The Saint of The Slums That I Once Met

Lavoisier Fernandes –

A few years ago, I would have considered it unlikely to meet a living saint, let alone witness their canonization. The Catholic Church’s canonization process has historically been lengthy and intricate. However, I was fortunate enough to attend the canonization of Saint Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) in 2016. My journey to meet her began during my childhood summer vacation aged 12 years to Calcutta and Darjeeling in 1992, made possible by my dad’s LTC (Leave Travel Concession for Government Employees) and the generosity of a hospitable priest from the Ven. Fr. Agnelo Society(also known as Pilar seminary society in Goa-SFX), who was serving the missionary sisters in Calcutta at the time.

The Missionaries of Charity were familiar to me from childhood, as they had a home next to my school. Besides my parents instilled in me a tradition of visiting this home and feeding the homeless with them during my communion and confirmation sacraments. Prior to her canonization, I found inspiration in Mother Teresa’s writings, especially in “Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light,” compiled by Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk MC . Her famous quote resonated deeply with me: “If I ever become a saint, I will surely be one of ‘darkness.’ I will continually be absent from heaven – to light the light of those in darkness on earth.”

Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving others, believing in the dignity and worth of every individual. For over 50 years, she tirelessly cared for the sick and destitute. Becoming a nun at just 18, she ventured to Kolkata (Calcutta) to start her missionary work as a teacher. Despite numerous challenges, she left the Loretto convent to follow what she called her “call within a call” – to serve the poorest of the poor. Her life embodied the words: “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in.”

In 2016, on the eve of Mother Teresa’s canonization, I interviewed Fr. Alexander Sherbrooke, Parish Priest of St. Patrick’s, Soho Square, London, for my podcast series “Talking Faith” on Heavens Road Catholic FM. Drawing from his extensive time with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries, Fr. Alexander provided insights into her personality. Much after eight years, these excerpts—some of which have been paraphrased—from the interview transcript offer a glimpse into her saintly character whilst providing spiritual reflections.

Lavoisier: Mother Teresa, the saint of the slums and a widely admired Catholic figure who brought global attention to poverty in India. Fr. Alexander, how did you first meet Mother Teresa?

Fr. Alexander: I first met Mother 33 years ago as a seminarian in Rome. I used to visit the sisters regularly each week. I arranged for Mother to come and speak at the seminary, giving a spiritual conference to the seminarians. I invited her, she gladly accepted, and I drove her to the seminary. Afterward, I escorted her home. That initial meeting was memorable.

Lavoisier: How was it meeting Mother Teresa, could you share some of your experiences?

Fr. Alexander: Well obviously beforehand one was very conscious that you were meeting a woman who was well known, extraordinary, particularly important in the life of the church. But that was a very much a human worldly reaction. I think when you spend time with mother, it was a quite simple relationship. It was a very straightforward one, very down to earth. And one did not, in a sense, come with any of the seductions of the world. And one knew that one was meeting a religious, someone who was deeply committed to the mission of the church, who was totally in love with Jesus Christ, and was determined as she said, to satiate the thirst of Jesus for the love of the poor. So, with Mother, it was a quite simple relationship. There was nothing complicated. There was nothing nuanced. It was very straightforward.

Lavoisier: No doubt Mother Teresa brought about a global awareness to poverty in India, but in her writings and even when she received the Nobel Prize, she spoke about a more deeper level of poverty, not material poverty, but the poverty of love, the hunger, and the desire to be loved and wanted. What did she mean when she spoke about the poverty of love?

Fr. Alexander: God creates us out of love, designed to understand ourselves as His children with a divine calling toward Him. Knowing we are unconditionally loved, beautiful, and unique in His eyes defines our identity—not our possessions, attire, or social circles. Denial of this love leads to human diminishment and spiritual impoverishment. Mother Teresa often highlighted spiritual poverty, most prevalent in affluent Western cities like London, Paris, and New York, where material wealth masks a lack of awareness of being known and loved by Christ. This, she believed, constituted the truest form of spiritual poverty.

