Mother Teresa (1910–1997)

Author of Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light - The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta

152+ Works 7,895 Members 86 Reviews 5 Favorited

About the Author

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxiu (mother Teresa) was born on August 26, 1910 in Albania. As a child she was fascinated by stories of the lives of missionaries, so by age 12 she was convinced that she would commit herself to a religious life. She left home at age 18 to join the Sisters of Loreto as a show more missionary. She went to the Loreto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Ireland to learn English, the language the Sisters of Loreto used to teach school in India. She took her first religious vows as a nun on May 24, 1931. It was at that time she chose the name Teresa after Therese de Listeux - the patron saint of missionaries. It was in 1946 when Mother Teresa received what she describes as "the call within the call" while traveling to Loreto convent in Darjeling from Calcutta for a retreat. She felt she was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. She started her missionary work in 1948 and replaced her traditionary Loreto habit with a white sari with blue border. She was a Catholic nun of India. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950. She ministered to the poor, sick and orphaned for over 45 years while expanding the Missionaries of Charity. By the 1970's she was well known as a humanitarian for the poor due partly to a book and documentary Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honor the Bharat Ratna in 1980. Throughout her years as a missioonary Mother Teresa felt the need to create a home for orphaned children so she opened the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, the Children's Home of the Immaculate Heart, as a haven for orphans and homeless youth. She also opened the first Home for the Dying in Calcutta. With the help of Indian officials she converted an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying. Her Missionaries of Charity expanded to 610 missions with over 4000 sisters in 123 countries by 1997. Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997 form complications from two previous heart attacks and a bout with malaria. She was granted a state funeral by the Indian government in gratitude for her service to the poor of all religions in India. show less

Also includes: Teresa (1)

Image credit: Túrelio

Works by Mother Teresa

A Simple Path (1995) 1,210 copies, 9 reviews

No Greater Love (1997) 849 copies, 4 reviews

Mother Teresa: In My Own Words (1996) 770 copies, 11 reviews

The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living with Mother Teresa (1996) — Author — 309 copies, 2 reviews

In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers (1997) 299 copies, 5 reviews

Words to Love by (1983) 258 copies, 3 reviews

A Gift for God: Prayers and Meditations (1975) 242 copies, 1 review

Do Something Beautiful for God: The Essential Teachings of Mother Teresa 365 Daily Reflections (2019) 183 copies, 1 review

Mother Teresa's Reaching Out in Love: Stories Told by Mother Teresa (1998) 169 copies, 1 review

Total Surrender: Mother Teresa (1990) 163 copies

Meditations from a Simple Path (1996) 159 copies, 1 review

Where There Is Love, There Is God: A Path to Closer Union with God and Greater Love for Others (2010) 152 copies, 2 reviews

The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels (1982) 141 copies, 1 review

Everything Starts from Prayer: Mother Teresa's Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths (1998) 135 copies, 7 reviews

Loving Jesus (1991) 132 copies

Love: A Fruit Always in Season (1987) 118 copies, 1 review

Jesus the Words to Be Spoken Prayers and Meditations for Every Day of the Year (1986) 114 copies, 2 reviews

Heart of Joy: The Transforming Power of Self Giving (1987) 113 copies

Thirsting for God: Daily Meditations (1999) 113 copies

Love: The Words and Inspiration of Mother Teresa (Me-We) (2007) 109 copies, 2 reviews

One Heart Full of Love: Mother Teresa (1988) 108 copies, 1 review

A Call to Mercy: Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve (2016) 87 copies

Meditations on the Way of the Cross (1986) 72 copies

Seeking the Heart of God: Reflections on Prayer (1992) 66 copies

Praying With Saint Teresa (1988) 47 copies, 1 review

Mother Teresa: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series) (2001) 43 copies

The Best Gift Is Love: Meditations by Mother Teresa (1993) 33 copies, 1 review

The Blessings of Love (1996) 32 copies

Mary: Mother of Reconciliations (1987) 32 copies

Stories Told by Mother Teresa (2000) 29 copies

Jesus is My All in All: Praying with the "Saint of Calcutta" (2008) — Author — 25 copies, 1 review

