a1 eresa

How the Australian Missionaries of Charity are celebrating Mother Teresa's canonisation

BYKIRA SPUCYS-TAHAR

U11.iversaUy acknowledged for her work withthe poor and needy, amongthesobriquets she acquired over the courseof her life,MotherTeresabecame popularly known as the'LivingSaintof Kolkata'.

Andso onSunday4Septeruber,Mother Teresawasofficiallyelevatedto sainthood after being canonised byPopeFrancis at the Vatican.

Thisis an especiallyholy rime for the followersofMotherTeresa, nowofficially known asSaintTeresaof Kolkata. Her venerationto theroleofSainetookplace onedaybefore the 19'h anniversaryof herdeathon 5September, 1997, and 10 September marks thedateshereceivedher callingfromGod toleavethe LoretoOrder and found the Missionaries of Charity.

MotherTeresawas revered acrossthe globe, includinginAustralia. Manypeople are familiar with hermission work in Kolkata, butfeware aware thatshevisited Australia 10 rimesduringher life and that there are 14l'vfissionaries of Charity houses across Australia. The fusehouse wasestablished in 1969 inoutbackBourke byMotherTeresahersel� after she came toknowof the needsof theIndigenous Australians through aconnection to aCardinalin Melbourne. In 1970she founded theMelbourneMissionariesof Charity, followed by Katherinein 1973. Nowthere are houses fromSydney to \X!aggaWaggain ewSouthWales, from Brisbane toPerch, andseveral across the NorthernTerritoryincludingAliceSprings andTennantCreek.There are also cwo houses inAuckland andWellingtoninNew Zealand,oneinEastTin1or andonein Indonesia (established2010).

In 1979,MotherTeresareceived the Nobel PeacePrjze for her work, while in 1982,she wasmade anHonorary Companionof the OrderofAustraliaon AustraliaDay, in recognitionof her social work in the region.

Sister l\.fariaLucy M.C., RegionalSuperior of the Oceania Regionof the Missionaries of Charity,says she andherSisters have alwaysknownJvforherTeresa was aSaint, and areexcited aboutthecanonisation,but it has always been justamatterof rime.

"Irmeans thatshehasbeenpublically recognised,"shesays."\'<.le already knewthat she was aSaint and now that theChurch recogniseschat, the worldrecognisesthat she's asaintly,holyperson,and we can learn much about herand from her."

SisterMariaLucy worked witl, Mother Teresain Kolkata for fiveyears, and was at her side when she died. She joined the Missionariesof Charity afterspending time with Mother Teresa in Kerala, where Sister MariaLucy grewup.

"Shevisited my grandmother a fewtimes, andinAuencedme a lot,"SisterMariaLucy says."Knowing the,vorkshe was doing, reading thebooks,havingthatpersonal contact with hermade me wantto join."

SisterAntonine M.C., LocalSuperior of theMissionariesofChari[)',Sydney,became anun in the 1970s.

"IsawMalcohnMuggeridge's documentary 'SomethingBeautiful for God' onABCtelevisionand d1enI feltcalled to that kind of work,"Australian-bornSister Antonine says.

Thesisters at theMissionariesof Charity,SydneycelebratedMother Teresa's canonisation by sharingexperiences, memories and stories before attendinga celebratoryMass atSt Mary's Cathedralin her honour. TheArchbishopofSydney Anthony Fisher OP made d,eoccasion "very special".

As he said during his honiily,"Perhaps no ridecapmres herso well as the word '.Mother', a word drnt speaks of fruitfulness, tenderness and nurmre, both of a spiritual family that grewfrom a small handfulof womenin 1949 tosomewherearound 5,000 MissionariesofCharitytoday; and of a family of thepoorestof the poor inIndia andbeyond."

AstheSistersshared stories,Sister Antoninerememberedhow she metMoth.er Teresain Melbourne in 1975 when she visited Australia, then in PapuaNew Guinea severalrearslater,and again in South Korea

"Mother (Teresa] was travellingtoSoud1 Korea fromJapan andshe wanted tobring ussomedung to makeus happy,"sherecalls. "Sotheypackedsome icecream withdry icecotake withher.Shebroughtit, wth greatjoy, and said, 'I brought this from Japan toshare'. She was a warm, htm1an person.It was that motherly love, with all of us sittingandearingice-creamtogether at 10 o'clock at night."

