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Mother Teresa and the Path to Canonization by Norm Berger A postulator was appointed It finally happened, providentially in this Year of Mercy : to gather documentation on

Mother Teresa was declared a saint by Pope Francis on Mother Teresa and September 4th, just one day shy of the date, nineteen years shepherd the process along. ago, that Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu was called to God . Of This was Father Brian course, there are many people in the world, both Catholic Kolodiejchuk, one of the and non-Catholic alike, who already recognized the sanctity of the foundress of the Missionaries of Charity. (MC) Fathers who had They were convinced of that even while she was alive, but come to know Mother especially after her death. Still, Mother Teresa walked the Teresa as a young man of Church’s path to sainthood just like other saints, and an 21. The postulator has a lot interesting path it was indeed. of responsibility to gather

information on the subject . To appreciate the canonical process of being formally recognized by the Church, it is helpful to know the steps For Mother Teresa, this involved approximately 35,000 to canonization as outlined by Church Law. The diagram documents! When the subject is declared a Servant of God, the postulator moves to Rome so as to be with the below may help. In Mother Teresa’s case, the “Start” block in the diagram began scarcely two years after her death in Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Father Brian then 1999, when Archbishop Henry Souza of Calcutta, had the job of searching for or waiting for news of any requested that Pope John Paul II dispense with a five-year miracles alleged to have taken place through the intercession of this Servant of God. waiting period between he arting the process which leads to canonization. The first miracle to advance the cause to beatification that continued on page 2

Note: The requirement for one or both miracles may be waived by the Pope (as in the case of Pope St. John XXIII)

NewStan 1 me as if I must end up in hell – then I simply offer myself

Mother Teresa 1 continued from page 1 to Jesus.” came to the attention of Fr. Brian related to a woman Remarkably, through the pain of this suffering, Mother’s `named Monica Besra of Bengal in India who had a every act was of great mercy to her clients and/or of great tumefaction (akin to a tumor) in her abdomen . Her family humility in her dealings with the poor and the famous who had tried different things to help her but had no succ ess. sought to meet her. As St. Faustina is known as the On Sept ember 5, 1998, (1st Anniversary of Mother “Apostle of Mercy,” I believe St. Mother Teresa will Teresa’s death), an MC sister took a medal of Mary, become known as the “Great Dispenser of Mercy” previously touched to Teresa’s body, pressed it to especially relevant in this Year of Mercy. Monica’s abdomen, and prayed to Mother Teresa to cure 1 the poor woman. This was at 5PM. At 1AM, s ix hours http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/435930-i-have-more-often-as-my-companion- darkness-and-when later, while arising during the night, Monica found that the swelling in her abdomen had disappeared and subsequently she was considered cured. The next miracle required for the canonization took ten years to uncover due to difficulties confirming other possibilities as miracles. Finally Marcilio Haddad Andrino , a Brazilian man, was found. He had developed a bacterial infection in the brain causing multiple abscesses leading to hydrocephaly. His wife started praying a novena to Mother I Mean t to Go Back … Teresa, and asked her family members to do the same. A Thanksgiving reflection, inspired by Luke 17:11-19, Then Marcilio went into a coma and was near death. A by an anonymous author doctor got him into an operating room and left to find I meant to go back, but you may guess another doctor to drain the excess fluid from his brain. I was filled with amazemenet I cannot express Returning he found Marcilio awake, in no pain and saying “What am I doing here?” It was deemed a miraculous To think that after those horrible years, recovery. That passion of loathing and passion of fears, Well, so that was that, you’d say? Well, no. Fr. Brian also By sores unendurable…eaten…defiled had to deal with an adversarial witness in the process. This My flesh was now smooth as the flesh of a child. turned out to be the well-known atheist, Christopher I was drunken with joy; I was crazy with glee; Hitchens. In his book The Miss ionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice and in testimony during the process I scarcely could walk…I scarcely could see, Hitchens called out Mother as “not a friend of the poor, For the dazzle of sunshine where all had been black… but a friend of poverty and the worst of the rich”. He also But I meant to go back…oh, I meant to go back! attacked the press for its “soft-hearted, soft-headed, and I had thought to return…when my people came out. uninquiring propaganda” on her behalf. In her lifetime, Mother Teresa didn’t allow Mr Hitchens’ words to bother There were tears of rejoicing, and laughter, and shouts; her and her popularity in life and death is her answer to They embraced me,…for years I had not known a kiss this calumny. Ah, the pressure of lips is an exquistie bliss! Some questioned Mother’s qualifications to be a saint at all They crowded around me, they filled the whole place because of her seeming “atheism.” This charge was leveled They looked at my hands and my feet and my face; because of Mother’s description of often feeling painfully abandoned by God over a period of forty years; a veritable My children were there, my glorious wife “dark night of the soul.” And all the forgotten allurements of life. Such words as these from Mother Teresa are heart- My cup was SO full…I had nothing to lack! rending: “I have more often as my companion ‘darkness’. But I meant to go back…oh…I meant to go back! And when the night becomes very thick – and it seems to NewStan 2

