NUNS HAIL RELEASE OF MOTHER TERESA COIN
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- CAMIL PARKHE
Wednesday, 18 August 2010 - 12:09 PM IST
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Nuns belonging to the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation founded by Mother Teresa, have expressed their joy over the government’s decision to release a coin in honour of the Nobel laureate on the occasion of her birth centenary later this month.
The coin would be released by President Pratibha Patil at the launch of year-long birth centenary celebrations in Delhi on August 28.
The Missionaries of Charity, who have three homes for orphans and destitute in Pune, Chinchwad and Wakad, have planned a number of activities to celebrate their founder’s birth centenary and also on her death anniversary on September 5.
Sr Mary Angelic, superior of the Missionaries of Charity’s home at Tadiwala Road, said that it was indeed a noble gesture to honour the Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata.
Sr Angelic said that the design of the coin manufactured by the coins and currency department of the finance ministry has not yet been revealed.
The design of the coin has been approved by Sister Prema, Kolkata-based head of the Missionaries of Charity.
There are over 100 aged destitutes in the congregation’s Pune and Chinchwad convents, while the convent at Wakad has 200 destitutes including mentally challenged girls and 18 HIV-positive orphaned children.
Most of the inmates at the three houses are children and aged persons belonging to various religions and who have been abandoned by their relatives. These people are offered food, shelter and healthcare free-of-cost.
UNIQUE HONOUR
It would be the first time that a coin would be released in the memory of a Christian missionary. In the past, the government has released postal stamps to honour St Francis Xavier, linguist Rev William Carey, Sanskrit scholar Fr Robert De Nobili, and social reformer and Bible translator from Maharashtra, Pandita Ramabai.
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