Nearly 1000 persons from all over the world will converge on Saint Vincent College this weekend for the first-ever gathering of Mother Teresa of Calcutta's family and close friends and an international conference that celebrates her life's work.

The highlight of the three-day Conference will be addresses by Sister M. Nirmala Joshi, M.C., successor to Mother Teresa and Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, who traveled from Calcutta with some of the nuns, priests, and brothers who are part of the religious congregation Mother Teresa founded in 1950, and by Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C., Postulator of Mother Teresa's Cause for Beatification and Canonization, Director of the Mother Teresa Center, and editor of Mother Teresa's recently-published book of letters, Come Be My Light.

The Conference also will feature a panel discussion Saturday evening moderated by Colleen Carroll Campbell, author, columnist and television host of EWTN's Faith and Culture Series that will include Mother Teresa's only niece, Agi Bojaxhiu, who has traveled from Italy to participate; Dr. Patricia Aubanel, physician and cardiologist who cared for Mother Teresa; Sandy McMurtrie, Mother Teresa's friend and travel companion; and Jan Petrie, co- producer of two films on the life of Mother Teresa.

The concluding event of the Conference will be a luncheon on Sunday, October 7, where residents in area homeless shelters, group homes for the developmentally disabled, and others loved most by Mother Teresa will be the honored guests of the College and Conference.

A Nobel Peace Prize winner, Mother Teresa's legendary compassion continues to inspire countless people throughout the world. She died September 5, 1997, and was beatified by His Holiness John Paul II on October 20, 2003.

"Mother Teresa's legacy should be celebrated with great acclaim," said Jim Towey, President of Saint Vincent College and former friend and legal counsel to Mother Teresa. "We are excited to co-host this first-ever forum on Mother. This Conference will focus on the person of Mother Teresa through the telling of stories by those who knew her best."