College atheist group plans massive anti-Mother Teresa demonstration

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
11/23/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Mother Teresa was not a friend of the poor,' they claim, but 'was a friend of poverty'

A Dartmouth College atheist group is planning an event aimed at denouncing and vilifying the work of the late Mother Teresa. The Atheists Humanists Agnostics club sent out an e-mail announcing the program next week. The group promises a "full-out romp against why one of the most beloved people of the century, Mother Teresa, is as Hitchens put it . 'a lying, thieving Albanian dwarf.'"

The group claims that Teresa, on her way to sainthood in the Catholic church, 'was not a friend of the poor,' but 'was a friend of poverty.'

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Mother Teresa has long been one of the most unassailable figures of the 20th Century, who selflessly dedicated her life to helping the poor in India.

The group plans to screen an anti-Mother Teresa film, discuss Hitchens' book, "Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice," and question how the public has been "conned into thinking this woman [Teresa] was good."

The group claims that Teresa, on her way to sainthood in the Catholic church, "was not a friend of the poor," but "was a friend of poverty."

An infamous article by the late atheist crusader Christopher Hitchens attempted to tear down the legends that surround Teresa. The event has ignited controversy on the Ivy League campus. Students have told Campus Reform that they were upset AHA was hosting such an event.

"It's easy for a group of privileged Ivy League students who have never experienced poverty to meet in a 'super secret room' and think themselves as intellectuals by bashing Mother Teresa," Melanie Wilcox, Executive Editor of the conservative Dartmouth Review says.

"I'd like to know what they have done, if anything, to help the needy," she added.

AHA President Adam Hann defends the event. He admits to intentionally using "provocative" language in the e-mail to excite interest among students.

"What I like to do is, when there are areas that people just get vitriol or angry even for bringing it up, I like to go and have that discussion," Hann says.

Hann added that he estimates only about five to 10 people will participate in the event slated for this Saturday.

Mother Teresa is widely known for founding the Missionaries of Charities, a charity tasked with aiding the poor. She was beatified in 2003 by Pope John Paul II, a step toward possible sainthood.

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Mother Teresa, Dartmouth, demonstration, atheism, Christopher Hitchens

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1 - 10 of 61 Comments

Shashi K. Madan
5 months ago
Dear Friends, I am from India but currently in USA. Mother Teresa and I had exchanged letters and I can tell you that she made a big difference in my life. She did what she could do with what she knew best and now it is time for us to build on that foundation.
Jeffrey Mark
5 months ago
We are living in these last days spiritually we are being attacked as Christians and the Body of Christ we need to pray much hard strong and deep for the non believers .We know the truth in our Hearts on Mother Teresa.Satan attacks us cause He hates Gods Most Loved Creation cause we love God and he does not .We must pray for the Peace of Christ on the Campus,Show Christ lLove to them no matter what they say or how the say it.If Christ Love within the Christian Community Shines on Campus,That Witness speaks brighty and clearly.
Joanne
5 months ago
Silly, but they are probably their own worst enemies if they are choosing this battle.
Letha
5 months ago
As an Asian Indian, now living in US, I got the opportunity to see the poverty and the blessed work of blessed mother Theresa. She was a blessing to the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. But she is a blessing for the poorest in spirituality. Even the wicked may get pardoned once they leave this world.But these ignorant 'intellectuals' are trying to proclaim their real poverty by this foolish activity. Yah they have their freedom of opinion!
Kim
5 months ago
Yanno, these people should just be laughed at. Get over the shock and awe factor. Granted, this is a prayable situation, and yeah, we need to defend the faith but we wrestle not against flesh and blood, so pray in earnest and laugh because I can think of no better way to defend that faith than to just laugh at this nonsense.

Anti-Mother Teresa...pahlease. Don't they have anything better to do than rally against a dead woman? People should line up and laugh at them. Mother Teresa suffered no fools. You either got up to help or she sent you packing.
Daniel Roncalli
5 months ago
Please, we must not wish the harm even to those who would bring infamy to our cherished ones. Remember the one who said forgive them for they do not what they do. As a most "imperfect" one among you, I too feel the anger, but to suggest the harm of eternal damnation on any of His children is mortally woundful to the Spirit of Christ in all of us. Let us take our hurt and anger and bring those energies into a positive solution to the poor of our local communities.
Frederick
5 months ago
Mother Theresa will likely be praying in heaven for these people who are doing this. She was concerned not just for the materially poor, but also for the spiritually poor. People like Hitchens assume that Saints or anyone holy is perfect. Far from it. They are considered Saints because in their great imperfection, they were able to accomplish heroic deeds. One could only hope that Hitchens and those who follow him are able to accomplish similar heroic acts of love and service with all of their imperfections.
Rosa Lopes
5 months ago
The evil one knows that his time is almost over and therefore he has to use every means including using this idiots who are not aware that they are being used by him against one of the most beautiful heart in the world .And so They are doing Satan's dirty work but it will not go very far .because we all know who she was and most of us will not pay attention to evil slander against her.On my part i only wish that i had the courage that she did .God Bless Mother Teresa.Amen.
judy claar
5 months ago
fr. Clement Rosario, Thank you. May Prayerful Blessings and the power of the Holy Spirit continue to guide you. Amen.
Arthur
5 months ago
Just dupes of the Devil. They are in school to learn, but now they are trying to teach us. The FOOLS.. Now they have (whoever they are) their 10 seconds of IN-FAME and onE day they will have to answer to Jesus.

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