By Fernando Alfonso
Religion News Service
(RNS) In a bid to honor what would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday on Aug. 26, the New York-based Catholic League has gathered more than 24,000 signatures to light the iconic spire of the Empire State Building in blue and white.
The answer from the building's management, so far, has been no, which has made the conservative group even more insistent. Some New York priests, meanwhile, don't seem to see what all the fuss is about.
Jeff Field, a spokesman for the Catholic League said the group's application was denied without explanation a few weeks ago.
"We're deeply upset and quite angry that the Empire State Building hasn't budged and it doesn't look like they are going to," Field said.
Representatives from the Empire State Building declined to comment.
The Rev. Thomas Franks of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Midtown Manhattan also wanted an explanation for the denial, but does not consider the lighting to be of utmost importance.
"A far more important thing is her own canonization process and the recognition of her life of holiness," Franks said of Mother Teresa.
Other priests, like Rev. Bartholomew Daly of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church on Manhattan's Upper East Side, don't see much merit in the request.
"I think that trying to get the Empire State involved is far out," Daly said. "I can't see anything spiritual about that."
The United States Postal Service will honor the life and humanitarian work of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning nun with a stamp tentatively scheduled to go on sale on Aug. 26.
In the last two years, the Empire State Building has been specially lit to celebrate the career of pop star Mariah Carey, the fifth anniversary of the Broadway musical "Wicked" and the founding of communist China.
The Catholic League is headquartered less than 10 blocks from the Empire State Building, and if their petition is unsuccessful, officials plan to hold a rally on Aug. 26, Field said.
"We're going to bring people to the streets, we're going to make sure that this is well known, we want this to be a big event," he said.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.