MOTHERTherese

1910-1997

AGNES GONXHA BOJAXHIU was born on 26th August, 1910 in Skopje Republic of Macedonia.The Bojaxhius were Catholic family.Her parents were of Albanian.Her father Nikolle Bojaxhiu was a bussinesman and politician.Her mother Dranafile Bernai was a housewife.Her sister Aga and her brother Lazar.

When Agnes was only 8 years old, her father suddenly fell ill and died.Then the family had economic problems.She was young and wanted to be a nun to help the poor.

At the age of 18, Agnes decided to become a nun and traveled to Ireland. She joined “The Convent Sisters of Loreto”, in Dublin.

She changed her name to Sister Mary Therese for Saint Therese of Lisieux “ The patron of the missionaries”.

She learnt to speak Bengali and Hindi, too studied a short course with “The Medical Mission Sisters “ in París.She went to Calcutta and taught at “Saint Mary´s High School” for girls.

“Day of Inspiration” , on 10 September, 1946.Sister Therese was travelling from Calcutta then “ God spoke to her”.She returned The Convent of The Sisters of Loreto.She asked permission to work in the slums to help the poor, to care for the sick and dying.Two years later, She received the permission from The Pope Pio XII to work in the streets of Calcutta.From at the moment , She wore a while Hindi Sari with blue borders and a crucifix on the left shoulder.

Mother Therese taught children to read and write in the streets of Calcutta.

For 20 years Mother Therese dedicated to teach in the Calcutta schools and her missionary activity in the poor places with her students .

She traveled the world to help marginalized, cared for the sick, dying and rescued 37 children in the Beirut war.

Mother Therese received donations and she founded The Missionaries of Charity women and men.She opened Centers for the sick, the elderly, too founded schools and orphanages for poor and abandoned children, in 123 countries of the world.

During the last years of her life, She had severe health problems: pneumonia, malaria and herheart was bad.On 5th September, 1997 Mother Therese died.She was 87 years old , She received an Honour Funeral by Government of India.

Mother Therese received numerous awards, including The Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.In 2003 She was “Blessed Therese of Calcutta” by Poper John Paul II.In 2016 She was canonized as “Saint Therese” by Pope Francis.

Her life and her work were an example of love, dignity, faith, hope and charity.A Missionary who fought the rights of the poor, sick, marginalized and defenseless.We call her:“Mother of the poor “