SisterMariaLucyrecalledanincident whileshe waslivingin IndiaattheMocher Housein Kolkata. MotherTeresawas to travel toDelhilacer that monung.The novicemistresses gad1ered cosay goodbye co her while she was havingbreakfast, slowly sippingher tea,asthoughit was very taSC)'• Not long after she left, the nuns gathered toeat their own breakfast. ''Andic was then we realised, wehad put saleinstead of sugar in her tea!"Sister MariaLucy reveals. "But sheneversaid aword."

Sharing another memory,Sister Maria Lucy detailedhow, whiletravelling with Mother TeresainAmerica,theyhad a meetingwith theMayorof a major city who sent astretchlimousinetopick them up, along witha policeescort.

"Mother [Teresa]gotinrothecar looked aroundandsaid,'Peopleoutside will think, MotherTeresamusehave stolensomething with all these police around!' She hadagreat senseof humour."

Working within theparishof ScPeter's in Sydney's Surry Hills, the Sisters undertake avariety of activities in the community such asteachingscripture lessons to local schoolchildren. Along with membersof theorderacrosstheglobe, they alsocare for those less fortunate through their work with orphanages, hospitalsand hospices,centres for women, and soup kitchensco feedthe homeless They alsoprovideakindof companionship.

"Wevisit the sick andlonely people shut inside,"Sister MariaLucy e:,..-plains.

"Loneliness isoneof thegreatest sicknesses.Poverty,Mother caUedit, loneliness isoneof thegreatestpoverties. Sheoftensaid, 'If a person ishungry, we cangive themsomethingtoeat tosatisfy chem,buc if they arelonely andfeel unwanted,itis thegreatestpoverty."

Aspareof their thanksgivingfor the canonisation, the Sisters at theMissionaries of Charity of Sydney curateda special exhibition on the lifeof Mother Teresa, with photographs, icons and artefacts includingsomeof her iconic original shawls and saris.

SisterMaria Lucy shares thatinitiaUy MotherTeresa wantedtheOrder's saris to be all white. "Thenpeoplein Kolkaca started talkingabout itsaying,'Wehope she won't makeicaU white, because the widows in mourningin KoUrntawear only white so people wiU th.inksheis a widow,' soshe addedthebluestripes."Thecolours blue and\vhite arealso associated with d1e VirginMary, and so d1e iconic white sari wid1 the three striped blue border is now widely familiaracross theglobe.

MotherTeresa's canonisation and elevation toSaint is not withoutcontroversy, however.Thereare some inKoikaca who resent that their city became known for its povenythrough her work, andotherswho see themissionaries' effortsamongtribal communities inthe north-easternIndian states as problematicproselytising.There are also those who questionthemiracles attributedto her.

The Sisters are amused by suggestions their Mother is anything less than a true Saint, caDing doubters and naysayers "ignorant,,.

"\Y/e don't sayanythingco them. I feel theydon't know much about her," says Sister Maria Lucy.

"\Y/e just prayfor them and hope mat one day they'U see," agrees Sister Antonine. "They'reentitled co what they think, you don't know where they'recomingfrom, so you don't arguethe point."

"Her work shows howspecial she was,'' says Sister MariaLucy."Her lo\7e for everyone was sovisible andequal."

Indeed the worldwide adorationand admirationof MocherTeresawas on display duringthe canonisation.ceremony as hundreds of thousandsgathered in St Peter'sSquare. TheofficialIndian delegationincludedForeign Minister SushmaSwaraj,BengalChief Minister MamataBanerjee andDelhi Chief M.i.nister ArvindKejriwal.

IndianPrimeMinisterNarendraModi saidin astatement ontheeveof her canonisation,"AsIndianswe have to feel proudabout thecanonisation of Bharat Ratnai\fotherTeresa. She haddedicated her life for the upliftmentof the poor. She was anAlbanian,andEnglish language was not her mothertongue,andyecsheadoptedicas her language and served thepoor."

"She isvery well recognised andvery weUlovedinIndia,"says SisterMariaLucy. "Christians,Hindus,Muslims, regardless of race and colour and languageand religion, everybodylovedher andshe loved everybody."

Andas Australian Catholic University theologianJoelHodge told the ABC, "She did really capture the imaginationof the world in a waythat hardly any other Catholic did."

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USHA R. ARV/ND explores the complex symbolism behind the popular Hindu god Ganesha

Mooshikavaaha!lamodbakahatb11

Cha11101-akamavilambitha suthra

Vamanampamahes1w1rnp11thm

Vignavinqyagapadht1twmaste

Vignavinayaka,Vakrathw1da, Lambodhara, Sarvasidhantha, Gajanana, Ganapatiarejusta fewof the 108 names thatextol d1evirtuesof Ganesha.

