First appeared in Crux on August 19, 2016
At first blush, the idea of Hillary Clinton having much appeal for pro-life voters may seem a terribly long shot. A relatively little-known partnership between Clinton and Mother Teresa in the 1990s, however, suggests the fascinating possibility of altering the traditional political calculus.
In her July 26 speech accepting the Democratic nomination, Clinton reiterated her commitment to preserving social security, expanding social programs, fighting for children and their health insurance, and defending the disabled, working people, immigrants, women and the poor.
In many ways, those are precisely the same commitments Pope Francis will celebrate in Mother Teresa when he formally declares her a saint on Sept. 4, and Mother Teresa and Clinton are linked by more than being accomplished women in what have long been men’s worlds.
In February 1994, Mother Teresa was invited to deliver a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual ecumenical and inter-faith event that happens every February in Washington D.C. The title of the speech was Whatever You did Unto One of the Least, You Did Unto Me, which was the core of Mother Teresa’s theology of mission to the poorest of the poor.
... continue reading in Crux
Orientalia contains articles, commentaries, and links discussing issues related to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, written by Ines Murzaku.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Mother Teresa: A saint despite spiritual ‘darkness’
Happy to be quoted in an article by Nicole Winfield of Associated Press
VATICAN CITY — When Pope Francis canonizes Mother Teresa on Sunday, he’ll be honoring a nun who won admirers around the world and a Nobel Peace Prize for her joy-filled dedication to the “poorest of the poor.” He’ll also be recognizing holiness in a woman who felt so abandoned by God that she was unable to pray and was convinced, despite her ever-present smile, that she was experiencing the “tortures of hell.”
... continue reading in The New York Times or in The Washington Post
VATICAN CITY — When Pope Francis canonizes Mother Teresa on Sunday, he’ll be honoring a nun who won admirers around the world and a Nobel Peace Prize for her joy-filled dedication to the “poorest of the poor.” He’ll also be recognizing holiness in a woman who felt so abandoned by God that she was unable to pray and was convinced, despite her ever-present smile, that she was experiencing the “tortures of hell.”
... continue reading in The New York Times or in The Washington Post
Centered in the Periphery – Pope Francis and Mother Teresa
Appeared first in Salt and Light Media on August 31, 2016
But what is “the periphery”?
... continue reading in Salt and Light Media
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Mother Teresa’s Mysticism
Appeared first in Salt and Light Media on August 28, 2016
On August 23, 2007, TIME magazine published excerpts of the private journals and letters of Mother Teresa depicting her crisis of faith and her almost 50 years without sensing God’s presence. TIME’s author, David Van Biema, asked: What does her experience teach us about the value of doubt? The late Christopher Hitchens, Mother Teresa’s harsh critic, refers to these letters as “scrawled and desperate documents” from a “troubled and miserable lady” who tried to recruit others “to a blind faith in which she herself had long ceased to believe.” (Newsweek, 8, 28, 2007). To conclude that Mother Teresa was “a crypto-atheist,” who was perfectly knowledgeable that there was no God but lacked the decency to admit it, cannot be farther from the truth. This is to misconstrue the woman and the mystical experiences she underwent. Moreover, it is exactly this doubt and the life-long “thirst” for God that make Mother Teresa become St. Teresa of Kolkatta. Mother Teresa is real, approachable, and earthly as she herself desired to be: “If I ever become a saint—I will surely be one of darkness. I will continually be absent from heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth.”
... continue reading in Salt and Light Media
On August 23, 2007, TIME magazine published excerpts of the private journals and letters of Mother Teresa depicting her crisis of faith and her almost 50 years without sensing God’s presence. TIME’s author, David Van Biema, asked: What does her experience teach us about the value of doubt? The late Christopher Hitchens, Mother Teresa’s harsh critic, refers to these letters as “scrawled and desperate documents” from a “troubled and miserable lady” who tried to recruit others “to a blind faith in which she herself had long ceased to believe.” (Newsweek, 8, 28, 2007). To conclude that Mother Teresa was “a crypto-atheist,” who was perfectly knowledgeable that there was no God but lacked the decency to admit it, cannot be farther from the truth. This is to misconstrue the woman and the mystical experiences she underwent. Moreover, it is exactly this doubt and the life-long “thirst” for God that make Mother Teresa become St. Teresa of Kolkatta. Mother Teresa is real, approachable, and earthly as she herself desired to be: “If I ever become a saint—I will surely be one of darkness. I will continually be absent from heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth.”
... continue reading in Salt and Light Media
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
WYD is the Palestra to Educate and Practice Bridge-Building
Roberto Maroni, the
president of the Lombard region of Italy, said in an appeal to the media that
“Father Jacques is a martyr of faith” adding that the pope “immediately
proclaim him St. Jacques.” In a recent article John Allen suggested that Fr. “Hamel’s
martyrdom gives organizers (of the WYD) a chance to educate Catholic youth at a
moment when they’re likely to be especially receptive.” Education is key and
martyrdom has unfortunately become a common occurrence; WYD might be the
perfect setting to reflect on this current and crucial issue. Is there a
difference between the Christian martyr and terrorist suicide bombers? The
results of both might seem the same: loss of human life, but the philosophy
behind both acts is diametrically opposite.
The most recent attacks on
innocent people in France, suicide bombings in Germany, killing of Catholic
priests and nuns in Yemen, are brutal acts of terrorism, not martyrdom. The
Syrian suicide bomber who injured fifteen innocent people last Sunday in
Ansbach, Germany, is not a martyr. A martyr is exactly the opposite of a
suicide bomber. A martyr is someone who upholds his/her faith to death. He/she
is a lover of faith and of life. He or she dies so that something else may live
and multiply. The martyr dies so that his/her cause may live. A martyr is the
one who cares so much for something outside of himself, that “he forgets his
personal life” (Chesterton). Christ’s death on the cross was not a deliberate
suicidal act. Instead, Christ is a model for the martyr to imitate and to
follow in voluntarily enduring death because of love of faith. Faith is so crucially
important and life such a tremendous gift that martyrs are ready to give their
lives up for the cause. The cause is outside and more important than self. Self
is destroyed and diluted; it becomes meaningless for the cause. Odium fidei, or hatred of the faith, is
another important requirement for martyrdom and, if this element is lacking,
there is no true martyrdom according to the perennial theological and juridical
doctrine of the Church.
Suicide, on the other hand, is an
act of rejection and negation of life. It is a deeply desperate act. The terrorist
suicide bomber “cares so little for anything outside of him, that he wants to
see the last of everything.” (Chesterton). A suicide bomber is a destroyer of
life and of the other. The focus here is on self and personal distress, thus
forgetting everyone else. There is no cause to live for, but instead much
distress in dying, often sacrificing the lives of others in the process.
Eleven years ago during the 20th
World Youth Day in Cologne, Pope Benedict XVI in his speech to the Muslim communities
living in Germany reflected on the spread of terrorism and the damage terrorism
was causing to Christian-Muslim relations. The Pope warned that terrorist
attacks and suicide bombings which were occurring in various parts of the world
“poison our relations and destroy trust, making use of all means, including
religion, to oppose every attempt to build a peaceful and serene life together.”
Obviously, things have become worse in the last several years. Time demands an
urgent need for education and interaction, mercy and dialogue, exploration and
contemplation of possibilities to build human bridges (Pope Francis) and WYD is
the perfect palestra – training
ground to practice all of the above.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)