MOTHER TERESA of Calcutta, OM (August 27, 1910 – September 5, 1997) was an Albanian-born Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity. Her work among the poverty-stricken of Calcutta made her one of the world's most famous people Her supporters sometimes referred to her as the “Angel of Mercy” and “Saint of the Gutter.” EARLY LIFE AND WORK Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in the city of Skopje, Macedonia (now part of Bosnia). She was an ethnic Albanian. Almost all Albanians are Muslim and most Macedonians are Orthodox Christians. Nobody is sure how her parents became Catholics. Mother Teresa’s father was a successful merchant. Her mother died when she was an infant. Two older brothers became physicians. Mother Teresa felt a calling to help the poor at age 12. She received permission to join the Sisters of Loreto (Irish nuns) at age 18. She took her first vows at age 20, and her final vows at age 25. Sister (at that time) Teresa taught geography and catechism at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta, India from 1930 to 1941. She then served as the school’s head mistress (i.e. principal) from 1944-48. She was overwhelmed by the grinding poverty all around her. In September 1946, while on a train ride passing through the slums of Calcutta, Sister Teresa received her calling from God “to serve Him among the poorest of the poor.” HINDUISM AND INDIA’S POVERTY Hinduism – essentially animism – has numerous gods and goddesses (estimates usually range anywhere from 20,000 to 20 million). These deities are appeased primarily through chants, dancing, ritual and sacrifice. Failure to follow proscribed procedure supposedly results in bad fortune (e.g. crop failure, daughters, etc.). Some of the Hindu doctrines which promote poverty in general and the caste system in particular include: Maya – the idea that life is an illusion and that things such as poverty (and riches) are not as good or bad as they appear. Reincarnation – the idea that a person will be reborn (endlessly) to either a higher caste or a lower form of life (i.e. even greater misery) depending on his conduct in this life. Christians reject both doctrines. This undermines the philosophical foundation of Hinduism and is threatening to Hindus. Christians are accordingly frequently viciously persecuted by Hindus (who are generally tolerant of most other religious faiths). FOUNDATION OF THE MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY Sister Teresa received permission from Pope Pius XII in 1948 to leave her community and live as an independent nun – without financial support from the Catholic Church. Sister Teresa was joined by five other sisters, some of whom were former pupils, in 1949 when she officially founded her own organization. Her first mission was to gather in persons abandoned in the gutters and to love them as they lay dying. Shortly thereafter, the group rented a room so they could care for people who survived for a period of time. This gave rise to her first hospital. Not long after that, some babies miraculously survived and she accordingly founded her first orphanage. In October 1950 (at age 40), Mother Teresa received Vatican permission to start her own order, the Missionaries of Charity. This was the first new Catholic order established in about 130 years. Sister Teresa became Mother Teresa. There were 12 members at the time. CHARACTERISTICS OF MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY OPERATIONS The cause of mankind’s problems The Sisters believe poverty is caused by persons refusing to share the love of Christ. Lack of love is the worst kind of poverty. Their ministry The Sisters exist to care for (in Mother Teresa’s own words) “the poorest of the poor” – “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.” The Sisters run orphanages, AIDS hospices, charity centers worldwide. They care for refugees, the blind, disabled, retarded, aged, alcoholics, the poor and homeless, and victims of floods, epidemics and famine throughout the world. Care frequently extends for many years – often the lifetime of the individuals. No distinction is ever made for a person’s race, religion or national origin. All needy persons are helped without question or hesitation. How this is done The Sisters offer limitless, unconditional love. They always consider it a great honor to serve the poor on behalf of Christ. They always place the needs of others before their own. “I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?” Total reliance on Christ The Sisters rely entirely on Christ for provision. The order donates any excess funds (usually from large donations) to the Catholic Church. The Church then spends the money wherever it is most needed without regard to the order. The Catholic Church has promised to never return money to the order in the event funds fall short. Interestingly, in most countries, the bulk of the Sisters’ funds and provisions come from the people they serve – those who have nothing. Unending service