On June 16, the New York State Senate unanimously adopted a resolution introduced by Senator George Maziarz in support of honoring Mother Teresa through a special light display at the Empire State Building. A request made by the Catholic League, the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization, for just such a tribute was unexpectedly and inexplicably denied in May.
The Catholic League requested that the top of the Empire State Building be illuminated on the evening of August 26 with blue and white lights—the colors of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order established by Mother Teresa in 1950. The organization initiated this idea to mark the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s birth, as the building is customarily lit with special colors in tribute to a variety of groups and occasions.
Senator Maziarz, the resolution’s sponsor, said, “Blue and white lights adorning the Empire State Building would more than be a historical remembrance of Mother Teresa. Like a beacon, the lights would symbolize the compassion, the commitment, and the service for which she was known around the world.”
“The Senate’s resolution represents the will of the people of New York State,” Senator Maziarz said. “Our action joins a growing chorus of voices from around the world supporting this tribute to Mother Teresa. We hope that the owners of the Empire State building hear us, intervene, and allow it to proceed.”
“No legitimate reason for the refusal has been offered,” Senator Maziarz added, “so our advocacy will continue.”
Senator Maziarz is encouraging interested persons to click on the link above to sign the Catholic League’s on-line petition to Mr. Anthony Malkin, the landmark building’s owner, in support of Mother Teresa.
Mother Teresa, one of only a few people in history to be designated an honorary United States citizen, received more than one hundreds awards including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Medal of Freedom. The United States Postal Service will also feature her portrait on a commemorative stamp issued later this year.
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