Mother Teresa's beatification decree on Friday

KOLKATA: Mother Teresa will move another step towards sainthood on Friday when the Pope approves the decree of her beatification burying the recent controversy that sent shockwaves across the world after two doctors in West Bengal challenged a miracle attributed to her.
"We have received information that the Holy Father will sign the decree of Mother''s beatification on Friday," Church sources said here requesting anonymity.
They said the decree on Mother''s heroic life and virtues would be read out to the Pope by a Cardinal belonging to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the department within the Vatican that examines sainthood claims.
Missionaries of Charity superior-general Sister Nirmala is already in Rome with Mother''s close aides Sisters Gertrude and Lutitia to attend the ceremony.
The sources said Father Brian Koldeijchuck, who was Postulator for Mother at the Diocesan Inquiry into her life and virtues, will be present along with Missionaries of Charity priests.
Church laws require that the papal approval of the decree be followed up with two religious ceremonies - one at St Peter''s Bascilica in Rome and another at a church in the area where the person being beatified lived and worked.
Accordingly, a ceremony is likely to be held in Kolkata sometime in May, they said.
Declaration of Mother as "beatified" would allow her to be venerated only in local churches. Subsequent elevation to sainthood, supported by another miracle, would make her eligible to be worshipped universally, the sources said.