Mother Teresa as a social leader

Exclusive. The founder of the Catholic Order of Mercy, Mother Teresa, and the Old Testament prophet Moses have proven to be the most inspiring examples of leaders for teenagers in the English-speaking world. In this article, we will consider the circumstances why a humble nun, fragile, and outwardly weak woman became in the perception of believers (not only children) on the same level as the great prophet of the Old Testament, de facto the "father" of ancient Israel.

Mother Teresa as a social leader

Albanian nun Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonja Boyajiu) was born in Skopje (former Ottoman Empire, now North Macedonia). She was the youngest of three children of Nikola Boyajiu, a wealthy building contractor and merchant who was associated with the Albanian nationalist movement and died in mysterious circumstances the year Agnes was born. Her mother, born Dranafile Bernay, was a devout Catholic who often took her younger daughter with her when visiting the sick and needy.

Agnes attended public school, sang in the church choir. In choosing a profession, she was influenced by contacts with the "Brotherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary" - an organization that helps the poor in various countries. Once hearing the priest of her parish read letters from missionaries from India, Agnes became interested in the activities of the Bengal mission. In an interview with the English writer Malcolm Muggeridge several decades later, Mother Teresa recalled that after pious thoughts and prayers, she decided to "go and tell people about the life of Christ" in Hindustan. After graduating from high school in Skopje, Agnes joined the Irish Loreto Sisters, which had a mission in India. She spent a year in Loreto Abbey, Dublin, learning English, and on January 6, 1929, she sailed for Calcutta.

After completing her apprenticeship, Agnes began teaching history and geography at school, during which time she managed to learn Hindi and Bengali. Agnes chose the monastic name Teresa in honor of the French Saint of the 19th century. Thérèse of Lisieux, who sought to do good, joyfully doing the most unpleasant work. Six years later, she received a haircut under the name of Tereza.

The Loreto Monastery allowed for a secluded lifestyle, but it was located near the slums of Calcutta. During a trip to the Darjeeling asylum in 1946, Sister Teresa felt a "calling" the meaning of which was clear to her, as she later recalled: "I had to leave the convent and live among the poor, helping them." Two years later, she received permission from the Archbishop of Calcutta to work outside the monastery. She began to wear a white sari with a blue border and a crucifix pinned on the shoulder. At the same time, Teresa received Indian citizenship.

After an intensive three-month training at the American Nursing Course in Patna, she opened a school in the slums of Moti Gil. In 1950, she received the Vatican's permission to create a new Congregation - the "Order of Mercy". The first initiates were former students of the Loreto School. To the three usual monastic vows, Teresa added a fourth - "to serve the poorest with all one's strength."

Alarmed by the terrible conditions of life in the slums, she began to help the elderly, sick and orphans. In 1954, she founded the "House of the Dying" for the elderly abandoned on the street. By this time, the number of her voluntary assistants had reached 26. Only the most devoted could withstand the strict regime in the new congregation: obligatory daily prayer at four o'clock in the morning, no possessions except for one change of clothes, a diet like that of the poorest population and a 16-hour work among the poor.

Mother Teresa's fame gradually grew and the flow of donations increased, soon she opened a shelter for abandoned children, a leprosarium, a nursing home and a workshop for the unemployed. Medical centers at railway stations provided free medical care and provided shelter for women and children. After working for 10 years in Calcutta, Teresa received permission to open missions in other places. Centers were opened in Venezuela (1965), Ceylon (1967), Rome and Tanzania (1968), Cuba (1986) and elsewhere.

Although the nun herself considered her work "a drop in the ocean", she nevertheless received international recognition. In 1964, Mother Teresa received the Jawaharlal Nehru Prize, and two years later the Pope John XXIII Vatican Peace Prize. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This decision drew criticism from those who believed that by helping the needy, the nun did nothing for the cause of peace that the Nobel Prize is meant to promote. In his speech, the representative of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Mr. Sanness, however, said: "Mother Teresa in many ways helped to bridge the bridge from the rich countries to the poor... In every person she is able to plant the seeds of goodness... If this were not so, society would lose hope , and peace efforts have lost their meaning." In conclusion, Sanness referred to the words of Robert McNamara, president of the World Bank: "Mother Teresa deserves the Nobel Prize because she affirms peace in the most important area, protecting the inviolability of human dignity."

The nun herself accepted the award in the name of "the hungry, the naked, the homeless... all those who see neither help nor care." In her Nobel lecture, she spoke about Christian love, the driving force behind her work, and emphasized that love and respect for every human life is a condition for universal peace. She spent the money she received on building shelters for the poor, including those suffering from leprosy.

