Usha Uthup to sing for 'St Teresa' at Vatican

The wait for Mother Teresa to become Saint Teresa is finally at its conclusion. On September 4 - a day before her 19th death anniversary - she will be canonised by Pope Francis at the Vatican. In attendance will be singer Usha Uthup, who had known the beloved Kolkata missionary for over 45 years.

Mother Teresa

Uthup, who has chosen to wear blue and off-white sarees while she is there, will also be singing two songs selected by the Vatican - ‘Poorest Of The Poor' and ‘Laakh Laakh, Hazaar Hazaar, Chahiye Mother Teresa' at a jubilee celebration for workers on September 3. The singer, who is in Mumbai, said, "I had known the Mother for many years before she became famous for her work of love and mercy. She was a dear friend and I would visit her in both my happy as well as sad moments. My husband and I also attended her beatification in 2003. Now, I feel it is a great platform internationally for the sarees in the Mother's colours to be seen."

Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Oswald Gracias will also be attending the canonisation and concelebrating (jointly officiating) the mass with Pope Francis. Fr Pravin D'souza, secretary to the archbishop, said, "Cardinal Oswald will be joining the Pope, Fr Joe Pereira from Kripa Foundation and other priests at the canonization mass on September 4 at the Vatican. He has some other meetings too, and will also attend those while in Rome."

In the 1970s, Fr Joe started participating in the activities of Mother Teresa's foundation, and a decade later founded the Kripa Foundation in Bandra. Ralph D'souza from Kripa Foundation said, "Fr Joe has always been inspired by the great work of Mother Teresa and he is very happy to be concelebrating her canonisation mass with Pope Francis."

Mumbaikars may not be headed to the Vatican, but they say they will just as well be glued to their television sets. Judith Monteiro, a Dadar resident who met Mother Teresa in 1995, said, "It is a matter of great pride for us. She was a living saint, but now she will be officially declared as a saint. I met Mother with my father who was in hospital at Holy Family, Bandra. It was a great moment for me."

The Saint of Kolkata has also inspired Mother Teresa's Roses, which works with the most vulnerable in Mumbai and Goa.

Founder of the congregation Sr Christobel Fonseca said, "I am unwell or I would have gone for Mother's canonisation. Nonetheless, I will watch it here in Mumbai. I was miraculously healed by Mother Teresa when I was dying of cancer. Now, I go out onto the streets every day, cleaning and healing the sick and the dying, following in her foot steps."