On August 26, 1910, in the country of Macedonia, Mother Teresa was born. She would grow up and accomplish many remarkable achievements. She taught in India for seventeen years before she experienced her 1946 “call within a call” to dedicate herself to caring for the poor and sick. She established centers for the aged, disabled, blind and a leper colony. In addition, she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work. It all began when she left for Ireland to begin her religious work, leaving her family and speaking a language few knew. Every aspect of her life, from her early years to her later years, are fascinating and builds in to her ministry to the week and poor.
She was baptized August 27, 1910 as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. However, she is commonly known as Mother Teresa. Her family was of Albanian descent and were devoutly Catholic. They were greatly involved in the local church, especially her mother, who was a compassionate and pious women. Her father was an entrepreneur and worked as a trader of medicines and other goods in addition to a construction contractor. Tragically, however, when Mother Teresa was only 8 years old, her father became suddenly ill and died. Although the cause of his death remains unseen, it has been speculated that political antagonists poisoned him. After her father’s death, she grew remarkably close to her mother, who impressed upon her with a deep obligation to charity (Mother Teresa). Moreover, in 1912 at the age of twelve, Mother Teresa felt a strong call from God. Knowing she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ, she left her parental home at eighteen.
She joined the Sisters of Loreto, which was an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. When the few mouths of ...
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...other Teresa died. Regardless of emotional, spiritual, and physical work, she seemed unstoppable. It was only a few months before her death that she finally surrendered the position of head of her Missionaries of Charity (Who was Blessed?). However, her work lives on, and countless people where undoubtedly blessed with her selflessness and her caring heart. Her life story, from her early years to later in her life, is captivating and inspiring.
Works Cited
"Mother Teresa". http://www.biography.com/people/mother-teresa-9504160. The Biography Channel, 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.
“Mother Teresa - Biographical”. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/ laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html. Nobel Prize, 2013. Web. 22 Jan 2014.
“Who was Blessed?”. http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Teresa/ WhoWasTeresa.aspx. American Catholic Organization, 2012. Web 23 Jan. 2014.
orphanage and went on a long journey where she met many people that were like her, in
Frances Cabrini was born in July 15, 1850 to Agostino Cabrini and Stella Oldini in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardi, Italy. She was one of eleven children born to the Cabrini family and one of the only four children that survived past adolescence. She was born two months premature and was small and weak as a child. These factors, as well as the strong faith of her parents, would have an impact on the rest of her life, mission, and works. Agostino Cabrini, her father, often read Propagation of the Faith to her and the rest of the family. The stories were all about the missions in China and from a young age, Frances desired to become a missionary. By the age of eighteen, Frances knew that she wanted to be a nun, however; her weak health stood in the way. She could not join the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So instead, in 1863, Frances enrolled as a boarding student at the Normal School in Arluno with the intentions of becoming a schoolteacher. The school was directed by the Daughters of the Sacred Heart. Frances lived at the school for five years, residing in the convent with the nuns. Frances was elated to live with the nuns and to share a faith-centered life with them. She graduated from the Normal School in 1868 with a degree in teaching.
born to the Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I, the Holy Roman Emperor. She lived a carefree
...er contributions to society to a 5 page paper. She did amazing things to improve society as a whole. During her lifetime she was an, author, philosopher, women and children’s rights activist, humanitarian, scholar, sociologist, social worker, social leader, and founder of many programs still in place today. Her ideas continue to influence social, political and economic reform all over the world. I think it would be fair to say it is a blessing she was born in a time that made her type of work more difficult. She worked tirelessly to produce much needed changes that we benefit from today. Often times as Americans we take for granted the freedoms and protections are given to us, not taking into consideration the backbone that was necessary to make them happen. I am thankful for the opportunity to study and become more familiar with such an amazing woman of history.
Without doubt, Helen Keller is now a household name in nearly every part of the world (too bad she could never hear it.) Helen Keller faced many childhood and adulthood difficulties, and remains to be seen as an extremely positive influence for all women. From my perspective, she was a hardworking activist with her own personal views and opinions despite her ailments. Keller is a true role model for all women – especially those with their own diseases or disabilities. Feminists of all ages could look to the path Keller made for them in the world of women suffrage and equality.
Maria Skłodowska was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 7 November 1867, the fifth and youngest child of well-known teachers Bronisława and Władysław Skłodowski. Maria's father was an atheist and her mother a devout Catholic. Two years earlier, Maria's oldest sibling, Zofia, had died of typhus. The deaths of her mother and sister, according to Robert William Reid, caused Maria to give up Catholicism and become agnostic. When she was ten years old, Maria began attending the boarding school that her mother had operated while she was well, next Maria attended a gymnasium for girls, from which she graduated on 12 June 1883. She spent the following year in the countryside with her father's relatives and the next with her father in Warsaw, where she did some tutoring. (Wikipedia 1)
Teresa Sánchez Cepeda Davila y Ahumada lived in Avila, Spain where she was born in 1515 and lived during the Reformation until her death at age 67. She was canonized in 1622, forty years after her death. St. Teresa's grandmother was forced to be converted from a Jew into a Christian during the Inquisition. Without her grandmother’s conversion St. Teresa would never have become a Christian saint. Her parents were Godly people and showed tremendous integrity. They always said their prayers and made sure their twelve children did also. Sadly, at the age of twelve, St. Teresa's mother died giving birth which created a fear in St. Teresa of getting married. St. Teresa had a special relationship with one of her nine brothers named Rodrigo. St. Teresa once said, “When I read about certain women saints who endured martyrdom for the sake of God, I concluded that death was a small price to pay for the utter joy they were given in return when they were whisked away to heaven” (Starr, 2007, p.6). Rodrigo taught St. Teresa all about chivalry and they spent many hours reading about the lives of saints, never thinking St. Teresa would accomplish just that. As a girl, St. Teresa strived to be worthy of God, as did her siblings whom she loved. Instead of acting like she was a princess with the other girls, her and her brother Rodri...
