Day 14, Aug. 24

My first reason to come to India was to learn about the projects Love & Care Missions funds. My secondary reason was to find Mother Teresa’s spirit. I came upon it for the first time in Skopje, Macedonia, where she was born and in Litnice, Kosovo, where she discerned her vocation to be a Loreto nun. Now, I had the motherlode at hand in Calcutta. Yesterday, we arrived at the wrong time. Everyone was busy; and it was a Sunday. Today promised to be more successful.
Peter and I hired a car and driver for the day. We aimed at visiting three places of importance to feel Mother’s presence. They were all scattered around town. The first place was the Motherhouse where she is entombed. Hr resting place is simple but powerful. It’s located in the chapel where she prayed for so many years. The spot where she usually prayed now has a realistic statue of Mother in her usual prayer pose. In a room nearby there is an exhibition of the highlights of her life. However, the focal point for me was the chapel and the words, “I thirst” next to the crucifix. That was her life in one gaze. Her room where she slept is there and the office from whence she oversaw the work of the Missionaries of Charity.
There is a sign which I still up proclaiming the Mother is “in.” That is, she would see all who wanted to see her in the order of their arrival. If she were out of town the sign would say “out.’ Now and for always she is “in.” That, too, was powerful.
The second place was the Kalighat. This is the famous home for the destitute dying. It was part of a temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. The best part of that temple is still in use. In fact, its presence is felt in the neighborhood by means of the many shops that cater to those who need offerings or mementos of their visit. When we entered, the scene was familiar from all the pictures I have seen of it. Nevertheless, it was new as well. The first room housed the men. It was a few minutes past three when we arrived. That was the start of a new shift following the midday break for lunch and prayer. Volunteers were starting their care-giving. An older man, slim and sporting with a professorial beard, came to give a cup of water to a dying man. Both had smiles of deep pleasure as the volunteer lifted the cup to the poor man’s lips.
We noticed the Sister who seemed to be in charge behind us. We reported to her. Peter introduced me to her. Being a priest here does have its advantages. Having someone else announce me as a priest from the US is even better. She proved to be frank, earthy and helpful. She told us that this morning they had three deaths. That was about par for the day as there are six to nine deaths each day. Some patients are discharged. They actually recover from their illness under the effective care of the sisters and volunteers.
The next room housed the women. There were much less of them. Unlike the men who were all lying down on pallets, some of the women were up. Up stairs, there were more women. Even further up, comes the roof with a chapel on it. There was also a great view of the neighbohood. Kaligat is an inspiration.
The third place in my quest for Mother Theresa was Sishu Bhawan, the home for the children who are abandoned or dying from AIDS or some other disease. We received VIP treatment here as well. The children appear very happy. The babies looked bright and the youngsters, as all the children I’ve met in India respond well to high fives. Even the sisters looked happily surprised at this phenomenon.
That was more than a full day for me. I was satisfied. One place that I was advised to see that was nearby was the Rama Krishna Mission. This is a cultural center promoting understanding among people of all religions. It is mostly academic. It did have a museum that we visited. It was a small scale reminder of the Indian Museum except it had more folk art. It helped me put together a picture what India is all about.
Now, we headed to St. Anthony’s Church a few kilometers away. I had celebrated Mass there on Sunday afternoon and promised to do so again today. There were about 30 lay folk present. Mass proved joyful that afternoon although the priest there who concelebrated told me Mass should be short without a homily. I complied and all went well. We decided that I would stay with them when I returned from Darjeeling since it was near the center city and I wouldn’t have to spend time and money on a taxi.
The car took me back out to the Proggaloy where I was greeted and preceded to bed in expectation of another bib day ahead.