Sunrise over Calcutta: The continued impact of Mother Teresa’s radical love

Regensburg, June 7, 2023

What if it really were? When Holy Mother Teresa of Calcutta intervenes in one’s own life, as she has done and continues to do according to various testimonies in the film “Sunrise over Calcutta”?

Beauty by the standards of this world

There is no doubt that she was a special person on earth. Even critics attest that she has done a lot of good. And the fact that she didn’t give a damn about worldly fame – fame, money and beauty by the standards of this world – is evident from her way of life and her actions. but also show with Saint John Paul II. How much has happened since her death in 1997? How have impressions changed?

Is that miracle craving? personality cult? self-importance?

Their message, the message of radical love that needs to be taken seriously, hasn’t changed at all. Around 100 viewers who came to the Regina Filmtheater last Wednesday evening, including Bishop Dr. Rudolf Voderholzer and Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Joseph Graf. The screening took place as part of the film talk series “People in Focus” by the Regina Film Theater and the Catholic Adult Education Regensburg (KEB) with the support of the Association for the Promotion of International Catholic Film. The testimonies (“word donations”) that could be heard and seen here get under your skin, even if well-known counter-questions from society can be heard quickly. Isn’t that a miracle craze? personality cult? self-importance?

Encouragement instead of pleasure

Deacon Walter Karger, who stood for the “Association for the Promotion of International Christian Films”, said in introductory words: “Mother Teresa certainly did not have in mind how her life affected others.” Not only the practical, but also that Karger knew that prayer is a service to others, and no matter where we work, we unconsciously always set a “good example” – if we align ourselves with the values ​​of Mother Teresa, namely the actually Christian ones. “The good Lord will see that and do something,” the deacon claimed. And rightly so, he corrected his own desire to have a lot of fun in advance by saying “let yourself be encouraged”.

Anything wrong or half falls away

Of course there are a lot of scenes in the strip. How seriously should the record be put into operation authentically in an abortion clinic where the then converted Spanish woman previously worked? And commit terrible things? But the testimony – both in detail and as a whole – is credible and demonstrates the mission of protecting life and appreciating poverty. Isn’t it an ancient tradition of the Church that the poor are really the rich? Is that indeed our belief? The film shakes you up, at least initially and painfully, to reflect on this obligation. Everything that is wrong or at least half is dropped and so it was not surprising that during the short credits and afterwards, at the end of the screening, there was a waiting silence and not a few of them resolved to do things better in their own lives in the future. Perhaps it would not be saying too much to assume that something healing was felt in these precious moments of transition into everyday life.

The film genre may be that of the Annunciation film, of course, but the shots and images are so empirical that it soon appears that faith works most effectively in unsentimental and straightforward reality and, by the way, instead of sentimentality, a spiritual experience takes place that looks at the reason for what is Christian and shows what it is “actually” about.

Made through crowdfunding

A film, mainly made through crowdfunding, by the way, which does not have a progressive plot with déroulement and catastrophe, but whose inner movement is hidden in every movement, no matter how detailed. Anyone who wants to understand why serious and searching Christians don’t understand something in the world, why they have to nibble on a mystery of evil and these figurations of – ultimately – nothing keep us captive, prevent us from doing the appropriate, the right thing: love , who will experience these forces of the underworld in many ways on screen with horror, as well as the hint of what can protect us from them.

The church then appears in a different light

Black and white painting? Exaggerated dichotomies or even neurotic views of a “complex reality” that modern, postmodern or post-postmodern people have to endure? More or less happy? No, instead of suppressing the calling, which obviously happens so often, committed Christians show how things are with us. And the Church and the daily practice of some of its parts will then appear in a different light. It is a diagnosis with a clear proposal for therapy. Many will not like it, let alone be comfortable with it. But how could it be otherwise? Or, to repeat Deacon Walter Karger’s statement at the beginning: “Let yourself be encouraged.”

Text and images: Prof. Dr. Veit Neumann