Foreign
Boisean Worked For Saint Teresa of Calcutta
September 4, 2016 
Jeweler RICK HARVEY worked for a REAL saint.
Rick Harvey, owner of Artsmith Jewelry was just a bit emotional and bursting with pride as the official canonization of Mother Teresa was completed Sunday before 100,000 faithful at the Vatican by Pope Francis. Harvey is undoubtedly the only Boise jeweler (and goldsmith) to make a legitimate claim of “working for a real saint.”
Harvey is a devout Episcopalian–he is a clergyman at St. Michaels–and in 1994 he jumped at the chance to spend a couple of weeks in Calcutta India (Calcutta has become Kolkata), volunteering at Mother Teresa’s Catholic mission caring for the needy.
He wrote in his personal journal after a 35 minute meeting with Mother Teresa which ended with a prayer. “She walked away with determined steps that carry her toward sainthood.” He got that one right.
Harvey shared his 30 page journal with the GUARDIAN at our request. It is laced with self-contemplation and full of Christian faith. It is also a gritty account of misery, adventure, compassion, and insight.
After a final Eucharist presided over by Mother Teresa, Harvey summed up his visit saying, “She came by and as I kissed her hand, I was indeed blessed.”
BY DAVE FRAZIER, editor
It was 22 years ago that I got a lesson in humility thanks to the woman known today as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
It was about 11 p.m. when I bumped into Rick Harvey at the super market and he cheerily asked, “Been traveling anywhere interesting lately?”
At that time I was globetrotting with my camera making photos for textbooks and magazines. “Last month I was in the Philippines,” I noted rather proudly.
As an after thought and to be polite I asked, “What have you been up to?”
“I have been over in Calcutta working as a volunteer with Mother Teresa. I just got back and I need fresh milk and bread,” was his matter-of-fact reply.
I felt about two feet tall and realized how nice it is to have friends like Harvey who understand the meaning of life.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 5, 2016, 8:05 pm
Thanks for sharing this story.
Sep 6, 2016, 8:01 am
After looking at “fake book” this morning and seeing all of the wonderful…. beautiful…expensive trips every one took over labor day… this is a very great story folks need to read.
Sep 6, 2016, 10:46 am
Few things are more rewarding than volunteering of time and talent resulting in contributions which make a positive difference. Money, yes, the organizations all want money these days. However it is the gift of our own personal service which returns gold to our soul too.
Beware, anyone can hold out their hand and claim non-profit. Very few are totally in the business of improving the lives of the misfortunate. Charity Navigator provides a nice service. If your favorite non-profit is not audited, be suspicious. Giving is as old as time, but so is taking.