Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Lily Adami
August 26, 1910- October 19, 2003
Early life of Mother Teresa
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu (Birth Name)
- Was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia
- She is of Albanian Heritage
- Her father died when she was eight years old, resulting in her devoutly religious mother to open a clothing business
- She was confirmed at the age of 16, in 1916
- She later left home in September of 1928 to go to the Loreto Convent in Dublin Ireland
- On October 12 she received the name, Teresa, after her patroness St. Therese of Lisieux
- In December of 1929, she left for her first trip to India
What did she do?
- While in India, she made her First Profession of Vows in May, 1931
- She was assigned to the Lorreto Entally community in Calcutta and taught at St. Mary's School for girls
- She later made her Final Profession of Vows on May 24, 1937
- In 1994 she became the school's principal
How did she work for Social Justice?
- On September 10, 1946, Mother Teresa received her calling from God: Jesus asked Mother Teresa to establish a religious community to serve the poorest of the poor
- On December 21, she went to the slums for the first time.
- She visited families, bathed children, cared for the sick, and feed the hungry
- Starting in 1980 and continuing through the 1990s, Mother Teresa opened houses in many countries for the homeless, sick, and needy
- She also set up many school to help educate those in need of an education
- Mother Teresa founded the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, which is a Roman Catholic congregation of women who are dedicated to helping the poor and sick
- She also formed the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa and the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, Home for the Dying, and the Missionaries of Charity Sisters
- By 1997, Mother Teresa's Sisters grew to 4,000 members and established 610 foundations in 123 countries.
On September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa passed away from health issues.
She was buried in the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity
Social Justice Issues That She Worked For
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
(Quotes from the Video)
"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples"
Scripture Quote that Represent's Mother Teresa's Attitude/ Purpose of her Foundation
- This quote represent Mother Teresa's attitude and purpose of her foundation, because Mother Teresa always had open hands to lend to the poor and sick. She never said no to helping others in need.
Mother Teresa's Awards
Mother Teresa was awarded many awards throughout her life. Some of the awards include:
- Indian Padmarshi Award in 1962
- Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971
- Balzan Prize in 1978
- Nobel Peace Prize in 1979
She received these prizes and attention, "for the glory of God and in the name of the poor"
Catholic Social Justice Document
Universal appeal
"It is with confidence that we see the Spirit of the Lord pursuing his work in the hearts of men and in every place gathering together Christian communities conscious of their responsibilities in society. On all the continents, among all races, nations and cultures, and under all conditions the Lord continues to raise up authentic apostles of the Gospel..."
Order of the Missionaries of Charity
Followers of Mother Teresa
Followers of Mother Teresa
Becoming a Saint
Her beatification process was the shortest in modern history: Pope John Paul II disregarded the normal 5 year waiting process, and allowed an immediate opening for her canonization
Her feast day is celebrated on September 5
Today, the Catholic Church is reviewing her miracles to make her a saint