CNS STORY: Gary is unexpected stop for relics of Mother Teresa on US, Canada tour

Bishop Dale J. Melczek of Gary, Ind., celebrates Mass at which relics of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta were on display at St. Mark Church in Gary July 17. (CNS/Tim Hunt, Northwest Indiana Catholic)

By Steve Euvino
Catholic News Service

GARY, Ind. (CNS) -- An unexpected visit from one's mother can be cause for alarm. That is, unless the woman is Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Relics of the foundress of the Missionaries of Charity and candidate for sainthood made an unexpected stop in the Diocese of Gary July 17. Joined by priests of the diocese, Bishop Dale J. Melczek celebrated Mass at St. Mark Church, where he blessed the relics -- a lock of Mother Teresa's hair, a reliquary containing her blood, a rosary, crucifix and her sandals.

Although Missionaries of Charity sisters do not grant interviews, Sister Marcella, the order's regional superior, did describe the stop in Gary as a "surprise visit from our mother."

The relics are making their way around some of the order's 50-plus convents in the United States and Canada, including 17 in Sister Marcella's region, as part of various events being held to mark the centennial of Mother Teresa's birth, Aug. 26. They were in Gary one day, after which they were taken to Chicago.

Among the cities that have had or will have the relics on display are Toronto; New York; Bridgeport, Conn.; Boston; Fall River, Mass.; Baltimore; Peoria, Ill.; and St. Paul, Minn. Not all the stops have been announced. They were to be returned to Calcutta, India, by July 30.

Despite news of the Gary visit coming quickly and 90-plus-degree weather, several hundred people filled St. Mark for the Mass, after which they were permitted to venerate two of the relics. Also, Missionaries of Charity sisters, who have served the diocese since 1999, accepted the faithful's prayer petitions to be taken to Calcutta.

Some of the people had met Mother Teresa on earlier visits to this country. Others assist the Missionaries of Charity ministries in this diocese, including a soup kitchen and other community service. Others, such as Dr. Lou Miceli, worked with the sisters in Haiti after the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Miceli told Gary's diocesan newspaper, the Northwest Indiana Catholic, that visit of the relics "really means that I have an example to follow. 'Give yourself to Christ' -- those aren't just words. I'm embarrassed and encouraged at the same time. I hope to get over my embarrassment and hope to be encouraged to do more."

Barbara Anderson admitted she has always been drawn to Mother Teresa because of "her ability to look past anybody to see the person of Christ in everyone she met. To go into the streets and mingle with those people -- she must have been a very humble and loving lady."

In his homily, Bishop Melczek noted that Jesus calls each person according to that person's gifts and vocation to be "Christ's light to people in our communities and our world -- we have no better example than Blessed Teresa of Calcutta."

He continued, "Today we recall her example and seek her intercession so we might be faithful to our vocation as she was to hers."

The bishop likened Mother Teresa's childlike simplicity and confidence in God to that of another woman -- Jesus' mother, Mary.

"We come together as a people of faith for (God's) gift of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to us," Bishop Melczek said. "We've all been touched in various ways by her example and intercession."

The bishop called the Missionaries of Christ's presence in the diocese a "special blessing to us."

Gerry Karwacinski could not explain it, but "something drove me here to come today." Debra Sakovich, a non-Catholic fried of Karwacinski, called Mother Teresa "awesome." She noted, "I hope to be like her one day -- don't we all?"

Mother Teresa, who received more than 700 awards and honors for her ministries, died Sept. 5, 1997, at age 87. At the time of her death, her religious order had 3,842 sisters serving in 594 homes in 120 countries. The order also includes male religious. Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa Oct. 19, 2003.

Mary Magana, one of many waiting in line to venerate the relics and deliver a prayer intention, said, "I admire her so much for her work among the poor. Hopefully, we can learn from her to grow in service to one another."

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