"If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."
A Call Within a Call
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia. From an early age, she felt called to religious life. At 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland, taking the name Teresa after Saint Therese of Lisieux.
Sent to India as a missionary, Sister Teresa taught at a convent school in Calcutta for nearly 20 years. Then, on September 10, 1946, while traveling by train, she experienced what she called "a call within a call" - a divine instruction to leave the convent and serve Christ among the poorest of the poor.
The Missionaries of Charity
In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, beginning with just 12 members. Their mission was simple yet radical: to care for "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society."
Today, the Missionaries of Charity operate in more than 130 countries, running hospices, orphanages, schools, and centers for those suffering from leprosy, AIDS, and other illnesses.
Serving the Unwanted
Mother Teresa's first home for the dying, Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart), opened in Calcutta in 1952. Here, those abandoned by society could die with dignity, receiving care and love in their final moments.
She saw Christ in every person she served. "I see God in every human being," she said. "When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself."
"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Global Recognition
Mother Teresa received numerous honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Rather than attend a ceremonial banquet, she asked that the money be used to feed the poor.
Sainthood and Legacy
Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997. In 2016, Pope Francis canonized her as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Her legacy challenges us to see the face of God in those society rejects.