Parishioner Spotlight Sister Barbara McGahan, RSM her writings and work, she called others to see the issu es of by Dan Miller poverty in our country and called others to help. Day, a “Our charity must be in our hearts and from our hearts, and a convert, was an ardent follower in Jesus’ mission of charity such as Jesus Christ practiced while on earth.” - Sister helping those in need. There is currently a cause open for Catherine McAuley, foundress of the her canonization, and she is given the title “Servant of God.” Day certainly sets a wonderful example for Sr. Sr. Barbara McGahan, our director of parish social Barbara, and for all those involved in social ministry. ministry, has done a wonderful job of living out the mission of Christ to serve others through our parish. Sr. Barbara’s devotion to her religious order, the Sisters of Mercy, also influenced her dedication to social ministry. In When she first came to St. Stani slaus, Sr. Barbara was addition to their three vows, the Sisters of Mercy take a thrilled to be coming to a parish with a reputation in our fourth vow of service — one of the main reasons Sister area for having a long-standing devotion to social ministry Catherine McAuley founded this order. The Sisters of and outreach to the poor. It was an exciting prospect to be Mercy can be found in many areas of ministry, mostly working directly in a parish with such a long and insp iring involving service to those in need. history in social ministry. For Sr. Barbara, parish social One memorable experience for Sr. ministry is a two-way street. Both Barbara occurred when she those giving and receiving can encountered one of the less live their baptismal call and give fortunate members of the thanks to God. People in need community. He was extending know that they are receiving help comfort and consolation to from the parishioners of St. another member of the parish who Stanislaus. Since Sr. Barbara has was grieving after a l oss in her been here, her profound gratitude family. This outreach of love to the pa rishioners of St. showed how the people in our Stanislaus has been growing community who are being constantly as we continue to supported by our parish are in turn support the parish food cupboard supporting others in need in a and service projects. different way. This cycle of service Parishioners can certainly help and stewardship is so rewarding to with our social ministry by being Sr. Barbara, and she hopes it wil l involved with our food cupboard. continue to grow through our People often engage in the spirit parish social ministry. of generosity during the upcoming Thanksgiving and When Sr. Barbara was growing up, helping the poor in her Christmas seasons. community interested her. She was told by her mother that Sister Barbara would like to extend her gratitude to our this involvement “skipped a generation,” because her parish for what we have done to support parish social grandmother was also involved in social outreach. She ministry. Our food cupboard is unique in our community, contemplated consecrated at a young age. This calling because many other communities do not have the same eventually won out, after many years. size and support that ours has. Our parish can be proud of Activist and journalist Dorothy Day is one of Sr. Barbara’s what we have done for our Lansdale community, and we role models in social ministry, and Sr. Barbara says that are honored to have Sr. Barbara as our director of social Day is our “American Mother Theresa,” because she ministry. worked throughout many parts of our country. Known for God bless Sr. Barbara and all who help her in our par ish founding the Catholic Worker newspaper, Day was a long social ministry! standing and outspoken activist for social reform. Through

