Calcutta (Fides Service) – The Archbishop of Calcutta Lucas Sirkar has instituted a local committee to prepare for the beatification in Rome 19 October 2003 of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity known and loved world wide for their tireless service to the poorest of the poor. Celebrations in India will continue until 8 November and close with a final solemn celebration at Calcutta’s Netaji Indoor Sports Stadium.
The members of the Beatification Committee, 14 in all, Archbishop Sirkar, Sister Nirmala (Superior of the Missionaries of Charity) four diocesan priests and 3 religious, and four lay persons, met for the first time in early May to plan a series of meetings to discuss all the aspects of the beatification: spiritual, pastoral, organisation, logistics. The Archbishop will be able to inform Pope John Paul II with regard to local preparations for the beatification while he is on ad limina visit to Rome, 16-24 May, with a group of Indian Bishops from the provinces of Calcutta, Guwahati, Imphal and Shillong . PA (Fides Service 15/5/2003 EM lines 15 Words: 157)