Mother Teresa's spiritual legacy endures (Feature)

By Siddhartha Kumar Aug 18, 2010, 3:03 GMT

Kolkata - 'Mother Teresa MC, In' - states a nameplate at the entrance of the Motherhouse, unassuming headquarters of Missionaries of Charity in a Kolkata neighbourhood festooned with the hammer-and-sickle flags of the ruling communist state government.

The inconspicuous 'In/Out' sign is symbolic of how years after her death, Mother Teresa and her philosophy are still alive in hearts and minds of nuns in the order.

Her small, first-floor room reflects an austere life lived amid the suffering: a crown of thorns above her modest camp bed, images of Christ and a scroll reading 'My Vocation is Love.'

Out in the courtyard, nuns in their trademark blue-bordered saris are busy washing clothes, attesting to the virtue of labour often emphasized by their founder.

Kolkatans flock to the tomb of their beloved 'Mother,' offering prayers, as candles flutter in the tropical breeze.

Mother Teresa established the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata in 1950 and devoted her life ministering to the lepers, poor and sick, orphaned and the dying.

The diminutive nun who worked in the squalor of slums commanded respect among global leaders and became known one of the world's most famous humanitarians.

Famously described as Saint of the Gutters, she did not hesitate to kiss hands of lepers or pick maggots from wounds of destitute beggars on streets. She fought the AIDS stigma by hugging infected patients.

The Nobel Peace laureate passed away aged 87 in 1997, leaving a network of homes and hospices for people living with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, orphanages and schools.

From 3,800 sisters working in 594 branch-houses at the time of her death, 5,000 nuns are now working in 765 houses across 137 countries, spokeswoman Sister Christie said.

Sister Andrea, the first non-Indian nun to join the Missionaries of Charity over 50 years ago, said the spiritual legacy of Mother Teresa has kept the congregation growing in strength.

'It is God's call to mankind that we should learn to accept and love those who have less, who are different, those who are suffering,' the 73-year-old nun said.

'This message of Mother, I would say God's message really to Mother, is the charisma of her work which inspired her and everybody after her. This spiritual legacy is the driving force behind our work now, even though Mother is no longer with us.'

Along with the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, nuns are bound by the order's special fourth vow, to give 'wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor.'

But amid the praise, there is also strong criticism of her stand against contraception and abortion, poor condition of homes, lack of transparency on donations and charges of proselytizing.

'There is no reason for India to be proud of her. Mother Teresa collected money by showcasing suffering, which ultimately was not used for alleviating poverty but opening new branches of her order,' said Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalists' Association.

'She did not serve poor in Kolkata, but the rich in the West. She helped them to overcome their guilt and bad conscience by taking donations from them. Her brand-name is still used and the tradition continues.'

Edamaruku said he made visits to observe lack of medical care and hygiene, untrained volunteers and an aversion to use modern-therapy at the homes.

Sister Andrea rejected the criticism, saying the organization does not operate specialized hospitals.

'We only have hospitals for leprosy patients. We work on the ground, providing immediate help and the first line of care to unwanted people on the streets,' she said.

'People say many things but our work doesn't depend on what they say. If it did, it wouldn't have lasted so long,' another nun said at the Daya Dan home for handicapped orphan children.

'Mother brings out the goodness in people,' Sister Andrea said. 'Many people did not know how to go about it, but together they have built bridges and reached out to all kinds of difficult places.'