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Our Pastor’s Surfing Around?  Pen  You can visit the official Mother Teresa Dear friends / Mis amigos queridos, website of the Missionaries of Charities for videos, audio, photos and more on Who would have anticipated that a little, our newest saint at: but powerful, woman religious would be http://www.motherteresa.org/ declared a saint of the Church less than twent y years from her earthly death? Yet that is what we witnessed earlier this year as the summer ended and we geared up for autumn . St. Teresa of Calcutta was a remarkable woman who performed ordinary acts of kindness to the poor in an extraordinary and exempla ry manner. Her work with the “poorest of the poor” in the slums of Calcutta N E W S T A N attracted international attention. People wanted to be close to her; MISSION STATEMENT they sensed the odor of sanctity that she enjoyed. In response to the St. John Paul II’s call to evangelization, In his book My Life With the Saints , author James Martin writes: St. Stanislaus Parish started publishing NewStan to serve members of the parish community and the community at The saints offer us encouragement, like the runner just ahead of us in the race, large, to inform parishioners and members of the North urging us on and reminding us to pace ourselves. This is true not simply when we Penn region about new developments in the parish, and to are sick or discouraged but also when we’re leading health, active lives. … The serve as a channel for communications among St. Stanislaus saints are models of what our lives could be. parishioners and benefactors. St. Teresa of Calcutta reminds us that it is Christ whom we serve EDITOR when we ante up our can goods or spread a little of our wealth to Paul Cutajar charitable initiatives. When done with the right attitude and intention, even simple acts of kindness become holy. ASSOCIATE EDITORS Norman Berger, Annie Fillenwarth, Each of us brings something different to the table and we each Dan Miller, Lorraine Milller, Cathy Nicodemus, manifest our own personal way of holiness that enlivens our faith Dianne Spotts, Marianne Thomas, Lino Viola, Nancy Viola community at St. Stanislaus. In our own ways every individual STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER believer helps build up the Kingd om of God in ways that others Ed Kunze cannot. If the saints could do it, then so can we, with God’s help to PARISH STAFF LIAISONS AND CONTRIBUTORS support our feeble efforts. St. Teresa of Calcutta was on to Trish Cunningham, Maureen Fillenwarth, something when she said that “you can do something I can’t do; I Karen Smith, Msgr. Joseph Tracy can do something you can’t do. Together let us do something beautiful for God!” Are you ready to try? Those who wish to contribute items for publication should Everyone is welcome to worship with us at St. Stanislaus on forward them to the NewStan mailbox in the St. Stanislaus Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you have not already, soon you will Parish Center The inclusion of submitted material is subject to the judgment of the editors in consultation with receive a schedule in the mail of the upcoming celebrations. Please Monsignor Tracy and the St. Stanislaus Communications visit with fellow parishioners (and get re-acquainted with God, if Director. The editors reserve the right to edit all submitted needed) at one or more of them. Bring your family or a friend. We material for length and content. would LOVE to have you come back regularly. Visit St. Stanislaus Parish on the web at Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and the season of www.ststanislaus.com Advent/Christmas!. Follow us on Facebook: St. Stanislaus Lansdale Sincerely in the Christ Jesus, Have a question about St. Stanislaus Parish, or about the Catholic faith in general? Forward questions to the NewStan mailbox in the Parish Center, anonymously if desired. We will get them to the right person and publish the answers in a future issue.

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Calling All Parishioners!

ST. STANISLAUS PARISH IS UPDATING THE P ARISH DATA SYSTEM

Do we have your most updated information? Have you been receiving our Parish Emails?

Please provide us with the following information to verify in our system:

1) Family Name: ______

2) Home Address (we have a few families with the same last name and want to be sure to update the correct family’s file)

______

3) Home Phone #: ______

4) Cell # (s): ______

5) Email Address(es): ______

6) Name of Children and birthdates: ______

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DON’T DELAY….SEND YOUR UPDATED INFORMATION TODAY!

Three Easy Ways to Respond:

1) Email your information to: [email protected]

2) Call the Parish Center at (215) 855-3133 and speak with Trish in Parish Records

3) Tear out this page from NewStan and drop it off at the Parish Center or drop it in the offertory

basket with your offering over the next few weeks

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you. We don’t want anyone to miss out on the latest and greatest

happenings within St. Stanislaus Parish!!

