Saint of the Year

A Calling Within a Calling

Mother Teresa was born in Albania and felt God calling her to be a nun when she was only 18 years old. She became a Sister and moved to India, where she was a teacher for many years. But one day, while on a train, she felt a second call from Jesus—a “call within a call.” She heard Jesus say, “I thirst,” and she knew He was thirsting for love and care in the poorest of the poor.

She felt Jesus asking her to leave her convent and go to live on the streets, to serve the people who had no one else to help them. It was a scary step, but she trusted God completely. She started by picking up sick and dying people from the gutters of Calcutta, giving them a clean place to rest, and making sure they knew they were loved by God.

“In the Slums, We See Christ”

Mother Teresa saw Jesus in everyone, especially those who were suffering. She would often say, “Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.” To her, the homeless man, the hungry child, the lonely elderly person—each was an opportunity to love and serve Christ Himself.

She started a new religious family called the Missionaries of Charity. Today, her sisters, known for their simple blue-and-white saris, serve the poor all over the world, running soup kitchens, orphanages, and homes for the dying. They do this because Mother Teresa taught them that even the smallest act of love, done with great faith, can change the world.

Fueled by Prayer and the Eucharist

How did Mother Teresa find the strength to do such difficult work every single day? Her secret was prayer and the Eucharist.

Every day, no matter how busy she was, Mother Teresa and her sisters would start with Mass and spend an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. She knew that the Eucharist was her “powerhouse.” It was where she received the strength and love from Jesus that she then shared with others. She couldn’t give what she didn’t have, so she made sure to fill up her heart with Jesus first!

A Friendship of Saints: Mother Teresa and Pope St. John Paul II

Mother Teresa had a wonderful friend who also became a saint—Pope St. John Paul II! They shared a deep love for Jesus and a special concern for the poor and for families. They understood each other’s mission and supported one another with prayer and friendship. It’s a beautiful reminder that saints don’t work alone; they encourage each other, and we can be that kind of holy friend to our classmates, too!

From Mother to Saint: The Canonization Process

After Mother Teresa died in 1997, people all over the world immediately began calling her a saint. But the Church has a special process to officially declare someone a saint, called canonization.

First, she was given the title “Servant of God,” and experts studied her life and writings to make sure she lived a life of “heroic virtue.” Then, the Church investigated two miracles attributed to her prayers after her death. These were amazing, medically unexplainable healings. Because of these miracles, we know that Mother Teresa is truly in Heaven, interceding for us. In 2016, her friend Pope Francis declared her Saint Teresa of Calcutta!

How Can We Be Like Her?

We might not be called to move to a faraway country, but we are all called to be saints right where we are! We can be like St. Teresa of Calcutta by:

• Seeing Jesus in Others: Being kind to the new student, sharing our lunch, or helping a sibling with their homework.

• Praying Every Day: Making time to talk to Jesus, especially in the Eucharist at Mass.

• Doing Small Things with Great Love: Picking up trash without being asked, writing a thank-you note to a teacher, or smiling at someone who looks sad.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us, that we may have the courage to love as you loved, and to see the face of Jesus in everyone we meet!

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
– St. Teresa of Calcutta