Loading ...Coming soon to an envelope near you: Mother Teresa
flockwoodThe United States Postal Service will release a stamp in 2010 honoring Mother Teresa. Which is wonderful except for the fact that it may violate postal service guidelines.
There are 12 criteria which are used to decide who qualifies to appear on a U.S. postage stamp. Number 9 is the key one:
9. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs.
So here’s the key question: Are Mother Teresa’s principal achievements “associated with religious undertakings or beliefs?”
If Mother Teresa’s “principal achievement” was winning a Nobel Prize, the prize itself is not associated with religious undertakings. But if her principal achievement was feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and comforting the sick and spreading the Gospel? Well, I think Mother Teresa would argue that her acts of charity were religious undertakings motivated by her love of God and her devotion to Jesus Christ.
What do you think? Does Mother Teresa’s stamp violate Criteria #9? If it does, should the stamp be dropped or should Criteria #9 be canceled?
(For a Washington Post story on the 2010 stamp lineup, click here.)
Stamp Subject Selection Criteria
The U.S. Postal Service and the members of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) have set certain basic criteria used in determining the eligibility of subjects for commemoration on all U.S. stamps and stationery. These criteria first were formulated about the time of Postal Reorganization in the early 1970s, and have been refined and expanded gradually since then.
Following are the 12 major criteria now guiding subject selection:
1. It is a general policy that U.S. postage stamps and stationery primarily will feature American or American-related subjects.
2. No living person shall be honored by portrayal on U.S. postage.
3. Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on, or in conjunction with significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than five years after the individual’s death. The Committee will not accept or consider proposals for a subject until at least three years after his/her death. The only exception to the five-year rule is the issuance of stamps honoring deceased U.S. presidents. They may be honored with a memorial stamp on the first birth anniversary following death.
4. Events of historical significance shall be considered for commemoration only on anniversaries in multiples of 50 years.
5. Only events, persons, and themes of widespread national appeal and significance will be considered for commemoration. Events, persons or themes of local or regional significance may be recognized by a philatelic or special postal cancellation, which may be arranged through the local postmaster.
6. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor fraternal, political, sectarian, or service/charitable organizations. Stamps or stationery shall not be issued to promote or advertise commercial enterprises or products. Commercial products or enterprises might be used to illustrate more general concepts related to American culture.
7. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor cities, towns, municipalities, counties, primary or secondary schools, hospitals, libraries, or similar institutions. Due to the limitations placed on annual postal programs and the vast number of such locales, organizations and institutions in existence, it would be difficult to single out any one for commemoration.
8. Requests for observance of statehood anniversaries will be considered for commemorative postage stamps only at intervals of 50 years from the date of the state’s first entry into the Union. Requests for observance of other state-related or regional anniversaries will be considered only as subjects for postal stationery, and again only at intervals of 50 years from the date of the event.
9. Stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs.
10. Semipostal stamps are designed to raise funds for causes determined to be in the national public interest and appropriate. Semipostal stamps are sold for a price above their postage value. The differential between the sales price and the postage value of semipostal stamps consists of an amount (less a deduction for the Postal Service’s reasonable costs) to be given to other executive agencies in furtherance of specified causes. The Postal Service issues semipostals in accordance with the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act and the Semipostal Authorization Act.
11. Requests for commemoration of universities and other institutions of higher education shall be considered only for stamped cards and only in connection with the 200th anniversaries of their founding.
12. No stamp shall be considered for issuance if one treating the same subject has been issued in the past 50 years. The only exceptions to this rule are traditional themes such as national symbols and holidays.
The selection of subjects for U.S. postage stamps and stationery is a difficult task, since only a limited number of new commemorative items can be issued annually. To help in this selection process, the Postmaster General established the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) 50 years ago. Members are appointed to the Committee by the Postmaster General. They reflect a wide range of educational, artistic, historical and professional expertise.
Stamp proposals are to be submitted in writing to the following address:
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Development
U.S. Postal Service
1735 North Lynn St., Suite 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432.
Subjects should be submitted at least three years in advance of the proposed date of issue to allow sufficient time for consideration and for design and production, if the subject is approved. All eligible subjects are reviewed by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee regardless of how they are submitted, i.e., stamped cards, letters or petitions.
After a proposed subject is determined to be consistent with the criteria set by CSAC, the subject is listed on the CSAC’s agenda for its next meeting. The CSAC considers all new proposals and takes one of two actions: it may reject the new proposal or it may set it aside for consideration for future issuance. If the proposal is rejected, it may be resubmitted to the Committee again, no sooner than one year after the rejection date. Proponents are not advised if a subject has been approved for issuance until a general announcement is made to the public.
Once a subject is approved, the Postal Service relies on art directors under contract to the Postal Service for the selection of artists who will execute the designs. Stamp designing is an unusual art form requiring exacting skill in portraying a subject within very small dimensions. Due to the demands of stamp design and reproduction requirements, it is our policy not to review nor accept unsolicited artwork.
