Catholics Furious over Mother Teresa Snub

Catholics are criticizing the owners of the landmark skyscraper for declining to
illuminate it in honor of the late Mother Teresa, who would have turned 100 on
Aug. 26, 2010.

The Empire State Building is defending itself against what it says are "hateful
words and messages" being generated over its refusal to honor Mother Teresa on
Aug. 26 by bathing the tower in blue and white on what would have been her 100th
birthday. But the iconic skyscraper's defense isn't calming its harshest
critics.

On its website, the building's management reiterated its policy not to honor
religious or political figures, saying, "The Empire State Building's tower
lights recognize key milestones, events, charitable organizations, countries and
holidays throughout the world, not political or religion related events."

The site also pointed out that the official Empire State Building Lighting
Partner program was established in August 2006, after its prior managing agent
was replaced.

That should answer the question of why the tower honored Cardinal John O'Connor
when he died in 2000 and Pope John Paul II when he died in 2005.

But none of the building's statements was sitting well with the Catholic
League's Bill Donohue, who directed his anger at Anthony Malkin, president of
Malkin Holdings, which owns the Empire State Building.

Donohue said that on April 25 last year, "the towers were aglow in blue and
white in honor of the Salesian Sisters, an order of Roman Catholic nuns."

"In other words," he wrote on the Catholic League's website, "Malkin is
obviously lying about his so-called policy, and for some reason harbors an
animus against Mother Teresa."

Two atheist groups, meanwhile, endorsed the owner's decision.

Ken Bronstein, president of New York Atheists, said that policy or no policy,
Mother Teresa is not worth honoring. “I don’t think you should recognize an
individual where most of the monies donated to her went to the Vatican," he
said. "It was a big cover-up her whole life.”

Malkin Holdings contends that the lighting of the 102-story building's tower for
any purpose is a privilege, not a right, and the company has the final say.

While the conflict appears at a stalemate, the New York City Council is offering
an alternative: a day of service. Mayor Mike Bloomberg and others are planning
to do volunteer work on Aug. 26 as a way to honor the legacy of a woman who
spent her life serving the poor and needy.

And if the lights won't shine for Mother Teresa at the Empire State Building,
there'll be plenty of blue and white illuminations elsewhere. The city's borough
halls are pledging to show the colors, and the president of the City Council is
calling on New Yorkers to put blue and white battery-operated lights in their
windows (even though batteries are environmentally unfriendly). See Chick's
ARE ROMAN CATHOLICS CHRISTIAN?