“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”

—Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born on August 27, 1910 and trained to become a nun starting at age 18. After finishing her training, she took her vows and became Sister Teresa. From 1931 to 1948, she taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, becoming Mother Teresa in 1937 after taking her Final Procession of Vows. However, her life changed when she was on a train ride to her annual retreat in 1946. During the ride, Mother Teresa said she received a calling from God to "serve him among the poorest of the poor."

With permission from the Catholic Church, Mother Teresa began her own order, The Missionaries of Charity, to serve the poorest people in Calcutta. At first, she taught school in the street. Eventually, she opened shelters to help the dying, lepers and orphans. In 1979, Mother Teresa was given the Nobel Peace Prize. When she received the Nobel Prize, she was dressed in the same trademark sari she wore in the streets and convinced the committee to cancel a dinner in her honor, using the money instead to "feed 400 poor children for a year in India." Her description of the mission of The Missionaries of Charity when accepting the peace prize was: "to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."

Mother Teresa passed away on September 5, 1997 after a lifetime of service and love to the "poorest of the poor."

Compassion. Pass It On!

This billboard about Compassion features Mother Teresa (1910-1997); Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India.