Sister Mary “Prema” Pierick, Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, talks about the service the nuns are currently engaged in: living the Gospel of Charity in the hope of reaching China too.
“Mother Teresa had a dream: it was to open a Missionaries of Charity centre in China. This wish was not fulfilled in her lifetime. But we hope that, God willing, it may come true one day. God willing and if the conditions allow it, we would be happy to make it happen today”: In an interview with Vatican Insider, Mary “Prema” Pierick revives a wish that was present in the heart and mind of Mother Teresa. Pierick is Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity at the Congregation’s headquarters, where Mother Teresa – who is being elevated to sainthood on 4 September – is buried.
The centre is bustling with people, mostly pilgrims of all religious faiths who come to lay flowers at the Mother’s grave. The nuns welcome everyone – tourists, curious passers-by, beggars and street children - with their customary kindness and smile.
Before flying to Rome to take part in the celebration, Sister Prema – which in Sanskrit means “love” and was given to her by the Mother – spoke about the mission of the institution she is called to lead today, after Mother Teresa and Nirmala Joshi.
As the Superior says, there are 5,160 women religious who don the trademark white sari (plus 137 novices and 120 postulants), present in 139 nations and the congregation has a total of 758 centres (734 host nuns who live an active life while another 24 are devoted to contemplative life). Most of the convents are located in India (243 communities) and another 516 are located abroad. They operate alongside the Brothers of Charity, a male religious institute with 397 priests (and 19 novices), present in 21 countries around the world with 69 centres (43 in India and 26 abroad).
Mother Teresa’s followers, for whom humility and discretion are essential traits of the charism, will be at the centre of the world’s focus for one day: Pope Francis is proclaiming Mother Teresa a saint. Her religious family will celebrate the occasion with the same simplicity that characterises their life. They will watch the event on television before celebrating mass at the Mother’s tomb.
“Mother Teresa,” Sister Prema started off by saying, “is a woman who dedicated her life to Christ and to the poor. She bore witness to the love of God, which begins, not with preaching, but by giving a smile, showing kindness and welcoming each and every human being. The Mother saw Christ in the poor and this is why the poor are at the centre: we thus feel a special link with the words and example of Pope Francis, who today offers Mother Teresa to the Church and to the world as a symbol of mercy in this Holy Year.”
“The Mother saw mercy,” she went on to say, “as a way of life, which she followed first and foremost in her community of nuns and then outside this, in her relationship with others: this is our lifestyle, characterised by love and forgiveness towards others. We follow this example today,” calling humanity towards a universalisation of compassion, in a world that appears increasingly hostile and violent.
“As we see before us a world wounded by violence and shrouded in gloom, the Mother accompanies us along our path so that the light of Christ may illuminate it. It is sad to see acts of terrorism causing infinite suffering and sorrow. God made us for love and peace, not for war and hatred,” the Superior observed, reflecting on the international landscape.
“We are aware that the world today faces complex challenges and is marred by suffering, violence and a culture of indifference. The antidote to this is a culture of love and peace, given that deep down, all humans seek mercy and peace. This is our pledge, as Missionaries of Charity: to stand by the side of every person and work with them, whatever their religion or nationality, wherever we are, for the sake of humanity. We work tirelessly in silence, trusting in the grace and mercy of God.”
The nuns have a clear mission: “What we give to the poor and to people we meet along our path, is above all Jesus Christ and his love: we are merely his instruments. Mother Teresa is the face of mercy in this Jubilee Year, allowing every man and woman to see and be touched by God’s mercy.”
The hope is that this can occur in places where Christians form a small minority or in areas such as the Middle East, where they are exposed to violence. Sister Prema recalls that four missionaries of Charity paid the price for this in Yemen, where they were murdered last March: “They experienced God’s love in their lives, remaining founts of mercy right until the very end, with their profound faith and spirit of unconditional service towards a suffering humanity. They are a seed of the Gospel and a precious example to all of us. All of us are called to build peace, harmony and love among peoples, cultures, religions and civilizations. This is what God created us for.”