Mother Teresa (40 of 2024)

 Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu - Saint Teresa of Calcutta......

Born on 26th August 1910 in the city of Skopje, which today is the Capital of the Republic of Macedonia. Her parents, Nikola and Brana Bojaxhiu, were fervent Catholics from Alabania. She was the youngest of five children. Her eldest sister, Age was seven at the time she was born and her brother Lazar, was two years old. The two other children had died as infants. Se was named Gonxha Agnes, Gonxha meaning flower bud. 

Father was a merchant and owned a shop not far from their home. Unfortunately when gonxha was just nine years old, her father died suddenly. Drana their mother, whom they affectionately called 'Nane Loke' meaning 'mother of my soul', began a small business of selling embroidered cloth. 

At the age of 12 Gonxha first heard, in her heart God calling her to follow him and she set out on her vocation at the age of 18. She wrote to the institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto sisters) asking to join them because they had a mission in India. After a tearful goodbye at the train station, she courageously set out for Rathfarnham Abbey in Dublin, Ireland in September 1928. There she spent two months learning a new language - English. She also was beginning a new life with a new name Sister Teresa, she felt a deep joy and peace in her heart. Along with three other sisters, she borded a ship to the Loreto convent in Bengal via sea to reach on 6 January 1929. For two years she was being trained in Darjeeling, praying studying and training for her new life learning Bengali and Hindi as well. On 25 May 1931 she took the vow to live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience and devote herself to teaching children. On 24 May 1937, she took her final vow and become Mother Teresa. In 1944 she became the principal of St. Mary's school where she taught and was also incharge of daughters of Saint Anne's - as she was good at organising. She had good sense of humor, was cheerful and generous with an eye for the needs of others. She was quick in doing things, in 1942 she had made a private vow to always say yes to others needs. On 10th of September in 1946 when she was on her yearly retreat to Darjeeling she had a calling to Quit Loreto and start working for those in slums. 

It was finally in August 1948,  at 38 years of age, she gave up her black Loreto habit and veil for a white cotton sari with three stripped blue border  to begin the 'Missionaries of Charity' with approval from her spiritual guide, priest Father Celeste Van Exem and Archbishop Ferdinand Perier, went to Patna to stay with the Medical mission sisters to learn the medical work, that would help her begin the work in the slums. First she stayed with the Little sister of the poor, until she found a place at 14 Creek Lane on the upper floor of a house belonging to the Gome's brothers where she moved in February 1949. She needed help. In March 1949, Subashini Das a girl who had been her student at St. Mary's joined her and took the name Sister Agnes. Slowly others started joining. In 1951 she took up the Indian Citizenship. On 22 August 1952, Mother Teresa opened the first home for the dying in Kalighat and named it 'Nirmal Hriday' which means pure heart. 

With the number of sisters supporting her increasing, they had to find another place. They obtained a bigger house at 54A lower circular road, which was later called A.J.C.Bose road, she and sisters moved there on February 1953.

As more girls continued to join, they started to expand their work, first went to Ranchi in May 1959 , then in Delhi, Bombay and Jhansi and more through out India. On I February 1965 the young congregation came directly under the authority of the Pope, and the work started expanding outside India. First was in Venezuela in July 1965, before long she had missions in many other countries of the world. Her work grew quickly, like a pebble when thrown in water. Men too wanted to be part of it, and so started Missionaries of Charity brothers and then Fathers was started around 1984. The work spread to more than 120 countries around the world. 

She received many awards, first being Padma Shri in 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru Award in 1972, Bharat Ratna in 1980, Noble Peace Price on 10 December 1979 in Oslo Norway, Every aware and honor around 700 of them. All of it went to help the poor. Whereever she went she wanted to be back in her Motherhouse. She was called to talk and speak at various events, which she did not love doing, but neither refused.

One early morning in 1983 when she was 73, she fell from the bed and hurt herself when she was visiting her sisters at Rome, and when they took her to doctor they diagnosed that she had a serious heart problem. Over the next few years she had several heartattacks and had to use pacemaker. Inspite of it she would not say 'No' to Jeasus and continued her work helping the poor irrespective of religion, gender or nationality. Everyone who met her knew that they were in the presence of a holy person. They could feel that she was very close to God.  

Her smile kept anyone from guessing what she was feeling inside. 

As Mother Teresa got older her health worsened and she wanted another sister to taker over as the head, so on 13 March 1997 Sister Nirmala M.C was elected to be her successor as Superior General, less then six months later on 5 September 1997 at 9.30 pm at the age of 87 Mother Teresa 'went home to God'. State Funeral was given in her honor on 13 September 1997. Her body was burried at the mother house. On her tomb were engraved the words of Jesus, 'Love one another as I have loved you'. This is what Mother Teresa did all her life. 

Was privileged and blessed to kiss her tomb on 14th May 2024. There was one paining in particular that has stuck a cord with me, of people from different time period, parts of the world and religion, sitting around a table. Wish I could find a copy of that. There were various paintings , albums and paper cutting of news about her - and many were in Malayalam. 

Pope (Saint) John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa in Rome on 19 October 2003. Pope Francis canonized her on 4 September 2016. Though she is now called 'Saint Teresa of Calcutta'; for those close to her, she continue to be Mother. 

In her words:

"Life is the most beautiful gift of God."

"Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin loving one another in our own families. "