September 5

St. Teresa of Calcutta

In the annals of modern sainthood, few figures loom as large as St. Teresa of Calcutta, commonly known as Mother Teresa. Her life of service to the poorest of the poor inspired millions worldwide. Yet, beneath her unwavering devotion lay a profound spiritual journey marked by what mystics call the “Dark Night of the Soul.” This blog post explores Mother Teresa’s transformative “call within a call,” the struggles she faced in answering it, and the controversies that surrounded her work.

The Dark Night: A Prelude

Before delving into Mother Teresa’s story, it’s crucial to understand the concept of the “Dark Night of the Soul,” articulated by the 16th-century Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross. This spiritual experience describes a period of intense spiritual dryness, doubt, and perceived abandonment by God. Paradoxically, it’s often seen as a sign of spiritual growth, a purification of the soul drawing it closer to divine union.

With this framework in mind, we can better appreciate the depth and complexity of Mother Teresa’s spiritual journey.

Early Life and Initial Call

Born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje (now North Macedonia), the future Mother Teresa felt drawn to religious life from a young age. At 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland, taking the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In 1929, she arrived in India, where she would teach at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta for nearly two decades.

The Call Within a Call

On September 10, 1946, during a train ride to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, Sister Teresa experienced what she would later describe as her “call within a call.” In a series of mystical encounters, she felt Jesus asking her to establish a new religious community dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor.

This profound experience marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life, but it also heralded the onset of her own “Dark Night.” The clarity and fervor of this divine call would soon be juxtaposed against years of spiritual aridity and doubt.

The Struggle to Answer the Call

Mother Teresa’s journey to answer her “call within a call” was far from straightforward. The period between her mystical experience on September 10, 1946, and her eventual departure from the Loreto convent on August 17, 1948, was filled with doubt, bureaucratic hurdles, and personal challenges. This two-year struggle tested her resolve and deepened her commitment to her newfound mission.

1. Seeking Ecclesiastical Approval

One of the most significant obstacles Mother Teresa faced was obtaining permission from the Church hierarchy to pursue her new calling. The process was lengthy and complex:

Initial Hesitation: When Mother Teresa first approached her local superiors with her vision, she was met with skepticism. The idea of a nun leaving her secure convent to work in the slums was unprecedented and risky.
Writing to the Archbishop: Undeterred, Mother Teresa wrote to Archbishop Ferdinand Périer of Calcutta, explaining her calling. The Archbishop, while intrigued, was cautious and advised her to pray and reflect further.
Spiritual Direction: Mother Teresa sought guidance from Father Celeste Van Exem, her spiritual director. He helped her articulate her vision and supported her through the discernment process.
Persistence and Prayer: For months, Mother Teresa continued to write letters, meet with Church officials, and pray for guidance. She had to balance her conviction with obedience to Church authority.
Psychological Evaluation: The Archbishop, concerned about the authenticity of her visions, requested that Mother Teresa undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure her mental stability.
Final Approval: After nearly two years of deliberation, Archbishop Périer finally granted Mother Teresa permission to petition Rome for an indult of exclaustration, which would allow her to leave the Loreto convent while maintaining her vows.

2. Leaving Loreto

The decision to leave the Loreto convent, where she had spent 20 happy years, was emotionally challenging for Mother Teresa:

Emotional Ties: Mother Teresa had formed deep bonds with her fellow sisters and students. Leaving meant saying goodbye to her comfortable life and the community she loved.
Fear and Uncertainty: The prospect of leaving the security of the convent for the unknown challenges of the slums was daunting. Mother Teresa had to confront her fears and trust in her calling.
Identity Crisis: Changing from the Loreto habit to a simple sari represented a profound shift in identity. Mother Teresa had to redefine herself and her role in the world.
Misunderstanding from Peers: Not all of her fellow sisters understood or supported her decision. Some viewed it as a rejection of their way of life, leading to strained relationships.

3. Practical Challenges

Once she received permission to leave, Mother Teresa faced numerous practical obstacles:

Lack of Resources: She left the convent with just five rupees and no clear plan for sustenance. Her faith was tested as she had to rely entirely on Providence.
Finding Shelter: Initially, Mother Teresa stayed with the Little Sisters of the Poor, as she had nowhere else to go. Finding a permanent place to live and work from was a significant challenge.
Health Concerns: The transition from the relatively protected environment of the convent to the unsanitary conditions of the slums posed serious health risks. Mother Teresa had to adapt quickly to her new surroundings.
Learning New Skills: To serve effectively, Mother Teresa had to learn basic medical skills. She underwent training in nursing at the American Medical Missionary Sisters in Patna.
Navigating Bureaucracy: Establishing a new religious order involved complex legal and ecclesiastical procedures. Mother Teresa had to learn to navigate these systems while staying true to her mission.

