1. Inspiring WomenInspiring Women
of Faithof Faith
Mother Teresa

2. Mother Teresa of CalcuttaMother Teresa of Calcutta
Agnes Bojaxhu
was born in
Yugoslavia in
1910. She entered
the convent at the
age of 18, taking
the name of Sr
Teresa. She sailed
for India and for
years, taught at a
girls’ Catholic
school. Most of the
students were from
wealthy families.

3. While on a train returning from her annual retreat,
Sister Teresa felt the call of God to leave the
security of her convent life.
She believed God was calling her to minister to the
poorest of the poor on the streets of Calcutta.

4. She responded to this call, and left the convent in
1948. She lived very simply, and spent her days
picking up dying people from the streets.
In 1950 she opened the first Home for the Dying,
where the outcasts of Calcutta could die with dignity.

5. Many girls she had taught at the Loretto convent
school joined her in her work. They too, dedicated
their lives to Jesus in serving the very poor. In 1950,
Sr Teresa’s order became known as the Missionaries
of Charity.

6. She taught her nuns to
live very simple lives, to
pray constantly and to
see the face of Jesus in
every person, especially
the poorest of the poor.

7. She and her sisters
set up homes not
only in third world
countries, but also in
New York and Rome.
She saw spiritual
poverty as the worst
poverty of all.

8. Mother Teresa won the
Nobel Peace Prize in
1979 for her service of
love to the world. She
accepted the award –
..”in the name of the
hungry, the naked, the
homeless, the crippled,
the blind, the lepers, of
all those people who feel
unwanted, unloved,
uncared for throughout
society, people who have
become a burden to the
society and are shunned
by everyone.”
- Mother Teresa’s Acceptance Speech

9. Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, at the
age of 87.
Her Missionaries of Charity continue to grow and
serve the poorest of the poor.
Her Order is currently going through the process of
having Mother Teresa declared a saint.

10. The End