[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24704-24705]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              MOTHER TERESA: A BEACON OF HOPE FOR OUR TIME

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                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 15, 2003

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of her beatification 
by Pope John Paul II in Rome, Mother Teresa, one of the world's most 
recognized and admired human rights advocates, deserves this 
designation because of her dedication, her courage, and her love of all 
members of society, especially the poorest and most neglected. 
Throughout her life of tireless service, she inspired countless 
individuals by her example of unconditional love and devotion to the 
poorest of the poor. She was a living witness of true compassion and 
service. In fighting for the dignity of the destitute, she gave the 
world a moral model that bridged divides of culture and faith.
  Mother Teresa taught us that to truly love one another, we must 
abandon ourselves and our selfish inclinations and give to others. As 
she so aptly stated: ``By becoming poor ourselves, by loving until it 
hurts, we become capable of loving more deeply, more beautifully, more 
wholly.'' Mother Teresa's beautiful pure faith and love have left a 
rich legacy for people of all faiths and nationalities.
  This is clearly illustrated by her words: ``There is joy in 
transcending self to serve others.'' For Mother Teresa, the importance 
of her mission was not to achieve fame or fortune, but rather to 
embrace a life of quiet simplicity which would lead others to a deeper 
understanding of God and self. Through her dedication to the poor and 
neglected members of society, she exemplified true humility.
  I was honored to be part of the official US delegation traveling with 
the First Lady to India for her funeral service, an experience which 
truly inspired me. As I gazed at the throngs of people in attendance, I 
realized the profound impact that this small, seemingly simple woman 
had on the entire world. Her message was simple. She sought not for 
medals or acclaim, but rather to make a tangible difference in the 
lives of our world's poorest and most downtrodden. She answered God's 
call, which is a simple one--to love with all one's heart and to act 
out of love in all that we do.
  We have all been enriched by Mother Teresa's example.

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