Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa
Date/Time: 11/10/2014, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Provider: Hospice of Marion County
What has Mother Teresa got to teach us in today’s world? The answer is: Plenty! Although she died in 1997, this diminutive whirlwind of devotion achieved the highest acclaim as well as derisive criticism during her lifetime of service to the poor, earning her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Through it all she was unfaltering in her stance on compassion and dignity for the dying, no matter what their status. Her work with infants afflicted with AIDS was world-changing resulting in the creation of the Missions of Charity, which remains active in 133 countries.
For 12 years beginning in 1985 until her death, Florida native Jim Towey had the good fortune to become not only legal counsel to Mother Teresa, but also a personal friend. He was a full-time volunteer for two years living with her order of priests in her Tijuana, Mexico seminary. Later he spent time caring for the dying in her hospice house for AIDS patients in Washington, DC. He was a member of the official delegation sent by the President of the United States for both her funeral in Calcutta and her 2003 beatification at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Those years learning directly from one of the greatest social change agents of the last century deeply influenced Towey. During his career in politics under President George W. Bush, he served as director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He oversaw billions of dollars in federal grants awarded annually to faith-based charities, and his bipartisan collaboration persuaded more than 30 governors to open offices to assist religious charities in their states.
At Mother Teresa’s urging, Towey founded the Tallahassee-based Aging with Dignity, a non-profit organization that helps families plan for end-of-life care. He is the author of the advance directive, Five Wishes, which has sold more than 14 million copies. As a lawyer, Towey developed this user-friendly document as an easy-to-comprehend living will that is more specific to personal needs. Today it is the most popular form of advance directive in the U.S., is legal in 42 states and available in 27 languages, just as Mother Teresa would have wished.
Towey continues to be inspired by his years with Mother Teresa. Hear from him directly on how her perspectives on compassion toward others can make a difference in everyone’s life.
Towey is the special guest speaker on Monday, November 10, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Hospice of Marion County in recognition of National Hospice Month. The event in The Elliott Center (3231 SW 34th Avenue, Ocala, FL, 34474) has limited seating, so RSVP today to (352) 854-5230 or lvarner@nullhospiceofmarion.com. Refreshments will be served and counselors will be available to distribute free Five Wishes. Don’t miss this unique opportunity.
