RESIDENTS from Catholic Care of the Aged, a service of St Agnes’ Parish in Port Macquarie and the wider parish, gathered together for a saintly ceremony on October 4.
The Mass was held on the occasion of re-naming the former Mother Teresa Chapel at Emmaus to the St Teresa of Kolkata Chapel, in honour of the recently canonised saint.
In his homily, and in response to the reading (1 John 5:1-5), Fr Roland Agrisola reminded those gathered that they were called to a vocation as God’s children, a vocation to charity and to mercy.
“Our vocation to charity and to mercy,” he said, “is also what the figure of St Teresa of Kolkata constantly reminds us”.
Fr Agrisola quoted the words of Pope Francis spoken in his homily during the canonisation of St Teresa, “For Mother Teresa, mercy was the ‘salt’ which gave flavour to her work, it was the ‘light’ which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering”.
The Chapel at Emmaus provides a space for residents, staff, volunteers and visitors to pray, or just spend time with their thoughts in the quiet, calm surrounds.
“As we dedicate this chapel in her honour, may (St Teresa) become our model. May those of us who work here, whether paid workers or volunteers, whether lay, religious or ordained, look up to her as our model of mercy, our model of charity, our model of sanctity or holiness,” Fr Agrisola said.
