Mother Teresa's elevation to sainthood thrills Mothers' House

Kolkata: Mother Teresa's elevation to sainthood on Tuesday brought cheers in the Mother's House, headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity here, and a big thanksgiving Holy Mass is being planned.

"Pope Francis today approved Mother Teresa's elevation to sainthood and set September 4 as the date for her canonisation," a message from the Vatican to the Mother's House said.

The elevation of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa, who dedicated most of her life to working with the destitutes and the downtrodden in Kolkata, to sainthood came after the Church recognised a second miracle earlier, the Missionaries of Charity (MOC) said.

"We have now received an official confirmation from Vatican that Pope Franscis has approved Mother's sainthood and set September 4 as the date for her canonisation. We are very excited and happy about it," Missionaries of Charity Spokesperson Sunita Kumar told PTI.

Archbishop Thomas D'Souza said that the canonisation was a formality but an important one.

"This is the last step in the canonisation process wherein the Pope meets the cardinal and signs the decree," D'Souza said.

The MOC and other Christian associations in Kolkata are planning a big thanksgiving Holy Mass on October 2 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here. It is also having a special mass and prayer to mark the occasion this evening.

Nuns at the MOC said the canonisation in Rome will have a special universal significance because of Mother's popularity.

Sister Prema and Archbishop D'Souza will go to Rome to attend the canonisation.