Date set for Mother Teresa's beatification

Mother Teresa, is to be beatified on October 19, the Vatican said today. The announcement was made by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples during a press conference called to present World Mission Day 2003. Cardinal Sepe said: ''This year, World Mission Day, which falls on Sunday, October 19, will coincide with celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's pontificate, and with the Beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.'' Mother Teresa qualified for beatification after Vatican officials acknowledged that she was responsible for a miracle in which an Indian woman was cured of stomach cancer through her intervention. Mother Teresa, who founded the Missionaries of Charity, died on September 5, 1997 at the age of 87. According to church law, the beatification process cannot begin until at least five years after a candidate has died. But Pope John Paul personally intervened to waive the waiting period for the beatification of Mother Teresa. source: VIS