Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was a Catholic nun who dedicated her life to serving the poor and destitute around the world. Born on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, she was given the name Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu by her Albanian parents, Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu.
From a young age, Agnes was deeply influenced by her mother’s faith and compassion for the less fortunate. Her mother often invited the poor to their home for meals and encouraged Agnes to help those in need. These experiences shaped Agnes’s early beliefs and laid the groundwork for her future humanitarian work.
At the age of 18, Agnes left home to join the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish Catholic order of nuns with missions in India. She adopted the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries. Sister Teresa arrived in Calcutta in 1929 and began her novitiate at the Loreto Abbey. She took her first vows in 1931 and her final vows in 1937, dedicating herself to a life of service and charity.
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In Calcutta, Sister Teresa taught at St. Mary’s High School for Girls and quickly became known for her kindness, compassion, and dedication to her students. However, she couldn’t ignore the poverty and suffering that surrounded her in the streets of Calcutta. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus, Sister Teresa felt called to serve the poorest of the poor and those who were abandoned by society.
In 1946, while traveling by train to Darjeeling for a retreat, Sister Teresa experienced a powerful calling from God to leave the convent and live among the poor. She later described this moment as a “call within a call” and believed that God was asking her to serve the destitute, the sick, and the dying in the slums of Calcutta.
With the permission of her superiors, Sister Teresa left the Loreto order and founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. The Missionaries of Charity were dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor and offering them love, compassion, and dignity. They took vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and serving the poorest of the poor.
MotherTeresa’s work with the Missionaries of Charity quickly gained international attention and support. She opened homes for orphaned and abandoned children, lepers, the elderly, and the dying in over 100 countries. The Missionaries of Charity also established soup kitchens, schools, clinics, and mobile clinics to provide medical care and food to those in need.
MotherTeresa’s dedication to serving the poor and marginalized earned her numerous awards and accolades, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. In her acceptance speech, she refused to attend the official banquet and asked that the $192,000 prize money be used to help the poor in India. She stated, “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”
Despite her fame and global recognition, Mother Teresa remained humble and focused on her mission of serving the poor. She lived a life of simplicity, wearing a simple white sari with a blue border and sandals, and lived in a dilapidated apartment in Calcutta. Mother Teresa often said, “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world.”
Mother Teresa’s legacy continues to inspire millions of people around the world to serve others with love and compassion. She passed away on September 5, 1997, at the age of 87, but her work with the Missionaries of Charity continues to this day. In 2016, Mother Teresa was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church for her extraordinary acts of love and service to the poor.
Mother Teresa’s life and legacy serve as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness and compassion can make a difference in the lives of others. Her unwavering dedication to serving the poor and destitute exemplifies the power of love and the importance of caring for those in need. Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
FAQ For Mother Teresa Biography
When and where was Mother Teresa born?
Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia.
What inspired Mother Teresa to dedicate her life to helping the poor and sick?
Mother Teresa’s inspiration came from a calling she experienced when she was just 12 years old. She felt a strong urge to serve God by helping those in need.
What was Mother Teresa’s role in the Missionaries of Charity?
Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 in Kolkata, India. The organization focused on caring for the poorest of the poor, including the sick, elderly, and orphaned.
What awards and recognition did Mother Teresa receive for her humanitarian work?
Mother Teresa received numerous awards for her work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1980.
What is Mother Teresa’s legacy?
Mother Teresa’s legacy is one of selfless service and compassion for the less fortunate. She inspired people around the world to dedicate themselves to helping others and to live a life of love and kindness.