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Two Books on Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: The Authorized Biography by Navin Chawla

Mother Teresa’s Secret Fire by Father Joseph Langford

by Lorraine Miller with her family, and in If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. (Psalm 95). th e convent. We are told We have ample proof that the Lord does speak to us. In that as a young girl, she the 1930’s, He told St. Faustina, that He was the Divine always wanted to go to Mercy, and gave her the Divine Mercy prayers for us. On India. Without a penny September 10, 1946, He said, “I Thirst. Come be My to her name, and accepting no gifts of any kind for herself, Light. . .” to St. Mother Teresa while she was on a train to she established a world-wide network of help for the

Darjeeling, India. She was a small woman, seemingly no poorest of the poor. Humility was not an effort for her. It different than any other, and had been a for 17 ye ars was a way of life. Humility is a positive quality essential to the act of loving. The opposite of love is not hatred, but with the Sisters of Loreto. At that point. Mother Teresa’s faith convictions, rooted in Scripture and illuminated by pride, the source of all hatred. Therefore, there can be no her train experience, formed her attitudes, guided her love without humility – since love and pride cannot choices, and molded her into the person she became. coexist. She did not reveal her conversations with Jesus until near the end of her life. She rarely discussed her To get a full picture of this remarkable women’s life, it holiness. In one of her rare statements about herself, she helps to read more than one book. Mother Teresa: The stated, “By birth I am Albanian. I am an Indian citizen. I Authorized Biography, written by Navin Chawla, and am a Catholic nun. In what I do, I be long to the whole published in 1992, gives a detailed account of her early life continued on page 7 St. Teresa in Norristown by Dianne Spotts At the time of Mother Teresa’s death in 19 97, it is reported exception needed to operate the shelter, which still serves that she had established 517 mission sites in 100 countries between 50 to 70 meals at 10:30AM every day except where her order, the Missionaries of Charity, was helping Thursday and Saturday. The shelter houses from 3 to 10 the sick and destitute. One of these opened in Norristown women (and children) at any given time. in 1984, at the request of Cardinal Krol. A soup kitchen This ministry of love involves not only running the shelter and a shelter run by four of the sisters was to be and the soup kitchen, but extends into the neighborhood,

established in the former St. Patrick’s convent. There were where the four sisters visit th e elderly and those living by zoning issues and concern expressed by some residents. themselves. On Saturday, the also assist in religious training of neighborhood children, particularly those who That is, until Mother Theresa came, on one of her seven visits to our Archdiocese. When she atten ded a Mass at St. speak Spanish. Patrick’s Roman , across the street from I spoke with Joe Valovage from Visitation Parish, who the Missionaries of Charity convent, a throng of thousands helps to coordinate these efforts. He to ld me the sisters are filled the church and the neighboring streets. She met with always cheerful and smiling – no matter the weather or a group of government officials to learn what had to be dispositions of the people they deal with. He appreciates accomplished for the shelter to operate. the lifelike full-sized statue of St. T eresa that is in the According to “Philly.com,” Sam Vallone, a member of the convent, which makes him feel she is always there. borough council at the time was quoted as saying: “I’ve On September 20, Archbishop Charles Chaput held a met two presidents, and I was awed by the significance of special Mass at St. Patrick’s in Norristown to celebrate our their office. Then here comes this little old lady who had new saint, across the street from the convent she opened no office, but has done so much for humanity.” in 1984. As we ask her intercession for the ‘least ones’ in As you might imagine, the officials melted; it didn’t take our midst, let us follow her example, and do what we can long for the zoning board to grant the convent the special to ease their suffering. NewStan 6

MATER DEI CATHOLIC SCHOOL: “By the Number s”

8 12.5% Students on team that iincrease iin student won trophies for Highest 2 enrollllment from the Individual Science Score, 3D Printers in 2015-16 schooll year Highest Team Science Computer Labs to the 2016-17 schooll Score, and Highest Overall Score at the LC year Math and Science Bowl.

Over 23 433 $1 million iiPads used by visits by Mater Dei in high school students to volunteer students on carts or through the 1:1 iiPad scholarships earned at Manna on Main by 8 th graders since Street in the past year program school’s inception

$6500 44 119 raiised by students Students in grades 1 students registered in through bake salles and through 8 participating CARES pre-and after- dress-down days for in the Learning school care program llocall chariitiies and the Resource Programs band program

Graphic taken from the Mater Dei 2015-2016 Annual Report avai lab le at: www.materdeicatholic.com/2016/09/23/annual-report-2015-2016 Books on Mother Teresa continued fro m page 6 world, but my heart belongs entirely to Jesus.” Upcoming GIFT Programs

