By: Don Martin
Re: Even Saints Get the BluesEven Saints Get the Blues

    In the Outlook section of the Washington Post for 10/29/95,
there is an interesting article by Christopher Hitchens on
everyone's favorite Nobel Prize winning Saint, Mother Teresa. In
common with her co-religionists, she does not scruple overmuch where
the money comes from, so long as it comes. Charles Keating, in
addition to being a swindler on an absolutely Republican scale, was
one of her contributors to the tune of a cool million. During that
worthy's trial, Mother Teresa wrote to the presiding judge, one
Lance Ito, in support of her holy cash cow:

        "I don't know anything about Mr. Charles Keating's work or
    his business or the matters you are dealing with," she stated,
    "I only know that he has been kind and generous to God's poor
    and always ready to help whenever there was a need. It is for
    this reason that I do not want to forget him now while he and
    his family are suffering. Jesus has told us 'whatever you do to
    the least of my brethren YOU DID IT TO ME.'"

    Can anyone say attempting to bring holy pressure to bear upon
the trial? Paul Turley, deputy district attorney for Los Angeles,
apparently did. He sent a reply to Mother T in early 1992, after the
trial was completed. He wrote as a private citizen, and put it to
her:

        "Mr. Keating was convicted of defrauding 17 individuals of
    more than $900,000. These 17 persons were representative of
    17,000 individuals from whom Mr. Keating stole $252,000,000. . .
    . The victims of Mr. Keating's fraud came from a wide spectrum
    of society. Some were wealthy and well educated. Most were
    people of modest means and unfamiliar with high finance. One
    was, indeed, a poor carpenter who did not speak English and had
    his life savings stolen by Mr. Keating's fraud.

        "The Biblical slogan of your organization is 'As long as you
    did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to me,'
    Mr. Turley pointed out, continuing, "the 'least' of the
    bretheren are among those whom Mr. Keating fleeced without
    flinching. As you well know, divine forgiveness is available to
    all, but forgiveness must be preceded by admission of sin. Not
    only has Mr. Keating failed to admit his sins and his crimes, he
    persists in self-righteously blaming others for his own
    misdeeds.

        "You urge Judge Ito to look into his heart--as he sentences
    Charles Keating--and do what Jesus would do. I submit the same
    challenge to you. Ask yourself what Jesus would do if he were
    given the fruits of a crime; what Jesus would do were he in
    possession of money that had been stolen; what Jesus would do if
    he were being exploited by a thief to ease his conscience?

        "I submit that Jesus would promptly and unhesitatingly
    return the stolen property to its rightful owners. You should do
    the same. You have been given money by Mr. Keating that he has
    been convicted of stealing by fraud. Do not permit him the
    'indulgence' he desires. Do not keep the money. Return it to
    those who worked for it and earned it!

        "If you contact me I will put you in direct contact with the
    rightful owners of the property now in your possession."

    Anyone here like to take a guess at the reply Mr. Turley got
from the most holy Mother Teresa? Anyone like to take a shot at the
amount of cash the Saint has sent to the rightful owners thereof?

... Through a Jaundiced Eye Darkly--Rheum With a View
... don.martin@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org or don@balt-rehab.med.va.gov