Early Life and Family Background: Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire (now part of North Macedonia), was the youngest of three children in an Albanian family. Her parents, Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu, were Albanian Catholics, and although not wealthy, they were well-respected in their community. Anjezë’s father, Nikola, was a successful merchant, while her mother was deeply religious and known for her charitable nature. From an early age, Anjezë was exposed to the values of kindness, compassion, and charity.
Her father’s untimely death when Anjezë was just eight years old had a profound impact on her. Her mother, now a widow, was left to raise the three children on her own. Despite their financial struggles, Drana ensured that her children had a strong moral and religious foundation. Anjezë, who was already deeply religious, began to take an active role in helping her mother with charity work, visiting poor families and offering assistance to those in need.
Religious Calling and Journey to India
At the age of 18, Anjezë felt a deep and undeniable calling to religious life. Inspired by the example of missionaries she had read about, she decided to enter a convent. She joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish Catholic religious order that had missions in India. The order was known for its commitment to education, especially for girls, and for its work with the poor.
In 1928, Anjezë left Albania to travel to India. She arrived in Calcutta (now Kolkata), a city that was known for its extreme poverty and social inequality. She took the name Sister Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite nun who had become a patron saint of missionaries. Her early years in Calcutta were spent teaching at St. Mary's High School, a school for girls that was run by the Sisters of Loreto. Teresa's love for teaching and her devotion to her students earned her the respect of the local community, and she became well-known for her kindness and dedication to the girls, many of whom came from impoverished backgrounds.
Despite her success as a teacher, Sister Teresa was troubled by the overwhelming poverty she witnessed in the streets of Calcutta. She was especially moved by the suffering of the sick, the dying, and the destitute people who lived in the slums. This experience sparked what she would later describe as a “call within a call” to leave her teaching position and serve the poorest of the poor.
The Call Within a Call: A New Mission
In 1946, while traveling to Darjeeling, Sister Teresa experienced a life-changing spiritual event. She described it as a “call within a call” when, during her train ride, she felt God’s calling to leave the convent and devote herself entirely to serving the destitute and the sick in the streets of Calcutta. She was deeply moved by the image of the suffering that surrounded her in the city. This moment marked the beginning of her new mission, and she knew that she had to dedicate herself fully to helping the poor, the sick, and the dying.
In 1948, after receiving permission from the Vatican, Sister Teresa left her convent life and adopted Indian citizenship. She began working in the slums, caring for the poorest people of Calcutta, including lepers, the elderly, and the terminally ill. She wore a simple white sari with a blue border, which would become her trademark. She soon realized that her work would require more than just a simple presence; it needed the establishment of a new order that would focus on helping the destitute, regardless of their religious or cultural background.
Founding the Missionaries of Charity
In 1950, Sister Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order dedicated to serving the “poorest of the poor.” The order was founded with the goal of caring for the most vulnerable individuals in society, including the homeless, the sick, the dying, the lepers, and orphans. The Missionaries of Charity took a special vow to give “wholehearted and free service to the poor.” The order focused on direct service to those in need, whether through running orphanages, clinics, homes for the dying, or mobile hospitals.
The Missionaries of Charity initially operated in Calcutta, but their work expanded across India and eventually to over 130 countries around the world. The order grew rapidly, and by the late 1960s, Mother Teresa’s influence was being recognized globally. Many volunteers and other religious sisters joined her cause, and they worked tirelessly to fulfill her mission.
The work of the Missionaries of Charity was characterized by deep empathy and love for the poorest people in society. Mother Teresa believed in providing not only physical care but also emotional and spiritual support to those suffering. Her focus on personal dignity meant that everyone, regardless of their social status, race, or religion, was treated with respect and care.
Global Recognition and Honors
Mother Teresa’s work caught the attention of the world, and she became an international symbol of compassion and selflessness. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in alleviating the suffering of the poor. At the Nobel ceremony, she humbly said that the prize belonged to the poor people she served, and that they were the real heroes of her mission.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Mother Teresa received numerous other honors and awards, including the Padma Shri in 1962, India’s highest civilian honor, and the Bharat Ratna in 1980, India’s highest national award. She also received the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971 and many other accolades from organizations and governments around the world.
Despite the fame, Mother Teresa always remained humble and focused on her mission. She used her position to raise awareness about the suffering of the poor and to encourage others to engage in charitable acts. She made it clear that her work was not about herself but about the people she served. Her simplicity and humility became central to her persona.
Controversies and Criticism
While Mother Teresa’s work was widely praised, it was not without controversy. Some critics, particularly the journalist Christopher Hitchens, accused her of glorifying poverty and suffering rather than addressing its root causes. Hitchens criticized her for not doing enough to fight poverty and inequality and for focusing more on the spiritual aspect of suffering rather than on offering better medical care.
Others took issue with her connections to controversial political figures. For example, she had been known to have close relationships with political leaders such as Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and some questioned her stance on abortion and contraception, which were in line with the conservative views of the Catholic Church.
Despite these criticisms, Mother Teresa remained steadfast in her commitment to the poor, and her work continued to flourish. She always maintained that she believed in the sanctity of life and that the most important thing she could do was provide comfort and care to those who were suffering.
Later Years and Health Decline
In the 1990s, as Mother Teresa grew older, her health began to deteriorate. In 1983, she suffered a heart attack, and by 1996, her health had worsened to the point where she resigned as the head of the Missionaries of Charity. However, she continued to work and serve the poor until her health no longer allowed her to do so.
Mother Teresa’s declining health, coupled with the tremendous demands of her work, led her to step down from her leadership position, but she remained a beloved figure and continued to offer her spiritual support to the Missionaries of Charity.
Death and Legacy
On September 5, 1997, at the age of 87, Mother Teresa passed away in Calcutta. Her death was a monumental event, and it prompted an outpouring of tributes from people all over the world. Thousands of people, including dignitaries, religious leaders, and ordinary citizens, attended her funeral. She was buried in the Motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, and her legacy continued to inspire people around the world.
In 2003, Pope John Paul II declared Mother Teresa Blessed, a key step toward her canonization as a saint. She was canonized as a Saint by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016, marking the final recognition of her extraordinary life of service and compassion.
Today, the Missionaries of Charity continue her work, operating in over 130 countries and running hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the poor, sick, and dying. Her impact on the world is immeasurable, and her life serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of love, kindness, and service to humanity.
Conclusion
Mother Teresa’s life was dedicated to helping those in the greatest need. She inspired millions of people around the world with her selflessness, humility, and unwavering commitment to serving the poor and suffering. Her legacy continues through the work of the Missionaries of Charity, and her example remains a beacon of compassion and service. Through her example, Mother Teresa showed that small acts of love and kindness can make a profound difference in the world.
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