Woman of the Week: Mother Teresa
written by Rachel W.
Mother Teresa, born August 26th, 1910 as Gonxha Agnes, was a Catholic nun and missionary who was well known for her work with the poor and sick. At 18, she traveled from her home in Macedonia to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland. Six weeks after joining, she went to Calcutta, India to teach at a school founded by the Sisters. She took her Final Vows of Profession in 1937, and from that point on was called Mother Teresa.
In 1946, Mother Teresa was traveling to her annual retreat when she received a calling from God. Though she never fully explained what happened during the train ride that day, this experience drove her life forward in a more spiritual way. Afterwards, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of the Charity to serve the poor.
The Missionaries of Charity grew beyond the original congregation starting in the 60s and continuing through the 80s – houses opened in Venezuela, Rome, Tanzania, and even the communist countries at the time (including Russia and Cuba). The group also split into branches for men and women in order to better reach the needs of the people.
“It is not what we do but how much love we put into it.”
Because of her good deeds throughout the world, she received many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She refused the ceremony normally given for recipients of the award, instead asking that the costs of the banquet be donated to the poor in India.
Unfortunately, Mother Teresa’s health began declining in the late 80s and early 90s, as she had several heart problems and malaria. In March of 1997, she resigned as the head of the Missionaries of Charity, and she passed away September 5th of that same year.
Mother Teresa was canonized as a saint on September 4, 2016 by Pope Francis. Tens of thousands of people, including around 1,500 homeless people, came to the ceremony that was held in Vatican City. She is also now regarded as the co-patron of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Her feast day is September 5th.
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”