VATICAN: Mother Teresa moved a step closer to beatification yesterday, when a Vatican committee approved a reported miracle attributed to the late nun, her religious order said.
The Sisters of Charity said the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints committee, which handles the process leading to sainthood, approved reports that an Indian woman in her 30s was cured of a stomach tumour, allegedly due to the intercession of Mother Teresa.
The 23-member congregation of cardinals, archbishops and bishops headed by Portuguese Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins declared the healing "scientifically inexplicable", Vatican sources said.
Sister Simone of the religious order said they were waiting for official Vatican approval. Pope John Paul must still give formal approval, a step expected in December. After this, a date would be set for her beatification.
After Mother Teresa died in 1997 at the age of 87, the pope waived the customary five-year waiting period to start procedures that can lead to sainthood.
Normally, under church rules, five years must pass after a person's death before the process can begin. After beatification, the last formal step before sainthood, a second miracle must occur before someone can be declared a saint.
Mother Teresa's successor, Sister Nirmala, said yesterday she was "grateful to God" for the Vatican's approval of a miracle attributed to the Nobel Peace Prize-winning nun.
Last month, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints committee decided Mother Teresa possessed "heroic virtues" of the Christian faith. "I am happy with the time taken [for attributing the miracle to Mother Teresa\]. It is God's time," said Sister Nirmala.
If the Pope signs the decree approving the miracle, probably in December, a beatification ceremony can be held next year, Vatican sources said.
Mother Teresa spent a large part of her life in Calcutta, serving hundreds of thousands of sick and destitute.