The Life of Mother Teresa

On September 5, 1997 one of the greatest humanitarians the world has ever known died in the shadow of another's legacy. That week there was an emotional outpour for the loss of England's sweetheart, Princess Diana. There were elaborate memorials and heart felt words followed by one of the most watched televised funerals of the century. Only days later Mother Theresa, another predominant female figure involved in charity and humanitarian aid died, practically unacknowledged in the shadow of Diana's death. It is for this reason that I have chose to highlight Mother Theresa in this informative speech; to celebrate her contribution to the world.

Mother Theresa was born in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 27, 1910. At the age of 12 she felt a calling to spread the word of God through becoming a missionary. At the age of eighteen she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months of training in Dublin she was sent to India, where she took her initial vows as a nun in 1931. This is when she took on the name "Mother Teresa" after Saint Teresa of Lisieux, the patron saint of foreign missionaries.

From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she viewed outside of the convent moved her to ask for permission in 1948 to leave the convent and devote herself to working with those in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no monetary support she started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support soon followed.

In 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order called the "The Missionaries of Charity". Their primary task was to care for those who nobody else would look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI. Members of the congregation take four vows on acceptance by the religious community. In addition to the three basic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, a fourth vow is required pledging service to the poor, whom Mother Teresa described as the embodiment of Christ.

The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the world in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they participate in relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers. The Missionaries of Charity today try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charisma in their own lives.

In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. She eventually extended her work to many other parts of the world. In 1971, Mother Teresa's work was recognized when she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971. She also received the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding in 1972. She also received the Balzan Prize in 1979 and the Templeton and Magsaysay awards.

She was forced to scale back her activities in 1990 because of declining health. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words, a collection of her anecdotes and quotations, was published in 1996. In 1997, because of Mother Teresa's poor health, Sister Nirmala was chosen to succeed her as leader of the Missionaries of Charity. Later that year, Mother Teresa passed away. Finally, in 2003, six years after her death, Mother Teresa began a passage to sainthood with her beatification by Pope John Paul II. Beatification is the first step toward canonization, the act that proclaims a person's sainthood.

I t is a shame that such a women was pushed aside at the time of her death. That is why we must take this moment now to reflect upon her life. Mother Teresa was, and may always be one of the most influential humanitarians of our time. She never turned away a desperate soul and dedicated her life to serving others. She is someone we should all strive to emulate.