TACLOBAN CITY- The elevation of blessed Mother Teresa into sainthood elated her devotees here in the region.
On Sunday (Sept.4), Pope Francis led in the canonization of Mother Teresa at the Vatican to sainthood.
Saint Teresa, born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Albania, died on September 5, 1997 and was beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II on October 19, 2003.
“She is an embodiment of true Christianity, sacrificing one’s comforts for the good of another who is in dire need. Her humility and simplicity are virtues worth emulating in this world of materialism and self-preservation,” said Eileen Ballesteros, a mother and government worker in Tacloban City, on how life and works of Mother Teresa inspire her to become a good public servant.
Land rights worker Rina Reyes also said: “Although I am not well-versed about Mother Teresa’s life and journey, all I know is that her works and devotion to the poor deserve the sainthood.”
Teresa, now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, visited Calbayog City for four days started on December 31, 1986 on the invitation of Julio Cardinal Rosales.
For his part, Father Virgilio Cañete of the Palo archdiocese said that while she did not personally saw the newly-named saint from Calcutta, India, he felt her presence when she visited Manila at the time that he was also there as a young seminarian.
“Unfortunately no. She was in Manila once, but I wasn’t able to attend her talk to the priests, and seminarians,” he said.
“I already knew a little what she was doing even as a seminarian since she was already at that time much talked about and publicized,” Cañete said.
For his part, Cebu-based priest Roy Cimagala said that even then, Mother Teresa exuded with an “aura of holiness.”
“I did not have direct dealing with her. But what I can say is that even from afar, she exuded an aura of holiness and goodness,” Cimagala recalled.
In Tacloban, followers of Mother Teresa operated its Missionaries of Charity for the needy people in the city and region.
(RONALD O. REYES)