In the Silence of the Heart: Meditations by Mother Teresa (1983) 20 copies

Mary: Handmaid of the Lord 12 copies

The Face of God 12 copies

Orar su pensamiento espiritual (1997) 9 copies, 1 review

Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Fruitful Branch on the Vine, Jesus (2000) 9 copies

The Book of Peace: Finding the Spirit in a Busy World (2002) 8 copies

La Joie du don (1975) 7 copies

Living the Word (1990) 7 copies

La gioia di darsi agli altri (1981) 6 copies

Tú me das el Amor (1994) 6 copies, 1 review

La mia vita (1998) 6 copies

Like a Drop in the Ocean: 99 Sayings by Mother Teresa (99 Words to Live By) (2006) 6 copies

La Alegría de darse a los demás (1995) 6 copies, 1 review

La mia regola (2000) 5 copies

Created for Great Things: Spiritual Writings by Mother Teresa (2008) 5 copies

La Oracion: Frescor De Una Fuente (2005) 4 copies

Meditazioni per ogni giorno dell'anno liturgico (2012) 4 copies

Venha, Seja Minha Luz (Em Portuguese do Brasil) (2016) 3 copies

Mi legado (Spanish Edition) (2005) 3 copies

Vía crucis (1986) 3 copies, 1 review

Sorridere a Dio. Esperienze, preghiere, spunti di riflessione (2003) 3 copies

Palabras blancas (1997) 3 copies, 1 review

Tudo Comeca com a Prece (2008) 3 copies

Preghiera (1992) 3 copies

Mother Teresa 3 copies

Love, Joy, Peace (1998) 3 copies

Haz algo hermoso para Dios: Las enseñanzas esenciales de Madre Teresa, 365 Reflexiones Diarias (Do Something Beautiful… (2020) 3 copies

Life in the Spirit 3 copies

Il mio libro di preghiere (2004) 2 copies

Liefde kent geen grenzen biografie en geestelijke geschriften (1977) 2 copies

Quand l'amour est là, Dieu est là: Pour cheminer vers une union plus intime avec Dieu et un plus… (2011) 2 copies

Mother Teresa, Her Essential Wisdom 2 copies

Hjärtats tysta bön (1983) 2 copies

Ti offro il mio cuore o Signore (1998) 2 copies

Saremo giudicati sull'amore: la vocazione cristiana (1997) 2 copies

Kom og vmitt lys : helgenen fra Calcuttas private brev (2008) 2 copies

Respect Life: In the Words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. 2 copies

Mis oraciones: Pensamientos y meditaciones para todos los dias del a�o 2 copies

Breviario (2003) 2 copies

Rozważania na każdy dzień (2003) 2 copies

Misli, anegdote, molitve (2004) 2 copies

Words to Live By 2 copies

Križni put : s razmišljanjima Majke Terezije (2006) 1 copy

Sadovi ljubezni 1 copy

Gedanken für jeden Tag 1 copy

Mor Teresas visdom (1991) 1 copy

Mutter Teresa: Geistliche Texte 1 copy

Ein Weg zum Lieben. (2003) 1 copy

Tu m'apportes l'amour (1977) 1 copy

Donde hay amor, está Dios : el camino a una íntima unión con Dios y un mayor amor por los demás 1 copy, 1 review

