A Transformational and Servant Leader: Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“Today, perhaps no figure has come to symbolize undiluted goodness, piety, and compassion more than the small, elderly Albanian nun Agnes Bojaxhiu—known to millions as Mother Teresa” (Fosl, 1999, p. 115). Mother Teresa is among the most fascinating and extremely respected women of the twentieth century. She was a woman who saved lives and changed them through the absolute force of her faith and determination. Mother Teresa was devoted to be loved in action on earth.
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in Uskub, in the Kosovo Providence of the Ottoman Empire, which is now known as the city of Skopje in the Republic of Macedonia. Her parents were originally from Albania and were Roman Catholic. Her father was a shop owner and they lived in a large house with a large garden. Mother Teresa was the youngest of three children having an older brother and an older sister. It was very known that Mother Teresa’s family was a happy home, were very caring people and never turned away anyone in need for help.
It is said that during her early years, Agnes was fascinated by stories of missionaries and what they did for the community. By the age of 12 years of age she was completely convinced that she was called to commit herself to the Catholic Church and to live a religious life. At the age of 18, Agnes left her home and joined the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary. She never saw any of her family members again. She originally joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland to learn English because that was the language they used to teach at the Sisters of Loreto in India. The Sisters of Loreto was founded by an English woman named Mary Ward. Mary Ward was a woman who desired to be “Wholly God's" and who believed that women like men could serve the Church equally well anywhere in the world and use their giftedness to bring the Gospel of Jesus to those in greatest need. Mother Teresa believed in that mission and after learning English, left to the city of
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in Uskub, in the Kosovo Providence of the Ottoman Empire, which is now known as the city of Skopje in the Republic of Macedonia. Her parents were originally from Albania and were Roman Catholic. Her father was a shop owner and they lived in a large house with a large garden. Mother Teresa was the youngest of three children having an older brother and an older sister. It was very known that Mother Teresa’s family was a happy home, were very caring people and never turned away anyone in need for help.
It is said that during her early years, Agnes was fascinated by stories of missionaries and what they did for the community. By the age of 12 years of age she was completely convinced that she was called to commit herself to the Catholic Church and to live a religious life. At the age of 18, Agnes left her home and joined the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary. She never saw any of her family members again. She originally joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland to learn English because that was the language they used to teach at the Sisters of Loreto in India. The Sisters of Loreto was founded by an English woman named Mary Ward. Mary Ward was a woman who desired to be “Wholly God's" and who believed that women like men could serve the Church equally well anywhere in the world and use their giftedness to bring the Gospel of Jesus to those in greatest need. Mother Teresa believed in that mission and after learning English, left to the city of
References: Collins, J. (2001). Good to Great. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Desmond, E. W. (1989). A pencil in the hand of God. Retrieved May22, 2010, from Time Magazine Online: http://www.time.com/time/reports/motherteresa/t891204.html Fosl, P Hudson, D. W. (2007). Refuting the Attacks on Mother Teresa. Retrieved May 22, 2010 from: http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/hudson/00286.html Maxwell, J Mother Teresa, winner of 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, dies at age 87. (1997). International Journal on World Peace, 14 (3), 85-86 Muggeridge, M. (1971). Something Beautiful for God: Mother Teresa of Calcutta. San Francisco, Ca: Harper and Row. The Gale Group, Inc