Mother Tereza of Kolcata

I am a big devotee of Mother Tereza.

When I got a mail from US girl making research on Mother Tereza's life, she asked to host her at my place for 2 days. I immediately agreed.



Its Katie.

Katie visits all places where Missions of Charity were set up by Mother Tereza or Sisters. She makes a research on that.

Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)
Indian (Albanian-born) humanitarian & missionary

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.

Mother Teresa
I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.

Mother Teresa
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

Mother Teresa

Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

Mother Teresa
- More quotations on: [Joy]
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.

Mother Teresa
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Mother Teresa
Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family.

Mother Teresa, in her Nobel lecture

The success of love is in the loving
- it is not in the result of loving.
Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person,
but whether it turns out that way or not
does not determine the value
of what we have done

~

It is not how much we do,
but how much love we put in the doing.
It is not how much we give,
but how much love we put in the giving.

~

If we really want to love
we must learn how to forgive.

~

We can do no great things;
only small things with great love.

~

There is a terrible hunger for love.
We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness.
We must have the courage to recognize it.
The poor you may have right in your own family.
Find them.
Love them.

Mother Teresa was always her own person, startlingly independent, obedient, yet challenging some preconceived notions and expectations. Her own life story includes many illustrations of her willingness to listen to and follow her own conscience, even when it seemed to contradict what was expected.

This strong and independent woman was born Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Yugoslavia, on August 27, 1910. Five children were born to Nikola and Dronda Bojaxhiu, yet only three survived. Gonxha was the youngest, with an older sister, Aga, and brother, Lazar. This brother describes the family's early years as "well-off," not the life of peasants reported inaccurately by some. "We lacked for nothing." In fact, the family lived in one of the two houses they owned.

Nikola was a contractor, working with a partner in a successful construction business. He was also heavily involved in the politics of the day. Lazar tells of his father's rather sudden and shocking death, which may have been due to poisoning because of his political involvement. With this event, life changed overnight as their mother assumed total responsibility for the family, Aga, only 14, Lazar, 9, and Gonxha, 7.

Though so much of her young life was centered in the Church, Mother Teresa later revealed that until she reached 18, she had never thought of being a nun. During her early years, however, she was fascinated with stories of missionary life and service. She could locate any number of missions on the map, and tell others of the service being given in each place.

Called to Religious Life

At 18, Gonxha decided to follow the path that seems to have been unconsciously unfolding throughout her life. She chose the Loreto Sisters of Dublin, missionaries and educators founded in the 17th century to educate young girls.

In 1928, the future Mother Teresa began her religious life in Ireland, far from her family and the life she'd known, never seeing her mother again in this life, speaking a language few understood. During this period a sister novice remembered her as "very small, quiet and shy," and another member of the congregation described her as "ordinary." Mother Teresa herself, even with the later decision to begin her own community of religious, continued to value her beginnings with the Loreto sisters and to maintain close ties. Unwavering commitment and self-discipline, always a part of her life and reinforced in her association with the Loreto sisters, seemed to stay with her throughout her life.

One year later, in 1929, Gonxha was sent to Darjeeling to the novitiate of the Sisters of Loreto. In 1931, she made her first vows there, choosing the name of Teresa, honoring both saints of the same name, Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux. In keeping with the usual procedures of the congregation and her deepest desires, it was time for the new Sister Teresa to begin her years of service to God's people. She was sent to St. Mary's, a high school for girls in a district of Calcutta.

Here she began a career teaching history and geography, which she reportedly did with dedication and enjoyment for the next 15 years. It was in the protected environment of this school for the daughters of the wealthy that Teresa's new "vocation" developed and grew. This was the clear message, the invitation to her "second calling," that Teresa heard on that fateful day in 1946 when she traveled to Darjeeling for retreat.

The Streets of Calcutta

During the next two years, Teresa pursued every avenue to follow what she "never doubted" was the direction God was pointing her. She was "to give up even Loreto where I was very happy and to go out in the streets. I heard the call to give up all and follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor."

Technicalities and practicalities abounded. She had to be released formally, not from her perpetual vows, but from living within the convents of the Sisters of Loreto. She had to confront the Church's resistance to forming new religious communities, and receive permission from the Archbishop of Calcutta to serve the poor openly on the streets. She had to figure out how to live and work on the streets, without the safety and comfort of the convent. As for clothing, Teresa decided she would set aside the habit she had worn during her years as a Loreto sister and wear the ordinary dress of an Indian woman: a plain white sari and sandals.

