Teresa's Journey to Secularization and Ministry
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Questions and Answers

What concerns did Teresa have about disclosing her call to a new ministry?

  • She feared she would lose support from her family.
  • She thought her fellow sisters would be envious of her.
  • She was afraid of being considered unfaithful.
  • She worried she would be seen as proud. (correct)

    • What was one major sacrifice Teresa faced in her call to serve the poor?

  • Living without companions.
  • Teaching in a poorer school.
  • Giving up the comforts of her sisterhood. (correct)
  • Working in dangerous neighborhoods.

    • How long did it take for Teresa to obtain permission to leave the Loreto Sisters?

  • Three years.
  • Six months.
  • One year.
  • Two years. (correct)

    • Who played a significant role in supporting Teresa's journey to her new ministry?

    <p>Fr. Celeste Van Exem.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary type of challenge Teresa encountered when starting her new ministry?

    <p>Bureaucratic hurdles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the initial requirement from the archbishop regarding Teresa's status?

    <p>To become secularized</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which document did Teresa write to initiate her secularization process?

    <p>A letter to the Loreto motherhouse in Ireland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Vatican grant to Teresa in response to her request?

    <p>Both secularization and exclaustration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What condition did the archbishop impose on Teresa after granting her secularization?

    <p>She was required to undergo a one-year probationary period</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the recommendations given to Teresa before she received the Vatican's response?

    <p>To pray and compose herself</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What item did St. Teresa of Calcutta purchase to symbolize her new order?

    <p>A simple white sari with blue stripes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the response of some Loreto Sisters to St. Teresa's departure?

    <p>They felt betrayed and worried about her future.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was St. Teresa's emotional state as she left her Loreto habit?

    <p>Nervous despite her excitement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did St. Teresa recognize a need to gain knowledge in first aid?

    <p>Dalits often died on the streets without access to healthcare.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the age of St. Teresa when she left the Loreto order to start her new ministry?

    <p>38 years old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Périer's initial reaction to Teresa's proposed ministry?

    <p>He was discouraging and sought confirmation of her calling.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concern did Périer express about his own experience in India?

    <p>He was uncertain about the will of God regarding Teresa's petition.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Périer react to the idea of a newly arrived priest discussing ministry with him?

    <p>He felt annoyed and disrespected by the situation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What specific instructions did Périer give to Van Exem regarding Teresa?

    <p>To instruct Teresa to keep her desires to leave Loreto a secret.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Teresa's posting at the time of her conversation with Périer?

    <p>A posting at the Loreto convent in Asansol.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Jesus's expression 'I thirst' signify for Teresa?

    <p>An intense longing for love and companionship</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of crucifixion contributed to the victims' sense of isolation?

    <p>They were surrounded by unhelpful onlookers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What conclusion did Mother Teresa draw about the wealthy?

    <p>They often suffer from a sense of loneliness and alienation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Mother Teresa’s primary mission before serving the poor?

    <p>Teaching with the Sisters of Loreto</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Teresa feel about leaving her teaching role?

    <p>It was a joyful yet unsettling sacrifice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Fr. Van Exem's initial role in relation to St. Teresa of Calcutta?

    <p>Her spiritual director</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which route for seeking permission to leave the Loreto Sisters did Fr. Van Exem strongly support?

    <p>Through the Archbishop of Calcutta</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What advice did Fr. Van Exem give to St. Teresa regarding her approach to the Archbishop of Calcutta?

    <p>To be ready for a personal interview</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main concern about the Direct Petition to the Vatican option suggested by Fr. Van Exem?

    <p>It did not allow for any appeal if denied</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In addition to guiding St. Teresa, what practical help did Fr. Van Exem provide her?

    <p>He volunteered to deliver her letter to the archbishop</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary motivation behind St. Teresa of Calcutta's call to a new ministry?

    <p>To address Christ's thirst for love and care</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did St. Teresa of Calcutta primarily communicate with Christ in her ministry?

    <p>Through quiet and intimate prayer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What group was directly founded as a result of St. Teresa's understanding of her call?

    <p>The Missionaries of Charity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which biblical figure did St. Teresa of Calcutta associate her call with?

    <p>The Samaritan woman</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept did St. Teresa emphasize regarding the words of Christ?

    <p>They are alive and relevant in the present</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event did Mother Teresa reflect on as the beginning of her spiritual journey?

    <p>A train journey in 1946</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Jesus refer to Mother Teresa as during her interior locutions?

    <p>My own spouse and little one</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Mother Teresa perceive the impoverished individuals she encountered?

    <p>As Christ in physical disguise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which community did Mother Teresa serve primarily during her time in Calcutta?

    <p>The Dalits and the suffering poor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Mother Teresa believe was necessary to quench Jesus' thirst as it relates to the impoverished?

    <p>Material aid for their suffering</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What initial intention did the archbishop have for Mother Teresa's move to Asansol?

    <p>To punish her</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How long did Mother Teresa experience a sense of sweetness and consolation during her time in Asansol?

    <p>Six months</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Archbishop Périer's reaction to Mother Teresa's ecstatic experiences in Asansol?

    <p>He seemed worried and unimpressed</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What condition did Archbishop Périer impose on Mother Teresa for her to leave the Roman Catholic Church?

    <p>She must apply for an indult of secularization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the response of the priests advising Mother Teresa regarding her petition to leave her vows?

    <p>They declared there was no obstacle to her petition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant medical procedure did Sister Teresa perform on the Dalit man?

    <p>Amputated his thumb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who recounted a story about Mother Teresa and became friends with her?

    <p>Navin Chawla</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Mother Teresa's response when asked about a specific story recounted by Navin Chawla?

