Openers Column by Sarah Hayes

Here's the scoop on Mother Teresa and the media

Time magazine recently published a cover story and eight-page spread on the "revelation" that Blessed Teresa of Calcutta had long struggled with feelings of spiritual dryness. Secular media outlets jumped on the story with headlines like "Mother Teresa: 'I have no faith'" on the Chicago Tribune's website and "For Mother Teresa, a profound darkness" by The Associated Press.

For the record, this "news" of Blessed Teresa's spiritual struggles is nothing new. In fact, Pope John Paul II referenced them in his homily at her 2003 beatification: "Mother Teresa shared the passion of the Crucified One, particularly during her long years of 'interior darkness.' In the darkest hours, she clung with even greater tenacity to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This harsh spiritual struggle allowed her to identify even more with those she served every day, experiencing the pain and even rejection they felt."

As Our Sunday Visitor's editorial (see Page 19) this week points out, the media hubbub is another reminder of the need for us Catholics to take the initiative to learn more of our faith from reliable resources. It also emphasizes the dangers of relying on secular media to inform us of the goings-on in the Church.

Indeed, reading through superficial and, at times, error-prone secular reports on Church happenings can make Catholics wonder why the media can't get their stories straight. In the Faith section this week (see Pages 14-15), contributing editor Emily Stimpson provides some insights on why religious reporting often falls short of the mark. She talks with three secular journalists who provide exemplary coverage on the subject -- Krista Tippett of the "Speaking of Faith" radio program, Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times and Bob Abernethy of PBS' "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly" -- and with EWTN's Raymond Arroyo.

In some cases, the problem could be a case of reporter bias. However, there are other obstacles facing reporters on the religious beat, including corporate pressure for high ratings, the challenges of covering dozens of faith traditions at once and too little time and space for thoughtful reporting.

"People look to us for what's the biggest news of the day, and in that word 'news' is the word 'new,' " Goodstein tells OSV. "News covers controversies, and it often doesn't cover the good people are doing."

So, what should Catholics wanting to be well-informed do? Learn their faith and rely on Catholic media to provide the news and commentary through the lens of the faith. That way, they won't have to rely on the secular media for the real story.