Theelephant headed, pot belliedelder sonofShivaandParvati is not only the foremost God amongthe Hindupantheon, heisperhaps memost lovedtoo. Inhis capacitytoremove allobstacles,Ganeshais rememberedeverydayby oneand all.

Often associated with d1eauspicious 'Om',heis among the most enigmatic as well Ganesha'sphysical attribmes a.re themselves rich in complex symbolism. ln fact everypartofGanesha's sumptuous body tells its own lirde cale.

Primarily, the imageof Ganesha isa compositeanduopomorphic one. Four livingentities - man, elephant,serpent and mouse have contributed to themakeup ofhis figure. All of d1emindividually and collectively have deep symbolicovertones. Ganeshathusrepresents ma.n's eternal strivingcowardsintegration with nature. He has to beinterpreted taking into consideration me face that despite evolution over many millennia,rnanremains closer to animaltoday manhe wasever before.

Symbolism ofGanesha's form

The most striking feature ofGaneshais his elephant head, symbolicof auspiciousness, strengili and intellectualprowess. On the forehead, theTrishula (weapon of Shiva) is depicted,symbolisingtime (past,present andfumre) and Ganesha's masteryover it. AUthe qualities of theelephant are contained in theformof Ganapati. The elephantis the largestandstrongestof animalsof d1e forest.Yet heis gendeand, amazingly,a vegetarian, sothat hedoesnot kill toeat. Heis veryaffectionate andloyal to his keeper and is greatly swayed if love and kindness areextended to him. Ganesha, tl1ough apowerful deity, isno less loving and forgivingandmovedby meaffection of his devotees.

Yet atthe same timethe elephant can destroy a whole forest andis in himself a one-man army whenprovoked. Ganeshais similarlymostpowerfuland canberuduess when conrainingevil

Again, Ganesha's large head issymbolic of d1e wisdomof d1eelephant. His large ears, like the winnow,sift the bad from thegood.Although[heyhear everything, they retainonlythat whichisgood;iliey are attentiveto allrequests made by the devotees,bethey humbleor powerful.

Whilethe largeea.rsandheadreceive allinformation,tl1esmallmouthtalks lessand the tiny eyesrepresentutmost concentration.

Ganesha:, trunk is asymbolof his discrimination (viveka),amostimportant quality necessary for spiritualprogress. Theelephantuses its trunk ro push down a massive tree, carry huge logs to[he river and for oilier heavy casks.The samehuge trunk isused topick upa fewbladesof grass, tobreak asmallcoconut,removed1e hardnutandear tl1e soft kernelinside.The biggest and minutestof casks are within the rangeof this mmk whichissymbolic of Ganesha's intellect and hispowers of discrimination.

Thecurved tnmkperhapsalsorepresents thearousalof thepowers of thekundtllini. The trunk relates to d1epower of human mind. It must be strongenoughto handle the external world,but delicateenough coexplorethe subde realmsof rhe inner sanctum.

Yet another intriguingaspectof Ganesha's iconography is his broken tusk,Ekdanta- Ekmeaningoneanddm1ta meaningteem.Theologists believe mar the rworusksrepresenr wisdom andemotion. The broken left tusk signifies tl1ar one must conquer ernotions with wisdom to attain perfection. Itcarriesaninteresting legend behind it:

IVhenPamsh11rc1111a,oneofShiva'.rfavouiite disciples,cametovisitbim,hefoundGmresha gHanliugShiva'.rinnert1part111mts.Hirjalhei· beingasleep,GanesbaopposedParsh11ra111a} mtty.P01mh11ra111ane11e1the!esstriedlo1trgehis IVtl)\andtitussleem1✓ed.Gane.rhohadatfirst thet1dvantage,seizingParash11m111t1i11histrnnk, andgivinghi,11at1JJirlthatlefthimsickand senseless;011reco11e1i11g,RamathreJ/Jhisaxeat Ganesht1,ivhorecognizingitashi.rfather's111et1po11 (Shivah,minggivmittoPm¥1slmrama)receivedit J/Jithallh11mili!J11po11oneofhi..rtusk..r,1vhichit i1111mdiate!Jseveru�midhe11ceGaneshahasb1tt onetttsk.

AdifferentlegendnaiwtesthatGm1esha111c1s askedtoscribedow11theepicol11fohabhc1rata, diclt1tedtohimtryitst111th01;sage1':)•a.ra.Taking into11otetheenormityandsignificanceofthett1Sk, Ganesharealizedthei11adeq11aryotll!Jordinaiy -pen'to1111dctt11k.ethetask.Heth11sbrok.eoneof hisowntusksandI/ladeapm011/oit. Thelesson q[feredhereistht1tnosacrificeishigenoughi11the p11rmitofk1101vledge.

