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Birth
Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, Macedonia to parents of Albanian descent. Her father was an entrepreneur who worked as a construction contractor and a trader of medicines and other goods. Her family were devoutly Catholic and her mother was deeply involved in the local church, and in city politics. -
Early Life
When Mother Teresa was eight, her father suddenly fell ill and died due to an unknown reason.
Due to this, she became extremely close to her mother who was pious and compassionate, which in turn instilled compassion and charity into her.
Mother Teresa attended a convent-run primary school and a state-run secondary school. At the place she sang for choir, they made an annual pilgrimage to the Church of Black Madonna, which is when she first felt a calling to religious life. -
Beginning her Religious Journey
When she was 18 she decided to become a nun and went to Ireland. After this, she also travelled to India. -
Religious Journey II
In 1931, she made her First Profession of Vows and chose to be named Mother Teresa after St Therese of Lisieux, who is the patron saint of missionaries.
Then she went to Calcutta where she was assigned to teach at Saint Mary’s High School for Girls where she aimed to alleviate the girl’s poverty through education. -
Final Profession of Vows
In 1937, she took her Final Profession of Vows to a life of poverty, chastity and obedience.
She also continued to teach at Saint Mary’s and in 1944 she became the school’s principal. -
Calling from Christ
She received a calling from Christ to abandon teaching to work in the slums of Calcutta to help the city’s poorest and sickest people. In order to do this, she had to have official permission from her convent in order to leave, which took a year and a half to get. -
Following Christs' Calling
She then took six months of basic medical training and went to the Calcutta slums with the goal of aiding “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.” She and her fellow nuns survived many years on minimal income and food, often having to beg for funds. Finally, she was able to create an open-air school and established a home for the destitute. -
Canonical Recognition
She won canonical recognition for a new congregation ‘The Missionaries of Charity’ which was a religious congregation devoted to helping those in great need. -
Establishing Clinics
From the 1950s to the 1960s she established a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, a family clinic and a string of mobile health clinics
In 1952 she also opened a home for the dying, which allowed them to die with dignity. She spent time with those who were dying, giving many neglected people the opportunity to die knowing someone cared. -
Expanding Overseas
In 1971 she travelled to NYC and opened her first American-based house of charity. -
Nobel Peace Prize
She received a Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work for “bringing help to suffering humanity.” -
Lebanon
Mother Teresa secretly went to Beirut, Lebanon, where she aided both those in Christian East Beirut and Muslim West Beirut. -
United Nations General Assembly
She spoke at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly where she also opened a care home called ‘Gift of Love.’ -
Death
Mother Teresa passed away in Calcutta -
Beatification
She was beatified as "Blessed Teresa of Calcutta" on October 19 by Pope John Paul II -
Canonization
She was canonized as Saint Teresa on September 4