Teresa first went to Patna for a few months to prepare for her future work by taking a nursing course. In 1948 she received permission from Pius XII to leave her community and live as an independent nun. So back to Calcutta she went and found a small hovel to rent to begin her new undertaking.

Wisely, she thought to start by teaching the children of the slums, an endeavor she knew well. Though she had no proper equipment, she made use of what was available—writing in the dirt. She strove to make the children of the poor literate, to teach them basic hygiene. As they grew to know her, she gradually began visiting the poor and ill in their families and others all crowded together in the surrounding squalid shacks, inquiring about their needs.

Teresa found a never-ending stream of human needs in the poor she met, and frequently was exhausted. Despite the weariness of her days she never omitted her prayer, finding it the source of support, strength and blessing for all her ministry.

A Movement Begins

Teresa was not alone for long. Within a year, she found more help than she anticipated. Many seemed to have been waiting for her example to open their own floodgates of charity and compassion. Young women came to volunteer their services and later became the core of her Missionaries of Charity. Others offered food, clothing, the use of buildings, medical supplies and money. As support and assistance mushroomed, more and more services became possible to huge numbers of suffering people.

From their birth in Calcutta, nourished by the faith, compassion and commitment of Mother Teresa, the Missionaries of Charity have grown like the mustard seed of the Scriptures. New vocations continue to come from all parts of the world, serving those in great need wherever they are found. Homes for the dying, refuges for the care and teaching of orphans and abandoned children, treatment centers and hospitals for those suffering from leprosy, centers and refuges for alcoholics, the aged and street people—the list is endless.

Until her death in 1997, Mother Teresa continued her work among the poorest of the poor, depending on God for all of her needs. Honors too numerous to mention had come her way throughout the years, as the world stood astounded by her care for those usually deemed of little value. In her own eyes she was "God's pencil—a tiny bit of pencil with which he writes what he likes."

Despite years of strenuous physical, emotional and spiritual work, Mother Teresa seemed unstoppable. Though frail and bent, with numerous ailments, she always returned to her work, to those who received her compassionate care for more than 50 years. Only months before her death, when she became too weak to manage the administrative work, she relinquished the position of head of her Missionaries of Charity. She knew the work would go on.

Finally, on September 5, 1997, after finishing her dinner and prayers, her weakened heart gave her back to the God who was the very center of her life.

Today we visited Catholic Mass and met Sisters from Mission of Charity in Almaty.
All over the world they wear white saree with blue lines in bottom.

“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.”


"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa

"It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start." - Mother Teresa

"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go." - Mother Teresa

"I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there." - Mother Teresa

"I love all religions, but I am in love with my own." - Mother Teresa

"Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world." - Mother Teresa

"Please choose the way of peace.. In the short term there may be winners and losers in this war that we all dread. But that never can, nor never will justify the suffering, pain and loss of life your weapons will cause." - Mother Teresa

"I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?" - Mother Teresa

I LOVE HER SO MUCH!

I want to be like she was.

Îäèí æóðíàëèñò, íàáëþäàÿ çà ðàáîòîé ìàòåðè Òåðåçû, âîñêëèêíóë:

– Êàê âû ýòî äåëàåòå? ß áû è çà ìèëëèîí íå ñîãëàñèëñÿ.

– Çà ìèëëèîí íå ñîãëàñèëàñü áû è ÿ. ß äåëàþ ýòî íå çà äåíüãè, à âî èìÿ ëþáâè.

Âåñòü î ìàòåðè Òåðåçå ðàñïðîñòðàíèëàñü ïî âñåé Èíäèè, à ïîòîì è ïî âñåìó ñâåòó.  1965 ãîäó ìèññèÿ îðäåíà Ìèëîñåðäèÿ áûëà îòêðûòà â Âåíåñóýëå, ïîòîì íà Öåéëîíå. Âñå íîâûå è íîâûå ñåñòðû íàäåâàëè áåëûå ñàðè ñ ãîëóáîé êàéìîé è øëè â òðóùîáû. Ñèëüíûå ìèðà ñåãî ñòàëè èñêàòü îáùåñòâà ìàòåðè Òåðåçû. Åñëè îíà íàõîäèëà âðåìÿ, òî ïðèíèìàëà ãîñòåé â ñâîåé êðîøå÷íîé êîìíàòå, ãäå ñòîÿëà ïðîñòàÿ äåðåâÿííàÿ ñêàìüÿ. Ñ îäíîé ñòîðîíû ñàäèëñÿ ãîñòü – ßñèð Àðàôàò, Äæîðæ Áóø, Ôèäåëü Êàñòðî, Èîàíí Ïàâåë ²², ïðèíöåññà Äèàíà, – à ñ äðóãîé – ìàòü Òåðåçà. Ñëîâà, êîòîðûå îíà ïðîèçíîñèëà, ãëóáîêî çàïàäàëè â äóøè ëþäåé.