The Sisters typically serve the poor 14-hours per day, 7 days per week. They then usually spend an additional two hours per day in prayer, meditation and mass. They then usually spend an additional two hours per day on personal functions (meals, hygiene, etc.). Whenever covered by the media, correspondents are almost always overwhelmed by the frantic pace of the Sisters. Reporters claim they are quickly exhausted by watching the Sisters in perpetual action. Absolute poverty The Sisters vow to live as poor as the poorest of the poor. Their only possessions consist of two sari’s (light weight cotton dresses), one pair of sandals and one small wooden pail. The Sisters serve meals out of the wooden pail during the day. They eat the same food as the people they serve. The Sisters eat last from the pail only after everyone else has been served. The Sisters don their one clean sari shortly before they retire in the evening. They wash the sari they have just taken off out of the pail. The Sisters are allowed one crucifix, one rosary and one Bible. They are encouraged to donate these objects to the persons they serve. Mother Teresa personally gave away thousands of each. The Sisters sleep on the bare floor or on the ground; beds are not allowed. Indoor plumbing is prohibited, even in developed countries. Heating and air conditioning are unknown. Commitment The Sisters take their final vows after six years of training and apprenticeship. Despite their grueling ordeal, the dropout rate is extraordinarily low – both before and after the final vows are taken. Their commitment is made, and kept by almost all, for life. GROWTH OF MOTHER TERESA’S MINISTRY During the first 20 years of her ministry, Mother Teresa was considered an embarrassment by the Indian government and a threat by many Hindus. As a result, her order was under almost constant persecution and threat of closure. Nevertheless, its growth has been constant, and especially in the last decade or so, explosive. Mother Teresa opened her first permanent Home for the Dying in 1952 in space made available by the City of Calcutta. She then she converted an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying, a free hospice for the poor. Soon after she opened another hospice, Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart), a home for lepers called Shanti Nagar (City of Peace), and an orphanage. By the 1960s she had opened hospices, orphanages and leper houses all over India. In 1965, by issuing a “Decree of Praise,” Pope Paul VI granted Mother Teresa's request to expand her order to other countries. The order's first house outside India was in Venezuela. Others followed in Rome and Tanzania, and eventually in many other countries including Albania. The first Missionaries of Charity home in the United States was established in the South Bronx, New York. The Missionaries of Charity home nearest to our community of Weslaco, Texas is in Houston. Mother Teresa's work inspired other Catholics to affiliate themselves with her order. The Missionaries of Charity Brothers was founded in 1963, and a contemplative branch of the Sisters followed in 1976. Lay Catholics and non-Catholics were enrolled in the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa, the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, and the Lay Missionaries of Charity. In answer to the requests of many priests, in 1981 Mother Teresa also began the Corpus Christi Movement for Priests. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Missionaries of Charity do not even try to keep records concerning the number of lives touched, souls saved or persons healed. Nevertheless, others are not afraid to make estimates. Almost all reach into the tens of millions. Other outstanding accomplishments include: The Sisters are famous for tackling assignments nobody else wants, or even dares, to accept. For example, they opened one of the first (if not the very first) AIDS hospices at a time when the disease was considered highly contagious and AIDS victims were shunned. The Sisters opened a hospital to treat radiation victims at Chernobyl when others were afraid to go near the place. No slum is considered too vile; no person is considered to sick to love and treat. The Sisters are famous for making open-ended and seemingly impossible challenges. For example, Mother Teresa has told the world she will gladly, and unconditionally accept, love and care for every unwanted baby. Her request was put to an extreme test when the province of East Pakistan became the country of Bangladesh. Soldiers went on the rampage and an estimated 450,000 women were raped. Approximately eight months later, tens of thousands of infants poured into her homes during a period of a few weeks – most estimates are in the neighborhood of about 60,000. The Sisters found a home for every child. The Missionaries of Charity are the only openly Christian presence allowed in many of the worst places around the globe – including