[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MOTHER TERESA

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                             HON. JIM RYUN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to 
Mother Teresa of Calcutta, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, a 
woman of profound grace who on October 19th will be beatified by Pope 
John Paul II in Rome. Mother Teresa was an unlikely hero, to be sure--
exceptionally small, soft-spoken, and humble--but she remains a 
towering example of selfless devotion to others. Called, as she said, 
to ``follow Christ into the slums,'' she dedicated her life to the 
destitute and disabled in Calcutta--to minister to those who were dying 
alone. To them, she offered something without price: unconditional love 
that bridged the divides of culture, class, and religion. She expected 
nothing in return; instead, she acted in the hope that others might 
love the lonely.
  It is not surprising that a person with such a deep respect for human 
dignity also strongly defended the right to life. She was very clear 
about each individual's right to live, considering abortion ``the 
greatest destroyer of love and peace.'' She was especially critical of 
the United States' acceptance of abortion and questioned how we could 
ever expect peace in our nation when even mothers are allowed to end 
the lives of their preborn children.
  The lessons, then, of this remarkable life do not only apply to the 
poor and downtrodden in India. Mother Teresa's lessons apply to 
citizens of the most developed nations in the world. As she herself 
said, the worst tragedy is to be unloved, and the worst poverty is 
poverty of the heart. The best way we can honor her memory is to reach 
out to those who suffer in our midst and to follow her advice: to love 
until it hurts.

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