Speaking in a strained, weary voice at the beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II declared her blessed, prompting waves of applause before the 300,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. In his homily, read by an aide for the aging pope, the Holy Father called Mother Teresa “one of the most relevant personalities of our age” and “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” Her life, he said, was “a bold proclamation of the gospel.”
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default....



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Note added at 17 mins (2007-01-23 15:18:48 GMT)
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I would say Holy Mother usually makes reference to the Mother of God.

.)

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Note added at 26 mins (2007-01-23 15:28:00 GMT)
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or Blessed Mother, maybe?

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Note added at 38 mins (2007-01-23 15:39:47 GMT)
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Catholic First - The Life of St. Teresa of Avila
THE LIFE OF THE HOLY MOTHER TERESA OF JESUS · CHAPTER I. -- Describes how the Lord began to awaken her soul in childhood to a love of virtue and what a help ...
www.catholicfirst.com/thefaith/catholicclassics/stteresa/li... - 42k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this


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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-01-23 18:19:36 GMT)
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Yes, although beatified (ecl.use) or devout or pious could be used, depending on the context.

Maybe I am not the most indicated to make the differences and it also maybe in English all this is different but as per my "catholic" education (in Spanish) I would make the following differences:

Holy, in my opinion (and I repeat that I am not an expert), would be reserved for those instances you can translate as "santo / santa" and this means to be sure we are talking on an "official saint of the Catholic Church". (Maybe I am a little or too much "un" updated and I am not sure Mother Teresa de Calcuta is already a saint or she is in the "process" of being "sanctified", that is, she is "only beatified"... )

Holy Mother without more details I would reserve it "only" for Virgin Mary.

Blessed, I would use it as "bendito / bendita" that is not necessarily "officially holy". You can say it is a "blessed child" for many reasons.

Blessed can be used for Holy Mother, that is also "Blessed" and we say in the "Ave María" (I cannot remember my prayers in English) "bendita eres entre todas las mujeres". That is "blessed". And we can use it for saints (officially declared or in the process) as when we talk of "Beatos" (pious or lay brothers and sisters) that in Spanish at least are the "saints in process" that are not already "officially declared" as "saints".

Blessed Mother without more details is not necessarily the Virgin Mary for me. For a nun, she could be the Mother of all the "sisters" (nuns), the one that founded the company or congregation.

If I would like to use Holy for Mother Teresa, I would say it in full: Holy Mother Teresa (provided she is already sanctified). Even in a text referring only to her, I would reserve Holy Mother for the Virgin Mary.

Anyway, this is only my point of view, I want to state for the third time that I am not an expert and all this changes from place to place, different sectors of a same church and more in different churches, believes, uses, traditions... This is a polemic subject and I am open to any other comments you can say.

I am hungry by now. Bon appetit!



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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-01-23 18:44:57 GMT)
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I cannot imagine exactly the problem. You are talking on Blessed Mother Teresa (de Calcuta. Is that right? Then there is someboy else that is Beata XXX, is that the point? OR, are both named Teresa? In such case you have Teresa de Calcuta and Teresa de (Jesús, whatever else, don't you?). You can "bless" them both (I supose they will not be jealous, remember they are almost "saints"). The Catholic Church has many (probably "too" many) ("repeated") saints with the same name but each one has its own "surname" (or "nickname" (I am not being very respectful but all this "legalities" of the Church sometimes make me laugh) and then you have lots of Franciscos, San Francisco de Asís, San Francisco Javier, San Francisco... and you have lots of Teresas (de Calcuta, de Ávla, de Jesús, de...) ....

In this case "blessed" is not that "precise" and it means "bendito" as well as "beato".

You can see it in the dictionary. Saint seems to have a higher category among "blessed" people. For the Catholic Church is reserved for an "official" category of people "legally" sanctified. (Or Holy Mary that is beyond all discussions).

Hope this helps!

There are many experts in religion and theology in Proz. Where are they today? (If I were right I would like to have their "blessing"!) :0)