When My Friend Cussed in Front of Mother Teresa, This Was Her Surprising (and Funny) Reaction

“Mother Teresa called me a sissy!” says former Swiss Guard Mario Enzler

A Pontifical Swiss Guard
A Pontifical Swiss Guard (photo: Finestrelle / Pixabay/CC0)

This video originally appeared at Real Life Catholic and is used with permission. Sign up for Chris Stefanick’s email list here.

You know, we should always watch our mouths because God is always listening. But have you ever let a curse fly out of your mouth in front of the wrong person? Kind of humiliating, isn’t it? Imagine what would happen if you cussed in front of ... I don’t know, say ... Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I have a friend who did just that! And what happened gives you an insight into one of the great souls of modern times, whose feast day was this past week on Sept. 5.

Mario Enzler, former Pontifical Swiss Guard:

“The first time I met Mother Teresa, she scared the heck out of me. This is the reason. As a Swiss Guard, when you get into trouble, you are entitled to some social service. I am in the kitchen — the reason why I chose to be in the kitchen is they were serving lentil soup, and you have to scoop the lentil soup and serve it to 250 people. I didn’t really like the smell. I said, ‘Let me just stay in the kitchen and wash pots. I don’t need to be here.’ And the sister said okay.

 “What they didn’t tell me was that they wanted their pots to be spotless, and they used pots that would turn black. You know when you fry turkey — those pots? And I was complaining. I was upset, I kid you not! At a certain point, I threw a temper tantrum. I threw the pot into this sink, and water came out — my pants, my underwear, my shoes were all soaking wet. I used bad words without knowing who was next to me. 

 “And this nun was taking glasses out of the cart. She was putting them on a tray that then will be pushed under an industrial dishwasher. Well, I didn’t recognize that nun. First of all — the Missionaries of Charity, they all look alike. They are all the same height, you know? So, when I saw a nun and then I looked again, she looked at me and it was Mother Teresa. 

 “Mother Teresa looks at me. I look at her. She says, ‘Wow, you really sound like a sissy!’ She called me a sissy — a 6-foot-2, 200-pound guy. And Mother Teresa called me a sissy. She had never met me!

 “For a few months, I was very angry. I’m not a sissy. How dare she call me that? I made a promise that the next time I’m going to see Mother, I’m going to show her that I’m not a sissy. The next time she comes, I’m ready. All of a sudden, the audience ends and she comes and she sees me, and I walk to her because, you know, I’ve got to make my point. 

 “And when I got close to her — Mother was very short, you know? When I got there, she looked at me, and before I opened my mouth, she moved the stole that she had and she had a Miraculous Medal. She took that Miraculous Medal that she had there and she put it in my hand. Now, keep in mind that’s the medal she’s wearing — and that she had given me one before!

 “That day that she called me a sissy, she left a medal to give to me, but I didn’t interact with her. She had told the sisters to give it to the guy that was complaining and acting like a little girl in the kitchen. But guess what? I lost it! 

 “So now she’s there. She moves the stole, she takes the medal off, and I’m still trying to say what I want to say. And she brings the medal up and I look at her. She puts the medal in my hand. She looks at me and says: ‘This time don’t lose it, sissy!’

 “I almost lost control. How the heck did she know that I lost the medal? And guess what? I was never able to tell her that I wasn’t a sissy! So yes, that’s my relationship with her.”