«Íå áîéòåñü ëþáèòü. Îòêðûâàéòå ñåðäöå è ïîñòàðàéòåñü ïðîáóäèòü â íåì ëþáîâü».
«Â ýòîì ñåêðåò äîáðà: âíà÷àëå îíî ñëàáî, íî âñåìîãóùå â êîíöå. Çëî, íàïðîòèâ, âñåìîãóùå âíà÷àëå, íî îñëàáåâàåò ñî âðåìåíåì».

«Òî, ÷òî âû ñòðîèëè ãîäàìè, ìîæåò áûòü ðàçðóøåíî â îäíî÷àñüå. Âñå ðàâíî ñòðîéòå».

 1979 ãîäó Ìàòü Òåðåçà ïîëó÷èëà Íîáåëåâñêóþ ïðåìèþ ìèðà çà òî, ÷òî îíà «óòâåðæäàåò ìèð â ñàìîé âàæíîé ñôåðå, çàùèùàÿ íåïðèêîñíîâåííîñòü ÷åëîâå÷åñêîãî äîñòîèíñòâà». Ìîíàõèíÿ ïðèíÿëà äåíüãè ðàäè «ñâîèõ áåäíÿêîâ». Êîðîëü Íîðâåãèè óïðîñèë ìàòü êóïèòü ïî ýòîìó ñëó÷àþ íîñêè, òàê êàê êëèìàò Ñêàíäèíàâñêîãî ïîëóîñòðîâà íå ðàñïîëàãàåò ê íîøåíèþ îáóâè íà áîñó íîãó.  áåëîì ñàðè, ïî ëåãåíäàì â òîì ñàìîì, â êîòîðîì îíà óøëà èç ìîíàñòûðÿ, ìàòü Òåðåçà ñòîÿëà íà ïî÷åòíåéøåé òðèáóíå íà ïëàíåòå è ãîâîðèëà î òîì, ÷òî ëþáîâü è óâàæåíèå ê êàæäîé ÷åëîâå÷åñêîé æèçíè ÿâëÿþòñÿ óñëîâèåì âñåîáùåãî ìèðà. Îò ïðàçäíè÷íîãî áàíêåòà ìàòü Òåðåçà îòêàçàëàñü è òàêèì îáðàçîì ñýêîíîìèëà 6000 äîëëàðîâ. Âñå äåíüãè îíà âëîæèëà â îñóùåñòâëåíèå ñâîåé ìèññèè.

Íåäîáðîæåëàòåëè, êîòîðûõ ó ìàòåðè Òåðåçû áûëî íåìàëî, íå ïîíèìàëè, çà ÷òî åé äàëè ïðåñòèæíóþ íàãðàäó. «Êàêîå îòíîøåíèå èìååò ýòà ýêçàëüòèðîâàííàÿ ñòàðóøêà ê òàêîìó âåëèêîìó äåëó, êàê ìèð âî âñåì ìèðå? – ïèñàëè âî ìíîãèõ ãàçåòàõ. – Îíà ïðîñòî çàíèìàåòñÿ ñàìîðåêëàìîé è ðåëèãèîçíûì áèçíåñîì». Ìàòü Òåðåçà îòâåòèëà íà ýòè îáâèíåíèÿ ìàëåíüêèì ÷óäîì: åé óäàëîñü îñòàíîâèòü íà âðåìÿ âîåííûå äåéñòâèÿ â Áåéðóòå è âûâåñòè èç-ïîä îáñòðåëà 37 ñèðîò, î êîòîðûõ íåêîìó áûëî áîëüøå ïîçàáîòèòüñÿ.

