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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, more commonly known as Mother Teresa, was born on August 27, 1910 in a small town called Skopje, which is in current day Yugoslavia. Tragically when Agnes was 9 her father died. Despite the extra responsibility this put on her mother, she still found time to school Agnes and her other 2 children, as well as help members of her community with alcoholism. Thusly, starting at a very young age Agnes was taught to help those in need. (http://www.tisv.be/mt/life.htm) At the young age of 12, Agnes decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and help the poor. When she was eighteen Agnes made the decision to join the Sisters of Loreto and left for their mission in Calcutta. Upon joining the sisterhood Agnes chose the name "Sister Teresa", after Saint Teresa of Lisbeaux, the patroness of missionaries. It was there in Calcutta that Sister Teresa devoted her life to God and later took on the title of "Mother Teresa". Her devotion changed countless lives of the people in India, as well as around the world. (Spink, 83)
...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.
Mother Teresa, formally known by the Catholic church as Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, was born on August 26th, 1910, and lived until September 5th, 1997, dying at the age of eighty-seven. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta was an Albanian- Indian, born in Skopje, now known as the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta lived in Skopje for eighteen years before moving to Ireland and then India, where she spent the majority of her life. Mother Teresa was the child of the politically involved couple, Nikollë and Dranafile Bojaxhiu. During her childhood, she was fascinated by the lives of missionaries and their services, and by the age of twelve, she had made the decision to devote herself to the religious life. At
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
One of the stories that Mother Teresa spoke of in her speeches touched me a little closer than others. She speaks of going out into the streets and gathering the poor, the diseased and the drunks and of bringing them in and providing food, shelter and an opportunity to get clean. Many of these people would die when they were in the care of the sisters. One individual who was brought in stated “I have lived like an animal in the streets. I am gong to die like an angel, surrounded by love and care” (Mother Teresa, 28). This is w...