Rafaela Prifti/
The remembrance of the 25th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death on 5 September 1997 was commemorated today in over a hundred countries worldwide. Throughout the holiday weekend, ceremonies and gatherings honored her work and legacy in service of God.
On Saturday, Vatra hosted a commemorative event to highlight the indelible footprint of Mother Teresa’s humanity.
She is affectionately referred to as the Albanian “Gonxhe” (Rosebud) in a nod to her birth name. In 1931 while teaching in Calcutta, she herself selected the name Terese – the Patron Saint of Missionaries – in recognition of her calling and commitment. Twenty years later, she was allowed by the Pope to start her missionary houses. In 1965 Pope Paul VI bestowed the Decree of Praise upon the Missionaries of Charity, which prompted her to expand internationally from South America to Europe, Africa and Asia.
MOTHER TERESA IN THE SOUTH BRONX AND HER NY CONNECTION
Her first house in the United States opened in the South Bronx in 1971 and moved into the Convent at St. Rita the following year. Since then, it has been serving as a homeless shelter and soup kitchen. Today, Cardinal Dolan joined the sisters giving Mass to remember their foundress with a day dedicated entirely to the service of the poor, in the style of the saint of the last. Mother Teresa stayed at the Bronx Mission for a few weeks in May and June of 1997. The mission later expanded its services to Harlem, where it runs a women’s shelter, and Brooklyn. Just months away from death, she flew from Rome to New York for a surprise visit. The news reports said that those associated with the event believe it should be listed as “a miracle’ attributed to Mother Teresa that speaks “volumes about her connection to New York.”(New York Daily News, September 3, 2016)
On Saturday, just a few miles away from Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, at Vatra’s main offices, members of the Albanian American community, scholars and Vatra officials honored her memory and reflected on the deep humanity of her life’s work. In his remarks, Elmi Berisha, President of Vatra, touched on the unique form of diplomacy she conducted by proudly maintaining who she was. “During the decades of communist self-isolation in Albania and severe ethnic repression of Albanians in Kosova, Mother Teresa’s pride in her ethnicity and inherited traditions carried an incredible significance on the world stage,” said Elmi Berisha. Dr. Paulin Marku echoed the qualities of the ultimate humanitarian who did not compromise her values in the face of cruelty. Under the communist regime, Mother Teresa was not allowed to pay respects to her mother and sister buried in Albania. As a scholar of Mother Teresa whom she calls “The Saint of Peripheries” in the eponymous book released last year, Dr. Ines Murzaku explored some of the ways Mother Teresa carried out her Gospel message. Adding a personal touch to the iconic figure, veteran journalist Sinan Kamberaj shared some memories from meeting Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity in mid 1990s. The Honorary president of Vatra, Agim Rexhaj, recalled paying respect to the Sisters at the Mission 25 years ago, as part of a Vatra delegation. He recognized a number of Vatrans like Marjan Cubi, late Zef Balaj, and many more that have been involved and have contributed generously to fundraising efforts and organizing drives to memorialize her. One such project is the Mother Teresa Cathedral in Prishtina. Throughout the years, the City Council and representatives of the Albanian American community have set street signs, statues and sculptures in her honor. Dedications of Mother Teresa portraits and artwork are present in many spots in New York. (Peace Park, Dag Hammarskjold Square, UN General Assembly) In 2012 her figure was sculpted at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo: Washington National Memorial) In her death, as in her life, the extraordinary humanitarian transcends borders and barriers.
In the context of Vatra’s work and mission, honoring mother Teresa is tied to the meaning of the civil service, which through her work and words she did not consider to be a profession but rather a calling.
MORE EVENTS
This month, James Towey, former cabinet member in the Bush administration and former President of Florida’s Ave Maria University, who served as Mother Teresa’s lawyer, advisor and devoted friend will release a new biography entitled “To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa (Simon and Schuster).
A Saint for Our Time – a New documentary depicting the life and legacy of Mother Teresa, canonized by Pope Francis, premiered at the Vatican movie theater on Aug. 31. Screenings expected to be announced by the producers.