Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was a Catholic nun who dedicated her life to serving the poor and sick. She was born in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. At the age of 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto and was sent to India, where she began teaching at a school in Calcutta.
In 1946, Mother Teresa experienced a “call within a call” to devote herself to serving the poorest of the poor. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to serving the sick and destitute. The organization quickly grew, with branches in many countries around the world.
Mother Teresa’s work was recognized with numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She continued to serve the poor until her death on September 5, 1997. In 2016, Mother Teresa was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Early Life of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia. She was the youngest of three children born to Nikollë and Dranafile Bojaxhiu, who were Albanian Catholics.
When Agnes was 8 years old, her father died, leaving her mother to raise the children on her own. Despite the family’s financial difficulties, Agnes was a bright student and excelled in her studies.
At the age of 18, Agnes joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. She took the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, patron saint of missionaries. After completing her training in Dublin, she was sent to Calcutta, where she taught at a school for girls.
Criticism of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa’s work has been the subject of criticism from some individuals and groups, who have raised concerns about the quality of care provided by her organization and her approach to charity work.
Some critics have argued that the conditions in Mother Teresa’s hospices were unsanitary and that patients were not given adequate medical care. Others have criticized her stance on issues such as contraception and abortion, which they argue contributed to the spread of poverty and disease.
Despite these criticisms, Mother Teresa’s work has also been praised for its dedication to serving the poorest of the poor, and her organization, the Missionaries of Charity, continues to operate in many countries around the world.
Quotes Of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was known for her inspirational words of wisdom and her quotes continue to inspire people around the world. Here are some of her most famous quotes:
- “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
- “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
- “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
- “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
- “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
- “The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”
- “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.”
- “Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”
- “Love is not patronizing and charity isn’t about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same — with charity you give love, so don’t just give money but reach out your hand instead.”
- “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
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