City church bells ring out to honour Saint Teresa

As Mother Teresa attained sainthood after her canonisation in Rome on Sunday, several churches in Mumbai, celebrated the event in their own special way.

As Mother Teresa attained sainthood after her canonisation in Rome on Sunday, several churches in Mumbai, celebrated the event in their own special way.

Father Cletus Gnomes from the Parish of St. Francis Assisi Church in Bandra said churches across the city rang bells and organised special prayer services in the name of Mother Teresa with beginning of the canonisation in Rome at 2pm. “This is a time of joy and merits celebrations in the Christian community as our blessed Mother attained sainthood,” said Father Gnomes.

A priest prays during a mass at Saint Mother Teresa Church in Virar near Mumbai, India, on Sunday. (Pratham Gokhale/HT)

Our Lady of Mercy Church in Thane, streamed the ceremony live for the parishioners.

“We watched a 20-minute short film on how Mother Teresa started her missionary in Kolkata. Little children attended the mass, wearing trademark white sarees with blue borders, and sang hymns for her,” said Melwyn Fernandes, a parishioner.

Manoj Sinha, union minister of state for communications, unveiled a postage stamp of Mother Teresa during a ceremony at Divine Child High School.

“Issuing a stamp in her name was a good gesture from the government’s side. It just shows that she belonged to all Indians,” said Bishop Agnelo Gracias, who was present at the event.

St. Joseph’s Church in Juhu, released about 50 white and blue helium balloons to celebrate the canonisation. “The parish priest got a sudden idea to release the balloons so we went and bought them in the morning. We also served food to around 85 families around Juhu bus station and also blankets and towels” said Baldwin Pereira, a parishioner.

The Blessed Mother Teresa Church in Virar was rechristened Saint Mother Teresa Church on Sunday evening. A special mass was organised by the Archbishop of Vasai Diocese in Palghar district, around 60 km north of Mumbai, in the presence of more than 5,000 Christians from the Diocese, Mumbai, Kolkata and other parts of the country.

While most churches celebrated the cannonisation, there were some that couldn’t take part in the celebrations as the date clashed with Novena – a nine-day period of worship. “As the canonisation is taking place on the third day of Novena, people from across the city are busy attending masses. But, people were glued to the TV sets watching the ceremony live,” said father Gnomes.

With agency inputs