Calcutta, March 3 :     Archbishop of Calcutta Henry D?Souza today said he will petition Pope John Paul II by the middle of this year to declare Mother Teresa a saint in the wake of growing worldwide pleas, especially after the Vatican dispensed with the mandatory five-year waiting period for the nun. Earlier, the Archbishop had said he would petition the Pope only in the year 2000. But now he has decided to do so as early as July to hasten the canonisation process which has already been put on the fast track with the Pope waiving the five-year waiting period. The Telegraph had reported on Sunday that the Supreme Pontiff had written to the Archbishop on December 12, saying that he had scrapped the five-year rule which was introduced in 1983, and asked him to begin the paper work. According to the rule, the process of canonisation can only begin five year?s after a person?s death. Following this and with appeals from the clergy around the world, the Archbishop said he intended to petition the Vatican in 2000 to grant Mother sainthood as it marks 2,000 years of the birth of Christ. The Archbishop?s first task is to appoint a Postulator who will study Mother?s life and petition him to declare her a saint. ?The Postulator is likely to be appointed in a week and then the process will really be hastened. The Missionaries of Charity will have to first choose the person to study her life and then I will make the appointment,? Archbishop D?Souza said this evening. He pointed out that the Postulator, who should be close to the Missionaries of Charity, is likely to submit the petition as early as June. ?Once I receive the petition, I will submit it immediately,? he added. Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity have been huddled in meetings over the last few days to unanimously choose a Postulator, but they are yet to come to a decision. Vatican decision welcomed The Missionaries of Charity did not comment on the issue, but Superior-General Sister Nirmala is happy with the Vatican?s decision. The Archbishop explained that soon after Mother died, there were repeated pleas to declare her a saint and he even received about 80 petitions from bishops the world over. He then petitioned the Pope to scrap the five-year waiting period. A Vatican spokesman replied that the rule would stay. The sudden turnaround by the Vatican in just three months, the Christian clergy said, is because of increasing pressure from people all over the world. Once the Vatican receives the petition with a ?first-class?? miracle, it will declare that Mother?s grave be opened. This will be done either for beatification or canonisation. The grave is opened to make sure that Mother Teresa actually rests there. The body does not have to be intact for her to be beatified or granted sainthood. Three qualified witnesses will be present when the grave is opened. These three persons will certify that it is Mother Teresa?s body after examining the remains.