ItöÏÓãÊÓƵapp bad enough that the controversy over the , New York has become a poster child for religious intolerance in the United States with reverberations around the world but there is a over the celebration of the of the birth of that is splitting Catholics. The Albanian Born Indian Sister who founded the Missionaries of Charity 60 years ago in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) was born on August 26th 1910. The Noble Prize winner has become for millions the model of self-sacrifice and charitable works. , of , writing in the National Post captures what he sees as her special qualities, the ones that moved her after her death in 1997.
ThereöÏÓãÊÓƵapp a planned worldwide to mark the day, throughout India and around the world. But one suggested honour,in New York has provoked an ideological battle over what meaning should be taken from her life. On one side is Bill Donohue of the , who petitioned the Owners of the Empire State Building to join other prominent landmarks in New York City in lighting up in a birthday celebration. One the other side is a coalition of Catholic reform groups, led by , which is accusing Donohue of manufacturing a crisis.
There's a certain sadness to the whole affair. suggests theis 'extremist' and not representative of Catholics generally and, almost as if the birthday celebration is a mask for another type of argument entirely.
Meanwhile India is focusing on the including the publication of ahonouring the life and work of Mother Teresa. And for those who think there might be more to this story than temporary controversies, Sister Mary Prema, Mother Teresa's succesor has her on how we might remember her.