Come be my light : the private writings of the "saint of Calcutta" 1 copy

A life for God : a Mother Teresa treasury 1 copy

Le preghiere di madre Teresa (1990) 1 copy

Mother Teresa: Essential Writings 1 copy

Fraternité Universelle (French Edition) (2000) 1 copy

Myśli i modlitwy, słowa na każdy dzień 1 copy

Seremos juzgados sobre el amor (1994) 1 copy

Mesome Te Dua - Teach Me to Love: Albanian - English Poetry (2003) 1 copy

I Am Only an Instrument of God Walking a Day with Mother Teresa (2016) 1 copy

La alegría de amar oraciones para cada día (1997) 1 copy

Camino hacia el amor meditaciones (1993) 1 copy

María, madre de reconciliación (1901) 1 copy

The Face of God 1 copy

Ilon ja hiljaisuuden sanoja : äiti Teresan mietteitä ja rukouksia (1993) 1 copy

Perspectivas: A Alegria da Doação 1 copy

德蘭修女來作我的光 : 加爾各答聖人的私人書札 = Mother Teresa : come be my light (2009) 1 copy

"Pójdź, bądź moim światłem" : prywatne pisma "Świętej z Kalkuty" (2008) 1 copy

Modlitwa : źródło współczującej miłości (2009) 1 copy

Miłość owoc, który dojrzewa w każdym czasie. Rozważania na każdy dzień 1 copy

Crist és el pobre : missatge espiritual de la Mare Teresa (1983) 1 copy, 1 review

Beata Madre Teresa De Calcuta: Datos Autobiograficos (2007) 1 copy

Mit der Liebe Gottes (2003) 1 copy

No Greater Love. Edited by Becky Benenate and Joseph Durepos 1 copy

Rakkaus : äiti Teresan ajatuksia (2007) 1 copy

Joy of Loving 1 copy

Vivi la vita 1 copy

Meditazioni per tutto l'anno (Opere dei Santi) (Italian Edition) (2017) 1 copy

Preghiere a misura di cuore 1 copy

Beati voi (1-2-3) 1 copy

La gioia di amare (1-2-2) 1 copy

Come be my light- The private writings of the "Saint of 1 copy

Meditations from A Simple Path. Excerpted from "A Simple Path". Compiled by Lucinda Vardey 1 copy

Loving Jesus. Edited by Jose' Luis Gonzonlas-Balado 1 copy

Meditations from a Simple Truth 1 copy

Die Sprache des Herzens by Teresa, Mutter; Mutter Teresa 1 copy

Il frutto del silenzio è la preghiera.. 1 copy

Something beautiful for God : Mother Teresa of Calcutta 1 copy

Mother Teresa's Reaching Out In Love 1 copy

Faith Moments: Mother Teresa (2013) 1 copy

I Thirst for You: A meditation attributed to Mother Teresa 1 copy

Jesus, I Thirst For You 1 copy

The Gospel of Five Fingers / 2 Language / Chinese English Version / Christianity / History / China / Jesus (2009) 1 copy

AMAD HASTA QUE DUELA (1994) 1 copy

MOTHER TERESA'S NOBEL SPEECH. 1 copy

Life Changing: Inspirational Quotes and Insights from Mother Teresa (1998) 1 copy

L'uomo è irragionevole... 1 copy

" We can do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." 1 copy

Tu mi porti l'amore. Scritti spirituali (2000) 1 copy

Par la Parole et par L'Exemple (1991) 1 copy

Parole sante / madre Teresa ; pensieri raccolti e ordinati da José Luis González-Balado (1998) 1 copy

La vita è 1 copy

Con tanto amore: pensieri (2016) 1 copy

Pensieri da mangiare. Un testo intenso per nutrire il cuore e la mente (2009) 1 copy

Madre Teresa. Un pensiero per ogni giorno dell'anno (2010) 1 copy

Il cuore della preghiera 1 copy

Madre Teresa 1 copy

Un Corazon Abierto - II Parte (Spanish Edition) (2007) 1 copy

Sois ma lumière (2004) 1 copy

Wo Liebe ist, kann Hoffnung wachsen. Geschichten aus Kalkutta (2001) 1 copy

Face of God, The 1 copy

Kreuzweg 1 copy

Öffne dein Herz wie ein Kind. Ein Meditationsbuch für den Alltag. (1999) 1 copy

Geen groter liefde (1998) 1 copy

Niets dan liefde (1993) 1 copy

Donde hay amor, está Dios (2014) 1 copy

Happiness 1 copy

マザー・テレサ訪日講演集 1 copy

Works of Love are Works of Peace: A Photographic Record 1 copy

Mother Teresa In My Own Words 1 copy

Ein Weg zum Lieben. Meditationen (1985) 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

