Books tell of Blessed Mother Teresa's life

With her canonization scheduled Sept. 4, 2016, people are more interested than ever in Blessed Mother Teresa. In the past several years, Catholic News Service reviewers have written about a number of books that tell the story of Blessed Mother Teresa. Here is information from a few of those reviews, originally published in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Three books detail Mother Teresa's 'thirst,' teachings and impact

Much has been written in the past months concerning the interior darkness and long periods of spiritual dryness in the life of Blessed Mother Teresa, revealed through her private correspondence in the book "Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light," by Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, a Missionaries of Charity priest who is the postulator of her sainthood cause. Both the secular press and scholars alike have delved into the meaning of her letters and the long periods in her life when she no longer felt the presence of Jesus.

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In "Mother Teresa's Secret Fire," Father Joseph Langford, a Missionaries of Charity priest and companion of Mother Teresa since the early 1970s, shares his personal encounters with Mother Teresa and sheds light on two words which can sum up her life: I thirst.

It is the thirst of Jesus on the cross that became Mother Teresa's own thirst and she spent the last 50 or so years of her life trying to satiate this thirst through her service to the poorest of the poor. It is this thirst that is at the heart of Father Langford's book.

Mother Teresa never spoke publicly about her experience on Sept. 10, 1946, when she had a personal and profound experience with Jesus. "Mother Teresa's Secret Fire" reveals the conversations that Father Langford had with Mother Teresa regarding that experience and sheds light on the intense periods of spiritual darkness which followed. "What had forged Mother Teresa's soul and fueled her work had been an intimate encounter with the divine thirst -- for her, for the poor, and for us all," he writes.

Father Langford illuminates the heart of Mother Teresa's call and in doing so further communicates the beauty of Jesus, Mother Teresa, her sisters and the poor.

"I Loved Jesus in the Night" by Dominican Father Paul Murray recounts in 24 short chapters his experiences and lessons learned from time spent with Mother Teresa. Since his first encounter with her in a university classroom, Father Murray was struck to the core by her "radiant joy" and the simplicity and candor that permeated his heart and mind.

This book is an easy read and gives the reader insights into the spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that drove this carrier of God's love to serve the poorest of the poor. On two separate occasions Mother Teresa took Father Murray's hand in hers and spelled out the Gospel passage that summed up for her the entire mystery of our lives: "You did it to me." This is an excellent meditative book that can be used for personal reflection.

The title of "Finding Calcutta," by Mary Poplin, is taken from one of Mother Teresa's most popular exhortations that "you can find Calcutta all over the world if you have eyes to see." Poplin, a professor of education at the University of Texas, shares her two-month experience serving with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, during the summer of 1996.

Poplin reveals not only her encounters with Mother Teresa and her sisters but also her own spiritual journey in which she discloses her life without God. The chaos and confusion which followed led to her conversion to Christianity. She aptly narrates the conflict that arose in the secular academic community which flatly rejects any notion of God and discounts Christianity outright and her newfound belief in Jesus.

The person who is unfamiliar with the work of Mother Teresa will gain valuable insights into her life and labor with the poor through this book as well as insights into the journey of a woman in the world of academia trying to find her way as a woman of faith.

Each of these books sheds light on a different aspect of Mother Teresa and reveals the visible work that people see and the inner thirst that continues to drive the Missionaries of Charity.

-- Reviewed by Allan Wright for Catholic News Service in February 2010.Wright is the author of "Jesus in the House: Gospel Reflections on Christ's Presence in the Home."

"Mother Teresa's Secret Fire: The Encounter That Changed Her Life, and How It Can Transform Your Own" by Father Joseph Langford, MC. Our Sunday Visitor (Huntington, Ind., 2008). 312 pp., $19.95. 

"Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work and Service" by Mary Poplin. InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, Ill., 2008). 223 pp., $15. 

"I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta -- A Secret Revealed" by Paul Murray. Paraclete Press (Brewster, Mass., 2008). 125 pp., $18.95.

