Baptized as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, Saint Teresa of Calcutta was born in Skopje, Macedonia, to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910. As a child, she was fascinated with stories of missionary life and service.
Today the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Saint Teresa of Calcutta − a nun and missionary who devoted her life to serving the poor and sick. She is the founder of the Missionaries of Charity (MoC)− a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the marginalized. Deriving strength from Jesus and Mary, she assisted the poor, nursed the sick, fed the hungry. She received a heavenly reward as a saint for her selfless devotion on her earthly journey.
Baptized as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, she was born in Skopje, Macedonia, to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910. She received her first Communion and Confirmation at the age of 5½ and 6, respectively. As a child, she was fascinated with stories of missionary life and service. The family's monetary security ended in 1918 after her father suddenly passed away. Despite the odds, Nikola raised her children with love and devotion to God. Gonxhe grew very close to her mother, who always said: "My child, never eat a single mouthful unless you are sharing it with others." These words greatly influenced her character and vocation. During a pilgrimage, she got a call from within to become a nun.
At the age of 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin, Ireland, to learn English to become a missionary. As a postulant, she took the name, Mary Teresa, honouring two saints − St Teresa of Avila and St Thérèse of Lisieux. After the training, Teresa went to Calcutta in January 1929. She took her initial vows as a nun on May 24, 1931. Teresa taught history, geography, and catechism at St Mary's High School, Calcutta, a school for wealthy daughters. On May 24, 1937, she made her Final Profession of Vows to become the "spouse of Jesus" for eternity. Sr Teresa rose to the post of headmistress in 1944. Although she enjoyed teaching within the walls of comforts of the convent, she was deeply agonized by the suffering of the poor in the streets of Calcutta.
In September 1946, during her annual retreat, Sr Teresa received a call within a call. Jesus asked her to establish a religious community dedicated to the service of the poor. In 1948, she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and to work among the poor in the slums of Calcutta. She started an open-air school for homeless children with voluntary helpers and financial support from the Church organizations and the municipal authorities.
In August 1948, she clothed for the first time in a white-and-blue bordered saree and sandals and started the mission to teach the poor children – drawing on her teaching experience with the children of the rich. With no equipment or supplies in hand, she taught them to read and write by writing in the dirt with sticks. She also taught them basic hygiene. She visited their families, inquiring about their needs, and rendered help in whatever way she could. On October 7, 1950, she received permission from the Vatican to establish the MoC. With the help of Government officials, Sr Teresa opened her first home for the sick and also converted an abandoned temple into a free hospice for the poor. She and her nuns maintained simplicity and owned only three saris, slept on thin mattresses, washed their clothes by hand, and sat on the floor. Their source of strength was the Rosary and the Eucharist.
Within a few years, she came to be known as "the Saint of Calcutta." As she walked through the crowded streets, people would bend to touch her feet − a sign of respect. A steady stream of donations and gifts started pouring in, and by the early 1960s, the MoC established centres in the other parts of India. From 1965 to the 1990s, the MoC opened missions in Venezuela, Rome, and Tanzania, eventually, every continent. By 1997, Missionaries Charity had 4,000 members, with 610 foundations in 123 countries. In 1985, Mother Teresa opened her first house for AIDS patients in New York.
Despite being frail, she was a woman of action in times of natural calamities/accidents. She constantly condemned abortion as the greatest destroyer of peace. She received several prizes and distinctions in recognition of her selfless work and devotion, including the Nobel Prize in 1979 and US citizenship. Physical labour and responsibilities took a toll on Mother's ageing body. From 1983 onward, she was unwell due to heart ailments and related complications. In March 1997, she handed over her empire of goodwill to Sr Nirmala.
Though the 45 years of service to humanity brought her joy, the ailments caused her much pain. She was confined to the wheelchair and bed for most of the time. Mother Teresa joined the angels in heaven on September 5, 1997, leaving on earth a testament of unshakable faith, invincible hope, and great charity.
Two years after her death, Pope John Paul II opened the Cause of Canonization in view of the favours reported through her intercession. On December 20, 2002, the Pope approved the decrees of her heroic virtues and miracles, and she was beatified on October 19, 2003. A Vatican commission judged that the curing of Bengali tribal woman Monica Besra from an abdominal tumour resulted from Mother Teresa's supernatural intervention. In December 2015, Pope Francis recognized a second miracle wherein a Brazilian man with several brain tumours testified that he was cured unexpectedly after his priest prayed to Mother Teresa. Pope Francis canonized her as Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta on September 4, 2016.
Here is a small prayer to Saint Mother Teresa. Give us a heart as beautiful, pure, and spotless as yours. A heart like yours, so full of love and humility. May we be able to receive Jesus as the Bread of Life, to love Him as you loved Him, to serve Him under the mistreated face of the poor. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(The author is a freelance writer)
