To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa by Jim Towey

 

Title:  To Love and Be Loved:  A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa

Author:  Jim Towey

Narrated by:  Jim Towey

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 5 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster.  Thank-you!

 Who is an inspiration in your life?  I thought it was fitting for All Saints Day to post my review of To Love and Be Loved:  A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa by Jim Towey.  Mother Teresa is an inspirational figure in my life.   I grew up watching her inspirational work with the poor through the Missionaries of Charity, which she founded in 1948.  In 2016 she became St. Teresa of Calcutta.

 Author Jim Towey was a lawyer and a Congressional staffer until a meeting with Mother Teresa in the 1980s changed his life forever.  He began volunteering in one of her soup kitchens and helping her with legal matters.  Soon he gave up his job and his possessions to become a full-time volunteer helping Mother Teresa navigate legal problems and set up meetings with world leaders.  He met his wife through her ministries.  Mother Teresa helped Towey to see Jesus through the poor.

 I thought this was an interesting look at Mother Teresa’s works through Towey’s eyes.  He gave a brief biography of her and how she set up her ministry, but most of the book were his personal experiences with her the last two decades of her life.  I never thought about how Mother Theresa would need a lawyer because both people within and outside of the church sadly tried to take advantage of her. 

 Mother Teresa had a difficult life in trying environments, but she gave her all working to fulfill God’s purpose.  I was surprised to learn that she had dark times and doubts earlier in her life.  She didn’t want this to be hidden as she wanted everyone to know that you can struggle in your faith and still find your way to God.  She always saw the best in people and could work with everyone.  Friends included both the Reagans and Hillary Clinton, Princess Diana, etc.  Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II were also good friends. 

 Author Jim Towey was the narrator of this audiobook and I thought he did an excellent job.  I always love when an author reads their own work, in particular when it is about their own life experiences.  I liked learning more about Mother Teresa and about the impact she had on the author and others.