Saint September 5 : Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta - Biography and Novena Prayer




Compiled: by: Miriam Westen
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. The Bojaxhiu family was of Albanian descent. When she turned 18 she entered the Sisters of Loreto of Ireland. She took the name Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. She taught in a missionary school in India until 1948. While traveling through India she felt God calling her to serve the poorest of the poor. She received permission to leave her order and began to help the poor with volunteers.
In 1950, she was given permission from the Vatican to start the order "The Missionaries of Charity".
In 1979, she received the Nobel peace prize for her tireless work for the poor.
Her order rapidly spread around the world to care for the poor, sick and marginalized in over 120 countries. She spoke of this ministry in her own words, "I once picked up a woman from a garbage dump and she was burning with fever; she was in her last days and her only lament was: ‘My son did this to me.’ I begged her: You must forgive your son. In a moment of madness, when he was not himself, he did a thing he regrets. Be a mother to him, forgive him. It took me a long time to make her say: ‘I forgive my son.’ Just before she died in my arms, she was able to say that with a real forgiveness. She was not concerned that she was dying. The breaking of the heart was that her son did not want her. This is something you and I can understand."
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother died in 1997 when her order had 610 institutions in 123 countries world wide. Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003. Her 100th birthday was celebrated around the world by many with special tributes. India has created a stamp with her image.



Shared from the Missionaries of Charity
Official Novena Prayer to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta


Prayed each day of the Novena




you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you,


and so became the light of His love to all.


Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).


Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.


Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.
“Jesus is my All in All”






Ask for the grace of an intimate knowledge of Jesus.






Thought for the day:




Ask for the grace to be convinced of Jesus’ unconditional and personal love for you.






Thought for the day:




Ask for the grace to understand Jesus’ cry of thirst.






Thought for the day:




Ask for the grace to learn from Our Lady to quench Jesus’ thirst as she did.






Thought for the day:




Ask for the grace to have an unshakeable trust in the God’s power and love for you and for all.








Ask for the grace to surrender your whole life to God.






Thought for the day:“Joy is the sign of union with God, of God’s presence. Joy is love, the normal result of a heart burning with love.”


Ask for the grace to find joy in loving and to share this joy with all you meet.








Ask for the grace of a deep faith to see Jesus in the Bread of Life and to serve Him in the distressing disguise of the poor.






Ask for the grace to become a saint.



Recite the prayer to Blessed Teresa


Comments

Sonia said…
Very beautiful and inspiring video clip of the memory and love of Blessed Mother Teresa. May she pray for us that the same love that is in her heart be in our hearts as well. Then this world will truly be heaven on earth!