Anjez Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, or Mother Teresa as she is now known around the world, was a key figure in the Catholic Church both during her lifetime and after her death. She was appreciated by Christians and non-Christians alike for her work in alleviating poverty and assisting the downtrodden in Calcutta's worst neighborhoods. Her trophy case is brimming with medals ranging from the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize to the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, reinforcing her reputation as a tireless advocate for those in need.
Even today, the first image that springs to mind when her name is mentioned is of a devout woman with the purest intentions and a smile that welcomed everyone into her grace. The fact, however, may differ significantly from this perspective. Over the years, many individuals have questioned Mother Teresa's acts and motives, accusing her of romanticizing people's suffering. This is a deep dive into the dark side of Saint Mother Teresa, from her dubious methods in the Missionaries of Charity to her dubious ways of handling money given to her by equally shady people.
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A Dive Into Hell's Angel
The first of many complaints about Teresa's work surfaced in a 1994 documentary titled 'Hell's Angel.' Someone who was a volunteer in Teresa's missionary work spearheaded the documentary. This indicated that the assertions being presented had some validity. The hygiene of the soup kitchens and hospices was harshly criticized in the documentary. Various eyewitness testimonies alleged that under Mother Teresa's watchful eye, there was little regard for the safety of critically ill people. This disdain was demonstrated by the use of the same needles for a variety of different individuals seeking therapy.
Because there was no sterilizing in the procedure, there was a very high risk of infection. Surprisingly, these misdeeds occurred in a facility with AIDS patients who were already immunocompromised. Another eyewitness reported that no one at these facilities was medically trained and had weak abilities in dealing with people who had already accepted death. Teresa was making use of these folks to build her image of compassion rather than truly caring for them, it can be inferred.
Could Lack Of Adequate Funds Have Been The Prime Cause?
Many people would assume that operating in a poor country like India meant that there was a shortage of funding, resulting in deplorable conditions at the hospices. This assertion, however, is untrue, as Mother Teresa alone raised nearly $30 million from numerous benefactors across the world. The operation has more than enough funds to run smoothly. Instead, no attempt was made to improve the people's living conditions in any way.
Teresa's and the other missionaries' refusal to build water heaters at specific camps reflects her concern for her public image more than the frigid water in which the patients bathed. Donald McIntyre went undercover to volunteer for Teresa in one of her hospices and discovered comparable neglect and even abuse. According to his claims, children and the mentally sick were frequently tied up with ropes and garments to be fed or kept stationary. These apparent abuses of human rights were dismissed and never linked to Mother Teresa's holier-than-thou demeanor.
What About Her Elite Friends In High Places?
Mother Teresa socialized with the wrong people, as she was someone who had been canonized in Christian literature. Regardless of their conduct, she was known to make friends with anyone who gave to her cause. Teresa accepted gifts and awards from those who were participating in large-scale Christian genocides all around the world. This included Ronald Reagan, the US President and archbishop of San Salvador during the Cold War, who was accused of orchestrating the mass murder of Catholic nuns.
This was extremely hypocritical for someone who had dedicated her life to helping lives. She was also associated with prominent business tycoons such as Charles Keating, who was eventually convicted of fraud and racketeering for his shady loan dealings. This demonstrated Teresa's preference for accumulating money (which, by the way, was not even used to improve the lives of the sick) over genuine generosity.
Who Was Mother Theresa: A Saint Or A Fraud?
Teresa's life was canonized in the Roman Catholic Church in 2016, when Pope Francis I bestowed the title of Saint, one of the highest honors bestowed on its members. To be recognized as a Saint, a person must perform two known miracles that are then recognized and accepted by the Catholic Church. In 1998 and 2008, Teresa experienced two miracles. Monica Besra, a woman from Bengal, stated that after praying to Mother Teresa, she was cured of her tumor-related ailment. The Church formally recognized this as a miracle in 2002.
Monica, according to several stories, was cured by the doctors more than Teresa, and it was the regular treatment that saved her, according to one of her husbands. Various medical reports backed up this claim, although these claims were later retracted. The Catholic Church appears to be more concerned with this miracle than with the science behind benign tumors. Following Teresa's death in 1997, a Brazilian guy with numerous brain tumors reported a miracle in 2008. The Catholic Church completed its investigation in just seven days, and Pope Francis eventually bestowed the title of Saint on Mother Teresa.
An Unbiased Conclusion On The Life Of Mother Theresa
Mother Teresa of Calcutta is without a doubt a woman who dedicated her life to helping the destitute and sick. Her years of struggle demonstrate that she desired to create a story in which she aided others. Mother Teresa's selflessness, however, was not black and white; with all of the firsthand accounts and criticism that her deeds have elicited, it is easy to argue that her life is a gray region that is far from ideal or perfection, as many tend to claim.
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