Missionaries of Charity has a new Superior General -- Sr. Mary Joseph. She was recently elected to head the global organization founded by Saint Teresa of Calcutta. In an interview with Francis Sunil Rosario for Indian Currents, she talks about the mission and vision of the Congregation in the face of crises and hardships.   

Francis Sunil Rosario: You have become the Superior General at a time when the Missionaries of Charity has come out of a difficult situation involving non-renewal of its FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration. Though the issue has been settled now, how do you look at the future?

Sr. Mary Joseph: I can say that becoming the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity is not my choice. I feel that God has mandated this particular mission to serve the poorest of the poor worldwide. At this age, physically I am not that sound and healthy. I have difficulty with my vocal cord. I do not like to travel long distances. I like to work homebound. Despite all these disabilities, I have accepted this challenge. It is a mission to serve the cause of the poor. 

At this juncture, when the Congregation has gone through some pressing times, our mission is to do what Jesus wants us to do. We satiate the thirst of Jesus in the poor, the deprived and the marginalized. Our sole mission is to live the life of Jesus amidst many crises and challenging situations. We entirely depend on God’s providence. For the world, it may look foolish, but for us, that is the wisdom of God. As long as Jesus lives and accompanies us in our struggles, we have no problem. We find fulfilment, joy and happiness to serve the suffering humanity.   

Yes, we had to face some problems connected with FCRA. It led us to some crisis. It made us to be aware of some deficiencies in accounting system. However, it was the time for us to learn to keep government-related documents in order and report them as and when needed. Our FCRA has been renewed for five years. This difficult situation has taught us to be transparent and accountable in our dealings with money and its proper use. 

I look at the future depending on God’s providence. When Mother Teresa began her mission, she came out with an empty hand. Her only strength was God. It was God’s call to her to reach out to the poor; those victims of ‘throw away culture’; the abandoned, the rejected and the neglected in the society; and men and women dying on the street. For her to take the first step towards this call and mission was most difficult. She did not know what future held. She had her own dark nights to experience. Through many crises and difficult situations, she continued her mission to be on the side of the poor, to stand by them and to give them dignity of life. 

God showed her the way. God took her to many difficult places, impossible situations, people in inhuman conditions, in cities, beyond the borders into frontier mission and the Congregation has survived even to this day. It shows that the power of God is still very active in hard life situations, in conflicts, in war zones, in the brokenness of lives and in suffering humanity. 

Thanks to our Past Superior Generals, Late Sister Nirmala Joshi, and Sr. Prema, who carried the legacy of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the Congregation has moved forward. Prayer is our strength. Our total dependence on God’s providence helps us to keep going.  We have reached out to those places where people need us, people who are looking for human touch and love of God. It’s God’s mission and we are just carrying out His mission. 

To me, it is quite clear that it is God’s mission and He will provide the means to carry out in the midst of those who suffer and die due to negligence, injustice, and discrimination. We love them and we experience God’s tremendous love by doing this mission of mercy and charity. 

Francis Sunil Rosario: The focus of your congregation is service to the poor and the neglected. But for the government what matters is paper work and showing everything on records. Do you think that this is a problem area for the congregation in dealing with the government?

Sr. Mary Joseph: Not at all. We learnt from Mother the way to be transparent. She insisted that whatever money we receive should be accounted. They should be clear in paper. All that money belongs to the poor. We are just ‘pencils in God’s hand’ to help those who are deprived of dignity and rights. We stand by them. Because they have no one.

Allow me to narrate one incident regarding transparency. This incident took place in Prague (Praha). Mother visited this beautiful city, the center of ‘Infant Jesus’ devotion. Mother and few of us went to the Church. Seeing Mother, many devotees came to meet her and take her blessings. It was in early 90s. The people who came to her also donated hard cash. 

I was responsible to let Mother know the amount of donation received that day. When everything was over, we came back to the convent. It was 10.30 p.m. and I was very tired. I kept the bag containing money in a cupboard and thought of counting the cash next morning. Mother asked, “Where is that bag of money?” I said, “Mother, I have kept that quite safe in the cupboard. Tomorrow morning I will count and give you.”  But Mother insisted that the money should be counted that very night before going to sleep. Those were contributions, people’s money. We have no right over it. They are given for the poor. We must use the money entirely for the needs of the poor. Mother taught me, how to remain transparent in dealing with money and gifts given by the people. That was a huge lesson that night. 

Our accounting system has to be improved. Yes, we need to be more open and professional in dealing with accounts. The consequences of FCRA crisis have taught us to be vigilant and to keep our paper work clear. Our house superiors and those handling the accounts have been told to maintain strict entry into the account books. 

