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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Roger Mahoney
Aired October 19, 2003 - 07:42 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.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: She is now officially known as the Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata. And those were touched by her can be happy that her friend is now one step closer to being a saint.
One of those who knew her, Cardinal Roger Mahoney joins us from Vatican City to talk about her life and her legacy.
Thank you very much for being with us. What is your relationship?
ROGER MAHONEY, CARDINAL: It's good to be with you.
MALVEAUX: I mean, I understand that you hosted her several times in Los Angeles?
MAHONEY: Yes. She came to Los Angeles several times. We had many of her sisters, her brothers there, her (unintelligible) of sisters. She loved Los Angeles and she loved working with the poor in that community.
MALVEAUX: What were her contributions to society? What do you feel really stood out in her work, her life?
MAHONEY: Well, I think she'll be known universally as the great lady of charity, a woman who saw the sick and the dying and the gutters, who saw people that most of us didn't pay any attention to, or rather, crossed the street to avoid.
She helped us fix upon them and see the beauty in their lives, and to see the face of God in them, and to reach out to them. And that makes her the modern lady of charity for our times.
MALVEAUX: Knowing her as well as you did, what do you think was her inspiration in her work, her life's work?
MAHONEY: Well, her inspiration came from her deep prayer life. She loved God. And she realized how much God loves everyone. But it occurred to her later in her life that God loved especially the outcasts, the homeless, the immigrant, those were suffering the most. She realized that those were God's favorite people. And so she was called, as she said, to serve the poor, not to go out and do something special, but rather to be of service to them. And that ignited the hearts of many. And many were called to follow her. And now she has followers all over the world.
MALVEAUX: Now you've been an advocate for her sainthood. Tell us why?
MAHONEY: Well, at the moment she died, everyone realized we had a woman who everyone around the world, almost universally acclaimed is a saint. So I wrote the holy father and suggested that they waive the five year period, before you could begin the process, and that they move ahead, because this woman truly was a saint of God.
And the whole world knew that. And so, and he did. And today, we have the fruitfulness of that.
MALVEAUX: And as you know, of course, that's a rather controversial -- the fact that the pope actually waived that period of time. Usually it would take at least five years until after she died. Waived it after two.
MAHONEY: Yes.
MALVEAUX: And then of course, followed by hundreds of years after that. Why -- what do you say to the critics who say this is not appropriate, this fast track to sainthood?
MAHONEY: Well, but this a unique woman. And it's fascinating. The last person for whom this was done was a famous St. Francis of Assisi. Also, a generous servant of the poor, somebody who's whole life was in service to the poor.
So these are two examples. And I can't think of two brother or sister examples as fine as those.
MALVEAUX: And what does this day mean? I understand now that she is blessed, of course she's venerated. And there are all types of processes that follow, of course. And of course they have to prove that there are miracles that follow, correct?
MAHONEY: That's right, but the emphasis really is not so much on the miracles and those things, but on the fact that the pope today said so well she's now lifted up as a model, as an example for us, that our lives too must see the poor, the outcasts, the downtrodden around us. And we must reach out to them in service.
That's really what now will inspire more people. And of course, through intercession, we hope that many will be relieved of their sufferings and illness.
MALVEAUX: A model to the world, for sure. Absolutely.
MAHONEY: Yes, absolutely. The modern lady of charity.
MALVEAUX: Thank you very much, Cardinal Mahoney, very much for joining us.
MAHONEY: Thank you.
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 19, 2003 - 07:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: She is now officially known as the Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata. And those were touched by her can be happy that her friend is now one step closer to being a saint.
One of those who knew her, Cardinal Roger Mahoney joins us from Vatican City to talk about her life and her legacy.
Thank you very much for being with us. What is your relationship?
ROGER MAHONEY, CARDINAL: It's good to be with you.
MALVEAUX: I mean, I understand that you hosted her several times in Los Angeles?
MAHONEY: Yes. She came to Los Angeles several times. We had many of her sisters, her brothers there, her (unintelligible) of sisters. She loved Los Angeles and she loved working with the poor in that community.
MALVEAUX: What were her contributions to society? What do you feel really stood out in her work, her life?
MAHONEY: Well, I think she'll be known universally as the great lady of charity, a woman who saw the sick and the dying and the gutters, who saw people that most of us didn't pay any attention to, or rather, crossed the street to avoid.
She helped us fix upon them and see the beauty in their lives, and to see the face of God in them, and to reach out to them. And that makes her the modern lady of charity for our times.
MALVEAUX: Knowing her as well as you did, what do you think was her inspiration in her work, her life's work?
MAHONEY: Well, her inspiration came from her deep prayer life. She loved God. And she realized how much God loves everyone. But it occurred to her later in her life that God loved especially the outcasts, the homeless, the immigrant, those were suffering the most. She realized that those were God's favorite people. And so she was called, as she said, to serve the poor, not to go out and do something special, but rather to be of service to them. And that ignited the hearts of many. And many were called to follow her. And now she has followers all over the world.
MALVEAUX: Now you've been an advocate for her sainthood. Tell us why?
MAHONEY: Well, at the moment she died, everyone realized we had a woman who everyone around the world, almost universally acclaimed is a saint. So I wrote the holy father and suggested that they waive the five year period, before you could begin the process, and that they move ahead, because this woman truly was a saint of God.
And the whole world knew that. And so, and he did. And today, we have the fruitfulness of that.
MALVEAUX: And as you know, of course, that's a rather controversial -- the fact that the pope actually waived that period of time. Usually it would take at least five years until after she died. Waived it after two.
MAHONEY: Yes.
MALVEAUX: And then of course, followed by hundreds of years after that. Why -- what do you say to the critics who say this is not appropriate, this fast track to sainthood?
MAHONEY: Well, but this a unique woman. And it's fascinating. The last person for whom this was done was a famous St. Francis of Assisi. Also, a generous servant of the poor, somebody who's whole life was in service to the poor.
So these are two examples. And I can't think of two brother or sister examples as fine as those.
MALVEAUX: And what does this day mean? I understand now that she is blessed, of course she's venerated. And there are all types of processes that follow, of course. And of course they have to prove that there are miracles that follow, correct?
MAHONEY: That's right, but the emphasis really is not so much on the miracles and those things, but on the fact that the pope today said so well she's now lifted up as a model, as an example for us, that our lives too must see the poor, the outcasts, the downtrodden around us. And we must reach out to them in service.
That's really what now will inspire more people. And of course, through intercession, we hope that many will be relieved of their sufferings and illness.
MALVEAUX: A model to the world, for sure. Absolutely.
MAHONEY: Yes, absolutely. The modern lady of charity.
MALVEAUX: Thank you very much, Cardinal Mahoney, very much for joining us.
MAHONEY: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