New insights about Mother Teresa

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 In "As I Have Loved you: A Conversation With Mother Teresa" John Scally truly offers new insights into the holy and saintly nun from India.

One might think that everyone knows everything about Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. However, Scally really had a unique interview with her and shares it.
Scally is an Irish journalist who wrote to Mother Teresa in 1992 and asked for an interview. When Mother Teresa came to Dublin and Knock in 1993 they met and he taped the interview.
Basically, this book highlights her answers with some other information included in each chapter.
The book is clear, well-organized and makes the reader fall in love with Mother Teresa for the first time or all over again.
It is actually quite sweet to read when Scally writes: "I did feel a strong pang of jealousy when I met Mother Teresa. Her God was different than mine. She had stumbled upon a God who dances and astonishes. The love of God had transported her, shattered her, and consumed her like a fire."
Scally is a great writer and it is worth the purchase of a book to read his lovely prose. However, the bulk of the book is the wit and wisdom of Mother Teresa, and that is the reason for the book and the meat of the matter. It is good stuff!!

-- Reviewed by Peggy Weber for Catholic News Service in June 2013.
"As I Have Loved You: A Conversation With Mother Teresa" by John Scally. Liguori Press (Liguori, Mo., 2012) 161 pp., $14.99.

Inspirational Mother Teresa books for individuals, families 

As much as has been written about Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, there is always another book that can provide the reader with more insight into and more inspiration from her life. "Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait" does both.
Father Leo Maasburg served as the nun's spiritual adviser, confessor and translator, traveling with her throughout the world. Thus, he can accurately term his work "a personal portrait." It contains the material one would expect to glean from being someone's regular travel partner, material that would not surface in interviews with the subject but which has to be witnessed.
Through Father Maasburg's stories, the reader gets a dose of the blessed nun's wit, stubbornness -- he relates a story about a heated argument she had with the archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, about health insurance (Missionaries of Charity do not have health insurance) -- commitment to the poor, humility in service and her faith. He writes about her devotion to the Miraculous Medal and the "miracles" the priest attributes to it.
One senses that Father Maasburg wasn't always sure what surprises travels with Mother Teresa would bring, but he accepted what appear to be journeys of faith, e.g., sneaking Miraculous Medals into the then-Soviet Union and dropping one behind a czar's sarcophagus in the Church of the Annunciation in the Kremlin, as part of his role.

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"A Personal Portrait" is an enjoyable volume that will provide readers with smiles and laughs, and that will renew them in the living of their faith.
While Lent doesn't begin until Feb. 13, 2013, "Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa" should be highlighted in the family "What we'll do for Lent this year" folder. What Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle brings to the shelf of family Lenten literature is a practical, user-friendly collection of daily reading and activities based upon the life and words of Mother Teresa.
The practicality of the volume comes from its consistent presentation of material. Each day begins with a quote from Mother Teresa, a reflection for parents, family prayer, a story from Mother Teresa's life, a lesson on fasting, e.g., "Ask the children to think about 'fasting' today from selfishness," a lesson on almsgiving, e.g., "Ask the children to think of a person who may be yearning for love," prayer, and a concluding segment titled "All through the Day."
The order, rhythm and pacing of each day's material makes it friendly for the parents who will use it. No one has to ask, "What do I say to my kids about faith?" or "How do I pray with them?" After a few days of following "Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa," parents will know what to say to their kids and how to pray with them. As for the children themselves, it will provide them with a meaningful observance of the season that could serve as seeds for an active faith life.

-- Reviewed by Brian T. Olszewski for Catholic News Service in May 2012.

"Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait" by Father Leo Maasburg. Ignatius Press (San Francisco, 2011). 206 pp., $22.95. 

"Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa: Prayers, Reflections and Activities for Families" by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle. Ave Maria Press (Notre Dame, Ind., 2012). 96 pp., $2.50.