Professional artists who may wish to be considered for a design assignment should request a copy of the Creating U.S. Postage Stamps brochure from the following address:
US Postal Service
Stamp Development
ATTN: Stamp Design
1735 North Lynn Street, Suite 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432
December 30th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Interesting question. And Frank is probably right about how Mother Teresa would describe herself and her actions. But the interests of church and state need not be opposed, and people of many faiths can applaud Teresa’s ministry to the poor. Her work clearly served humanitarian interests, and it’s not like she closed the door to anyone who wasn’t Catholic.
I wonder if the Postal Service has recognized other religious figures in this way? Martin Luther King, Jr.? Desmond Tutu?
December 31st, 2009 at 11:20 am
I don’t think MLK would fall into the category of someone whose primary fame came from religious work; I know that he was a minister and that his faith informed and enlivened his civil rights activities, but he is primarily known as a civil rights leader rather than a religious leader.
Desmond Tutu might be in the same category, though he is certainly known more as a religious figure than King; however, he has never appeared on a stamp.
In glancing through Wikipedia’s list of people appearing on postage stamps, the only professional clergymen I see are Fr. Flanagan, of Boys’ Town, who is listed as an “orphan advocate” rather than as a priest, and the four chaplains who famously gave up their places in lifeboats for others during the sinking of the Dorchester during WWII.
I wonder, though, how they justified putting St. Francis of Assisi on a 1982 stamp; he’s the only saint I see on the list.
December 31st, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Wikipedia, of course. Thanks, Caleb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_on_stamps_of_the_United_States
Did you notice these two? It’s safe to say that they are recognized for their religious activities:
- Jesus (1966) Christianity founder
- Mary (The Madonna) (1966) Central figure in Christianity
Another saint is:
- Junipero Serra (1985) Franciscan mission founder
Another religious leader known for civil rights is:
- Malcolm X (1999) Civil rights advocate
December 31st, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Mother Teresa “friend of world destitute” violated section 9. Her goal to serve Jesus Christ by serving the needy of community is associated with her religious believe. But section 9 over looked the basic principle of humanity that human builds godly Church as well as community. Based on principle of serving humanity irrespective of race, color and creed, Mother Teresa deserves this honor if any one have little sympathy for humanity. Section 9 should be modified.
January 1st, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Although I tend to have a more sanguine view of Mother Teresa than most people, tending to follow Christopher Hitchens’ rather scathing commentary on her, but even I think that it would be strange that we can put Walt Disney on a postage stamp (1968), but not Mother Teresa.
Of course, stamps now tend to come in groups: They’ll honor famous jazz musicians or movie stars and the like. Maybe we could have a series on religious figures. Who would you put on it? Billy Graham? Rex Humbard? Oral Roberts? Bishop Sheen? Pope John Paul II? Pope John XIII?
January 1st, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Caleb, your list is limited to Roman Catholics and televangelists. Let’s branch out a bit.
Methodists were much involved in the spread of Christianity throughout the US in the 19th century so let’s acknowledge John Wesley (who was briefly a missionary in colonial Georgia) and the first two Methodist bishops, Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury.
For American theologians we can honor both Niebuhr brothers. Internationally, I would suggest the Dalai Lama and Dietrich Bonhoffer, plus any number of modern and historical theologians. If the Catholic bishops don’t object too much, it would be interesting to name the leaders of the Reformation– Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli (but we can do without Henry VIII).
The USPS has already graced Christianity with stamps featuring both Jesus and his mom. What about other religions? Buddha, Hillel, Joseph Smith. (Muhammad is out since most modern Muslims consider it sacrilegious to display images of the Prophet.) Alas, Hinduism has far too many deities so we would have to pick a few major ones. As a nod to the Native Americans, maybe we can honor the Great Spirit.
January 1st, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I agree about my list being too narrow, and you’re right that I missed the whole Methodist movement.
I also like including non-Christian religions. Does anyone have a good picture of the Great Spirit? How about the Great Pumpkin?
I thought about the Great Spirit when I saw some of the Native American warriors and chiefs on the list; I suspect some of them were also medicine men.
January 1st, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Would she fit under the title of Nobel Peace Prize winners?
She was also the Leader of Missionaries of Charity, Calcutta.
Also from wikipedia: Missionary: one undertaking a mission.
An assignment to or work in a field of missionary enterprise c (1) : a mission establishment
3 : a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity: as a : a group sent to a foreign country to conduct diplomatic or political negotiations b : a permanent embassy or legation c : a team of specialists or cultural leaders sent to a foreign country.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Mother Teresa, in my humble opinion, would just as soon be dipped in a slopjar full of skunkjuice, than to have her beautiful image BLASPHEMED by the Loony-Tune Idiots of the us postal skirmish.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:05 am
I wasn’t offended when the USPS came out with the Muslim EID religious holiday to be put on a stamp. I am not sure how the USPS justifies rule #9. They are not directly promoting religion by making stamps with a historical figure like Mother T any more than them promoting rock and roll over rap when they put Elvis on a stamp. To say so is a bit contradictory.
They would then have to justify using a stamp for an atheist like Mark Twain is more rational than putting John Calvin’s face on a stamp.
January 15th, 2010 at 1:32 am
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