Who was St. Teresa of Calcutta?
The remarkable woman we know as St. Mother Teresa began her life named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was born on August 26, 1910, in North Macedonia and she was the youngest child in her family.
She received her First Communion at the age of five and she was confirmed when she was seven. Her father died while she was only eight years old leaving her family with serious financial problems.
St. Teresa’s religious interests came from a Jesuit parish that was located near her home as a child.
When she 18 years old, she decided to become more involved in missionary work and leave her home to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, in Ireland. She received the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux.
In 1929, she went on her first trip to India, where she worked in the city of Calcutta. In 1931, she made her First Profession of Vows and she was assigned a community in Calcutta where she taught at St. Mary’s School for girls.
Mother Teresa is one of our church’s “newest” Saints, having been beatified by St. Pope John Paul II on October 19, 2003.
St. Mother Teresa was an inspiration and light for countless people thanks to her big heart and dedication to helping those in need. She always seemed to know what to say or do to encourage others to see the good in the world. Throughout her life, she tirelessly cared for the sick, homeless and abandoned. Her selfless devotion earned her worldwide recognition as a symbol of compassion and humanitarianism.