Mother Teresa

Lore & Background

Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire, into a devoutly Catholic family. At age 18, she moved to Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto and later to India, where she lived most of her life. She took her first religious vows in 1931 and her solemn vows in 1937, serving as a teacher and headmistress in Calcutta before feeling called to serve the poor directly. In 1950, she established the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to serving 'the poorest of the poor' in Calcutta's slums. The order grew to operate in over 133 countries by 2012, with nuns managing homes for the dying, leprosy clinics, soup kitchens, and schools. Members take vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and a fourth vow of free service to the poorest.

Reader's Guide

Mother Teresa's significance lies in her founding of the Missionaries of Charity, which expanded globally to serve the destitute and dying. She received the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, but also faced criticism for poor conditions and lack of medical care in her homes for the dying. Her life and work have inspired books, documentaries, and films. She was canonized on 4 September 2016, and her feast day is observed on 5 September. In 2017, she was named a co-patron of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta alongside St Francis Xavier. Her legacy remains a subject of both admiration and controversy.

Did You Know?

• Mother Teresa was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire.
• She was canonized by the Catholic Church on 4 September 2016.
• She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
• Her order, the Missionaries of Charity, operated in over 133 countries as of 2012.