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Article: My dark night.(The Penultimate Word)(Mother Teresa )
- Article from:
- Commonweal
- Article date:
- November 23, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Commonweal Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Some years ago I read that Mother Teresa had told New York's John Cardinal O'Connor that the best way for him to help her would be to pick up a broom and sweep. I was delighted. Here was a woman who helped the poor and called on influential leaders to do the same.
When I read recently that Mother Teresa had gone years without feeling the presence of God, it came as a shock. What would St. John of the Cross have thought of so long a dark night of the soul? I think he would have understood. I understand--not because I'm a saint, but because I once had my own dark night.
It began when I was in the novitiate of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As ...