By Paloma Rives, Special Envoy
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, MARCH 29, 2012 (Zenit.org).- It’s Tuesday the 27th. Today, at 10:30 am, we left for the city of Havana. Featured in Benedict XVI’s program of activities for today in Santiago de Cuba is a visit to the shrine of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre.
The Pope began the day with a private Mass in the house of the contemplative Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity. While this took place, we, journalists, were taken to Santiago’s airport. From there we watched part of the Pope’s visit on Cuban television which broadcasted live.
The Missionaries of Charity are a Congregation of women whose vocation is to give their life to God through permanent prayer. They pray for the needs of the world, the strength of the Church and the perseverance of the faithful. In a word, for all that is a Good (with a capital G) for the human being.
Teresa is there. Many years ago, when she was very young, she decided to consecrate herself to God with this Congregation and took the habit.
We were told that each Sister of Charity prays regularly for intentions indicated but also for some persons specifically. In her condition of contemplative life, as is the tradition of her order, she has prayed for 20 years for a specific priest.
For 20 years, without missing a day, she has prayed to God for him, for a priest with whom she had no ties. Every day she has prayed and offered her day for him, though he is not a relative, or a friend and she has never met him.
Someone once said that: ”When we human beings can feel pity for another without knowing him, when someone else’s sufferings hurts us as well, that day we come closer to what Christ expects from us.”
Teresa has come very close. That’s why, when Pope Benedict XVI went to the house of the Missionaries of Charity, she placed a garland of flowers on him as is the custom in India. Teresa met the priest for whom she has been prayed for so long. She met Joseph Ratzinger.