4. Spiritual Desolation

Perhaps the most profound struggle Mother Teresa faced was an intense spiritual dryness that began almost as soon as she started her new mission:

Loss of Consolation: The vivid spiritual experiences that had characterized her calling were replaced by a sense of God’s absence. This spiritual darkness was particularly challenging as she embarked on her new, difficult mission.
Crisis of Faith: Mother Teresa began to experience doubts about her calling and even about the existence of God. These doubts would persist for nearly five decades, making her work an continual act of faith.
Loneliness: The spiritual struggles, combined with her separation from her former community, led to intense feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Perseverance in Darkness: Despite the lack of spiritual consolation, Mother Teresa persevered in her work. This perseverance in the face of spiritual darkness became a hallmark of her faith journey.

Working in the slums of Calcutta presented its own set of challenges:

Language Barrier: Although Mother Teresa spoke Bengali, the dialects used in the slums were often different, requiring her to adapt and learn.
Cultural Differences: As a European woman working in Indian slums, Mother Teresa had to navigate complex cultural dynamics and earn the trust of the communities she sought to serve.
Opposition from Some Locals: Not everyone welcomed her presence. Some saw her work as unwanted interference or were suspicious of her motives.
Gender Issues: As a woman in a patriarchal society, Mother Teresa faced additional challenges in establishing her authority and carrying out her work.

Despite these numerous and varied challenges, Mother Teresa remained steadfast in her commitment to answering her “call within a call.” Her perseverance through these struggles laid the foundation for the worldwide mission of the Missionaries of Charity and solidified her reputation as a woman of extraordinary faith and determination.

The Missionaries of Charity and Expanding Work

By 1950, Mother Teresa had received Vatican approval to establish the Missionaries of Charity. The order grew rapidly, attracting both local and international recruits. Their mission expanded from Calcutta to other parts of India and eventually to countries around the world.

As the order grew, so did Mother Teresa’s reputation. She became a global symbol of compassion, receiving numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Yet, even as her external work flourished, her internal spiritual life remained in darkness.

The Hidden Darkness

Mother Teresa’s posthumously published letters revealed a startling truth: for nearly 50 years, she experienced a profound sense of God’s absence. In one letter, she wrote:

“Where is my faith? Even deep down… there is nothing but emptiness and darkness… If there be God—please forgive me. When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul.”

This revelation shocked many who had seen Mother Teresa as a paragon of unwavering faith. Yet, it also provided a profound testimony to her commitment. Despite feeling spiritually abandoned, she continued to serve, to love, and to work tirelessly for those in need.

Understanding the Darkness

Mother Teresa’s spiritual struggles can be understood through the lens of the “Dark Night of the Soul.” This experience, far from being a loss of faith, is often interpreted as a deepening of it. By persevering in her work despite feeling God’s absence, Mother Teresa demonstrated a faith that transcended feelings and personal consolation.

Her darkness also aligned her more closely with those she served. Just as many of the poor felt abandoned by society, Mother Teresa felt a sense of abandonment by God. This shared experience of desolation perhaps deepened her empathy and commitment to her work.

Controversy and Criticism

Despite her widespread acclaim, Mother Teresa’s work has not been without its critics. Perhaps the most vocal among them was the late journalist and author Christopher Hitchens, who in 1995 wrote a book titled “The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice” and narrated a documentary called “Hell’s Angel.”

Hitchens’ main criticisms included:

Quality of Care: He argued that the medical care in Mother Teresa’s homes for the dying was substandard, focusing more on spiritual matters than physical comfort.
Financial Opacity: Hitchens questioned the use of the substantial donations received by the Missionaries of Charity, suggesting a lack of transparency.
Political Associations: He criticized Mother Teresa’s associations with controversial political figures and her acceptance of donations from questionable sources.
Glorification of Suffering: Hitchens argued that Mother Teresa saw beauty in the suffering of the poor rather than working to alleviate it.

