Some people dedicate their lives to wealth, some to power and some to humanity. One such person was Mother Teresa, who belonged to no country but every country claimed her, an Albanian by blood, Indian by citizenship, and a mother of the world by heart. Renowned globally for her humanity, the founder of Missionaries of Charity through which the homeless find not just a shelter but a life full of dignity. Her dream to serve the people of Calcutta crossed all the borders and became a symbol of selfless service across the world.
Background and Early life of Mother teresa
Mother Teresa was born as Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on 26 August 1910 in Skopje, Albania which was part of the Ottoman empire. Her name is Gonxhe which means flower bud in Albania. Her Father, Nikolle Bojaxhiu, who was a businessman and political activist of the Albanian community, died when she was eight years old (believed to be poisoned).
Her mother, Dranafile Bojaxhiu, was a strong lady. From her young age she was fascinated by the stories of missionaries, especially those working in India. At the age of 12, she decided to adopt a religious life.
On 15 August 1928, while praying in a shrine, she felt a strong calling to become a nun. At the age of 18 she left her home and joined the Loreto sisters in Ireland where she started her religious training. Never saw her family again, during communist leader Enver Hoxhe, she was considered one of the dangerous Vatican agents.
Despite numerous requests she was not given a chance to meet them and her mother and sister passed away during the years of separation, which later became the greatest personal sacrifice of her life.
A journey towards her mission in India:
After training in Ireland, she went to India in 1928 and started her journey as a school teacher in S.T, Teresa’s school in Darjeeling, Calcutta. On 24 May 1931, she took her first religious vows, named herself Teresa (the Spanish version) in honour of Saint Therese of Lisieux.
In May1937, she made her final vows while serving as a school teacher in one of Loreto convent schools, and according to the tradition of convent order, sisters were given a title of Mothers. From that movement onwards, she became Mother Teresa. She served as a school teacher for nearly two decades.
While living in Calcutta, she witnessed extreme poverty, people were sleeping on pavements, dying of hunger and were left as unwanted. In 1943 Bengal Famine brought misery and in 1946, The Direct Action Day, violent activities between Hindu-Muslim communities worsened the situation.
The Call within a call:
In 1946, while travelling by train to Darjeeling, she felt what she called Call within a call, a strong inner voice that totally changed her life by urging to leave the comfort of her life as a convent and serve humanity directly. A divine message that was not meant to be ignored. In her words, ‘‘To fail would have been to break the faith’’
In 1948 after leaving the convent, she opened up her first School in Motijhil, Calcutta which was the one of the slummed areas. Mother Teresa, wrote in her dairy that she started with no income, and begged for services and supplies just to give comfort to poor people.
Missionaries of Charity
On 7 October 1950, after receiving permission from the Vatican, Mother Teresa, founded ‘‘Missionaries of Charity’’. The sisters wore simple white sari with blue borders, a symbol of peace and service.As she herself said,it would care for:
‘‘The hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.’’
● First Hospice:
Soon after establishing the order, in 1952, she opened her first hospice in Calcutta, by converting an abandoned Hindu Temple into Kalighat, The home of Pure Heart (Nirmal Hriday). She provided people food and free medication and treated them with dignity regardless of their religion and race. Muslim read the Quran, Hindus were given Ganges Water. One of her most inspiring quote:
“A beautiful death is for people who lived like animals to die like angels, loved and wanted.’’
● Work with Leprosy Patients:
Mother Teresa opened a hospice for the patients of Leprosy, named Shanti Nager (city of peace). Her organization launched outreach clinics throughout the city, providing regular aid and nutritional support.
● Shelter for Orphans:
With the growing number of homeless and abandoned children, Mother Teresa established Nirmal Sishu Bhavan in 1955, a home that offered shelter, care and comfort for orphans under the Missionaries of Charity.
● Global Expansion:
The mission that was started with just 13 members in Calcutta had grown to more than 4000 sisters, who managed orphanages and AIDs hospices worldwide.
The mission further expanded with the opening of the house in Venezuela in 1965 and in Italy, another branch was set up in Tanzania and Austria in 1968. During the 1970s, the congregation opened centres in dozens of countries across Asia, Africa and Europe.
As the mission expanded, new branches were founded like ‘‘Missionaries of Brother’’ in 1963 and contemplative ‘‘branch of the sisters’’ in 1976. Mother Teresa in collaboration with Father Joseph Langford, founded the ‘‘Missionaries of Charity Fathers’’ in 1984.
1996, the Missionaries of Charity operated more than 500 missions in over 100 counties by serving ‘‘poorest of the poor.’
Death of Mother teresa
Mother Teresa’s health gradually started to decline in her later years due to various heart problems. Despite all the health issues, she continued her mission until her last breath. On 5th September 1997, the mother of the nation, who sacrificed her comfort for others, passed away in Calcutta.
People of all backgrounds came together and bid farewell to her. She was honored with a state funeral by the government of India which reflects her legacy as a national heroine. Her burial site is located at the Missionaries of Charity where people continue to come and pray.
Honours and achievements of Mother teresa
Mother Teresa’s selfless sacrifices continued to inspire people of all ages. In recognition of her extraordinary humanitarian efforts, she received numerous awards. She was honored with one of the most Prestigious awards: The Nobel Peace prize in 1979.
Moreover, in 1962, she was awarded the Padma Shri and Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian award). Internationally, she was honoured with Order of Merit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the United States.
The government of India issued the coin of 5 Indian rupee at her 100th birth anniversary, followed by the Indian railway introducing a train Mother Teresa Express.
Conclusion
Mother Teresa was not just a name, she was hope for the broken and voice for the voiceless, she was the epitome of compassion and sacrifice. What she did for humanity was not just a mission but a movement that is still serving millions of people across the world. Mother Teresa gave us a lesson and hope with her life journey that to start something big you don’t need money but a heart full of humanity. An ordinary girl from Skopje, with no money but compassion, built history. As she once said:
‘‘Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.’’
And that is her greatest lesson to the world.
References:
- ‘‘Mother Teresa: The Miracles That Made Her a Saint’’. Biography. 14 October 2020.
- “St. Teresa of Kolkata”. Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018.
- Press Information Bureau. (2010, August 28). Commemorative Coin Released on Mother Teresa’s Birth Centenary. Government of India. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=652
- The Nobel Prize. (1979). The Nobel Peace Prize 1979 – Mother Teresa. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1979/teresa/facts/
