Mother Teresa – interesting facts

July 22, 2010 | In: People facts

Ever since Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was a small schoolgirl, she knew that she wanted to help the poor in the slums of India. Born on August 27, 1910, in what is now Macedonia, she was the youngest child to Albanian parents.

At the age of 18, Agnes joined the Sisters of Loretto, which was a community of Irish nuns who ran schools in India. This is where she took the name Teresa. Her career of helping others first began by teaching lessons in geography to students in Calcutta. These students called her Mother Teresa and that is who she became.

Teaching was too limited for her. Mother Teresa wanted to do more. The final decision was made on a train where she heard the call to give up all and follow him [Jesus] to the slums. After many requests, the Vatican allowed her to leave her religious order.

Mother Teresa then went on to found the Missionary Sisters of Charity, Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart), the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity, and many more organizations and shelters to aid the less fortunate.

She accepted fame as long as it helped her cause. Catholic brothers, priests, and many nuns joined her and together they treated everyone from victims of AIDS, battery, and drugs, to the hungry, homeless, and dying.

Today, there are over 550 centers in more than 126 countries that were all inspired by Mother Teresa’s desire to help the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa accomplished this goal years ago, but yet she continued her crusade of unselfishness and giving until her last day on earth, September 2, 1997.

A massive heart attack was the cause of her death. Among the many well deserved awards that she received during her lifetime are the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Bharat Ratna, which is India’s highest civilian award.

Her greatest honor, though, could yet still come. Mother Teresa has been nominated for canonization by the Catholic church. This means she will probably eventually be given the title of a Saint. To the people that Mother Teresa gave her life, she is already known as a saint. Mother Teresa?s goodness and love captured and saved the hearts of many. She will always be remembered and admired for her efforts and accomplishments in serving the dying and desperate all around the world.