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Overview
On December 10, 1979, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India, appeared in Oslo, Norway, to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. How did this tiny, 69-year-old nun, teacher, and missionary come to be honored with one of the world's most prestigious prizes? Born in present-day Macedonia in 1910, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu grew up in a loving and devoutly Roman Catholic family. Inspired by her religion, and influenced by her mother's strong faith, young Agnes believed at an early age that God had a special mission for her. At 18, she entered the order of the Sisters of Loreto. After fulfilling her religious vows and taking the name Sister Teresa, she sailed to Calcutta, India. Stunned by the suffering of the poor, sick, and destitute who lived and died on the city's streets, she discovered her true mission -- to serve the "poorest of the poor." In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity and began the work that would consume the rest of her life. From her first efforts with Calcutta's abandoned and dying, Mother Teresa never waivered in her faith that love and compassion for the poor were the true expressions of God's love. Her determination and persistence in her mission influenced world leaders and changed the lives of millions. With thousands of her followers, she established hospices, orphanages, homes for the dying, and clinics on nearly every continent. When Mother Teresa died in 1997, at the age of 87, hundreds of thousands of people around the world mourned the passing of the woman known as the "saint of the gutter."Editorials
School Library Journal
Gr 4-8-The book begins with Mother Teresa's rescuing dying people from the streets in Calcutta, India, in the early 1950s and providing them with a safe haven in which to die with dignity. Descriptions of her early family life in Albania follow and give some insight into her decision to devote her life to serving the poor. Background relating to colonial India, the caste system, Hindu religious beliefs, and the effects of World War II are included in the chapters about her early years in India as a teacher. After Indian independence, Sister Teresa and eventually her order of Missionaries of Charity aided the sick and dying in the streets, the children in need of schools, and the leprous outcasts. The second half of the book describes how her mission became worldwide and how she became an international spokesperson for charity and peace among world leaders. The book is well researched and gives a balanced account by including the thoughts of her critics as well. The writing is good and the many quotes add interest. The format is inviting, featuring text on generous white space and frequent, interesting black-and-white photographs. This one outshines previous titles for this audience about Mother Teresa because of its depth and critical perspective afforded by time passed after her death.-Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.Book Details
Published
June 15, 2001
Publisher
Chelsea House Publishers
Pages
112
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780791058879