Mirik – A hill school in Darjeeling district paid homage to St Teresa of Calcutta with an inter faith prayer meeting, Sept.18.

Pope Francis canonized St Teresa of Calcutta in Rome on Sept. 4, 2016.

“The hill station Darjeeling has a significant role in Mother Teresa’s ‘call within the call’ inspiration to start the Missionaries of Charity,” says event host Principal of Don Bosco School Mirik, Fr V.C. Jose.

It was on Sept.10, 1946 that Mother Teresa who was on a train journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling to attend her annual spiritual retreat, when she experienced ‘God’s distinct call’ as she said, “to work for the poorest of the poor.”

The 90 minute prayer meeting opened with a short music video on Mother Teresa entitled “Flame in the slum.”

A series of inter faith groups consisting of Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Sai Bhakts and Krishna followers paid prayerful homage to the ‘angel of mercy.’

Notable among the prayers was a newly composed song to St Teresa of Calcutta by a priest of Darjeeling diocese Fr Peter Lepcha. The Mirik Parish choir rendered the Nepali song entitled: Saint Teresa, Mother Teresa.’

The chief guest and speaker at the homage service was Principal of St Robert’s Higher Secondary School Darjeeling Fr Peter Lingdamo.

Incidentally, Fr Lingdamo was recently conferred a state award “Bonga Shiksha Ratna” in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of education.

Introducing Fr Lingdamo, the compare underlined the significance of the award as “state’s recognition of 170 years of service by Christian missionaries in the educational hub of Darjeeling.”

The Irish Loreto nuns to whom Mother Teresa once belonged before starting the Missionaries of Charity were the first to reach Darjeeling on Oct. 10, 1846. They were followed by French Missionaries in 1883, Jesuits in 1887, and Salesians in 1934.

Fr Lingdamo, in a 20 minute speech in Nepali, highlighted salient virtues which made Mother Teresa into Saint Teresa saying “Mother showed that everyone can become a saint, just by serving humanity with much love and dedication.”

Among some 250 eminent citizens of the district gathered to pay homage to St Teresa of Calcutta were a nonagenarian and octogenarian.

Tall and elegant looking 93 years old Captain A.S. Gurung who braved torrential rain and walked into the auditorium with an umbrella had served in 11th Gurkha Regiment during World War II.

Another outstanding gentleman in the audience was 83 year old former Director of West Bengal Tea Development Board Mr L. B. Dewan.