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Mother Teresa Statue
Statue
of mother teresa Donated TO St. Joseph pARISH AND School
officially unveiled
and blessed
The Statute of the Internationally Recognized
Humanitarian, Who Was Born 100 Years Ago, and a New School Sign Were Gifts of
Council 2087 of the Knights of Columbus
A life-sized and lifelike statue of Mother Teresa donated to
St. Joseph Church Parish and St. Joseph School here by the St. Bernard Council
of the Knights of Columbus (Council 2087) was unveiled and blessed today in a
ceremony at the school, where the statue has been installed.
The ceremony, presided over by the Reverend Charles R.
LeBlanc, pastor of St. Joseph Church and Dean of the Putnam Deanery, included
the unveiling of the statue by Council 2087 Grand Knight Richard Birch and
Deputy Grand Knight Tim Durand; a reading by Sharon Briere, principal of St.
Joseph School, and the a blessing of the statue by Father LeBlanc, assisted by
Reverend Richard Breton Jr. of St. Joseph Church, Grand Knight Birch, children
from St. Joseph School, and others. Attendees included Dr. John Shine, superintendent
of schools for the Norwich, Conn., Roman Catholic Diocese, and Scott Flood,
Connecticut State Deputy for the Knights of Columbus.
In addition to purchasing the statue and the stone pedestal
on which it rests, Council 2087 prepared and landscaped the plot where the
statue is displayed, a project that included removing several large trees,
clearing and grading the land, and installing stonework, and planting grass.
Loom for the project was donated by Robert Desrochers, and flowers and other
plantings were installed and will be cared for by scouts from Boy Scout Troop
29 in North Grosvenordale. Members of Council 2087 also donated a new sign for
St. Joseph School, which was produced and installed beside the statue by
Graphics Unlimited in Pomfret, Conn. In all, the project cost approximately
$15,000.
The statue of Mother Teresa, which was crafted in Italy,
depicts the Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity in
Calcutta, India, holding a child. Born in Macedonia 100 years ago, on Aug. 26,
1910, Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II (an important step in
the progression toward sainthood) and given the title Blessed Teresa of
Calcutta. Renowned internationally as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor
and helpless, she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest
civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980. She died in 1997.
She founded what was to become the Missionaries of Charity
in 1950 to care for, in her words, "the hungry, the naked, the homeless,
the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted,
unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to
the society and are shunned by everyone." Starting as a small order in
Calcutta, the organization now encompasses more than 4,500 nuns running
orphanages, AIDS hospices, and charity centers in more than 130 nations
worldwide.
In remarks following the unveiling and blessing of the
statue, Father LeBlanc recalled meeting Mother Teresa several years ago in
Rome. After celebrating a Mass that was attended by several sisters from the
Missionaries of Charity, he was invited to a private meeting with charity's
founder. She knelt to receive his blessing, he said, and he then asked for her
blessing. It was, he noted, an encounter he will never forget.
He read a poem by Mother Teresa that he said he thinks about
every day. Called "Do Good Anyway," it includes these lines:
"The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best
anyway." He said he was grateful for the good work done by Council 2087,
and noted that because of their gift, "we will have the love of Mother
Teresa here at our school."
"The St. Joseph community is grateful to Council 2087 for
this beautiful and very generous donation," St. Joseph School Principal
Briere said. "The statue, the new sign, and the landscaping are excellent
additions to our grounds and will make a wonderful impression on our students,
parents, and guests. But more important, I am pleased that our students will
have the opportunity to learn from the magnificent example of Mother Teresa. By
being in her presence every day, I believe these young people will take to
heart her message of charity, giving, and caring for those less fortunate than
ourselves, and then put that message into action in the way they live their own
lives."
"Charity is one of the most important missions of the
Knights of Columbus, which is why the story of Mother Teresa and the example
she left the world is so important to us," said Grand Knight Birch.
"I am proud of the work our council does all year long to support our
local community through charitable contributions and volunteerism, but I am
especially pleased that we have been able to make this gift, which will serve
in perpetuity as a reminder--for parishioners, the students of St. Joseph
School, and the greater community--of the value and the rewards of helping
others."
-contributed by Mike Dorsey
Superindendent Dr. Shine, Mrs. Shine, and Principal Sharon Briere attended the ceremony
Over 100 people attended the dedication
Blessed Mother Teresa
Some of the students helped to bless the statue
After the dedication
Knights of Columbus officers: John King, John Despelteau, Pete Marcoux, Tim Durand, Richard Birch
Click here for the Norwich Bulletin article link
and
Here for photos to purchase from the Norwich Bulletin
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