The Controversial Truth
1. The Crisis of Faith
For 50 years, Mother Teresa secretly struggled with a loss of connection to God, describing feelings of abandonment in private writings (“The Saint of Calcutta”).
She confessed to experiencing “the presence of the devil” five years before her death—yet publicly upheld an image of unwavering faith.
2. Questionable Medical Practices
Multiple reports (including from volunteers like Hemley Gonzalez and journalist Donald Macintyre) reveal:
Reused, unsterilized needles and contaminated water (justifying it as “God’s will”).
No trained medical staff in her hospices, despite $30M/year in donations.
Filthy conditions: Urine/feces-soaked laundry washed next to eating utensils.
Refusal to improve care: Volunteers offering boilers or supplies were told “Jesus doesn’t want that.”
3. Exploitation of Suffering?
Critics (like atheist Christopher Hitchens) argue:
She romanticized pain as “piety,” denying painkillers to the dying.
Focused on baptizing the terminally ill (often without consent) over alleviating suffering.
Tied patients like animals: Reports describe children tethered to beds, a woman bound to a tree, and volunteers laughing at their distress.
4. The “Miracle” Controversy
Her first canonization “miracle” (a cancer cure) was debunked as the result of medical treatment.
Funding priorities: Despite massive donations, facilities remained squalid—fueling accusations of performative charity.
5. Legacy: Compassion or Cult?
Pro: She drew global attention to the poor and inspired humanitarian work.
Con: Evidence suggests her missions prioritized Catholic dogma over genuine care, with volunteers “intoxicated by the myth” (Macintyre).
Key Sources
Documentary: Hell’s Angel: Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Chatterjee, 1994)
Investigations: The Washington Post, New Statesman
Volunteer testimonies: Hemley Gonzalez, Donald Macintyre
My Video: Mother Teresa: Saint or Sinner https://youtu.be/p1j41iIRCso
My Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast4/Mother-Teresa-Saint-or-Sinner.mp3
For sources on the claims & quotes:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/02/25/why-to-many-critics-mother-teresa-is-still-no-saint/
https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2005/08/squalid-truth-behind-legacy-mother-teresa
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/31/asia/mother-teresa-controversies/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/08/movies/critic-s-notebook-a-skeptical-look-at-mother-teresa.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/14/books/books-in-brief-nonfiction-068195.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/mother-teresa-s-canonization-controversy-clouds-nun-s-work-n641181
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/icon-of-the-poor-leaves-legacy-of-controversy-1.105892