Together We Can Do Great Things

On  4^th September 2016, there were great celebrations around the world as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was canonised. As part of the celebrations, I am delighted to be able to share the story of St. Teresa of Calcutta’s connection with the Association. Incidentally, SURVIVE-MIVA’s Patron Saint is St. Thérèse of Lisieux and, when Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu (now St. Teresa of Calcutta) took her first vows as a religious, in 1929, she took the name Sr. Mary Teresa, apparently choosing Teresa because St. Thérèse of Lisieux was one of her favourite saints.

SURVIVE-MIVA’s archives hold correspondence between the then Mother Teresa and staff at SURVIVE-MIVA: a copy of St. Teresa of Calcutta’s signature is shown in the picture opposite. It was agreed that SURVIVE-MIVA would supply (thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Catholic Parish of Sawston, Cambridge) a nine-seater minibus for the work of the Missionaries of Charity in Cairo.

On the vehicle application form that was completed by the Sister Superior in Cairo, the work the Sisters were engaged in was described as follows:

‘Our main work is with the Dustbin Dwellers in Muqattam. The sisters go daily to this area where there are about 8,000 people living from collecting and selling the rubbish from the city. We teach the children hygiene, reading, writing and sewing. We have a weekly dispensary in a little room…When someone is very sick we take them to hospital. The sisters go to two other poor areas to give medicine to the poor.’

In the summer of 1982, when the vehicle was almost ready for transport to Cairo (in those days vehicles were sent by land and sea whereas nowadays, of course, we provide grants for in-country purchase), it so happened that Mother Teresa was visiting her sisters based in Seel Street, Liverpool quite close to the SURVIVE-MIVA office (then in the Liverpool University Chaplaincy Building, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool 3). Of course this presented a great photo opportunity and the press and scores of people turned up to catch a glimpse of Mother Teresa receiving the keys to the vehicle; she was, even then, acknowledged by many as a saintly woman.

Perhaps you were there when Mother Teresa visited Liverpool? Maybe you were a parishioner of Our of Lourdes Parish, Sawston and were involved in the fundraising?  If so, then please share your memories with us on Twitter (@SURVIVE_MIVA) or Facebook (@SurviveMIVA).

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot;
together we can do great things.”
St. Teresa of Calcutta.

Theresa Codd
Assistant Director (Development), SURVIVE-MIVA