“Myspiritual relationship with Mother Teresa goes way back to high school.”
Mother’sorder ran a soup kitchen in Norristown, PA, and Theresa worked there. WhenTheresa later ran a youth group, she brought the kids to work there.
Thesisters made big pots of soup; they would cut the rotten parts of fruit outbefore they served it, and “they were using peelers that were crappy. I wasthinking if I brought my LaMachine, they could do it in one hour instead offour. But one of the sisters told me that was not Mother Teresa’s way.” Thatthe harder the work was, the better. “That’s kind of a mind-alteringspirituality, that sometimes the easy way is not the most spiritual way.”
Theresa’sbrother, a doctor, treated some of Mother Teresa’s nuns for free. “They never know what the day would bring.They live on divine providence.”
Theresa,would pick up day-old bread and vegetables that stores were about to throw outand give them to the Sisters of Charity. “That would feed a few hundred peoplewith what was going to be thrown away. I did that for years.”
Theresawas named for St. Therese de Lesieux. “The spirit of Mother Teresa was alongthe lines of St. Therese and her ‘little way.’”
“WhenMother Teresa died, Rachel’s Vineyard was just starting to spread. I wasanxious because I had to be away from home. Kevin wasn’t sure he wanted me todo this. I was at a retreat with 23 people and Eucharistic miracles werehappening. Mother Teresa had just died that weekend. I prayed to her – pleasehelp. Give me your heart because mine isn’t big enough. I had a spiritualexperience. I felt my heart breaking open from all the pain I had witnessed andI felt incredible joy at the same time. Kevin was home and he was also praying.A kind of peace came over him and he said, ‘Let it be done according to yourwill. I entrust her to you for a time.”
“MotherTeresa had our backs. She was always calling on me to trust. She’s been a greatfriend, even after her death. I pray to her, and I have my prayers answered.”
Duringa difficult period after I broke my foot, I prayed for a miracle, for her toheal me. I felt a full body tremor. I had hoped my miracle would count for hercanonization but she intercedes for a lot of people. I’m just really happy thatshe’s going to be a saint. She already is a saint.
“Oneof Mother’s sisters gave me a big piece of fabric that was part of her habit,and I cut it into little pieces to distribute the relic to those who have losta child.”
“I go to visit Mother Teresa’s houses whereverI go – I go through a lot of bad neighborhoods! I’ve been invited to Calcuttamany times, but I’ve never gone, but I know that her intercession and presencehave been so powerful in my life.”