When Mother Teresa Took New Bedford Like A Rock Star

On June 14, 1995, I was one of dozens of people assembled along the fence separating the parking lot and the tarmac to the south of the terminal building at New Bedford Regional Airport to witness the arrival of a visiting dignitary to the city.

She was no ordinary visitor.

With the small plane carrying our visitor secured and the welcoming committee, led by then-Mayor Rosemary Tierny, in place, the 5-foot-tall frame of Mother Teresa, now Saint Teresa of Calcutta, emerged with a smile that further energized the adoring crowd.

Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa, was born on August 26, 1910, in Skopji, North Macedonia. An Albanian-Catholic nun, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity. She lived in Ireland for a time before moving to India, where she lived the rest of her life.

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Saint Teresa's work on behalf of the needy worldwide is legendary. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among other honors.

Pope Francis canonized Saint Teresa on September 4, 2016. In his canonization address, Pope Francis preached:

"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."

Saint Teresa came to New Bedford at the invitation of then-Bishop Sean O'Malley to "establish a convent and begin ministering to the people of New Bedford."

A Mass was celebrated at St. Lawrence of Martyr Church across the street from the Missionaries of Charity convent on County Street that hosted Saint Theresa. I remember crowds filled the street in front of the convent and cheered whenever she came to the window to wave to the faithful below.

She died on September 5, 1997, in Kolkata, India. She was 87.

In 2022, when the Fall River Catholic Diocese merged the St. James-St. John and Holy Family Holy Name schools, the new school was named St. Teresa of Calcutta School.

New Bedford has welcomed many dignitaries, including presidents, but none had the impact of Saint Teresa, who took the city like a rock star.