Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was the saint of the 20th century. She was the very image of God on the earth. She was born on 26th August in 1910. Her early name was Anges. Her family belonged to the Albanian community. As a little girl, she began to understand the meaning of the preaching’s of the Gospel. Her mother’s influence moulded her into a caring human being, a keen desire to spend her life in doing God’s work. She prayed a lot and talked about it to her mother.

In 1928, she left for Dublin where the mother house of the Lorete sisters was located. Here Agnes learnt to speak English and was trained for religious life. In 1928, Sister Teresa left for India to begin a new life. She dedicated herself to the care of the sick and the needy in a small hospital. Later she was trained as a teacher; she not only tried to teach but also began to know the children’s personalities but also their families

At the age of 38, she took the vows of poverty, purity and obedience. She took to wearing a cheap cotton sari with a blue border. She went to Patna to train herself as a nurse and then came back to Kolkata. Soon she became a common figure in the slums and the streets of Kolkata. With continuous work her community grew. Sister Teresa started thinking about starting a congregation. On 7th October, 1950 the constitution of the Society of the Missionaries of Charity came into being. After five years more and more sisters joined and devoted their lives to the sick and the poor.

While the society grew, the Mother’s work also kept increasing. Her work among the lepers of India gave her international fame. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. On 5th September 1997, Mother Teresa died of heart attack. Her death was deeply mourned over the world. Her absence will be greatly felt although she w continues to live in our memory.

Essay 2

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa generally known as the ‘Saint of the Gutters’, is considered as one of the biggest and greatest personalities of the world. Many people also consider her as ‘An angle in human flesh’ and ‘Saint of our times’. Her selfless service to the cause of the poor and the sick won her international recognition.

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu commonly known as `Mother Teresa’ was born on 26th August 1910 at Spoji, Yugoslavia. She was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian. At an early age itself, she wanted to become a nun. In 1928, she joined a convent. Later she was sent to India, first to Darjeeling and then to Koikata to teach at the Loreto School. For over 45 years, she cared the poor, sick and orphans. She led different Missionaries of Charity, first throughout India and then in other countries. Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity at the time of her death had reached up to 610 in 123 countries.

These Missionaries also included hospitals and homes for people suffering from diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis. She was the recipient of many honours, including the Noble Peace Prize in 1979 for her public-spirited works.

Mother Teresa was a virtuous, kind-hearted and compassionate woman. She was sensitive to the feelings of the poor, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, diseased and those who felt unwanted. She believed that sensitivity was to understand how one affects people with his speech and behaviour. Thus, a sensitive person is aware of and concerned about the feelings of others. She spread the message of goodwill, unity and affection among people. She worked day and night to provide comfort among people in their distress.

She arrived in India on January 6, 1929 to start her good deeds. Since then she never returned to her native place. Calcutta became the central point of all her activities. She received several national and international honours. In 1980, the Indian Government presented her with Bharat Ratna. She was rightly a saint. Truly, she is regarded as the Mother of all the Missionaries. After she passed away on 5 September 1997, at the age of 87, Pope John Paul II blessed her with a title, ‘Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.’ Entire world mourned her death.