- Mother Teresa was born in August 1910 and called Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She devoted her entire life to the service of the poor and not only she would feed the hungry, but always treated everyone with equal respect. On her, we share with you some lesser-known facts about her life.
- A daughter of an ethnic Albanian grocer, she left for Ireland in 1928 to join the Sisters of Loreto and thereafter sailed six weeks later to India and turned a teacher. She taught for 17 years at the order’s school in Kolkata.
- Mother Teresa acquired Indian citizenship and under her guidance, the Missionaries of Charity built a leper colony, called Shanti Nagar (“Town of Peace”), near Asansol, India.
- In 1962 the government awarded Mother Teresa the Padma Shri, one of its highest civilian honours, for her services to the people.
- In 1964 when Pope Paul VI visited India he gave his ceremonial limousine to her that she offered to raise capital for the leper colony.
- In 1979 she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work, and the following year the Indian government awarded her Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour.
- Mother Teresa also voiced opinions against divorce, contraception, and abortion. She was not keeping well and suffered a heart attack in 1989.
- After two years of her death, the process to declare her a saint was initiated, and Pope John Paul II issued a special dispensation to expedite the process of canonization.
Here are some inspiring quotes from her.
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
· What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.