By Sheila Mckenzie-
A new three-part Sky documentary titled Mother Teresa: For The Love Of God claims that the Nobel Peace Prize winner was more sinister than she appeared in public is already rocking the Catholic Church
The documentary, which presents the otherwise perceived saintly Mother Teresa as a woman who was complicit in covering up atrocities, is shaking the Catholic Church.
The series reveals several issues casting a dark shadow over the legacy of Mother Theresa whom Catholics all over the world have generally regarded as one of their heroic saints. Contrary to the perceptions, Catholic hold of her, the documentary makers examine accounts of people who paint her as being angelic on the outside, but one who condoned very dark and develish activities like child abuse.
British doctor Jack Preger worked with her charity, and was shocked by what he saw. ‘The nuns weren’t delivering proper care,’ he says.
‘Needles were used over and over unsterilised. One woman with burns was refused painkillers – I smuggled some in for her.
What has now been presented as her compromised stance on the the growing scandal of child abuse by priests is causing a stir among staunch Roman Catholics in the Uk.
Her lukewarm response to complaints that a well known reverend father, Reverend Donald McGuire was suspected of abuse, has caused critics to accuse her of turning a blind eye to serious allegations. At the time, she wrote a letter to the authorities highlighting her ‘confidence and trust’ in him.
This allowed McGuire to abuse hundreds of boys for another decade, before eventually being put away.
Also, at its peak, her organisation was receiving millions of dollars in donations, however, most of it was being paid into the Vatican bank.
“The nuns weren’t delivering proper care,” he says in the documentary.
“Needles were used over and over unsterilised. One woman with burns was refused painkillers – I smuggled some in for her.
“They had the money to run a decent hospital for poor people, but they never did. They said, ‘We will pray for the alleviation of pain’ without providing treatment.”
Her nuns had to whip themselves, wear chains with spikes… she believed suffering redeemed the world
‘They had the money to run a decent hospital for poor people, but they never did. They said, ‘We will pray for the alleviation of pain without providing treatment.’
Pain was not just a by-product of her work, but an integral part of it. Nuns were instructed to whip themselves and wear wire chains with spikes on.
Mary Johnson, who worked with Mother Teresa for 20 years, says, ‘Her spirituality was connected to Jesus on the cross.
‘He gave his life in pain and she believed that to give of oneself with suffering was the greatest value. The idea was that suffering redeemed the world.’
By the 1980s her profile had never been higher. She demanded a ceasefire in Beirut in 1982 to save some orphans, and amazingly it happened.
Three years later she had prisoners dying of AIDS in a New York prison released. By now around £100m a year was coming into her organisation, but most of it was being paid into the Vatican bank.
Shock
Catholics asked about their reaction to the revelation were shocked by the news.
Shar Macmillan, 41 from St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Soho told The Eye Of Media.Com: ‘it’s shocking news to think that Mother Theresa would have covered up any atrocities, I don’t think the rumour should be taken as gospel yet without independent confirmation of the facts.
Another Catholic, 34 year oldAndria McCarthy, a school assistant said: I believe people are trying to give Catholics a bad name. Catholism has already been caught up in much controversy, now we have this freshly added one, and how much of it is factual, do we know? I haven’t seen the documentary.
Joseph Peters of St James Roman Catholic Church in London said: ” I am shaken by this news, but not sure how much credence to give to it. The Catholic Church , like many other religions has had its fare share of bad publicity, but this is a dangerous one, but should not be spread without further confirmation”.
When told that this publication has marked at least 2o Catholic Churches in the Uk, and a total of 20 others abroad, to be tagged on instagram in relation to this news, Mr.Peters said: ”I don’t think many Catholic Priests will thank you for that”.
The documentary accuses mother Theresa of covering up for the worst excesses of the Catholic church, claiming she seemed more attracted to poverty and pain than actually helping people escape it.
The troubling claim contained in the compelling new three-part Sky documentary series Mother Teresa: For The Love Of God, which talks to some of her closest friends and bitterest critics and serves as a thorough reappraisal of one of the most famous women of the last century.
Mother Theresa is a well revered figure among Catholics, widely perceived over the generations as one of their role models.
In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation that had over 4,500 nuns and was active in 133 countries as of 2012. The congregation manages homes for people who are dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis.
A 1969 BBC documentary of Mother Theresa’s work was shown to the world, made her an overnight celebrity as and was greeted by the liked of Princess Diana and President Ronald Reagan.
Mother Teresa also received a number of honours, including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay, and was awarded Peace Prize and the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. She was canonised on 4 September 2016, and the anniversary of her death (5 September) is her feast day.
A controversial figure during her life and after her death, Mother Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work. She was praised and criticized on various counts, such as for her views on abortion and contraception, and was criticized for poor conditions in her houses for the dying
After moving to Calcutta, now Kolkata, she got permission from the church to start the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation.
The congregation ran soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, children’s and family counselling programmes, and eventually began opening orphanages and schools.
After a 1969 BBC documentary of her work was shown to the world, Mother Teresa became an overnight celebrity as and was greeted by the liked of Princess Diana and President Ronald Reagan.
Her stance on the the growing scandal of child abuse by priests was controversial after Reverend Donald McGuire was suspected of abuse. She wrote a letter to the authorities highlighting her ‘confidence and trust’ in him.
This allowed McGuire to abuse hundreds of boys for another decade, before eventually being put away.
Also, at its peak, her organisation was receiving millions of dollars in donations, however, most of it was being paid into the Vatican bank.
“The nuns weren’t delivering proper care,” he says in the documentary.
“Needles were used over and over unsterilised. One woman with burns was refused painkillers – I smuggled some in for her.
“They had the money to run a decent hospital for poor people, but they never did. They said, ‘We will pray for the alleviation of pain’ without providing treatment.”
Mary Johnson, who worked with Mother Teresa for 20 years, says in the programme: “Her spirituality was connected to Jesus on the cross.
“He gave his life in pain and she believed that to give of oneself with suffering was the greatest value. The idea was that suffering redeemed the world.”
The official synopsis for the doc reads: “Delving into the life of one of the most recognised people in contemporary history, Mother Theresa, revealing the extraordinary truth behind the enigmatic, controversial, and complex figure.
The documentary highlights the problems with authorities in religious groups, and indeed any organisation, turning a blind eye to legitimate complaints, in the name of maintaining a dishonourable level of loyalty and association with high figures who may be committing deplorable acts.
Now, decades after her death, her memory is now being stained with the revelation, which are credible in light of evidence supporting many of them.