Full nameMother Theresa Born1910 Influential AreasNun, Missionary Known ForCharitable works among the poorest of the poor

Mother Theresa

Vision

Biography

Awards and Recognition

Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, dedicated her life to serving the poor and needy. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and was canonized as a saint.

Vision

Mother Teresa, born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, had a profound vision of dedicating her life to the service of the poor, the sick, the needy, and the helpless. Her vision was to uplift the lives of those who were neglected by society and provide them with love, care, and dignity. She believed in the power of love, compassion, and kindness, and she dedicated her life to serving others, irrespective of their race, religion, or nationality. Her vision was not just about providing physical or materialistic aid, but also about providing emotional and spiritual support. She believed that the world could be made a better place by showing love and compassion to those in need. She once said, 'Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.' She believed that every person was a creation of God and deserved to be treated with dignity and respect. Her vision was not just about alleviating physical pain and suffering, but also about addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of people.

Biography

Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia. She was the youngest of three children. At the age of 18, she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland. After a few months of training, she was sent to India where she took her first religious vows as a nun in 1931. She took the name 'Teresa' after Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries. For nearly two decades, Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta. However, the widespread poverty she saw outside the convent walls disturbed her. In 1946, she experienced what she described as 'the call within the call', and decided to leave her convent and help the poor while living among them. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation that had over 4,500 sisters and was active in 133 countries by the time of her death. The congregation manages homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, children's and family counselling programmes, orphanages, and schools. Mother Teresa spent the rest of her life serving the poor and needy, until her death on September 5, 1997.

Awards and Recognition

Mother Teresa's selfless service to humanity earned her numerous awards and recognitions. She was awarded the Indian government's Padma Shri in 1962 and the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1969. She was also awarded the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, and asked that the $192,000 funds be given to the poor in India. She also received the United States' highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1985. In 1997, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. In 2016, she was canonized by Pope Francis and is now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

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Vision

Biography

Awards and Recognition

City of Residence

Kolkata, India

Known For

Charitable works among the poorest of the poor

Born

1910

Location

Nun, Missionary

Company Name

Missionaries of Charity

Education

Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham, Ireland

Personal Details

Born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Skopje, North Macedonia, she moved to Ireland and then to India, where she lived most of her life. She dedicated her life to serving the poor and destitute around the world.

Recognition

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and was canonised as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 2016