Essay about St. Teresa of Calcutta

St. Teresa of Calcutta is a well known saint in the Catholic Church. She was born on August 26, 1910 and lived her life doing the service that God intended her to do up until her death on September 5, 1997. She received a strong desire “to quench His thirst for love and for souls.” Living her life dedicated to those which God had called her to serve she is now the patron saint of the archdiocese of Calcutta and the doubters. Pope John Paul II beatified her on October 18, 2003.

She was later canonized on September 4, 2016 by Pope Francis. Her feast day is on September 5.

St. Teresa of Calcutta was born to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu. Her original name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She grew up in Skopje, Macedonia as the youngest child in the family. She received communion at the age of five and was confirmed when she was six. After her father died when she was eight. Her mother started a sewing business to support her family. While Agnes was growing up her mother taught them about their faith and vocation. Her mother loved them, but was strict. Leaving her home at the age of 18 to be a missionary was the start to her sainthood. She joined the Institution of the Blessed Virgin Mary and received the name Teresa after St. Teresa of Lisieux. For 16 years she taught at St. Mary’s School for Girls. During this time she became the principal there. She made her vows to the Institution of the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 24, 1937. But then she received her ”call within a call” later on in her life. She said that it was a strong call from Jesus, He asked her to”Come be My light.” He asked her to serve the poor and those who had been ignored. He wanted her to make Him known to the people who had been neglected, or did not know about or believe in him. Jesus was calling her to start the Missionaries of Charity. They were to serve the poorest of poor. After two years of discernment she got permission to start her Missionary. She left The Institution of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 17, 1949 in order to serve the poor.

St. Teresa trained with Medical Mission Sisters in Patna to learn medicine to cure the needy. She went into the slums of Calcutta on December 21, 1948. She cared for those had a scratch on there finger to those who were about to die. The Missionaries of Charity started their day with Mass, then went out to serve with a rosary in their hands. Some of her students from where she taught joined her later. The order was officially started on October 7, 1950. Mother Teresa later on sent her sisters to different parts of India. In serving everyone who was unable to care for themselves she won the Nobel Prize for peace in 1979. Mother Teresa saw and respected the human dignity of everyone. Everything she did, was done with love for God.

An important part of her journey were the miracles that she endoured. The first miracle was for a woman who was under the care of her and her sisters. Her name was Monica Besra, she had a massive tumor. A medal that Mother Teresa had touched was laid over her one night and the next morning the tumor was gone! It is considered a miracle because the doctors gave her no hope, because the tumor was so big. It was considered a miracle in the church in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Another miracle that she endured was to Marcilio Andrino, he had a bacteria infection in his brain. His wife prayed to Mother Teresa asking her to intercede, after he had fallen into a comma. Before he went into surgery he woke up and was healed. This was confirmed in 2015. Mother Teresa died on September 5 1997 of congestive heart failure.

I chose Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) as my confirmation saint because I admired how she devoted her life to God and the poor. She was a missionary who changed the lives of so many people who had no one to care for them. Her faith in the lord was so strong that it sparkled so that everyone could see it. When Mother Teresa was serving them she made them feel like they were equal and that God loved them. She also attended adoration every day. I am going to try to imitate St. Mother Teresa by doing more servis hours. I will put more trust in God, and show kindness to others. St. Teresa loved God to her highest ability and in doing it, it allowed her to love the poor and lonesome people as well. Her life was devoted to God and doing servis.

References:

1. http://saintsresource.com/teresa-of-calcutta
2. https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/philosophy-and-religion/roman-catholic-and-orthodox-churches-general-biographies/mother-teresa
3. https://study.com/academy/lesson/mother-teresa-miracles-canonization-awards.html (miracles)
4. https://www.google.com/search?q=when+was+mother+ateresa+canoonized&rlz=1C1EJFA_enUS786US786&oq=when+was+mother+ateresa+canoonized&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.12795j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8( intro)
5. Book- blessed teresa of calcutta:missionary of charity
6. By mary kathleen glavich,SND
7. The Holy See. ‘Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)’.http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031019_madre-teresa_en.html

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