As a Nobel laureate, Mother Teresa took on a number of international assignments. In 1982, she visited Lebanon at the request of Saint Pope John Paul II as an emissary of peace, although until then she avoided political activity. In 1985, she spoke at the UN General Assembly on the occasion of the Organization's 40th anniversary.

On the eve of Christmas 1985, together with the archbishop of New York, she opened the first church shelter for AIDS patients in New York. At the request of Mother Teresa, three men dying of AIDS were released from prison and placed in a new shelter. And it was like this. She came to New York in 1985, at the height of the AIDS hysteria. Mother Teresa visited the prison where three infected criminals were dying. Terrified. The mayor of New York visited. And he, after meeting with her for a day, he freed people who were dying. By Christmas, the first shelter for AIDS patients was opened in this big city (she liked to bring expensive gifts to Christ for his birthday). And while the townspeople were shaking with fear, and the priests were wondering what Christian mercy was about (regarding persons who committed the sin of Sodom, and for that, punishment). "Gift Of Love" ("gift of love") is the name of the shelter for AIDS patients in New York) received the first guests.

And Mother Teresa told Americans in a television interview that AIDS is a warning from God, it's a sign. This is a sign that we should, in the end, open our hearts and love each other. Citizens were simply stunned by such education. And Mother Teresa's "gift of love" somehow imperceptibly turned into a gift of love from the townspeople to their unfortunate fellow citizens. On the wall at the entrance to the shelter is written: "Life is a chance, don't miss it." Life is beauty, marvel at it. Life is a dream, make it come true. Life is a duty, so fulfill it. Life is a game, so play it. Life is love, so love. Life is a mystery so solve it. Life is a tragedy, so endure it. Life is an adventure, so embrace it. Life is life, so save it... Life is happiness, so create it yourself. Living is a cost, so don't destroy your life."

In 1988-1989, the order of mercy created its branches in Yerevan, Spitak, cities where there were many victims of the earthquake.

Many have criticized Mother Teresa's stance on abortion and other birth control methods. The point of view on this issue was presented by her in the Nobel lecture: "I see the greatest threat to peace in abortions, because they represent a real war, a murder committed by the mother." At the same time, the nun condemned feminism, especially in India, urging women to build strong families, allowing "men to do what they are better suited for."

A lady with a huge, pure heart, overshadowed by the Love of God, which carried her to the darkest and dirtiest corners. How many children, doomed to the most terrible beggar existence, found bread, a roof and most importantly - love thanks to her. How many beggars, homeless, sick and almost rotting in ditches, took a bowl of rice from her hands, were washed and most importantly - felt love and found God. The hearts of many outcasts of society: lepers, AIDS patients, drug addicts, and alcoholics — were illuminated by her love, and experienced complete transformation in Christ. How many people, starved for love, received it before death and went to eternity happy, as happy as they may not have been in their entire life on earth. She kissed each dying person on the forehead. Contrary to all notions of normal human disgust. This woman radiated light, she carried the light of Christ-God, with which she herself was illuminated.

She could cook dinner for six thousand people; do not sleep for many days in a row; always smile; to go to the Iranian embassy and leave a note on the table there asking them to call her urgently to discuss the hostage problem; to forget the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate somewhere in the wardrobe of the royal palace.

The doors of both huts and palaces were opened to Mother Teresa. She won friendship with the greats of this world - popes, presidents, kings. But despite all this, being a person of great popularity, she continued to carry out the most ordinary work in her Order. But she did it with great love. She spoke to kings and beggars, gave speeches in front of full halls. And she never wrote speeches. She just needed to pray to know what to say.

She decorated her life with statuettes of the Virgin Mary, was cured of fatigue and illnesses by prayer and fasting, you could call her at night - at any hour and have a conversation.

In the 20th century, she became not just a symbol of mercy, but together with her novices showed a real power that even the powers of this world could not fail to reckon with. They admired her, bowed before her, adored her.

As? Why? Where do ideas and strength come from? Who helps? Who advises? Who supports? "Jesus Christ," Mother Teresa always answered. Journalists were disappointed. And Mother Teresa was telling the truth. She always felt the presence of Christ in her life. And she built her relationship with Him for quite a long time.

Those who met her talk about her calm spirituality, about the love, joy and respect for life that she radiates. "We don't do anything big," a nun once wrote, "we do little, but with great love." But at the same time, she was a great leader. Mother Teresa was a great leader. But no one has ever seen her stand in front of a group of people and give instructions: "you do this, you do this...".

