When Mother Teresa prayed for the future of post-handover Hong Kong
- The Nobel Peace Prize winner visited Hong Kong in 1983, bringing a message of love, joy and family planning
“Mother Teresa to address congress,” ran a South China Morning Post headline on January 24, 1983. The 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner would be visiting Hong Kong that November to present the keynote speech at the International Federation for Family Life Promotion’s third meeting.
“Mother Teresa was chosen to give the keynote speech because of her success in educating 40,000 illiterate couples in Calcutta to practise natural family planning,” according to a November 18 article.
On November 21, the Post reported: “The people of Hongkong need not yearn for Santa Claus to bring them presents this year. For the best gift came yesterday […] Mother Teresa brought to Hongkong the message of Love, Joy and Peace – the most meaningful gifts of Christmas.”
The theme of her address was “love begins at home”, reported the Post. “Dedicating the message to all couples, Mother Teresa pointed out that married couples were meant to share the joy of loving one another.”
In her speech, Mother Teresa said, “The greatest sickness today is the feeling of loneliness – being unwanted, unloved and uncared for.”