Customer Reviews

Mother Teresa: Beyond The Image

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Knowing little about Mother Teresa to start with, I found the book seemed to objectively chronicle her life, even the controversial positions that she held that are usually ignored when she is spoken about. Although it becomes apparent that Mother Teresa was human and an imperfect being, this does not diminish the value she has to others as a role model.

I already knew much about the life of Mother Teresa so I was particularly interested in reading about how her order works in various countries. I have had some experience here in Slovakia with the Missionaries of Charity. They are wonderful people who work with those that gov't organizations usually ignore. But I agree with the author that treating people in western countries as though they were living in Indian poverty (e.g., no a/c in the hospice in Washington, D.C., no washing machine here for young mothers to use for washing baby diapers and clothes)is to commit these people to a lifestyle which may do wonders for the nuns' souls but not much for those they help. I thought the book bent over backwards to present all sides of controversial issues and to show why Mother Teresa took the stands that she did. No human who ever lived on this earth was perfect (Jesus was both human and divine)and we should understand that even saints had their flaws. It's just that nowadays we can know more about them. I think this was an excellent book; I read it through in a weekend because I found it so interesting.

I count myself as one soul especially devoted to Saints of the Catholic Church including this one. But as so eloquently explained in "Enduring Grace, Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics" (by Carol Lee Flinders) - even the greatest of Saints will admit to shortcomings. In fact, that is what makes them so beloved by the world...and most importantly Our Lady. The humility to admit one is not what one appears to be is a virtue that is incredibly rare among a religious of this stature. The book herein, about Mother Teresa, takes a similar approach. The author most reverently admires this Saint for her enormous courage, love, perseverence and sacrifice. She simply does not elevate her to the level of "a god." I admired the author for her courage in not doing so. If you want a page-turner of a read that is full of unexpected surprises about one of the most fascinating individuals of our time, this is your book.

By way of preface the author wrote the piece before Mother Teresa died and I read the book before publication. I have not seen it since the death of Mother Teresa. Secondly I am not a Catholic nor am I particularly fond of the dogma. However I enjoy biographies that are submissive to the subject and not patronizing to the reader or make me have to think why the author wrote what they did. The good bios are the ones where I am a witness to a person's life and do not even know the shade of the lens or the style of the frame of the glasses through which I am priviliged to observe. As I don't have the time to write with greater detail I wil summarize as follows:

A crack in the sidewalk may be insurmountable to an ant. It does not mean it is insurmonuntable. Mother T. Did what she had to do to save starving people in the most horrible of conditions. Do you judge her because she used every means possible to accomplish this? Do you fault her because her method is more the method of one born in 1910 and a stranger to the political exigencies of the author's agenda or the agenda of those others whom she intimidated by her plainess. To even give print to her very passable shortcommings in the face of her most ordinary training and the enormity of the task she was courageous to undertake is snobbery. Sebba is a snob. She wrote her piece to be counter to the then existing general satisfaction for the work of Mother T. She didn't write her piece to be a biographer.

I am asking myself why Ms. Sebba would devote an entire book to criticizing a woman who has given up any material possessions she may have had, located herself in an area stricken with poverty and disease (such as leprosy), and spent her life helping the destitute. It is offensive to read this knowing that the author sits in a comfortable residence in England as she searches to find fault with Mother Teresa. Has Ms. Sebba done more for the poor and destitute than Mother Teresa?