"The title of 'Mother' is the biggest honor I have ever
received".
-Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was born in Albania and her real name
was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. When she was just eighteen years, she
attended the religious order-'Our Lady of Loreto' in Ireland. It
was in 1931, that the Mother took the name of Teresa from the French nun
Thérèse Martin, who was canonized in 1927 with the title
St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In 1937, Mother Teresa took her
vows. She taught in Saint Mary's High School, Kolkata for almost 20
years. It was the turning point of her carrier.
The mother was moved by utter poverty, suffering and misery of a large
number of people in India; she decided to dedicate her whole life for
the welfare of the poor and took Indian citizenship in 1948. Mother
Teresa established the Missionaries of Charity- which was to be
the centre of all her activities with its branches spread in many parts
of the country.
Mother Teresa began her work by teaching street children. Then in the
year 1950, she started care centre for the patients of leprosy. It was
in the year 1965 that the Pope Paul VI brought the Missionaries of
Charity under his fold and gave Mother Teresa permission to expand her
Order in other countries as well.
Mother Teresa's efforts and her dedication were recognized all over the
world and she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Although she
had reservations but finally she accepted it on behalf of the "poorest
of the poor". The cruel hands of destiny snatched the angel of love
from us in the year 1997. Although Mother Teresa is not amongst us, her
sacrifice and dedication has set a great example for others to follow.
