An Unquenchable Thirst: Following Mother Teresa in search of an authentic life

Mary Johnson

May 2011 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

At seventeen, Mary Johnson saw a photo of Mother Teresa on the cover of TIME magazine, and experienced her calling. Eighteen months later she entered a convent in the South Bronx, to begin her religious training. Not without difficulty, this boisterous, independent-minded teenager eventually adapted to the sisters’ austere life of poverty and devotion, but beneath the white-and-blue sari an ordinary woman faced the struggles we all share, the desire for love and connection, meaning and identity.



During her years as a Missionary of Charity, Mary Johnson rose quickly through the ranks and came to work alongside Mother Teresa. Mary grappled with her faith, her desires for intimacy, the politics of the order and her complicated relationship with Mother Teresa. Finally, she made the hard, life-changing decision to leave the order to find her own path, and eventually to leave the Church altogether.



The story of this compellingly honest woman will speak to anyone who has ever grappled with the mysteries and wonders of life and faith.

Ratings and reviews

a powerful insight of a woman's journey to find life in all its fullness

About the author

For twenty years, as Sister Donata, Mary Johnson was a Missionary of Charity, a nun in Mother Teresa's order, until she left in 1997. A well-respected teacher and public speaker, she lives in New Hampshire, USA.