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CNN Live Today

The Road to Sainthood

Aired October 17, 2003 - 11:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A quarter-million pilgrims are expected in St. Peter's Square Sunday for Mother Teresa's beatification. Let's talk with Cardinal-elect Keith O'Brien. He is currently archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinboro in Scotland. On Monday, he will be one of 31 new cardinals who will be elevated by Pope John Paul II, the archbishop Joining us live from the Vatican.
Hello, sir. Thank you for being with us.

ARCHBISHOP KEITH O'BRIEN: Pleasure being with you.

KAGAN: What can you tell us about the beatification and this fasttrack that Mother Teresa is on for sainthood?

O'BRIEN: I can tell you something about Mother Teresa. She was in Scotland, in Edinboro, about 10 years ago, opening a new convent of religious sisters, Daughters of Charity, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of charity, who were doing outstanding work throughout the world, following the example of Mother Teresa herself. And I think she has been acknowledged by people's all over the world as an outstanding person of goodness, kindness and holiness.

As for fasttracking, it was the pope himself, Pope John Paul II, who decided that some of the preliminary investigations could be done away with, because of the way in which Mother Teresa has almost been acknowledged before her death as really being a saint, a saintly person.

KAGAN: And, archbishop, there's no one who's going argue with the incredible work and way she used her life. But as I understand it, in order to gain sainthood you must prove a certain number of miracles. And the first miracle talking about how a year after she died a number of people prayed to her, and she is credited with curing a woman who had a stomach tumor that went away. But there are some scientists in India who say that there's a very simple explanation, a scientific explanation, of how that could have happened.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Well, basically the medical facts are attested by authorities here in Rome and in other parts of the world. And I, as a non-medical person, don't really know the facts of the miracle at all. But we rely on those who are experts in these matters who have indicated that the most miraculous events taking place surrounding this cure of the lady. As I say, I'm not a medical person, so I just can't argue for or against that.

KAGAN: Yes, I understand that. I appreciate that, sir. And then going forward, once she is beatified, there will have to be evidence of another miracle before she becomes a saint, is that correct?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right. And many, many people have intersessioned to Mother Teresa because of her saintliness why she was here on Earth, and who are reasonably certain that Mother Teresa at this present time is with God in Heaven.

KAGAN: I was interested to read, because there are people who have been critical or just taking note of how fast this process is taking place that over the many centuries of the church, the process of how sainthood has been conducted has changed. But there was a time, many centuries ago, where this was done at the grave side, where it was done a lot more quickly.

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right, in the early centuries, people were declared centuries almost by a claim, just the people round about acknowledge their sanctity. And in some ways, you could say that about Mother Teresa at this present time. When she was in Edinboro, I was aware of this sort of aura of sanctity from this holy person when she was with us in our city, when she was with us in the cathedral.

Despite the great achievements of her life she herself was very simple, very ordinary, very humble and not wanting any acknowledgement at all.

In fact, even when I asked her because of medical advice to come within the altar rails, she literally held up her hands in horror and said, no, I can't come within there. But she'd suffered from a broken collarbone, she was old, ill, frail, and she was persuaded by her medical advisers to come within the alter quite simply for protection. A very ordinary, humble woman.

KAGAN: Let me ask you about being in the middle of this incredible celebration, this anniversary, this 25th anniversary of this papacy. Do you feel being up close to this pope that this has been too much for him, that there's been times where he's been out of breath, Where it's truly taxed him? Has the pope taken on more than he could handle?

O'BRIEN: Well, I think the pope is a man of very, very strong will, and he wanted himself personally to do everything which he has been doing this present week that really could have taxed the health and energy of someone half of his age. His own Silver Jubilee Celebration, the beatification of Mother Teresa, and then next week, as you indicate, 30 men being made cardinals. A very, very, very severe program of work, but he has wanted to do that, And i think he's a strong, strong, strong determined character and will carry it through to the end himself.

KAGAN: Well, a we mentioned, you will be elevated to cardinal next week. Congratulations on that. And we appreciate your time and insight into sharing your stories having met with what many people was living saint, Mother Teresa.

Archbishop, thank you for joining us.

