Church men, celebrities join Mother Teresa sainthood lobby

 By C.M. Paul 

Guwahati: A signature campaign which started on www.change.org petitioning Pope Francis to declare Mother Teresa a saint when he visits Albania on September 21 crossed 1,000 mark on July 12.

“Our petition is gaining momentum; we now have over 1,000 supporters,” wrote Dr Gëzim Alpion, who launched the campaign mid June.

The professor of the UK-based Birmingham University and author of Albanian-born Mother Teresa mentions a bishop in Albania and an Indian film actress who have endorsed the campaign.

Alpion makes a special mention of Dominican Bishop George Anthony Frendo, Auxiliary Bishop of Tiranë-Durrës, who signed the petition at its early stage.

He also expressed “a huge thank you to the renowned Indian [Malayalam] actress Miss Archana Kavi for signing the petition and for repeatedly encouraging her numerous fans through Facebook and Twitter to support the campaign.”

Alpion also lists several media partners in India, Australia, Canada, USA and U.K. who actively back the campaign, writing, “I would like to thank friends and colleagues who have worked tirelessly to spread the word.”

Revealing the categories of the signatories Alpion writes, “I am impressed to see that the petition has been signed by people of all faiths hailing from over 40 countries.”

Clearing a possible misunderstanding from Church people, Alpion writes: “I am particularly grateful to the priests and nuns of various orders whose support indicates clearly that they are convinced that this is not a petition against the Vatican but a modest attempt in good faith to encourage Mother Teresa’s supporters in the Holy See to keep on lobbying for her canonization.”

“Matters India” asked Professor Alpion when he intends to hand in the petition to the Vatican. In his words, “the petition will continue after the Pope’s visit to Albania this autumn. I would not be surprised if by the end of the year the campaign has some 5,000 supporters. That would be fantastic.”

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Mother Teresa author protests campaign portal’s money demand 

By C.M. Paul 

Guwahati: In an embarrassing situation that has arisen in the Mother Teresa sainthood campaign yesterday, a signature portal’s suggestion for money payment to propel high visibility for the effort has irked campaign initiator Dr Gëzim Alpion demanding immediate withdrawal of any monetary implications to the campaign.

In the message registered as “Request #239794” on July 23, Professor Alpion wrote to The Change.org Team asking them “to investigate this issue without delay” while he advised his media contact in Mexico, who alerted him to this issue, to send him more information to corroborate his claim.

Upon receiving this information on July 24, Alpion sent The Change.org Team a second message registered as “Request #239986” informing them that his contact “was asked to pay US$25 for this campaign as soon as he had signed the petition for the canonization of Mother Teresa”.

The message sent out by Change.org to this petition supporter reads:

“You signed THE VATICAN: CANONIZE MOTHER TERESA – “Petizione per chiedere la canonizzazione di Madre Teresa” – “Shenjtëroni Nënë Terezën”

Chip in $25 or more to help win this campaign.

“Thanks for signing Dr Gëzim Alpion’s petition. By adding your name, you became a part of this campaign for change.

“Now, take the next step by sponsoring this petition on Change.org to give it more exposure. Your contribution of $25 or more will feature the petition to dozens of like-minded change makers and drive it toward victory.”

The message from The Change.org Team concludes: “The more you give, the more people will be shown this campaign and asked to add their names in support.”

In his message July 24 Professor Alpion strongly urged the portal “to stop such a practice with immediate effect. The reason why I chose Change.org is that you state very clearly that your service is free.”

Professor Alpion also stressed in his message that “if you continue to send out messages of this nature to my supporters, I will have no option but to close the petition.”

“I would appreciate a formal apology from Change.org for the dismay you have caused to my contact in Mexico or indeed any other supporter you may have sent out similar messages,” writes Alpion.

The signature campaign started mid-June and has received steady endorsement from Bishops, church men, religious and lay faithful including celebrities from over 40 countries. The signature is set to hit soon 1,500 mark.

Meanwhile supporters of the Mother Teresa petition in other countries have received similar requests from change.org to chip in sums of money.

The campaign portal has yet to reply to Professor Alpion’s two registered requests for an explanation and an apology.

Sign the petition

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-vatican-canonize-mother-teresa-petizione-per-chiedere-la-canonizzazione-di-madre-teresa-shenjt%C3%ABroni-n%C3%ABn%C3%AB-terez%C3%ABn