North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Libya. HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS Mother Teresa hated publicity, recognition, and travel. Instead, she preferred to spend all of her time ministering to the poor. Nevertheless, by the early 1970’s, her ministry grew to the point where it could not be overlooked. Whether she wanted it or not, honors were poured out. Out of obedience to orders from the Vatican, she reluctantly accepted the following on behalf of Christ: The first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971) – the Kennedy Prize (1971) – the Nehru Prize (1973) for promotion of “international “peace and understanding” – the Templeton Prize (1973) – the Albert Schweitzer International Prize (1975) – the Balzan prize (1978) for “humanity, peace and brotherhood among peoples”– the Nobel Peace Price (1979) “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace” – the Bharat Ratna in 1980 (India’s highest civilian award) – the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom (1985) – the Congressional Gold Medal (1994) – honorary citizenship of the United States (1996) (one of only six ever awarded) – and honorary degrees from a number of universities. When awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, and asked that the funds instead be diverted to the poor in Calcutta. When Mother Teresa received the prize, she was asked, “What can we do to promote world peace?” Her answer was simple: “Go home and love your family.” Mother Teresa was the first and only person to be featured on an Indian postage stamp while still alive. During her lifetime and after her death, Mother Theresa was consistently found by Gallup to be the single most widely admired person. In 1999 she was ranked as the “most admired person of the 20th century.” Notably, Mother Theresa out-polled all other volunteered answers by a wide margin, and was in first place in all major demographic categories except the very young. Mother Teresa always insisted that all good was accomplished through the power and glory of Jesus, and therefore all glory and honor should be bestowed only upon Him. All awards and honors were accepted only on His behalf. Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II in October 2003, hence she may be called Blessed Teresa by Catholics. It is widely believed she will soon be canonized. DETERIORATING HEALTH AND DEATH Mother Teresa suffered throughout her life from many ailments including malaria and arthritis. In 1983 Mother Teresa suffered a heart attack in Rome while visiting Pope John Paul II. After a second attack in 1989 she received a pacemaker. In 1991, after a bout of pneumonia while in Mexico, she had further heart problems. In 1992, Mother Teresa offered to resign her position as head of the order. A secret ballot was conducted, and all the nuns, except herself, voted for Mother Teresa to stay. She agreed to continue her work as head of the Missionaries of Charity. Her last words as she lay dying: “Jesus, I love you.” Mother Teresa lay in state for five days while the rich and poor alike queued day and night in the monsoon rains in a line stretching up to five miles long (never less than one mile) through the slums of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was granted a full state funeral by the Indian Government, an honor normally given only to presidents and prime ministers. The funeral was broadcast around the world and was watched by hundreds of millions of persons. All government offices and most businesses throughout India were closed that day in her honor. THE MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY TODAY At the time of Mother Teresa's death, the Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 Sisters, an associated brotherhood of 300 members, and over 100,000 lay volunteers – operating 610 missions in 123 countries. Today, the Missionaries of Charity are still rapidly expanding and still completely focused on their original mission and purpose. Discipline remains unchanged and unchallenged. The Sisters are active in virtually every country on every continent. They have over 1,000 missions which operate: hospitals, hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools. As of 2005, there were an estimated 20,000 Sisters and Brothers, plus 100,000 candidates in training, plus about 1,000,000 more lay volunteers. PRIMARY CRITICISMS BY NON-CHRISTIANS Mother Teresa always took a firm stand against abortion and divorce. She talked to despots such as Fidel Castro and Moammar Kadafi. Her sisters often failed to medicate the sick as soon as they could, taking time instead to wash them and love them. Her operations were frequently under funded and under staffed. She donated money to the Catholic Church without asking the church to account for how it was spent. Her sisters frequently prayed over, baptized and anointed sick persons of other faiths. Mother Teresa always ignored outside criticism saying, “No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work.”