«Ïî êðîâè ÿ àëáàíêà, ïî ãðàæäàíñòâó – èíäèàíêà, ïî âåðîèñïîâåäàíèþ – êàòîëè÷êà. Íî ìîå ïðèçâàíèå ïðèíàäëåæèò âñåìó ìèðó, à ìîå ñåðäöå öåëèêîì ïðèíàäëåæèò Õðèñòó». Ïðîÿâëÿÿ óäèâèòåëüíóþ òåðïèìîñòü è ìèëîñåðäèå, ìàòü Òåðåçà ñòàðàëàñü îêàçàòüñÿ òàì, ãäå áîëåå âñåãî íåîáõîäèìà åå ïîìîùü.  êîíöå 80-õ îíà ïðèåõàëà â ðàçðóøåííóþ çåìëåòðÿñåíèåì Àðìåíèþ, â êîíöå 90-õ – â âîþþùóþ Áîñíèþ. Ñâîþ ðàáîòó îíà íàçûâàëà «êàïëåé â ìîðå», íî íèêîãäà íå ïðèíèæàëà áëàãîãî çíà÷åíèÿ ýòîé êðóïèöû äîáðà. «Ìû íå ìîæåì äåëàòü âåëèêèõ äåë, òîëüêî ìàëîå ñîâåðøàåòñÿ ñ âåëèêîé ëþáîâüþ. ß âåðþ â ìàëûå äåëà, èìåííî â íèõ íàøà ñèëà».

Ñåðäöå íå óñïåâàëî çà ñâîåé õîçÿéêîé: ìàòü ïåðåíåñëà íåñêîëüêî èíôàðêòîâ, íî äî êîíöà æèçíè êàæäûé äåíü âñòàâàëà â ïîëîâèíå ÷åòâåðòîãî è ðàáîòàëà íàðàâíå ñî ñâîèìè ñåñòðàìè. Ðàññêàçûâàþò î òðîãàòåëüíîì ÷óäå: ïåðåä îêíîì êåëüè, ãäå óìèðàëà Òåðåçà, áûëî ìàëåíüêîå çàñîõøåå äåðåâî. À ïîñëå åå êîí÷èíû âñå äåðåâî ïîêðûëîñü áåëûìè, êàê ñíåã, öâåòàìè. Ïîõîðîíû ìàòåðè Òåðåçû òðàíñëèðîâàëè êðóïíåéøèå òåëåêàíàëû. Ïðàâèòåëüñòâî Èíäèè îêàçàëî åé òàêèå æå ïî÷åñòè, êàê â ñâîå âðåìÿ îòöó íàöèè Ãàíäè. Ìèëëèîíû ëþäåé âî âñåì ìèðå îïëàêèâàëè óõîä èç æèçíè ýòîé ñâÿòîé æåíùèíû. Íî ìàòü Òåðåçà íå áîÿëàñü ñìåðòè, îíà íàäåÿëàñü, ÷òî ðàáîòà îðäåíà ïðîäîëæèòñÿ è ïîñëå åå óõîäà. È, âîïðåêè ïðîãíîçàì ñêåïòèêîâ è íåäîáðîæåëàòåëåé, åå íàäåæäû îïðàâäàëèñü.  íàñòîÿùåå âðåìÿ ó îðäåíà ìàòåðè Òåðåçû – 600 ìèññèîíåðñêèõ öåíòðîâ â 127 ñòðàíàõ ìèðà.  íèõ ðàáîòàåò áîëåå 4000 ìîíàõèíü, è êàæäûé ãîä â íåãî ïðèõîäÿò âñå íîâûå è íîâûå ïîñëóøíèöû.

«Â æèçíè ìíîãî çëà, åñòü áåçäîìíûå è áîëüíûå, íî õóæå âñåãî òåì, êòî ëèøåí ðàäîñòåé ëþáâè», – ãîâîðèëà ìàòü Òåðåçà, è âåëèêóþ ðàäîñòü ëþáâè äàðèëà îíà ñâîèì ïîäîïå÷íûì. Âñåõ, êòî âõîäèò â äîì ìàòåðè Òåðåçû, âñòðå÷àþò ñëîâà åå ìàíèôåñòà, îáðàùåííîãî ê êàæäîìó ÷åëîâåêó âíå çàâèñèìîñòè îò öâåòà êîæè, áëàãîñîñòîÿíèÿ è âåðîèñïîâåäàíèÿ.

Æèçíü – ýòî áëàæåíñòâî, âêóñè åãî.

Æèçíü – ýòî áîãàòñòâî, íå ðàñòðàíæèðü åãî.

Æèçíü – ýòî þäîëü áåäñòâèé, ïðåâîçìîãè åå.

Æèçíü – ýòî áåçäíà íåâåäîìîãî, ñòóïè â íåå íå ñòðàøàñü.

Æèçíü – òàê ïðåêðàñíà, íå çàãóáè åå.