Francis Sunil Rosario: Quite often your humanitarian works do not get the propaganda and publicity they deserve. In the modern world, where social media is the main medium of information, do you think that your congregation has to become more active in social media to project its works?

Sr. Mary Joseph: We are involved in a particular mission God has given us. Our congregation is not for propaganda. Ours is not an NGO or entrepreneurship. We serve because we are called to serve selflessly, without counting the cost. Mother herself did not go for publicity. Seeing her good works among the poor, the marginalized, the leprosy patients and the dying, the world began to notice and recognize the humanitarian services she did. Media came to her. They took initiatives. A book titled “Something beautiful for God” was written (by Malcolm Muggeridge). That drew world’s attention. Many began to write books to let the world know what Missionaries of Charity were doing to bring changes and to transform the society. 

It’s all the work of Jesus Christ. We are merely His instruments. We do our mission silently, without making noise. Our work of charity is like a seed planted and the plant grows gradually, in silence. Later on, it bears fruits. People see our work, they appreciate, and recognize our mission. It attracts them. Many volunteers who come to serve in our houses experience God’s presence in their lives. Many of them change for good. Some of them even opt to become (a member of) the Missionaries of Charity and commit themselves for life in service to suffering humanity. Ours is a call from God. When God calls, nothing can stop. God wants that this mission should grow. Jesus was born poor, in poverty and simplicity. Our mission is to integrate ourselves fully with the lives of the poor, the unwanted and the rejected. We have no other interest. We do not need publicity. We work silently. Our mission is to give Jesus and his love for humanity, and to build bridges of peace. 

Francis Sunil Rosario: Your congregation is a shelter home for the orphans and those neglected by the family and society. Your model of service is to support them to live. Do you think that you need a new policy to make your inmates self-dependent by introducing new strategies of social work?

Sr. Mary Joseph: Our model of service is to provide a condition of living that is humane and dignified. We are often told that we should train the inmates for skills to become self-dependent. That is not our mission. That is why we are not into organized Education system or socio-economic development programs. We support the rejected and the neglected in the society to find meaning in life. They need our human touch. They are longing for love. We give them the joy of living. Our mission is to give them God experience through suffering humanity. 

Francis Sunil Rosario: There are only a few congregations working in trouble-torn and war-torn areas. What gives your sisters the courage and commitment to work in those places?

Sr. Mary Joseph: Yes, we go wherever God takes us. Our sisters are not afraid to go where ‘angels dare to tread’. The courage and commitment to be with the afflicted, the wounded and those war victims come from the cry of Jesus on the cross. We look up to the cross, Jesus hanging on the cross, dying due to our sin. Those who are the cause of war are also the human beings like us. Jesus came to give peace to the world. Our sisters are ready to go where no one likes to go. Our sisters are ready to leave behind the comfort zones for the sake of Jesus suffering on the cross. In those victims, dying or wounded due to war, our sisters serve Jesus Christ. Mother taught us these lessons. All that we see in the world today, the victims of war, injustices, trampling human rights, socio-economic imbalances and disparities are due to greed, our selfishness and vested interest. MCs become balm to the wounded, the broken humanity.    

Once Mother Teresa shared with sisters when she visited Poland after her return from Africa. Ebola had struck in Africa and spread rapidly. Many people were dying. The MC Sisters remained with those people to share their pain and the moments of dying. MC sisters were committed in their mission. They did not run away.  

Now in Ukraine, the MC Sisters have remained with the wounded and the victims of war. Despite all the destruction they witness every day, they have remained with the victims of war.  The experience of the five sisters who are living in Kyiv is certainly very challenging, life threatening.  Among them, there are three Indian nuns, one Polish and one Lativian. Every now and then, they hear sound of bombing and blast. It is a smoke-filled atmosphere. They are looking after 33 men and 2 women in the basement. Some have wounds in their legs. Everyday those broken and wounded people come to the door of the basement asking for food and shelter. Sisters have limited resources and yet they try to accommodate as far as they can. 

The world has to listen to the cry of those victims, who became targets to be eliminated and destroyed. Despite many eventualities taking place in the city, they prefer to remain with the affected people to support them in their crisis. They say, “It’s our proud moment to live among those wounded people due to war.” They put into practice their ‘Evangelical counsels’ and in giving witness to Lord Jesus Christ. 

We are grateful to all people who have supported us during those days when the Congregation had to live with meagre funds. Some came forward to support our cause to serve the poor and needy, Odisha and Bengal in particular. Thanks to the Government of India. We cut down on our expenses. At times, we sacrificed our meals. It called for renunciation. It was the time to experience certain deprivations in life. We felt the agony of the poor people during those trying times. Those were the moments Jesus was crying out, “I thirst.” Our vocation is to satiate the thirst of Jesus Christ.