Baltimore Man Recalls Working With Mother Teresa, Who Is About To Be Named A Saint

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- This Sunday, Mother Teresa will be formally recognized as a saint by the Catholic church.

That is stirring up memories for a Maryland man, who once worked with her.

Twenty years ago, Mother Teresa visited Baltimore. One of her stops was the headquarters of Catholic Relief Services.

For Sean Callahan, it was something of a reunion.

Years earlier, he did volunteer work in India with Mother Teresa.

"It was amazing to work with her," Callahan says. "her size and stature were relatively small but she was energetic and very active."

In a life spent tending to the poor in Calcutta, her mission was to encourage others to do the same.

"People are more and more aware of the presence of the poor in the world," according to Callahan.

On Sunday, the Vatican will declare her sainthood, and Callahan thinks, if she were alive today, she would take that honor in typical fashion.

"She wouldn't see it as a recognition of her work, but maybe she converted a few hearts of people around the world, and they now understand our poorest brothers and sisters are our brothers and sisters."

While she never wavered in her work, at times Mother Teresa's faith in God did waiver.

"After her death we learned about some of the doubts she had about was God always with her during these times," Callahan says. "The fact that she had doubts. The fact that she was human and continued to do this work day in and day out, and not just Calcutta but around the world, I think that's what really makes her a saint."

Sainthood may be Mother Teresa's highest honor, but it isn't her only one. In life, she was also the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

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