By UCA News Reporter
The heroic charity work of the Missionaries of Charity was commemorated worldwide as the congregation marked the 75th anniversary of its foundation by Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
In Kolkata, where the congregation began, Archbishop Elias Franck led a special thanksgiving Mass on Oct 7 at the chapel of the Mother House, the congregation’s headquarters.
Mother Teresa (1910–1997) replaced her Loretto nun’s habit with a simple, blue-bordered sari when she began working among the poor, and the sari has since become the trademark habit of the congregation.
The Vatican formally recognized the congregation on Oct 7, 1950, the date now celebrated as its official foundation day.
“Members of the congregation continue the legacy of their founder, who devoted her life to the most neglected,” Archbishop Franck said.
Sister Mary Joseph, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, addressed the anniversary gathering, thanking God for His “blessings over the past 75 years that have helped the congregation sustain itself amid challenges.”
She vowed, “No matter what the challenges, we will carry forward with our work.”
The ceremony, held at the Mother House, included political and religious leaders as well as some of the poor, whom Sister Joseph described as the congregation’s “esteemed guests.”
She characterized the sisters’ work as “the work of God, and therefore it will continue.”
Speaking to UCA News, Sister Joseph highlighted the congregation’s global presence, noting that they pray for nuns serving in conflict zones, including Gaza and Ukraine.
“We know they are living in great difficulties, yet they have chosen to stay to care for mentally challenged patients under their care,” she said on Oct 9.
A nun who requested anonymity said the nuns are not looking for ways to escape conflict zones, but instead continue to care for the poor under their care.
As part of the celebrations, Derek O’Brien, a parliamentarian and leader of the local Trinamool Congress party, unveiled a statue of Mother Teresa at the Mother House.
Father Dominic Gomes, chancellor and public relations officer of the Archdiocese, told UCA News that the nuns operate “amid conflict, violence, and war, carrying forward Mother Teresa’s mission of compassion without boundaries.”
In neighboring Pakistan, the Lahore chapter of the Missionaries of Charity observed the anniversary with a simple ceremony and Mass on Oct 7.
Father Amir Bashir, who led the Mass, said, “We might never have met Mother Teresa personally, but we witness her love in the service of these sisters. Their home has been a refuge not only for the abandoned but also for many who are abled yet broken in spirit.”
Mother Teresa opened the Lahore house in 1991 during a visit to Pakistan.
Anthony, a resident of the home, recounted his experience: “Seven months ago, I couldn’t walk properly, and I hated my own reflection. Since then, I’ve received treatment, tutoring, catechism classes, physiotherapy, music lessons, and, most importantly, guidance on walking the path of knowing my Creator through the sisters.”
According to the congregation, the Missionaries of Charity operate 754 homes in 139 countries, with more than 5,000 nuns.
Born in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia, Mother Teresa arrived in India in 1929, later becoming an Indian citizen.
She died of cardiac arrest at the Mother House in Kolkata on Sep 5, 1997, at the age of 87. Pope Francis canonized her on Sep 4, 2016. – UCA News