Mother Teresa’s Secret Fire In by Father Joseph Langford, Date GIFT Speaker and Topic published in 2008, the author paints a picture of her life as Dec. 13 A representative from the Egyptian Coptic she pursued her mission. Her life is an example for us. 2016 Church, St. Mary and St. Kyrillos, being Although we may not travel the world, we can make a constructed on Unionville Pike in Hatfield difference within our own circle by extending Christ’s with speak. In this presentation we will learn mercy to everyone we meet. about our Egyptian Christian neighbors and In Secret Fire , Father Langford tells us that Mother Teresa their faith. www.stmarystkyrillus.org wanted to remind us that: Jan. 10, Tim Gillen, a parishioner, will speak about “Our lives on earth are an ‘uninterrupted series of enco unters with the 2017 FOCUS (The Fellowship of Catholic Son of God, hidden in mystery, under what she called the “distressing University Students) a campus outreach that

disguise” of human pain and poverty -- a mystery that Jesus presents invites college students into a growing

as the one theme of our ‘final exam’ on the Last Day.” relationship with Jesus and the Catholic faith. With faith, all things are possible. Mother Ter esa’s life is This ministry reaches our young people at a our proof. Both books are available in the public library. critical time in their lives. www.focus.org : NewStan 7

NewStan Non-Profit Org. The Newsletter of St. Stanislaus Parish U.S. POSTAGE PAID 51 Lansdale Avenue Lansdale, PA Lansdale, PA 19446 Permit No. 217

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 Mother Teresa and the Path to Canonization 2 I Meant to Go Back… 3 Parishioner Spotlight: Sr. Barbara McGahan 4 Our Pastor’s Pen 5 Calling All Parishioners! 6 Two Books on Mother Teresa 6 St. Teresa in Norristown 7 Mater Dei Catholic School: By the Numbers

Parish Census Data for June – August 201 6

Daniel Bednarek & Shannon Niglio Walter Boguslaw Jordan Miller &

John Raiden Barrett Angela Conrad Joseph Paul Ciamaichela & Peter & Kimberly Joseph C. Beyer Evangeline Alberta Campbell Meghan Elizabeth Cooper Harrison Castle Conrad McBrearty Providence Bychinski David H. Chapman Nathalia Elias-Rios Esmeralda Cucuzza Nicholas Paul Coyne, Jr. & Wayne Clugston Madeline Irene Fitzgerald John & Barbara Delp Jaime Lynn Bolton Emily Flores Emily Driver Francis R. Collins Damien Tucker DeLany & Jennifer Flores James & Roberta Diver Elmer Harry DeFrehn Rebecca Grace Weston Michael Fulmer Paul & Ann Fieger Donna M. Devlin Abromaitis Ryan James Gilmour Philip & Megan Greiner Jerrianne Emming Sophie Mae Harkins James & Jennifer Guerra Kyle Mackenzie Fry & Patricia L. Farina Levon Charleston Kravitz Meghan Kauflie Jenna Marie Fagan Rita T. Field Kaia Langlais Paul & Barbara Kriebel Michael Gregory Marquis Mary Anne Haas Lucy Ava Marquis Allen & Leigh Leftwich & Michele Lucy Sr. Ann Teresa Jayden Alexis Mayorga Ramos Chad & Deann Lentz McKernan Klucharich, RA Edward D. Lynch Harrison Loren McDevitt Deborah Lynett Alexandre Alberto Arruda Betty C. Marquis Noah Angelo Mongone Edward & Maura Lynett III Pecora & Ana Paula Diane Mary Phillips Nikola Ching Niedziela Ariel Gabiria & Johanna Vanella D'Agostino John Everett Nisbett Owings Francis M. Russo Erin Park Edward Miller, Jr. & Frederick J. Salone Vanessa L. Nunez Antonia Maria Falcone Miguel Angel Rosiles Garcia Deacon Juan & Blanca Virginia E. Stanziola Gennaro Kenneth Sanna Valentin Daniel Jacob Napolitano & Stephen A. Tierney Colin Walter Snarke Andrew Walker Ashley Nicole McGinty Grace M. Ward Hannah Theresa Thoonkuzhy Michelle Wright J. Willard Weigner Luisa Maria Trinidad Perez Denise Welsh-Cristini Jennie C. Zisa

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