Faith and Compassion: The Life and Work of Mother Teresa

by Raghu Rai, Navin Chawla

To millions, Mother Teresa portrays an image of a small woman in a white sari, offering love and compassion to the poorest of the poor. The life of perhaps the most famous woman in the world has already been well documented.
What makes this book different is that Raghu Rai and Navin Chawla, both Hindus, have interacted with their subject closely. They have come to understand her faith and spirituality, as well as her practical down to earth nature and her sense of humor. Through his camera lens, Raghu Rai's powerful black and white portraits capture the emotive appeal of Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity, unerringly reflecting her spirit and simplicity. Navin Chawla has known Mother Teresa for over 20 years during which he has been closely associated with her work. His text draws on rare documents, letters and conversations to provide a special insight into her mission.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1996

About the author

Raghunath Rai Chowdhry (born 1942), known as Raghu Rai, is an Indian photographer and photojournalist. He was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who appointed Rai, then a young photojournalist, to Magnum Photos in 1977.

Rai became a photographer in 1965, and a year later joined the staff of The Statesman, a New Delhi publication. In 1976, he left the paper and became a freelance photographer.[citation needed] From 1982 until 1992, Rai was the director of photography for India Today. He has served on the jury for World Press Photo from 1990 to 1997. He is known for his books, Raghu Rai's India: Reflections in Colour and Reflections in Black and White.

Reviews

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a long time reading this. But I wanted every word to sink in. I read and reread some most parts. I lived in India for a semester of school to complete my Anthropology Field Experience. I saw Mother's House, but she was not in India at the time of my visit. It is a bustling place. The work is urgent, patient, full of love and compassion.
Mother Teresa is a wonder. I consider her a wonder of the world. Her grit, endless compassion, her deliberate commitment to Jesus and His work is inspiring This life work was well written. The pictures are worth a thousand words. I highly recommend this book. I give high praise to Raghu Rai and Navin Chawla for their long hours and sacrifice of time to portray something so beautiful.
Because she believes what she said, "We are called upon not to be successful but to be faithful", she was blessed with success. Her experience and devotion encourage me to do better, be better. Mother Teresa counsels in her Nobel Prize acceptance speech, that poverty can come right in our own home. "...even neglect to love. Maybe in our own family we have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried, and these are difficult days for everybody Are we there? Are we there to receive them?..."

[Summisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling photographs.