Book Review:  An Unquenchable Thirst –Following Mother Theresa in Search of Love, service and an Authentic Life-by Mary Johnson

Mother Theresa stands atop of my list of people I admire the most. In a world that worships celebrities, she is of another kind of celebrity. Draped simply in a whilte sari with a blue border, Mother had acquainted princesses to paupers with the same genuine smile and humble meaner.

So, when I spotted the book-An Unquenchable Thirst –Following Mother Theresa in Search of Love, Service and an Authentic Life, on the shelf on my local library, I grabbed it at once. It is a memoir of an ex-nun at Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity.

As Sister Donata, the author Mary Johnson had been a nun for twenty years at the mission until she left it in 1997. Drawn by the picture of Mother Theresa on the cover of Times magazine in 1975 and reading about the poor dying on the streets of Calcutta, the high school student from Texas decided to follow her heart and join the Missionaries of Charity.

 In her memoir, the author vividly shares an honest picture of her ups and down experiences within the walls of her community. By writing about her meetings with Mother Theresa and her travel with Mother as her personal aid to Sweden, she gives a glimpse of the saint in close shot. Also, the author takes us inside the Vatican to give us a rare view of the interior and her audience with Pope Paul VI. She also give us peek of Princess Diana’s visit with Mother. 

In her unique way, the author had weaved her twenty year vocation period in this well written, humor sprinkled book. It was such a page turner that I was able to finish the 500 paged book in  just five days.

Donata found her working with the poor, even with the gypsy community rewarding. Yet, independent spirit and questioning mind got her into trouble with her superiors. Obedience to authority at any cost seemed senseless and became her biggest challenge. Restriction to build any friendship with fellow sisters further grated on her. Unable to share her inner turmoil with a friend drove her seek comfort in a relationship with the priest to whom she went for confession.

 With courage and honesty, the author reveals her struggle with sexuality, obedience, her inability to be creative and productive in her service, and the physical and mental strain brought by over work, guilt and lack of understanding from some of her superiors. Though privileged to study at Regina Mundi, the Ivy League of ecclesiastical schools, a prestige assignment offered to fewer than on in a hundred missionaries of Charity and even found her eligible to revise The  Constitutions -the new Code of Canon Law, Donata was denied the promotion to become the Superior post she deserved until the very last. How painful and degraded she would have felt to serve under the novices she had once trained.

On page 222, we could read her conversation with God, just before she asked permission from Mother to take her final vows.

 “Lord, I think we both know I’m not going to be perfect. I can only promise to do

my best as a Missionary of Charity according to my understanding. I won’t try to live someone else’s model again. Are You okay with that?

Such an openness to God reveals Donata’s trust and reliance in Him, despite the expectation of those above her.

In no way does the author intends to stain the image of the Missionaries of Charity or their service. Instead, through this book she brings out the overlooked human need of the sisters like friendship, physical discomfort due to overwork, sickness etc. The book could be an eye opener for those who dive into a vocation with over enthusiasm and too little awareness of themselves for such a commitment.

Along with the satisfaction of reading a well written, humor sprinkled memoir, I’ve some take away as given below to help me in my own spiritual quest.

              1.   “ Silence  gives us a new outlook on life. 

                      In it we are filled with the energy of God   Himself that makes us do all things                           with joy.”

               2     The less we think of ourselves, the more God thinks of us.

               3.    Let Jesus use you without consulting you.

              4.       Be faithful and persevering.

              5.      To forgive means to be willing to suffer from someone until your loving                                   kindness  heals  them.