Cardinal Roche: ‘Beacon of hope’ St. Teresa recalled in liturgical texts

Feb 12, 2025

By Cardinal Arthur Roche
On 24 December 2024, the day on which Pope Francis opened the door in the Vatican Basilica, marking the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Hope, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued a Decree on behalf of the Holy Father (Prot. N. 703/24), by means of which the celebration of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, virgin, was inscribed in the Calendar of the Roman Rite on 5 September as an optional memorial.

This insertion willed by the Holy Father in response to the requests of bishops, religious and associations of the faithful, and considering the influence of the spirituality of Saint Teresa of Calcutta throughout the world, wished to propose her an outstanding witness to hope for those who had been discarded in life.

Together with the Decree there are, in the Latin language, elements to be added to all liturgical Calendars and liturgical Books for the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, as well as the Roman Martyrology.

It is now the responsibility of the Bishops’ Conferences to translate, approve and, after confirmation by this Dicastery, publish these liturgical texts for this celebration, as provided for in the current norms (cf. Apostolic Letter in the form of the motu proprio Magnum principium).

In his homily at the Eucharistic Celebration, during which the Rite of Canonisation of Saint Teresa of Calcutta took place (4 September 2016), Pope Francis pointed to her as a generous conduit of divine mercy which, like “salt” which gives flavour to everything, and “light” which illumines the darkness, pervaded all that she undertook.

This Servant of the least of the least is, therefore, an authentic icon of the Good Samaritan. “Her mission to the urban and existential peripheries,” as the Holy Father noted in his homily, “remains for us today an eloquent witness to God’s closeness to the poorest of the poor.”

In the liturgical texts of this celebration, the Collect prayer opens for us the heart of her spirituality: the call to satisfy the thirst of Jesus Christ on the Cross by answering with love the needs of the most needy. For this reason, we beseech God the Father that, imitating her example, we may minister to Christ present in our suffering brothers and sisters.

For the Lectionary, the first reading is a text from the prophet Isaiah concerning the fast that is pleasing to God (cf. Is 58:6-11), followed by Psalm 33: “I will bless the Lord at all times.”

The Gospel, preceded by the Alleluia, highlights the revelation of the mysteries of the Kingdom to little ones (cf. Mt 11:25), and includes the beautiful text of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew which, after enumerating the works of mercy, contains the following words brought wonderfully to life in Mother Teresa: “Whatever you have done to the very least of my brothers and sisters you have done also to me” (Mt 25:40).

With regard to the Liturgy of the Hours and following the hagiographical note, is the second reading of the Office of Readings, a text taken from the letter that the saint wrote to Father Joseph Neuner in 1960, in which, opening her soul, she manifests the darkness of God’s absence through which she lived for many years yet joyfully offered to God, so that, bearing faithfully this trial, many souls may be enlightened.

The liturgical texts conclude with the eulogy of the Roman Martyrology which now places her in first position of celebrations on 5 September.

May the insertion of this celebration in the General Roman Calendar help us to contemplate this woman, a beacon of hope, small in stature yet great in love, a witness to the dignity and privilege of humble service in the defence of all human life and of all those who have been abandoned, discarded and despised even in the hiddenness of the womb.

* Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.--Vatican News