VATICAN CITY - On Friday, the Vatican announced that Mother Teresa will be canonized a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia in 1910. She founded the Missionaries of Charity and dedicated her life to helping the poor in Calcutta, India. During her lifetime, Mother Teresa received high honors such as the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her commitment to service.
Anyone can become a saint, regardless of gender, as long as one is a member of the Catholic Church. Becoming a saint, however, is a long, extensive process. First, a local bishop must examine the life and writings of a potential saint and submit this information to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The Vatican's Congregation then decides whether to accept or reject the application for sainthood. Once they accept the application, the Vatican's Congregation must declare that this person lived a holy, good life while on earth. Lastly, in order to prove that this person went to heaven, they must confirm a miracle, usually one of healing, and this person is beatified. Once a second miracle is proven, this person may be declared a saint.
A year after her death, an Indian woman believed a picture of Mother Teresa cured her of cancer. Pope John Paul II accepted the miracle which led to Mother Teresa's beatification in 2003. Pope Francis recognized her second miracle in which she cured a Brazilian man's brain infection in 2008.
In 2014, Pope Francis canonized six saints who dedicated their lives to helping the poor so it is no surprise that Mother Teresa will be canonized sometime next year.
Her canonization is expected to occur in September 2016 which will coincide with the 19th anniversary of her death.