Wise Women: Over Two Thousand Years of Spiritual Writing by Women (1996) — Contributor — 209 copies, 1 review

Sex, God, and Marriage (1996) — Foreword — 201 copies, 1 review

Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith (2010) — Contributor — 147 copies, 2 reviews

Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together (2021) — Contributor — 77 copies, 6 reviews

Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science (1984) — Contributor — 54 copies

Tagged

anthology (23) autobiography (50) biography (243) Calcutta (25) Catholic (123) Catholicism (101) Christian (47) Christian life -- Catholic authors (31) Christian living (128) Christianity (141) Devotional (57) faith (62) female saints (25) India (45) inspiration (35) inspirational (50) love (56) meditation (51) Meditations (114) memoir (31) missionaries (34) Missionaries of Charity (66) Mother Teresa (410) non-fiction (161) nuns (39) prayer (162) prayers (26) quotations (25) religion (289) religious (30) Saint (28) Saint Teresa of Calcutta (30) Saints (336) spiritual (27) spiritual life (62) spirituality (284) St. Teresa of Calcutta (37) Theology (34) to-read (91) women (35)

Common Knowledge

Canonical name: Mother Teresa
Legal name: Bojaxhiu, Agnes Gonxha
Other names: Teresa, Mother, Saint
德蕾莎
 德蘭修女
Birthdate: 1910-08-26
Date of death: 1997-09-05
Burial location: Motherhouse Convent, Kolkata, India
Gender: female
Nationality: Ottoman Empire
India
Country (for map): North Macedonia
Birthplace: Skopje, Ottoman Empire
Place of death: Kolkata, India
Cause of death: malaria and heart failure
Places of residence: Kolkata, India
Rathfarnham, Ireland
Darjeeling, India
Occupations: nun
administrator
Organizations: Roman Catholic Church
Missionaries of Charity
Sisters of Lareto (1931)
Awards and honors: Nobel Peace Prize (1979)
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (1969)
Pacem in Terris Award (1976)
Ramon Magsaysay Award (1962)
Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971)
Order of Australia (1982) (show all 12)
Order of Merit (1983)
Albania Golden Honour of the Nation (1994)
Balzan Prize (1978)
Albert Schweitzer International Prize (1975)
Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century (#1)
Templeton Prize (1973)

Members

Discussions

Mother Teresa to become saint in Catholic Tradition (March 2016)

Reviews

Mother Teresa: In My Own Words by Jose Gonzalez-Balado

It was nice to peak a little bit into who Mother Teresa was simply by reading some of the things she said.

Here are my favorites:

"Prayer does not demand that we interrupt our work, but that we continue working as if it were a prayer."

"Do not be afraid of loving to the point of sacrifice, until it hurts. Jesus' love for us led him to his death."

"God does not demand that I be successful. God demands that I be faithful. When facing God, results are not important. Faithfulness is what is important."… (more)

Flagged

Brittany76 | 10 other reviews | Nov 26, 2024 |

Everything Starts from Prayer: Mother Teresa's… by Mother Teresa

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I loved Where there is Love, which was a collection of Mother Teresa's thoughts, so this was more of the same and just as wonderful. Even if not everything aligns with you or resonates with you, you will find something beautiful here.

Flagged

KallieGrace | 6 other reviews | Feb 27, 2024 |

A Simple Path by Mother Teresa

There were some sections that touched me deeply and inspired me, and then other sections that I just felt like I was trudging through. Overall it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone wishing to pause from the normalcy of self absorption and imagine a place where the needs of others are paramount.

Flagged

Gadfly82 | 8 other reviews | Feb 16, 2024 |

Everything Starts from Prayer: Mother Teresa's… by Mother Teresa

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

A beautiful and inspiring collection of Mother Teresa's words. Her thoughts will keep touching people of all walks of life and all cultures. Every entry is a blessing to the reader.

Flagged

CastellumLibrandi | 6 other reviews | Jan 13, 2024 |

See More Reviews