Table of Contents
- Opening device: In the modern world, does one have to be perfect to be canonized?
- Preview: In today’s speech, I am going to expand the audience’s knowledge regarding Mother Teresa by reviewing the criticisms of her work and the undeniable positive outcomes of her endeavors.
- Thesis: Surprisingly, there are varying opinions on Mother Teresa’s actual influence on the world and the poor.
Mother Teresa as a Saint
- Preview: Many see Mother Teresa as a saint due to her compassion, contributions to charity, and noble intentions.
- Sub points: She was born in 1910 in Skopje, traveled to many countries as a Catholic missionary, and devoted most of her life to caring for vulnerable people (Davies, 2019; Schwartz, 2016). Multiple stories show others’ respect for her; in 1948, she started a school in Calcutta to teach poor children, and former students then joined Mother Teresa in her struggle against poverty (Collopy, 2016). Also, her major accomplishment is the establishment of the Missionaries of Charity – the organization that still exists today and cares for abandoned, ill, and helpless people (Collopy, 2016). Explaining the reasons to start that organization, Mother Teresa said, “We started our work as the sufferings of the people called us” (Collopy, 2016, p. 13).
- Summary: Thus, multiple facts point to her being a virtuous person.
Mother Teresa as a Controversial Figure
- Preview: And now, let’s discuss the key points of her critics.
- Sub points: Some skeptics, including Christopher Hitchens, regarded her as an unbeliever devoted to suffering (Davies, 2019). Also, she once said that contraception could “destroy the power of giving life” and did a lot to spread those beliefs among her supporters (Robertson, 2016, para. 5). The critics insisted on the incompatibility of such beliefs with efforts to reduce poverty.
- Summary: These opinions indicate that her approaches to helping others were not universally accepted.
Conclusion
- Summary: To sum up, despite being canonized, Mother Teresa is not universally regarded as a flawless person. Her contributions to modern charity are widely recognized, but some critics cast doubt on her status by discussing her unobvious priorities and the outcomes of her anti-contraception beliefs.
- Closing device: However, whether these notes undermine the advantages of her work remains an open question.
References
Collopy, M. (2016). Works of love are works of peace: Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity. Ignatius Press.
Davies, R. (2019). Poverty and interiority in Mother Teresa. Theological Studies, 80(4), 967-985.
Robertson, D. (2016). Mother Teresa wasn’t a saintly person – She was a shrewd operator with unpalatable views who knew how to build up a brand. Independent.
Schwartz, S. (2016). Mother Teresa’s worlds. First Things, (264), 17-19.