I'm running off to sing, so I don't have time for long rebuttals, but this is simply factually wrong. The Catholic Chuirch is the single largest non-state educator of women in the world, and most particularly in the poorers countries in Africa and Latin America where the Church''s education of women has been outstanding, and to this Church Mother T. donated all those "funds" dear brother Hitch was so worried about.
Moreover, Mother T's nuns have taught tens of thousands of women about Natural Family Planning, the only method of familiy planning which costs nothing, works well (World Health Organization says, compatable to oral contraceptives), requires thoughful responsible cooperation from the woman and the man, fosters respectfor women and for communication and equality in marriage, has no negative environmrntal impact, and cannot be used coercively by the State.
When I come back from singing, I can document that.
Good day to you! And peace to Christopher Hitchens, a man who so enriched and bothered us all.
I was responding to a post asking why he had such disdain for Mother Teresa. His reasoning is from a different perspective than yours and has much validity. For example, I’m sure he, like many Catholics, had no use for NFP, which is often known as “Vatican Roulette.” He saw it as a way to keep women in their place. Plus, her bizarre notions like in her quote “You are suffering, that means Jesus is kissing you!” irked him to no end, as he saw nothing “noble” in the continued suffering in the rathole hospitals she founded in Calcutta and the little-used huge bank accounts.
Fraud or saint? Arguments can be made both ways.