Lavoisier: You spoke about Western society. Would you say it is quite challenging to practice that sort of deep love that she spoke about?

Fr. Alexander: It is particularly challenging because the world is full of seductions and full of blandishments. I mean, here we are sitting in the middle of the West End of London, surrounded by shops, restaurants, pubs, clubs, theatres, all promising heaven upon earth. Mother Teresa saw a stark contrast. She viewed being with the poor as a profound privilege, noting their openness and ability to speak of Jesus’ love unencumbered by material attachments like iPhones. For her, embracing simplicity and serving the poor allowed one to truly hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Mother Teresa passionately advocated for a life immersed in the sacraments, emphasizing their role in bringing individuals closer to Jesus. Each instance of receiving the sacraments—whether it was attending Mass, seeking confession, or praying—was seen as a sacred moment to experience the profound love of Christ. Her teachings underscored the transformative power of these rituals in fostering a deep spiritual connection, contrasting sharply with the distractions and superficial promises of modern urban life.

Lavoisier: Mother Teresa mentioned three visions where Our Lord spoke directly to her with conviction in 1947. By 1950, amidst expanding missionary work, she described a profound sense of loss and spiritual darkness, feeling a continual longing for God and a profound absence of His presence. What can you tell us about her crises of faith?

Fr. Alexander: These experiences of visions and spiritual darkness, recorded in her posthumous writings, are distinct. Mother Teresa initially felt God’s intense unconditional love, notably during her journey to Darjeeling. Subsequently, she endured decades of profound spiritual darkness, lasting perhaps 50 years—an extraordinary period even among saints like John of the Cross and Thérèse of Lisieux. This darkness challenges us to deepen our relationship with God, as He calls us to intensify our love for Him, unveiling His mysterious purposes. Few in the history of the Church have encountered such a profound spiritual night.

Lavoisier: Mother Teresa was daring, leaving the Loreto convent, despite initial refusal to start her congregation. Would you describe her as tough, passionate, and persistent in your interactions with her?

Fr. Alexander: She was remarkably determined, driven by her conviction that God had called her to this charism. Her unwavering commitment stemmed from her belief that failing God’s work was unacceptable. While her actions were daring in human terms, she trusted in God’s guidance over worldly assurances. Leaving the comfort of the convent to serve among the poor, adopting the sari and a radical lifestyle, demonstrated immense bravery. The Church recognized her divine calling, affirming her mission to serve without hindrance.

Lavoisier: There is one thing being tough on yourself and then sending your sisters to the poorest of the poor, sometimes rescuing children from wars, stricken places like Beirut, Yemen, making the sisters live in utter simplicity, two light blue saris, a white veil, sandals, a girdle, and a crucifix. Do you think that the wow of poverty, was taken to an extreme level with Mother Teresa and the missionaries of charity.

Fr. Alexander: In essence, poverty is relative. You can live in a castle with worldly wealth yet experience radical poverty, while someone in a squat with few possessions may live a rich life. What matters most is one’s freedom for God—how much you trust in His providence and dedicate yourself to Him. This profound trust requires a spirit of poverty. Consider the rich young man in the Gospels, who, despite his material wealth, could not love Jesus wholeheartedly. Jesus loved him deeply but saw his divided heart. Our prayer should be for an undivided heart, wholly devoted to loving Jesus more than anything else. This inner poverty, detached from worldly attachments, allows us to trust in God’s care, protection, and guidance towards eternal life.

Lavoisier: What do you think you have learned from Mother Teresa?

Fr. Alexander: Oh, many things, Mother Teresa disliked having her photograph taken, believing each photo taken was a soul released from purgatory. Despite crowds, she focused intensely on individuals, showing genuine love and hope for them to experience Jesus’ love. Her simplicity in communication taught others to engage meaningfully with people amid daily challenges, contrasting with the common neglect people often face.