1、Keida KostreciOctober 31, 2012WASHINGTON The National Cathedral in Washington has a special place to honor those who have taken significant, profound, and life-changing actions in the fight for human rights and social justice.At the choral evensong service held to dedicate the carving of Mother Tere
2、sa, the Reverend Samuel Lloyd paid tribute to the Albanian nun who spent her life caring for the poor and the oppressed.Its called the “Human Rights Porch,” and within the last year, two images in stone have been added - those of U.S. civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, and Novel Peace Laureate Mother
3、Teresa.“This strong minded nun, fled from public attention as she immersed herself, we could almost say, lost herself in serving some of the most vulnerable, poor people on earth,” said Reverend Samuel T. Lloyd III, former dean of the National Cathedral.Lloyd said the Nobel Laureate never sought the
4、 fame she achieved.No one could have imagined this kind of renown for this tiny eighteen-year-old Albanian woman who left home to join the sisters of Loretto Catholic mission community, he said.Mother Teresas carving stands opposite one of American civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Only three other peop
5、le are honored in this section of the Cathedral - former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, former Cathedral Dean and Bishop of Washington John T. Walker and Archbishop Oscar Romero.Cathedral stone carver Sean Callahan created the images, from original clay sculptures by artist Chas Fagan.“The challenge
6、on my end was to create a likeness of someone who is completely recognizable around the world and then create a unique one,” said Fagan.Callahan said the placement of the two women in the Human Rights Porch is very appropriate.“Mother Teresa is a natural choice for a human rights bay. And Rosa Parks
7、. its nice having two humble women complementing each other on either side of the arch.”For Howard University professor Abner B. Lall, the dedication recognizes Mother Teresas connection to his native India, where for decades she cared for the poorest of the poor.“It is interesting that a Christian
8、lady is first assisted by the indigenous Hindu religion to start her great work,” said Lall.Patty Johnson, who works on social justice issues for the Cathedral, called Mother Teresa a dynamic and humble symbol who found her spirit when she looked at the spirit of those who had so little.“I am just h
9、appy that we honored her this evening, we added her to our Human Rights Porch and that we can hopefully, all of us, recommit ourselves to reaching out to those who are on our street here in our city of Washington, D.C., and all across the country and the world, the least, the last, the lost, the marginalized, the oppressed because thats what she stood for and thats what we need to do,” said Johnson.Mother Teresa, who died in 1997, was beatified by the Catholic Church nine years ago this month October, and the Vatican says she is on a “fast track” to sainthood.
