Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on 26 August 1910 in Skopje (then part of the Ottoman Empire, now North Macedonia), was a Roman Catholic nun and missionary who devoted her life to serving the poor, sick, and destitute. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation known for its charitable work among the most vulnerable populations. Her life’s mission of compassion and selfless service earned her global recognition, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, and she was canonised as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 2016.

Early Life and Religious Calling

Anjezë Bojaxhiu was born into an Albanian family deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. Her father, Nikolle Bojaxhiu, was a businessman and a political activist, while her mother, Dranafile Bojaxhiu, was known for her piety and generosity towards the poor. These early experiences shaped young Anjezë’s empathy and sense of duty to the underprivileged.
At the age of eighteen, she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland, where she received the name Sister Mary Teresa after Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. In 1929, she arrived in India and began her novitiate in Darjeeling. Two years later, she took her first vows and started teaching at St. Mary’s High School for Girls in Calcutta (now Kolkata). It was during her years as a teacher and later as the headmistress that she witnessed the immense poverty surrounding her students’ families, which deeply affected her conscience.

The “Call Within a Call”

In 1946, during a train journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling, Teresa experienced what she described as the “call within a call” — a profound inner conviction that God was urging her to leave the convent and dedicate herself entirely to serving the poorest of the poor. After receiving permission from her superiors and the Vatican, she left the Sisters of Loreto in 1948 and adopted a simple white cotton sari with a blue border — the attire that would become symbolic of her mission.
She began working independently in the slums of Calcutta, tending to the sick, hungry, and dying. With minimal resources, she established a small school and offered care to those abandoned by society. Her compassion attracted volunteers and financial support, enabling her to expand her humanitarian work.

Founding of the Missionaries of Charity

In 1950, Mother Teresa officially founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation approved by the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Its mission was to serve “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, and all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for.”
The order grew rapidly, both in membership and scope. By the 1960s, the Missionaries of Charity had opened numerous homes across India, including Nirmal Hriday (“Pure Heart”), a hospice for the dying, and Shishu Bhavan, an orphanage for abandoned children. The sisters took vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and an additional vow — to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.”

Expansion and International Recognition

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Missionaries of Charity expanded internationally, establishing centres in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Mother Teresa became an international symbol of charity and humility.
In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work. Rejecting the customary banquet, she requested that the funds be donated to the poor in India. She also received numerous other honours, including the Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian award) in 1980, the Order of Merit from the United Kingdom, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States.
Despite her fame, Mother Teresa lived a life of simplicity and austerity. Her humility and spiritual devotion attracted followers from around the world, both within and outside the Catholic Church.

Philosophical and Religious Outlook

Mother Teresa’s philosophy was grounded in the belief that every human being is created in the image of God and therefore deserves love and dignity. She often emphasised that her work was “not about doing great things, but small things with great love.” Her spirituality was marked by profound faith, prayer, and perseverance, even amid moments of spiritual darkness and doubt revealed in her later letters.
Her service transcended religious boundaries. Though a devout Catholic, she worked for people of all faiths and none, viewing charity as an expression of universal humanity.

Criticism and Controversy

Despite her saintly reputation, Mother Teresa’s work was not free from criticism. Some critics argued that her hospices provided inadequate medical care and that her stance against contraception and abortion was too rigid in the context of poverty. Others accused her of accepting donations from controversial figures.
Supporters, however, defended her mission, noting that her focus was on offering love, comfort, and dignity to those facing extreme suffering rather than on systemic reform. Her unwavering commitment to compassion, even in the face of criticism, remained a defining feature of her life.

Later Life and Death

Mother Teresa continued to lead the Missionaries of Charity until 1997, despite declining health. In 1996, she suffered several heart attacks but insisted on remaining active in her work. She eventually stepped down as Superior General of the order, passing leadership to Sister Nirmala Joshi.
Mother Teresa passed away on 5 September 1997 in Calcutta at the age of eighty-seven. Her funeral, attended by dignitaries and citizens from across the world, was accorded full state honours by the Government of India, reflecting her profound impact on the nation and the world.

Canonisation and Legacy

Following her death, widespread calls for her sainthood emerged. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and canonised as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis on 4 September 2016, recognising her life of heroic virtue and miracles attributed to her intercession.
Today, the Missionaries of Charity continues to operate in more than 130 countries, maintaining hospices, orphanages, and homes for the destitute and diseased. Her work has inspired countless charitable initiatives and remains a powerful example of humanitarian service rooted in compassion, humility, and faith.