It all started in 1922 in Skopje, Yugoslavia. One day while, the soon to be known as, Mother Teresa was walking, she felt God call her to serve the poor at only the age of 12. Seven years later she discovered her calling was to serve the poor in Calcutta, India and prepared to leave her comfy nunnery in Loretto. As she walked through the beautiful garden in the nunnery, before she left, she questioned leaving all of this beauty for the slums of Calcutta.
St Therese of Lisieux was born in 1873 in France. She was born to a sickly family. She was homeschooled until nine years old in which she was pushed into high school at 10 years old. It was the Christmas of her 10th year, in which she really found Jesus. Jesus appeared to her. From that point on she decided she would live her life in remembrance of him. When she was eleven, made the habit of mental prayer. She would pray this way several times through out the day. This strong love for God helped influence her decision to become a nun. At a very young age she begged the pope to allow her to join a convent. The pope said to wait until she was older. St. Therese went back to the convent and begged until tears began to fall from her face. The head of the convent allowed her to join.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a Roman Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity, to care for the most destite of Indian society. In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. She and her fellow nuns took in dying Indians off the streets of Calcutta and brought them to this home to care for them during the days before they died, so that they might be able to die in peace and with dignity. In addition she worked with and cared for lepers. Mother Teresa expanded her work by creating a network of 569 missions in 120 nations. Today over 5000 sisters, brothers, and volunteers run approximately 500 centers worldwide, feeding 500,000 families and helping 90,000 lepers every year. For her work she was awarded many honors. For example she was awarded the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971, and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
She seemed to use the same story but added a little different twist depending on the crowd she was addressing. I really don’t know if the “twist” was to keep the stories fresh in her mind or to appease a given congregation. Nevertheless, the information she was putting out was basic, to the point, and spoken in a manner that is easily understood. Mother Teresa touched a lot of peoples lives in her time and I think this simple and basic approach helped her to accomplish this. Simple and basic is the life she chose and helping people in need is the life commitment she made.
...er’s life was not an easy one. She was admired by many for overcoming her disabilities and persevering through hardship. Keller was blinded at a young age. At the time, there were not as many resources as there are today. This did not deter Keller. She seized every opportunity and used them for her advancement. Individuals saw her as a “Miracle” for being able to have an education like any other child. Also, she inspired children and adults who were like her and gave them hope for the future. From Helen Keller I have learned that I should not quit what I love despite my situation. I can stand firm when others are tearing me down and saying I cannot do it. A person one can admire is a leader who has overcome a situation and is able to help others from their personal experience. Their victories give us hope and the courage to face each day with a sense of expectancy.
During this time period, Mother Teresa adopted Indian citizenship and spent several months in Patna to receive medical training at the Holy Family Hospital before venturing off to complete her charity work. She began her missionary work by founding a school in Motijhil, Kolkata, and from the start, Mother Teresa was joined by a group of young women who helped her form a religious community with the basic foundation of helping the “poorest among the poor” (“Mother Teresa,” n.d.). While Mother Teresa’s efforts were noticed by several officials, the first year of her missionary work was wrought with difficulty. During this time, Mother Teresa had no income, she had to beg for food, and the temptation to return to her previous life at the convent was great. A diary entry written by Mother Teresa herself describes in detail the hardships and lessons that she experienced: “Our Lord wants me to be a free nun covered with the poverty of the cross. Today, I learned a good lesson. The poverty of the poor must be so hard for them. While looking for a home, I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached. I thought how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food, and health. Then, the comfort of Loreto came to tempt me. ‘You have only to say the word and all that will be yours again,’ the Tempter kept on saying, ‘of free choice, my God, and out of love for you, I desire to remain and do whatever be your
Mother Teresa is one of the most recognized women in the world. Teresa brought in a revolutionary change in the world with her positive thoughts and love for humanity. Her missionary work started way back 1931 when she was still a little girl. She joined the Nuns as a kid in 1931, and she was later named Teresa from Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. It was in respect and honor of the Saints of Theresa. Mother Teresa’s missions were concentrated around helping the poor people with their basic needs such as food, water and shelter. She also demonstrated a lot of interest in taking care of the weak and defenseless people in the society. For example, it has been recorded that she spent a lot of time caring for the elderly, disabled and injured. At the same