Saturday, April 2 2005 15:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Amid fading hopes of recovery of Pope John Paul-II, the Missionaries of Charity today (Apr 2, 2005) said his death would not affect the process of sainthood of the order's founder Mother Teresa.

''Mother's canonisation (sainthood) is God's work. If she has to be canonised, she will be canonised. The Holy Father will pray (for her canonisation) from Heaven,'' Sister Nirmala, Mother Teresa's successor as the Missionaries of Charity superior general said in Kolkata.

Stating that she had met the Pope a number of times, 'both with and without Mother Teresa,' Nirmala said, ''He appreciates our work. For us, he is like a father and we are all his children.''

Pope John Paul-II, one of the longest-reigning pontiffs in the Church who canonised a record number of saints in a bid to create more role models for the faithful, had also put Mother Teresa on the fast track to sainthood by waiving the mandatory five-year waiting period after her death on September five, 1997.

The Pope beatified her in October 2003, on the basis of a controversial 'miracle,' moving her on the threshold of canonisation that requires evidence of another miracle.

Asked how she was feeling at this moment, the soft-spoken Nirmala said, ''It's a feeling of sorrow, deep sorrow, because the Holy Father is leaving the people. At the same time, there is great joy for the beautiful life he had lived -- a life of total surrender and trust in God ... He is Jesus to us.''

Nirmala went on to add that she was 'optimistic' about death. ''Because it opens the gates of Heaven. The Holy Father is now on the door to Heaven.''