In Defense of Mother Teresa

While these criticisms raise important points for discussion, they often overlook the core mission that drove Mother Teresa’s work: to love those who were unloved. Several key points should be considered:

Mission of Love: Mother Teresa’s primary goal was not to build state-of-the-art hospitals, but to ensure that those who were dying alone on the streets could do so with dignity and love. Her homes for the dying were meant to be places where the unloved could feel loved in their final moments.
Limited Resources: The Missionaries of Charity often worked in extremely challenging environments with limited resources. While the care provided might not have met Western medical standards, it was often far better than the alternative of dying alone on the streets.
Spiritual Focus: Mother Teresa believed that spiritual poverty in the developed world was as dire as material poverty elsewhere. Her focus on spiritual matters alongside physical care reflected this belief.
Personal Sacrifice: Mother Teresa and her sisters lived lives of extreme simplicity, sharing the poverty of those they served. This commitment to poverty could explain some of the perceived issues with the quality of care, as the sisters did not believe in luxuries for themselves or those they served.
Cultural Context: Some criticisms fail to consider the cultural and historical context of Calcutta and India during the time of Mother Teresa’s work. The standards of care and living conditions were vastly different from those in the West.

It’s important to note that Mother Teresa never claimed to be running a hospital or to be primarily focused on alleviating physical suffering. Her mission, as she often stated, was to care for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.”

In this light, Mother Teresa’s work can be seen as a profound act of love and human dignity. She offered presence, compassion, and care to those who had been abandoned by society. While there may be valid criticisms of certain aspects of her work, they should not overshadow the immense impact she had in bringing attention to the plight of the poorest of the poor and in inspiring millions to acts of compassion and service.

Legacy and Lessons

Mother Teresa passed away on September 5, 1997, in Calcutta. She was beatified in 2003 and canonized as a saint on September 4, 2016. Her legacy continues through the work of the Missionaries of Charity and the millions she inspired worldwide.

The revelation of her spiritual struggles adds depth to her legacy, offering several profound lessons:

Faith transcends feelings: Mother Teresa’s perseverance despite her inner darkness demonstrates that true faith is an act of will, not a feeling.
Doubt is not the opposite of faith: Her experience shows that doubt and faith can coexist, and that wrestling with doubt can lead to deeper spiritual growth.
Service as a response to darkness: Mother Teresa’s response to her spiritual aridity was to pour herself more fully into service, finding meaning in action when consolation was absent.
The complexity of sainthood: Her struggles humanize her, reminding us that saints are not perfect beings, but humans who persevere in love despite their imperfections and struggles.

Conclusion

Mother Teresa’s life, centered around her response to the “call within a call,” offers a profound testimony to the power of faith and service. Her external work, marked by unwavering compassion for the poorest of the poor, stood in stark contrast to her internal spiritual struggles. This juxtaposition, far from diminishing her legacy, enriches it, offering a nuanced understanding of faith, doubt, and the pursuit of a divine calling.

The controversies surrounding her work remind us of the complexities inherent in humanitarian efforts and the challenges of serving in contexts of extreme poverty. They also highlight the importance of understanding the specific mission and context of such work before passing judgment.

In answering her “call within a call,” Mother Teresa not only changed the lives of countless individuals but also provided a powerful example of perseverance in the face of spiritual darkness and external criticism. Her life reminds us that true holiness is not about perfect feelings, unwavering certainty, or universal acclaim, but about loving and serving others even in our moments of deepest doubt and in the face of misunderstanding.

Mother Teresa’s legacy, with all its complexities, continues to challenge and inspire us to reach out to those who are unloved and forgotten in our own communities and around the world.

Five Interesting Facts About St. Teresa of Calcutta

St. Teresa of Calcutta was given prestigious awards, one of which
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 because of her humanitarian and holy
acts.
St. Teresa of Calcutta is the patron saint of World Youth Day and of
the Missionaries of Charity. She is also co-patron of the Archdiocese of
Calcutta, alongside St. Francis Xavier.
St. Teresa of Calcutta was fluent in five languages: English, Hindi,
Bengali, Albanian, and Serbian
St. Teresa of Calcutta authorized Navin Chawla to write her
biography, and it was published in 1992.
St. Teresa of Calcutta was praised by pro-life organizations because
of her anti-abortion stance, as well as criticisms from
“abortion-rights” groups.

Prayer to St. Teresa

God, who called the virgin Saint Teresa to respond to the love of your Son thirsting on the Cross with outstanding charity to the poor, grant us, we beseech you, by her intercession, to minister to Christ in our suffering brothers and sisters. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.