The world knew Mother Teresa because of her great love, humility, and selflessness. Her desire to pursue her “call within a call” and serve the poorest of the poor resonated with millions of people worldwide from those poor people she served all the way up through the highest levels of government and elite circles of society. Even if people disagreed with her, they respected her work because of how humble and loving she was. 

The new film, Mother Teresa & Me (running time: 122 minutes, Not Rated), that will be released as a Fathom one-day event on October, 5, 2023, does an excellent job of bringing viewers alongside Mother Teresa (Jacqueline Fritschi-Cornaz) as she seeks to fulfill her calling. But this film isn’t just about Mother Teresa: it’s also about the connection to the saint that a modern day young woman, Kavita (Banita Sandhu), has and her journey of discovering that connection during a very difficult time in her life. 

Mother Teresa & Me | October 5

The film switches back and forth between Mother Teresa’s early life as a religious and Kavita’s life as an Indian-born singer living in London who is casually seeing an infantile man who can’t seem to get his life together. The parallel between Mother Teresa’s faith journey and Kavita’s search to make her own big decisions are compelling and, at times, will make viewers chuckle. The lighter moments are appreciated because the themes the film tackles are heavy. An unplanned pregnancy, abandonment, darkness of faith, adoption, and death are threaded throughout the movie. 

The Heart Of Mother Teresa

I met Mother Teresa when I was 16-years-old and was volunteering with her order, the Missionaries of Charity. I continued volunteering for them on and off through young adulthood and the impact the small nun made on my life is tangible. She showed me how to pray through all things, to see the poorest of the poor and those in need as Jesus Himself, and to have compassion and love for others, especially people in my own life who are closest to me (and who I sometimes have trouble being patient with!). 

Mother Teresa & Me captures Mother Teresa’s heart and story in a beautiful way. The cinematography, acting, and story line show viewers just how determined the saint was in following Jesus. I recognized many of the same things I saw in her and her sisters right there on the screen: compassion, uncompromising determination, love, faith, and hard work. 

In the movie, Kavita visits the house of the dying in Calcutta and her hesitation to approach the dying patients is relatable. It’s hard to see people in that stage of life who are suffering. I felt the same way many times when I worked with the helpless women that the nuns cared for. It’s a wakeup call for gratitude and while not the central theme of the film, it shines through. 

The Humble Faith Of Mother Teresa

While I could recognize Mother Teresa’s great faith in the film, it wasn’t something that was outrightly at the forefront of the story, which makes sense because Mother Teresa really showed her love for Jesus through her actions versus her words (although there are many beautiful prayers attributed to her). And that is how Kavita comes to find what she is looking for. She can relate to Mother Teresa’s crisis of faith and feelings of abandonment but there’s an even greater connection to the nun in Kavita’s life that she uncovers as she contemplates what to do about her unborn child. 

The film does a great job of showing the complexities of an unplanned pregnancy and the director, Swiss-Indian filmmaker Kamal Musale, does not shy away from bringing up the nuances around the issue of abortion to the viewers. I did feel the film left viewers hanging as to the outcome of Kavita’s decision but that was intentional on the part of Musale as to allow viewers to contemplate their own views about such divisive topics.

Should Catholics See Mother Teresa And Me?

Overall, Mother Teresa & Me is a film that inspires compassion, hope, and love. Kavita’s storyline is fiction but Mother Teresa’s is true and one that will no doubt inspire viewers to search their own hearts for that same fire and determination to serve others.

Where Can I See Mother Teresa And Me?

Learn more about this inspirational film, find out where it is playing, and purchase your tickets HERE!

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