Ganeshais often portrayed with six hands. One is normally shownin theahh'!)•a (fearless) pose of protectionandrefuge and thesecond holding asweet (!JJodt1ka) symbolic of [he sweetness of rhe realized inner self. The tllodakrepresents the reward forst1dhant1, while me pmst1dat his feet represents the world at one's feet waitingto beconquered. Ganeshaalsoholdsanaxe tocutoffbondsof attachment.

1n tl1e rwohands behindhim heoften holdsan a11k11sba(elephantgoad) and a pasbt1(noose) Thenooseis to convey mat worldlyattachmentsand desiresarea noose. The goadis toprod man to mepad1of righteousnessand trutl1. With dlis goad Ganesha can botl1 strike and repelobstacles. Yeea.nothe.r handholdsa lotus Aower (padma),andit symbolizes thehighest goal of human evolution, me sweemessof d1e realisedinner sel[

Ganesha'spotbelly containsinfinite universes. Itsignifies thebountyof nature andequanimity,d1eabilityof Ganeshato swallowd1e sorrows of dieUniverse and protect tl1e world; the positionof llis legs (one resting on the ground andone raised) indicate d1e importance of living and participatingin cl1e material worldas well as in me spiritual world, the ability to live in the world without beingof the world.

The mouse

Thelitde mousethatGanesha is supposed to ride upon is ai10merenign1atic feamre in hisiconography.L ord Ganesha sitson a trayof laddus signifyingd1e wealtl1 and prosperitythathe gave to his devotees. However,a mouse sits near d1e bottom of me stanie torepresent the egothat can ear awayat thegoodness ofaperson. Ar acursory glance it seems stranged1ar thelordof supreme wisdom hasbeen granteda humbleobsequiousmousequite incapableof liftingd1e bulging belly and massiveheadd1at hepossesses. Butit in1plies that wisdomis an attrbuteof ugly conglomerationof factors and further that the wise do nor find anythingin the world disproportionateor ugly.

Themouse is,in every respect, comparable to d1e intellect. leisable to slip unobservedor withoutour knowledgeinto places which we wouldhavenot thought itpossibletopenetrate. Indoingchjs it is hardlyconcerned whether itis seeking virtue orvice.The mouse thus represents our wandering, wayward[nind, lured to undesirableorcorruptinggrounds. By showingthe mousepayingsubservienceto LordGaneshait isjmpliedthatthe intellect bas been tamedthroughGanesha's power of ruscriminarion.

Ganesha's mum, Parvati

Any attempt copenetrate the depthsof die Ganeshaphenomenon muse note that he is bornfromGoddessParvati alone, and assuch hesharesavery unique andspecial relationship with his mother.The sensitive nature of hjs relationship with Parvati is made amply clear in the following tale: Asachild,Ganesht1teasedamtI:)'p11fli11gits tail,roili11gitoveron thegro1111dandca11si11git gnatpain,t1snattgh(JJ101111ghqysare}l)Ollttodo. Afterso111etime, tir·cdofhisgame,hewenttohis tllotherParvati..Hefo1111dheringreatpainand covered111ithscratchesanddustallove1: 1.17hen hequestionedher,sheputthebla111eonhim.She explai11edthatshe//lasthecat}l)/;0111Ga11eshahad teased.

His totaldevotion cowardshis mother is the reason wby in theSoudi lnilian tradition Ganeshais represented assingle and celibate. Itis srud that he felt that his mod1er,Parvati, was the mostbeautiful and perfect woman inthe muverse Bringme a womanas beautiful as sheis andI shall marry her,hesaid. onecouldfindan equal to the beautiful Uma (Parvati),and so d1e legendgoes, the search is stillon Jnvariance with d1eSouth Indian tradition, in North India,Ganeshais often shown marriedto the twodaughtersof Brahma (theLordof Creation),namely Budclhi and Siddhi. Metaphoi:icallyB·Jd-:l!�j sig1ufies wisdom and Siddhj achievement.

In die senseof yoga,Buddhi and Siddhi representdiefemale and male currents in diehuman body.Invisualarts dus aspect of Ganesha isrepresented with grace and charm.

Likewise,noanalysisof Lord Ganeshacan beconcludedwidiout a mentionof the mysticalsyllable Om- the mostpowerful universal symbol of thedivinepresencein Hindu diought.The written matufestation of rlusruvine symbol wheninvercedgives the perfect profile of the god with the elephant head.