It’s official.
Earlier today, Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint at a mass in St. Peter’s Square. Two miraculous cures of the sick after Mother Teresa’s death in 1997 have been attributed to her intercession.
Born Agnes Goinsha to Albanian parents, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping the poor. She began her charitable work in the slums of Calcutta and later founded the order of Missionaries of Charity. Today, that network has grown to over 4,500 nuns, operating nursing homes, orphanages, hospices, and other programs around the world.
Honored by many world and religious leaders including Pope John Paul II, Indira Gandhi, and Queen Elizabeth, Mother Teresa has also been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1979) and Congressional Gold Medal (1997).
My favorite quotations from Saint Teresa…
Peace begins with a smile.
In this life, we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.
The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.
Some people come in your life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons.
Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
You have never really loved until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.
If you do something out of duty, it will deplete you. But if you do something out of love, it will energize you.
Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
Lovely post about this amazing woman, now saint! I admired her greatly. We had friends whose daughter spent several months working with Mother Teresa and the impact it had on her will be with her all her life. Thank you for writing this, Joanne.
You’re very welcome, Monica. Almost 20 years have passed since Saint Teresa’s death, but she still evokes great admiration and respect worldwide. A role model for all seasons! 🙂
Thanks for reminding us about Mother (Saint) Theresa. I understand her rise to sainthood was meteoric compared to most saints – and so well-deserved. We have too few modern saints in our lives!
An exclusive club, one that Saint Teresa will inhabit with much grace. Thanks for dropping by, Noelle 🙂
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I wokeup at 4 this morning to watch thiis live from the Vatican. God Bless, Mother Teresa!
Wow! It must have been inspiring to watch. Thanks for dropping by, Peggy 🙂
I was thrilled to see this much-deserved honor bestowed upon Mother (now Saint) Teresa. What a beautiful, timely post. Loved the quotes.
Thanks Beth! I’ve been in awe of Saint Teresa for years. 🙂
Reblogged this on Jeannie Hall Suspense and commented:
Wisdom from Mother Theresa
Thanks for reblogging, Jeannie 🙂
I loved this post so much! This is so close to my heart ❤
Good to see you here, Kirsty. 🙂
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