O'BRIEN: A pleasure. Thank you. KAGAN: Appreciate that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 17, 2003 - 11:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A quarter-million pilgrims are expected in St. Peter's Square Sunday for Mother Teresa's beatification. Let's talk with Cardinal-elect Keith O'Brien. He is currently archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinboro in Scotland. On Monday, he will be one of 31 new cardinals who will be elevated by Pope John Paul II, the archbishop Joining us live from the Vatican.
Hello, sir. Thank you for being with us.

ARCHBISHOP KEITH O'BRIEN: Pleasure being with you.

KAGAN: What can you tell us about the beatification and this fasttrack that Mother Teresa is on for sainthood?

O'BRIEN: I can tell you something about Mother Teresa. She was in Scotland, in Edinboro, about 10 years ago, opening a new convent of religious sisters, Daughters of Charity, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of charity, who were doing outstanding work throughout the world, following the example of Mother Teresa herself. And I think she has been acknowledged by people's all over the world as an outstanding person of goodness, kindness and holiness.

As for fasttracking, it was the pope himself, Pope John Paul II, who decided that some of the preliminary investigations could be done away with, because of the way in which Mother Teresa has almost been acknowledged before her death as really being a saint, a saintly person.

KAGAN: And, archbishop, there's no one who's going argue with the incredible work and way she used her life. But as I understand it, in order to gain sainthood you must prove a certain number of miracles. And the first miracle talking about how a year after she died a number of people prayed to her, and she is credited with curing a woman who had a stomach tumor that went away. But there are some scientists in India who say that there's a very simple explanation, a scientific explanation, of how that could have happened.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Well, basically the medical facts are attested by authorities here in Rome and in other parts of the world. And I, as a non-medical person, don't really know the facts of the miracle at all. But we rely on those who are experts in these matters who have indicated that the most miraculous events taking place surrounding this cure of the lady. As I say, I'm not a medical person, so I just can't argue for or against that.

KAGAN: Yes, I understand that. I appreciate that, sir. And then going forward, once she is beatified, there will have to be evidence of another miracle before she becomes a saint, is that correct?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right. And many, many people have intersessioned to Mother Teresa because of her saintliness why she was here on Earth, and who are reasonably certain that Mother Teresa at this present time is with God in Heaven.

KAGAN: I was interested to read, because there are people who have been critical or just taking note of how fast this process is taking place that over the many centuries of the church, the process of how sainthood has been conducted has changed. But there was a time, many centuries ago, where this was done at the grave side, where it was done a lot more quickly.

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right, in the early centuries, people were declared centuries almost by a claim, just the people round about acknowledge their sanctity. And in some ways, you could say that about Mother Teresa at this present time. When she was in Edinboro, I was aware of this sort of aura of sanctity from this holy person when she was with us in our city, when she was with us in the cathedral.

Despite the great achievements of her life she herself was very simple, very ordinary, very humble and not wanting any acknowledgement at all.

In fact, even when I asked her because of medical advice to come within the altar rails, she literally held up her hands in horror and said, no, I can't come within there. But she'd suffered from a broken collarbone, she was old, ill, frail, and she was persuaded by her medical advisers to come within the alter quite simply for protection. A very ordinary, humble woman.

KAGAN: Let me ask you about being in the middle of this incredible celebration, this anniversary, this 25th anniversary of this papacy. Do you feel being up close to this pope that this has been too much for him, that there's been times where he's been out of breath, Where it's truly taxed him? Has the pope taken on more than he could handle?

O'BRIEN: Well, I think the pope is a man of very, very strong will, and he wanted himself personally to do everything which he has been doing this present week that really could have taxed the health and energy of someone half of his age. His own Silver Jubilee Celebration, the beatification of Mother Teresa, and then next week, as you indicate, 30 men being made cardinals. A very, very, very severe program of work, but he has wanted to do that, And i think he's a strong, strong, strong determined character and will carry it through to the end himself.

KAGAN: Well, a we mentioned, you will be elevated to cardinal next week. Congratulations on that. And we appreciate your time and insight into sharing your stories having met with what many people was living saint, Mother Teresa.

Archbishop, thank you for joining us.

O'BRIEN: A pleasure. Thank you. KAGAN: Appreciate that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com