Æèçíü – òâîÿ æèçíü, áîðèñü çà íåå!

Thanks Rita!
Very informative and interesting post!




P.S. btw cool dress with Butterflies

nice to know that u appreciated

MG_ wrote:

I am a big devotee of Mother Tereza.
When I got a mail from US girl making research on Mother Tereza's life, she asked to host her at my place for 2 days. I immediately agreed.

Great pictures!!!

thank you very much for yours post!!!Mother Tereza teach us how to get real happiness in our life....take care and love to others....

you are welcome, Olyo.

Ìîÿ ïîäðóãà - ïåðåâîä÷èöà ñ àíãëèéñêîãî è ôðàíöóçñêîãî, èíîãäà ïîäðàáàòûâàåò ïðåïîäàâàíèåì. Îáðàòèëñÿ ê íåé êàê-òî îäèí çíàêîìûé: ñðî÷íî åäó â Èíäèþ, à àíãëèéñêèé - â îáúåìå ñðåäíåé øêîëû, ïîìîãè! Äî îòúåçäà âñåãî íåñêîëüêî äíåé, ÷åìó òóò ìîæíî íàó÷èòü? À åé êàê ðàç äðóçüÿ èç øòàòîâ ïðèñëàëè êíèæêó - ñáîðíèê ëèìåðèêîâ (êòî íå çíàåò - ýòî òàêèå êîðîòåíüêèå þìîðíûå ñòèøêè). ß ñàì íå ÷èòàë, íî îíà ãîâîðèò - íàøè ÷àñòóøêè ïî ñðàâíåíèþ ñ íèìè - ñàìà ñêðîìíîñòü è öåëîìóäðèå. È ðåøèëà îíà åìó óñòðîèòü èíòåíñèâíûé êóðñ èçó÷åíèÿ ýòèõ ñàìûõ ëèìåðèêîâ. Ñëîâàðíûé çàïàñ íàðàñòèòü âñå ðàâíî íå óñïåòü, òàê õîòü ðàçãîâîðèòü»...  îáùåì, âûó÷èë îí èõ êó÷ó.
È âîò, ñèäèò îí â àýðîïîðòó íå òî Áîìáåÿ, íå òî Ìàäðàñà è æäåò îòïðàâêè íà Áàíãàëîð. Æäåò âòîðîé äåíü, ïîòîìó, êàê ó íèõ çàáàñòîâêà ïèëîòîâ. Æàðà æóòêàÿ, àýðîïîðò çàáèò èíäóñàìè, âîíü, ãàëäåæ ... È âäðóã, ñìîòðèò, ìèìî íåãî èäåò Ìàòü Òåðåçà ñ öåëîé ñâèòîé ìîíàõèíü. Êòî íå çíàåò - ýòî òàêàÿ êàòîëè÷åñêàÿ ñâÿòàÿ, òîãäà îíà åùå æèâà áûëà. Êîìó ïîïèòü äàäóò, êîìó ïðîñòî ïîñî÷óâñòâóþò. È ïîäõîäèò îíà ïðÿìî ê íåìó è íà÷èíàåò ó÷àñòëèâî ðàññïðàøèâàòü, êòî òàêîé è êàê â ýòîé ïîìîéêå îêàçàëñÿ. Îí åé íà ñìåñè ëîìàíîãî àíãëèéñêîãî ñ ðóññêèì îáúÿñíÿåò.
Ìàòü Òåðåçà ñòàëà åìó ñî÷óâñòâîâàòü, êàê æå îí ñ òàêèì çíàíèåì ÿçûêà îäèí áóäåò äî Áàíãàëîðà äîáèðàòüñÿ. À îí åé è ãîâîðèò, ÷òî âîâñå îí íå òàê ïëîõî ÿçûê è çíàåò, à ÷òîáû äîêàçàòü, íà÷èíàåò ýòè ñàìûå ëèìåðèêè íàèçóñòü øïàðèòü. Ìàòü Òåðåçà ÷óòü íå óïàëà. Ðàñõîõîòàëàñü è ãîâîðèò - ïîëåòåëè ñ íàìè, êàê ðàç â Áàíãàëîð, íà ÷àñòíîì ñàìîëåòå. È âîò îí ïîëåòåë ñ íåé è åå ñâèòîé, è âñþ äîðîãó òðàâèë åé ëèìåðèêè.
Òàêàÿ âîò îêàçûâàåòñÿ, áûëà Ìàòü Òåðåçà - âåëèêàÿ, íî ïðîñòàÿ!