Finding Calcutta.

Book Review

Poplin, Mary. Finding Calcutta. What Mother Teresa taught me about meaningful work and service. Veritas Forum Books. 2008
M.P. - PhD, U of Texas. Professor of education at Claremont Graduate University in California.

Comment. Henry
The work of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity are legend. This resource presents a focus from the point of view of an education professor who was motivated to spend part of her sabbatical to discover why Mother Teresa called her activities religious work rather than social work. Mother’s work was a type of evangelism that was acceptable in a country where proselytizing was against the law. Mary’s Appendix A is an interesting essay addressing the obvious prejudice that exists in Western universities against Christianity as a legitimate world view

Mary spent a couple of months as a volunteer working with the Missionaries of Charity under Mother’s supervision. She describes a typical day “doing something beautiful for God”. (29) In no way did Mother want any kind of veneration. That belonged to God. She taught that to touch the needy in ministry was to touch Christ. The Church, like its people is imperfect.

There is no acceptable place for criticism and prejudice. Anything we have (own) is a trust from God. He provides it and we serve by dispensing it. All gifts to the work are accepted as God’s provision. Mother and her missionaries commit to four vows: “poverty, chastity, obedience, and service to the poor.” (56) Prayer should be our first work and other activities (ministries) should flow out of the first. ‘Western Christianity’ is limited when it comes to experiencing miracles. “Denial about the pervasive presence of sin may be the fiercest struggle for a Christian living in the West.” (86)

The grace of God is most obvious in an environment of great need. Discouragement is a sign of pride. To learn to meet one simple need at a time is a valuable lesson. Mother taught how to “suffer redemptively”. (100) Abortion is seen as evidence of spiritual poverty. Charity is at its highest form when it comes from the poor. There is a way of demonstrating love that results in an actual revolution. The body of Christ (the universal church) benefits from all Christian organizations (denominations).

Upon her return to America Mary goes through a very unusual personal process of “finding (her) Calcutta” right in the university where she taught. Mary’s greatest learning experience came in the form of a personal exhortation from Mother Teresa, “You fall more in love with Jesus every day!” (159) Mother modeled this exhortation.

In appendix A, Mary addresses a great personal concern she has having to do with absence of the Christian view in university curriculums. “The absence of Christian perspectives has diminished the university’s commitment to academic freedom and providing universal education.” (159) Mary goes on to present a ‘blueprint’ of a twenty-first century Christian graduate university.