    <p>It was made-up but made her laugh</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which city did Sister Teresa intern at a hospital run by Medical Mission Sisters?

    <p>Patna</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happened to both Sister Teresa and the patient after the amputation?

    <p>They both fainted</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Teresa's Journey to Secularization

    • Teresa's journey to leave the Loreto motherhouse began as a request for secularization.
    • Her final vows were unbreakable, requiring permission from Van Exem, her general superior, as well as the Archbishop.
    • The archbishop mandated that Teresa be secularized, and the Loreto motherhouse responded to her request within a month.
    • Teresa was granted both secularization and exclaustration by the Vatican, granting her the choice to either leave the order completely or stay as a nun.
    • The Archbishop placed a one-year probationary period on Teresa to ensure her suitability for secular life.

    Teresa's Call to Ministry

    • Teresa struggled with the realization that her call to serve the poor would mean sacrificing the comforts of her Loreto sisterhood.
    • She left the Loreto Sisters to work among the poor, enduring a bureaucratic process that took two years to obtain permission from her order and an additional year for her ministry to be sanctioned.
    • Her confessor, Fr. Celeste Van Exem, provided significant support and advice regarding her call to ministry.

    St. Teresa of Calcutta

    • Teresa adopted a blue-edged sari after leaving the Loreto Sisters and began her ministry to the poorest of the poor, a decision that caused shock and distress among her fellow sisters.
    • Her initial focus was on the Dalits, a marginalized group often dying on the streets due to lack of healthcare.
    • Teresa recognized a need to gain knowledge in first aid to better serve the poor.

    Fr. Van Exem & St. Teresa of Calcutta

    • Fr. Van Exem, a polyglot fluent in several languages, initially came to India to foster Christian-Muslim dialogue but became heavily involved in supporting St. Teresa’s ministry.
    • He advised St. Teresa to discern her call over several months and then proposed two options for obtaining permission to leave the Loreto Sisters:
      • Direct Petition to the Vatican: This was a quicker route but lacked an appeal process.
      • Through the Archbishop of Calcutta: This route would allow for a potential appeal if the Archbishop rejected Teresa’s petition.
    • Fr. Van Exem strongly supported the second route and aided St. Teresa in writing a letter to the Archbishop, offering advice on what to say if the Archbishop wished to interview her.

    St. Teresa of Calcutta: A Description of the Instrument

    • St. Teresa believed she heard a clear call from Christ to undertake a new ministry, characterized by prayer and service to marginalized people.
    • This call was deeply connected with Christ's thirst for love and care, associating it with the Samaritan woman and the final moments of Christ's life.
    • St. Teresa's founding of the Missionaries of Charity directly stemmed from this call.
    • She continued to receive this call throughout her life, emphasizing that Christ's words are not just from the past but alive and relevant in the present.

    The Call Within a Call

    • The Archbishop, Périer, was initially hesitant to support Mother Teresa's ministry, citing concern about the hardship involved and a disdain for the Dalits.
    • Périer, annoyed by Mother Teresa’s new ministry, instructed Fr. Van Exem to counsel her to keep her desires to leave Loreto a secret.
    • A panel of priests, including Van Exem, were commissioned to advise Périer on Mother Teresa’s petition.
    • Mother Teresa was assigned to a posting at the Loreto convent in Asansol, a town three hours away from Calcutta, though whether this was coincidental or a suggestion from Périer remains unclear.

    The Call Within a Call

    • During a 1946 train journey, Mother Teresa received a letter from Divine Light and Love, which marked the beginning of her spiritual journey.
    • She understood that helping those in need was serving Christ.
    • Mother Teresa had a revelation on a Darjeeling train, concluding that the impoverished were Christ in physical disguise.
    • She recognized that Christ embodied in the Dalit women, children, and men also thirsted for material aid.

    Mother Teresa's Experiences in Asansol

    • Mother Teresa experienced six months of ecstatic experiences in Asansol, feeling connected to God, but the Archbishop was unimpressed by her experiences.
    • While in Asansol, Périer returned to Europe to consult with other Jesuits about Mother Teresa's petition.
    • After returning to Calcutta, two priests, including a canon lawyer, advised that there was no obstacle to her petition.
    • Périer granted Mother Teresa permission to request release from her vows from her general superior but stipulated that she had to request an "indult of secularization" to formally leave the Roman Catholic Church.

    Jesus's "I thirst"

    • Jesus’s “I thirst” signified the longing for love Jesus felt in his final moments and that Christ in the distressing disguise of the world’s poor thirsted for kindness, love, and compassion.
    • Mother Teresa believed that the thirst for love was felt by everyone, even the wealthy, concluding that this was especially pandemic among the well-off who possess all the creature comforts of life but whose interiors are blighted with a sense of loneliness and alienation.
    • Working with children made Teresa "the happiest nun in the world," and forsaking it was a "great sacrifice."

    The Call Within a Call: Experiences in Patna

    • Mother Teresa interned for half a year at a hospital run by the Medical Mission Sisters in Patna.
    • Years later in Calcutta, she encountered a Dalit man with a gangrenous thumb, and she quickly amputated it.
    • This story was later recounted to Mother Teresa by Navin Chawla, an Indian government official, who was close friends with her.
    • Mother Teresa confirmed that the story was a made-up story, but she laughed and said it pleased her enormously.

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    Description

    Explore Teresa's transformative journey as she navigated her request for secularization from the Loreto motherhouse. Discover the challenges she faced in leaving her order to serve the poor, including the necessary permissions and the personal sacrifices involved. This quiz delves into her pivotal moments and decisions that shaped her ministry.

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