New saint-to-be brought love, hope to Hub, world
When Pope Francis officially proclaims the beloved Mother Teresa of Calcutta a saint at a canonization ceremony this week in Rome, I will be in attendance and will join the millions of admirers across the globe who will pray together for a new saint who was a saint the moment I met her at Harvard in 1982.
In addition to honoring this wonderful Albanian missionary nun — who I will always remember as the “Angel of the Streets” — for all of the good work she did on behalf of the poor, I’ll be remembering all those she gave food to, built housing for and comforted over the years.
I’ll always remember one morning, just after a special Mass and celebration outside of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope was taking his usual “popemobile” ride around St. Peter’s Square when I noticed that he spotted a few U.S. Navy sailors standing in back of the crowd. He waved in their direction and they waved back.
I was sitting in the diplomatic section, close to the main altar next to the cardinals, and I walked over to Cardinal Edmund Szoka and told him what I had just seen. He told me that Mother Teresa of Calcutta was going to attend a small reception at the Vatican garden in a few minutes and asked if I wanted to invite the U.S. sailors.
“Let the Swiss Guards know that I said it was OK,” he said. Well, it turns out the sailors were stationed in Naples and were assigned to the Naval operations in the military conflict in Bosnia.
At the reception in the garden, the sailors not only met Mother Teresa, but she graciously shared her experiences growing up in that region of the former Yugoslavia. They even met several Vatican officials and were treated to some delicious Italian treats.
“Ambassador Flynn, we can’t believe Mother Teresa could have been so generous with her time,” they said in disbelief. “All the powerful people she could have spent her time with.”
I replied: “In my life’s experiences, it’s usually the people who are the most famous who are the kindest.”
From Ted Williams and Stan Musial to Frank Sinatra and Jackie Robinson. I found them to be among the finest people I ever got to know — and Mother Teresa was no exception.
She had a very special relationship with the people of Boston going back to June 1982, when she delivered the commencement address at Harvard University.
Her compassionate message on behalf of the weak, the needy and the unborn is still regarded as one of Harvard’s most memorable events. I had the pleasure of assisting her in that historic visit.
She brought love and hope to Boston — and now we’re all going to thank God for her life.