How Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity Transformed Global Compassion

Mother Teresa, born Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on 26 August 1910, devoted her life to helping the poorest of the poor. Her journey began at 18 when she left her family to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland before moving to India as a teacher. A profound spiritual calling in 1946 changed her path forever, leading her to found the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.

In 1946, while working as a teacher, Mother Teresa felt a deep inner call to serve the destitute directly. This led her to leave convent life and establish the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, an order focused on caring for those in extreme poverty. Two years later, she opened Kalighat Home for the Dying in Kolkata, offering free care and dignity to the dying poor.

The Missionaries of Charity grew rapidly under her leadership. By 1965, the first Western house opened in the United States, followed by the first European facility in Ireland in 1968. That same year, the order expanded into Latin America with a centre in Venezuela. Italy also became home to one of the early foundations.

Despite declining health in her later years, Mother Teresa remained active in her work. By the time of her death on 5 September 1997, the Missionaries of Charity had established around 610 centres across 123 countries. These included hospices, orphanages, and relief centres, supported by various branches and lay co-workers.

Mother Teresa's legacy lives on through the Missionaries of Charity, which continues to provide care globally. At her death, the organisation operated in over 120 countries, serving those most in need. Her lifelong dedication to the poorest remains a defining example of selfless service.