NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- On Saturday, September 5, Cardinal Pio Laghi will preside at a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica commemorating the first anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa.

      The Vatican's plans for the observance, unveiled in Rome today, include broadcast on the Italian television network Mediaset, and worldwide distribution through Telepace. That broadcast will also give a report on several projects founded by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate: in India, Italy, Palestine, Albania. and the United States.

      The 200 Missionaries of Charity now working in Rome will attend the Vatican ceremonies on Saturday. The order founded by Mother Teresa now includes 5,000 members around the world.

      Cardinal Laghi, the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education- - who calls himself "an adopted spiritual son" of Mother Teresa-- headed the organization of the Vatican event. He told reporters that he hoped the ceremonies would call greater attention to the work of the Missionaries of Charity, thereby promoting their efforts to build a hospital in Tirana, Albania-- a project that was one of Mother Teresa's great ambitions.

      Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, the secretary of the preparatory committee for the Jubilee, said that the Albanian-born nun had a pivotal role to play in preparations for the Year 2000. "The Jubilee is one of the great events of our times, and Mother Teresa is one of the great figures of our time-- a spiritual witness for our age," he said. He called Mother Teresa "the godmother of the Jubilee."

      Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the director of the Vatican press office, commented that Mother Teresa "is very popular, but not very well known." The program is intended to provide a deeper understanding of her charitable work and spiritual depth. Television producer Cristina Parodi added that the program would show, "Despite her wrinkled ace, she radiated the beauty that is born of love."