charity’s global headquarters in Kolkata marked the formal beginning of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Mother Teresa by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kolkata.

The early morning Mass at the first-floor chapel of Mother House was attended by Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo of Ranchi as the main celebrant.

Archbishop of Kolkata Lucas Sirkar,Bishop of Baruipur Salvadore Lobo,Archbishop Emeritus Henry D’Souza were the concelebrants of the Mass along with nearly 60 other priests,including Fr Brian Kolodeijchuk,the postulator for the cause of Teresa’s sainthood.

MoC superior-general Sr Prema,and her predecessor,Sr Nirmala also attended the Mass,taking their position near the praying statute of Mother Teresa inside the chapel.

In his homily,Cardinal Toppo dwelt on the stages of Teresa’s life and exhorted the world to follow the philosophy which she embodied – being an instrument of God’s love.

A message from Pope Benedict XVI was read out at the Mass.

The service over,Cardinal Toppo,the Bishops,Srs Prema and Nirmala came down to the courtyard of Mother House to release balloons and pigeons as a symbol of peace,amid thunderous applause from the assembled nuns and the laity.

Kolkata had a special place in Teresa’s heart as it was here that she began her service for the poor and made the headquarters of her global order.