European Churches" "
“An important decision by the Albanian government was to set up an interministerial and interreligious commission to coordinate the events and celebrations planned for the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. That’s commendable, but within this commission I’ve insisted that the emphasis be not placed on the outward aspects, but that efforts be made to diffuse knowledge of the life and work of Mother Teresa, to be able to make a greater commitment in favour of the poor”: so said Bishop Angelo Massafra of Scutari, president of the Albanian Episcopal Conference, speaking of the imminent beatification of the nun of Albanian origin and founder of the Missionaries of Charity, due to take place in the Vatican on 19 October. The Albanian Catholic Church is preparing for its pilgrimage to Rome by various events that form part of the extraordinary Jubilee Year granted by the Pope to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Council of Arberi. In recent days Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini led a course of spiritual exercises for Albanian seminarians and young priests at the Marian Sanctuary at Letnica in Kosovo, where Mother Teresa had her vocation. “With the Council of Arberi the Christian community found the strength to stem the tide of islamization explains Msgr. Massafra whereas today our task is to return to preaching Christianity after decades of atheism”. Another commemorative event held in recent days was the 2nd international peace conference with the slogan “Like Mother Teresa, with and for the poorest of the poor”, held at the “Village of Peace”, with the support of the Albanian bishops, the Ministry for Culture, and the Justice and Peace Commission. In the dioceses and parishes of Albania various prayer meetings and events of a cultural character are also being held in preparation for the beatification of Mother Teresa; their aim is to spread knowledge of the new Blessed among the population, also among non-Catholics. The press, radio and TV are busily diffusing biographies, news, and features on Mother Teresa. The whole beatification ceremony in St. Peter’s Square will be transmitted live by Albanian television.
