Although she used to shun the bothersome interviews, on October 17, 1979, Mother Teresa took the podium of Oslo to receive the Nobel prize. She had to deliver one of the most important speeches. Mother Teresa would say:
“I accept to show up in different public ceremonies because I have the chance to talk about Jesus with people who may not have another opportunity to hear the word of God. I have once said: It is easier for me to nurse a leper’s wound, than give an interview.
A real miracle occurred in Oslo: Everyone prayed to God in a place where prayers were never heard. We had congregated in a hall to attend the prize awarding, and I availed myself of the opportunity to speak: It was really stunning and wonderful to see everyone present in the hall pray although the number of Catholics in Norway is very small.
As we have gathered here together to thank God for the Nobel Peace Prize I think it will be beautiful that we pray the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi which always surprises me very much – we pray this prayer every day after Holy Communion, because it is very fitting for each one of us, and I always wonder that 4-500 years ago as St. Francis of Assisi composed this prayer that they had the same difficulties that we have today, as we compose this prayer that fits very nicely for us also. I think some of you already have got it – so we will pray together.
I also spoke about abortion saying: We are marking the international child year. And today the greatest means – the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion. And we who are standing here – our parents wanted us. We would not be here if our parents would do that to us. Our children, we want them, we love them, but what of the millions. Many people are very, very concerned with the children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own child – what is left for me to kill you and you kill me – there is nothing between.
During a stopover to Rome on my way back, she recalls, the Holy Father said to me: Do not forget to speak like in Oslo wherever you go!