"Lord, let me preach you without a sermon - not with words, but by example, by attractive power, by the beneficial effect of what I do, by the fullness of Your presence in my heart...", she always prayed.

"Don't wait for leaders, act yourself." In these words of Mother Teresa, the whole essence of leadership. Take responsibility, act, move forward in any conditions. And there were enough difficulties. And it's not just that it's not easy to dedicate your life to serving other people. How much dirt was poured on this woman. She was accused of embezzling funds, abusing people... but Mother Teresa did not break, and history put everything in its place. And today she continues to lead thousands of people. Forces people to become leaders, not expect it from others.

Here is one of her statements: "...if you have shown kindness, and people have accused you of secret personal gain - still continue to show kindness. If you are honest and open, people will deceive you - still be honest and open. If you rose on the wings of happiness, people will envy you - be happy anyway. The good that you created today, people will forget tomorrow - still do good. Share with people the best that you have, although it will never be enough - still share the best. In the end, you'll see that it's between you and God, and never between you and people... God doesn't wait for you to succeed, God waits for you to try.”

In another speech, she said: "I see Christ in every person. And since Christ is forever one, for me at this particular moment he is the one standing before me. Always try to work with love. Love gives strength, revives, revives. A person who works without love, just for the sake of earning, will never get good results. After all, people don't need everything you do; only you and God need it."

On September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa died. The whole world mourned the one whom the international press called a modern saint. Shortly before her death, a journalist asked her the question: "Are you afraid of death?". Mother Teresa answered: "No, I'm not afraid at all." To die is to return home. Are you afraid to return home to your loved ones? I look forward to death, because then I will meet Jesus and all the people whom I tried to love during my earthly life. ... It will be a great meeting, won't it?". As Mother Teresa said this, her face lit up with joy and peace. Tens of thousands of people have died, knowing a beautiful death. They, hungry for love during life, received it before death. "At the hour of death, we will not be judged by the number of deeds we have done, but by the love we put into them, the love born of self-sacrifice, the love tested to the point of pain," said Mother Teresa.

On October 19, 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa. And on September 4, 2016, she was canonized by Pope Francis. About 100 people gathered for the canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Square in Rome. A poster with the image of a nun was placed on the balcony of St. Peter's Cathedral. The crowd greeted Mother Teresa's canonization with applause. In his speech in Latin, Pope Francis said: “I declare Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta a saint. Her mission on the peripheries of cities and on the existential peripheries continues even today, as an eloquent testimony of God's closeness to the poorest of the poor. Today I am handing over this demonstrative figure of a woman and a consecrated person to the whole world of volunteering: may she be your example of holiness! I think that it will be a little awkward for us to call her "Saint Teresa". Her holiness is so close to us, so gentle and fruitful that we will spontaneously continue to call her "Mother Teresa," Pope Francis said in an interview with Vatican Radio.

She herself wrote about holiness: "holiness is not a luxury intended for some elite; it is by no means prepared for a select few. We are all called to it: you, me, and everyone else. And this is not a difficult task, because by learning to love, we learn holiness." To become a saint, the first thing is to want it and ask God for help to be holy, good and learn to love. To say: I want to be holy means: I want to be free from everything that is not God. I will cleanse my heart of all material things. I will renounce my own will, my tastes, my fantasies, my fickleness; and I will become an ardent slave of the Divine Will." In order to go to holiness, "renewal is needed, and for this we need the humility to recognize that it is in us that needs renewal. How little love, compassion, mercy, tenderness we have, that's why we can't walk alone, but we can put our hand in His hand, He loves us with all our poverty, weaknesses, sins and kindness too," wrote Mother Teresa .

Above, we wrote a lot about Mother Teresa's generosity. Generosity is considered one of the main features of human dignity. However, among leaders, this quality can be seen as a sign of weakness. Generosity as the ability to invest in the common good affects a person's status in the group: either the level of her prestige will only increase, or she will be recognized as an alpha leader. Most often, people with a high status of prestige are perceived by the surrounding "saints", who help the poor and disadvantaged, who have an inner sense of self-sacrifice and moral principles. As a rule, while these people help other members of the group and invest their strength and capabilities in the development of the group, they are not perceived as rigid leaders.

Scholars have singled out dominance as an expression of "alpha status," while "prestige" is simply the admiration or approval of a group. Al Capone, for example, is the prime example of a dominant leader; but at that time, Saint Mother Teresa is a bright example of high authority and love from citizens. So, generosity and altruism raised her status, gave her prestige and public love. While rigidity and selfishness will allow you to take leadership positions quite quickly, love and respect in this way should hardly be expected.

Ivan Verstyanuk, Newssky columnist